Nanoglue: an alternative way to display cell-internalizing peptide at the spikes of hepatitis B virus core nanoparticles for cell-targeting delivery

Cell-internalizing peptides (CIPs) can be used to mediate specific delivery of nanoparticles across cellular membrane. The objective of this study was to develop a display technique using hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid-binding peptide as a "nanoglue" to present CIPs on HBV nanoparticles for cell-targeting delivery. A CIP was selected from a phage display library and cross-linked specifically at the tips of the spikes of the HBV capsid nanoparticle via the "nanoglue" by using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (sulfo-NHS). Fluorescent oligonucleotides packaged in the nanoparticles and the fluorescein molecules conjugated on the nanoparticles were delivered to cells by using this display technique. This study demonstrated a proof of principle for cell-targeting delivery via "nanoglue" bioconjugation.