| Abstract
| - Protein cage architectures such as virus capsids and ferritins are versatile nanoscale platformsamenable to both genetic and chemical modification. Incorporation of multiple functionalities within thesenanometer-sized protein architectures demonstrate their potential to serve as functional nanomaterials withapplications in medical imaging and therapy. In the present study, we synthesized an iron oxide (magnetite)nanoparticle within the interior cavity of a genetically engineered human H-chain ferritin (HFn). A cell-specific targeting peptide, RGD-4C which binds αvβ3 integrins upregulated on tumor vasculature, wasgenetically incorporated on the exterior surface of HFn. Both magnetite-containing and fluorescently labeledRGD4C-Fn cages bound C32 melanoma cells in vitro. Together these results demonstrate the capabilityof a genetically modified protein cage architecture to serve as a multifunctional nanoscale container forsimultaneous iron oxide loading and cell-specific targeting.
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