Structurally screening calixarenes as peptide transport activators

Calixarenes are reportedly excellent activators that can remarkably improve the transport efficiencies of cell penetrating peptides. We employed eight calixarenes to systematically study the influence of structure on activation efficiency, which revealed that the scaffold, head group, and alkyl chain are all significant factors for activation efficiency by affecting affinities with the peptide and membrane. We studied the influence of calixarene structure on transport efficiency of peptides, and provide meaningful information for transport systems.