Polyethylene glycol incorporation to reduce the cytotoxicity associated with cationic cell-penetrating-peptide conjugation

Abstract

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) facilitate the intracellular delivery of cargo molecules. However, they can induce cytotoxicity when conjugated with certain bioactive peptides. We incorporated a branched polyethylene glycol unit to effectively minimize their nonspecific toxicity while preserving their essential biological functions, such as the inhibition of the p53/MDM2 interaction.