A Bioactive Fullerene Peptide

Abstract

The highly hydrophobic C60 (buckminsterfullerene) was water solubilized by covalently linking the synthon 1,2-dihydro-1,2-methanofullerene [60]-61-carboxylic acid to the alpha-amino group of the hydrophilic 4-8 sequence of peptide T, known to display potent human monocyte chemotaxis. The resulting compound, characterized by a variety of analytical techniques, including a UV spectrum in aqueous solution, exhibits remarkable chemotactic potency, comparable to that of the parent pentapeptide. Furthermore, this fullerene-peptide conjugate inhibits, albeit weakly, HIV-1 protease.

Water‐soluble C60 fullerene prevents degeneration of articular cartilage in osteoarthritis via down‐regulation of chondrocyte catabolic activity and inhibition of cartilage degeneration during disease development

“…Several studies have demonstrated that C60, as a therapeutic antioxidant, works significantly better than other natural and synthetic antioxidants in degenerative diseases (36)(37)(38)(39)(40). It has been reported that carboxyfullerene protects human keratinocytes from apoptosis induced by exposure to oxidative stress (40).…”

“…Recent studies have shown that fullerene derivatives have some remarkable biologic properties, such as inhibition of the activity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (36), promotion of chondrogenesis (37), membranotropic properties, and activation of transmembrane transport of bivalent metal ions (38). In addition, fullerene inhibits neuronal apoptosis by scavenging ROS (39), and protects human skin keratinocytes from ROS-induced cell death after ultraviolet stress (40).…”

Novel harmful effects of [60]fullerene on mouse embryos in vitro and in vivo

“…Since their discovery [1], unique interactions with biomolecules have been expected and also anticipated from the toxological point of view, because fullerenes have recently been synthesized on a large scale and many researchers have been exposed to them, mainly in the electrochemical field. There are a few interesting studies concerning the biological activities of water-soluble [60]fullerene (C60) derivatives such as DNA-cleaving activity [2] and HIV-1 inhibition activity [3,4]. As for unfunctional fullerenes, owing to their low solubility in water, it is hard to examine the biological activities of fullerenes alone especially in in vitro systems.…”

X-ray crystal structure of an anti-Buckminsterfullerene antibody Fab fragment: Biomolecular recognition of C 60

“…In 1985, a third allotrope was discovered and dubbed Buckminsterfullerene because of its geodesic character (1). The preparation of fullerenes in workable quantities led first to applications in chemical and engineering processes and subsequently to the suggested use of fullerenes in biological applications (2)(3)(4) and as templates for the design of experimental pharmaceutical agents, including those with anti-viral (5-9), antioxidant (8)(9)(10)(11)(12), chemotactic (13), and neuroprotective (14) activities.…”