Investigation of a bacterial pore-forming chimera toxin for application as a novel drug-delivery system tool.

Background/aim: Cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs) are pore-forming toxins from Gram-positive bacteria. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of a CDC, intermedilysin, as a drug-delivery system (DDS) for clinical application.

Materials And Methods: Intermedilysin was modified by the addition of a disulfide bridge to regulate pore formation, by swapping domain 4 to provide cholesterol-binding capacity, and by the introduction of a targeting domain. The resultant chimera protein, His-LTBP-CDC(ss)(IP), was investigated for its use as a DDS tool in vitro.

Results: His-LTBP-CDC(ss)(IP) exhibited a regulated pore-forming capacity under reducing conditions. This chimera protein was able to deliver a drug-carrier liposome specifically to the target cell, to be endocytosed into the cell with subsequent release of the components into the cytoplasm.

Conclusion: A chimera protein derived from the bacterial pore-forming toxin intermedilysin (His-LTBP-CDC(ss)(IP)) forms the basis for a novel DDS tool.