Enhancement of HIV-1 Tat fusion protein transduction efficiency by bog blueberry anthocyanins

BMB Rep. 2010 Aug;43(8):561-6. doi: 10.5483/bmbrep.2010.43.8.561.

Abstract

Though protein transduction domains (PTDs) are well known for the delivery of exogenous therapeutic proteins into living cells, the overall low efficiency of transduction is a serious obstacle. We investigated the effect of bog blueberry anthocyanins (BBA) on protein transduction efficiency and found that BBA enhanced the transduction efficiencies of Tat-SOD fusion protein into HeLa cells and mice skin. The enzymatic activities in the cells and skin tissue in the presence of BBA were markedly increased compared to controls. Further, BBA did not demonstrate any cell toxicity at various concentrations. Although the mechanism is not fully understood, we suggest that BBA might alter the conformation of the membrane, which would indicate that BBA can be used as a protein transduction enhancer for the efficient delivery of therapeutic proteins for a variety of disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anthocyanins / pharmacology*
  • Anthocyanins / toxicity
  • Blueberry Plants / chemistry*
  • HIV-1
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / drug effects
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Skin / drug effects
  • Transduction, Genetic*
  • tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics*
  • tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / metabolism

Substances

  • Anthocyanins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus