TAT Peptide (tat + peptide)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


The penetration enhancement and the lipolytic effects of TAT,GKH, both in in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 5 2004
J. Lim
It was demonstrated that the trans-activating transcriptional activator (TAT) protein from HIV-1 could enter cells when added to the surrounding media. TAT peptide chemically attached to various proteins was able to deliver these proteins to various cells and even at high levels in heart and spleen tissues in mice. In this study, the tri-peptide GKH (glycine,lysine,histidine) derived from the parathyroid hormone, which is known as a lipolytic peptide, was attached to 9-poly lysine (TAT) to be used as a cosmetic ingredient for eye-bag care product. When glycerol is released, expressed as the extracellular glycerol concentration (the so-called lipolysis index), TAT,GKH at 10,5m induces a maximal lipolytic effect of approximately 41.5% in epididymal adipocytes isolated from rats, compared with basal lipolysis. In a microdialysis study, TAT,GKH was perfused into epididymal adipose tissues of anaesthetized rats in increasing concentrations in a Ringer solution. The glycerol concentration in each dialysate was measured using an ultra-sensitive radiometric method. The perfusion of TAT,GKH induced a lipolytic effect. A penetration study showed that TAT,GKH resulted in a sevenfold higher penetration into excised hairless mice skin than GKH. An in vivo study showed that a TAT,GKH containing emulsion had a better effect upon the relative volume reduction of eye bag after 28 days of application on 22 healthy female volunteers than the placebo. It was therefore concluded that TAT,GKH increased skin penetration, which resulted in enhanced lipolytic effects in in vitro, ex vivo and in volume reduction of eye-bags in in vivo studies. [source]


Nuclear-targeted minicircle to enhance gene transfer with non-viral vectors in vitro and in vivo

THE JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, Issue 6 2006
Laurence Vaysse
Abstract Background To develop more efficient non-viral vectors, we have previously described a novel approach to attach a nuclear localisation signal (NLS) to plasmid DNA, by generating a fusion protein between the tetracycline repressor protein TetR and an SV40 NLS peptide (TetR-NLS). The high affinity of TetR for the DNA sequence tetO is used to bind the NLS to DNA. We have now investigated the ability of this system displaying the SV40 NLS or HIV-1 TAT peptide to enhance nuclear import of a minimised DNA construct more suitable for in vivo gene delivery: a minicircle. Methods We have produced a new LacZ minicircle compatible with the TetR system. After transfection of the minicircle in combination with TetR-NLS or TetR-TAT using different transfection agents, we first measured ,-galactosidase activity in vitro. We then used a special delivery technique, in which DOTAP/cholesterol liposomes and DNA/protein complexes are sequentially injected intravenously, to evaluate the activity of this system in vivo. Results In vitro results showed a 30-fold increase in transfection efficiency of the nuclear-targeted minicircle compared to normal plasmid lipofection. Results on cell cycle arrested cells seem to indicate a different mechanism between the TetR-NLS and TetR-TAT. Finally, we demonstrate a more than 6-fold increase in ,-galactosidase expression in the mouse lung using the minicircle and the TetR-TAT protein. This increase is specific for the peptide sequence and is not observed with the control protein TetR. Conclusions Our results indicate that the combination of a minicircle DNA construct with a TetR nuclear-targeting system is able to potentiate gene expression of non-viral vectors. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Excitotoxicity-induced endocytosis confers drug targeting in cerebral ischemia,

ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 3 2009
Anne Vaslin MSc
Objective Targeting neuroprotectants specifically to the cells that need them is a major goal in biomedical research. Many peptidic protectants contain an active sequence linked to a carrier such as the transactivator of transcription (TAT) transduction sequence, and here we test the hypothesis that TAT-linked peptides are selectively endocytosed into neurons stressed by excitotoxicity and focal cerebral ischemia. Methods In vivo experiments involved intracerebroventricular injection of TAT peptides or conventional tracers (peroxidase, fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran) in young rats exposed to occlusion of the middle cerebral artery at postnatal day 12. Cellular mechanisms of uptake were analyzed in dissociated cortical neuronal cultures. Results In both models, all tracers were taken up selectively into stressed neurons by endocytosis. In the in vivo model, this was neuron specific and limited to the ischemic area, where the neurons displayed enhanced immunolabeling for early endosomal antigen-1 and clathrin. The highly efficient uptake of TAT peptides occurred by the same selective mechanism as for conventional tracers. All tracers were targeted to the nucleus and cytoplasm of neurons that appeared viable, although ultimately destined to die. In dissociated cortical neuronal cultures, an excitotoxic dose of N -methyl- D -aspartate induced a similar endocytosis. It was 100 times more efficient with TAT peptides than with dextran, because the former bound to heparan sulfate proteoglycans at the cell surface, but it depended on dynamin and clathrin in both cases. Interpretation Excitotoxicity-induced endocytosis is the main entry route for protective TAT peptides and targets selectively the neurons that need to be protected. Ann Neurol 2009;65:337,347 [source]


Covalent Attachment of Low Molecular Weight Poly(ethylene imine) Improves Tat Peptide Mediated Gene Delivery,

ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 16 2006
F. Alexis
A polymer-peptide hybrid biomaterial synthesized by coupling poly(ethylene imine) directly to resin-supported Tat peptide takes advantage of the unique features associated with the two original cationic materials and functions as a novel gene-delivery vector with good biocompatibility. The figure shows cells transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFP) using complexes of the polymer-peptide hybrid and GFP (scale bar: 100,,m). [source]


Effects of dimerization of the cell-penetrating peptide Tat analog on antimicrobial activity and mechanism of bactericidal action

JOURNAL OF PEPTIDE SCIENCE, Issue 5 2009
Wan Long Zhu
Abstract The cell-penetrating peptide Tat (48,60) (GRKKRRQRRRPPQ) derived from HIV-1 Tat protein showed potent antibacterial activity (MIC: 2,8 µM). To investigate the effect of dimerization of Tat (48,60) analog, [Tat(W): GRKKRRQRRRPWQ-NH2], on antimicrobial activity and mechanism of bactericidal action, its dimeric peptides, di-Tat(W)-C and di-Tat(W)-K, were synthesized by a disulfide bond linkage and lysine linkage of monomeric Tat(W), respectively. From the viewpoint of a weight basis and the monomer concentration, these dimeric peptides displayed almost similar antimicrobial activity against six bacterial strains tested but acted more rapidly against Staphylococcus aureus on kinetics of bactericidal activity, compared with monomeric Tat(W). Unlike monomeric Tat(W), these dimeric peptides significantly depolarized the cytoplasmic membrane of intact S. aureus cells at MIC and induced dye leakage from bacterial-membrane-mimicking egg yolk L -,-phosphatidylethanolamine/egg yolk L -,-phosphatidyl- DL -glycerol (7:3, w/w) vesicles. Furthermore, these dimeric peptides were less effective to translocate across lipid bilayers than monomeric Tat(W). These results indicated that the dimerization of Tat analog induces a partial change in the mode of its bactericidal action from intracellular target mechanism to membrane-targeting mechanism. Collectively, our designed dimeric Tat peptides with high antimicrobial activity and rapid bactericidal activity appear to be excellent candidates for future development as novel antimicrobial agents. Copyright © 2009 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Immobilized HIV-1 Tat protein promotes gene transfer via a transactivation-independent mechanism which requires binding of Tat to viral particles

THE JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, Issue 11 2009
Filomena Nappi
Abstract Background Retroviral transduction of cells is improved upon virus adsorption onto immobilized fibronectin (FN) fragments. Because HIV-1 Tat possesses the same functional domains that lead to increased transduction efficiency in FN by colocalization of bound virus and cells, we hypothesized that Tat could enhance gene transfer by a similar mechanism. Methods Single-cycle replication retro- or lentivirus carrying green fluorescent protein or cloramphenicol acetyltransferase as reporter genes were added to wells coated with Tat or Tat peptides. Wells were extensively washed to remove unbound virus and levels of transduction were detected by measuring reporter gene expression. Virus adsorption to immobilized Tat was measured using a p24 antigen capture assay. Results Immobilized Tat efficiently binds retro- and lentiviral particles and mediates virus transmission at virus input doses that were otherwise unable to transduce susceptible cells. Virus adsorption to Tat is not mediated by envelope glycoprotein (Env) because immobilized Tat binds and retains vesicular stomatitis virus G (VSV-G) pseudotypes as well as envelope-free particles. HIV-1 Env or VSV-G are required for Tat-assisted transduction, which is abrogated by an antibody blocking the HIV-1 Env,CD4 interaction. Tat-assisted transduction is mediated by the cysteine-rich region of Tat, which is known to be essential for Tat transactivation activity. However, Tat transactivation is not required for Tat-assisted transduction, as indicated by the enhancement of transduction by transactivation-silent Tat mutants. Conclusions Immobilized Tat promotes virus transduction by a transactiva- tion-independent mechanism, which requires binding of virus to Tat. Recombinant Tat or Tat fragments provide a new method to increase efficiency of retro- and lentiviral based gene transfer and gene therapy. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]