Figure 1.

Characterization and design of an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) nanoparticle to target intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1). (A) Purified ELPs were resolved on 4–12% SDS-PAGE gels and stained with 10% (w/v) copper chloride, revealing bands consistent with the estimated molecular weight (Mw) of SI (39.6 kD) and IBP-SI (41.5 kD). (B) An ICAM-1 binding peptide (IBP) was appended to the amino-terminus of a diblock copolymer consisting of the hydrophilic ELP (VPGSG)₄₈, illustrated as S48 and shown in dark blue, and the hydrophobic ELP (VPGIG)₄₈, illustrated as I48 and shown in red, designated IBP-SI. IBP-SI assembles into nanoparticles at physiological temperatures (37 °C).