Artificial Organelles Based on Cross-Linked Zwitterionic Vesicles

Abstract

Artificial organelles (AOs) are typical microcompartments with intracellular biocatalytic activity aimed to replace missing or lost cellular functions. Currently, liposomes or polymersomes are popular microcompartments to build AOs by embedding channel proteins in their hydrophobic domain and entrapping natural enzymes in their cavity. Herein, a new microcompartment is established by using monolayer cross-linked zwitterionic vesicles (cZVs) with a carboxylic acid saturated cavity. The monolayer structure endows the cZVs with intrinsic permeability; the cavity supplies the cZVs ability of <i>in situ</i> synthesis of artificial enzymes, and the pH-dependent charge-change property makes it possible to overcome the biological barriers. Typically, nanozymes of CeO₂ and Pt NPs were synthesized in the cZVs to mimic peroxisome. <i>In vitro</i> experiments confirmed that the resulting artificial peroxisome (AP) could resist protein adsorption, endocytose efficiently, and escape from the lysosome. <i>In vivo</i> experiments demonstrated that the APs held a good therapeutic effect in ROS-induced ear-inflammation.