ABSTRACT
The effect of polyrotaxane-dipeptide (Val-Lys) conjugates on the uptake of a model dipeptide (Gly-Sar) was examined via human peptide transporter (hPEPT1) on HeLa cells. Here, Val-Lys groups are introduced to alpha-CDs, which are threaded onto a poly(ethylene oxide) chain capped with bulky end-groups (polyrotaxane). The Gly-Sar uptake via hPEPT1 was significantly inhibited in the polyrotaxane conjugates, and this inhibitory effect was not explained by the sum of interaction between hPEPT1 and alpha-CD-Val-Lys conjugates. Further, the inhibition was significantly greater than those observed in dextran-Val-Lys conjugates. Therefore, our data clearly suggests that supramolecular structure in the polyrotaxane conjugates contributes considerably to the inhibitory effect via multivalent binding of Val-Lys groups with hPEPT1.