Dye-doped silica nanoparticle with HIV-1 TAT peptide for bioimaging.

Multifunctional silica nanoparticles for bioimaging and drug delivery have progressively been developed as novel modalities for cancer diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we synthesized fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) doped silica nanoparticle coated with 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTS). Additionally, the surface of this silica nanoparticle was modified with HIV-1 trans-activating transcriptional activator (HIV-1 TAT) peptide. The HIV-1 TAT peptide (cell-penetrating peptide) is able to deliver cargos such as oligonucleotides and proteins across the plasma membrane of living cells. This study demonstrates the feasibility of TAT peptide coated silica nanoparticle as a potential carrier for bioimaging and drug delivery.