Model System for Antiviral Peptide Transport Characterization

Determination of the mechanism of action of potential medicinal substances is an integral stage in development of novel drugs. The interaction of antiviral peptide PB1 6–14 with lipid membranes in cell and cell-free model systems is demonstrated. Penetration of a fluorescently tagged analog of peptide into cells has been observed for 15 min using continuous-flow cytofluorometry and confocal microscopy. The specific features of interaction of the peptide under study with cell membranes have been studied using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and dynamic light scattering. It is shown that model liposomes (PC/PG) increased in size in the presence of peptide (in a 5% ethanol/5% DMSO/PBS buffer), while the ζ potential changed only slightly, which can be interpreted as a consequence of a change in the surface charge and may indicate peptide ability to interact with a lipid bilayer (not excluding its penetration into the membrane). The data obtained can be used both for studying the mechanism of therapeutic peptide transport and for developing drug-delivery agents.