Nanotube trans-membrane channels mimicking biological porins
AssigneesLawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, The Regents of the University of California, Universidad Del Pais Vasco
InventorsAleksandr Noy, Jia Geng, Jianfei Zhang, Vadim Frolov
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Abstract
Provided herein is a nanopore structure, which in one aspect is a “carbon nanotube porin”, that comprises a short nanotube with an associated lipid coating. Also disclosed are compositions and methods enabling the preparation of such nanotube/lipid complexes. Further disclosed is a method for therapeutics delivery that involves a drug delivery agent comprising a liposome with a NT loaded with a therapeutic agent, introducing the therapeutic agent into a cell or a tissue or an organism; and subsequent release of the therapeutic agents into a cell.
Claims28
A liposome vesicle comprising a lipid bilayer, wherein the lipid bilayer of the liposome vesicle comprises (a) one or more phospholipids and (b) lipid-coated nanotubes comprised of a material selected from carbon, molybdenum disulfide, or boron nitride and having an internal diameter of from about 0.5 nm to about 10 nm, and having a length greater than 5 nm to about 30 nm, wherein the length of the nanotubes is greater than a thickness of the lipid bilayer of the liposome vesicle and more than 50% of the nanotubes have an angle of 15 degrees or less with respect to a direction perpendicular to a plane of the lipid bilayer of the liposome vesicle and wherein the nanotubes form channels across the lipid bilayer of the liposome vesicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.