Catalytic delivery nanosubstrates (CDNS) for highly efficient delivery of biomolecules

1. A molecular delivery system, comprising:

a substrate having

a nanostructured surface region which comprises a plurality of nanostructures and, covalently attached to the nanostructured surface region, multiple copies of a first member of a binding pair; and

at least one vector nanoparticle which comprises

encapsulated therein, a molecule of interest, and,

on its surface, multiple copies of a second member of the binding pair,

wherein the plurality of nanostructures are nanofibers or nanowires made of silicon, titanium, aluminum, steel, or an organic oxide, or are organic polymers comprising at least one of polymethacrlate, polysaccharide or polylactide,

wherein the plurality of nanostructures comprise a length and diameter such that the length is greater than the diameter,

wherein the plurality of nanostructures are attached at a first end to the substrate, and

wherein the first member of the binding pair is covalently attached to an outer surface region of the plurality of nanostructures such that the at least one vector nanoparticle is attached to the outer surface region of the plurality of nanostructures when the second member of the binding pair and the first member of the binding pair are engaged, and

wherein each vector nanoparticle further comprises:

a plurality of structural components that are suitable to at least provide some mechanical structure to said vector nanoparticle;

a plurality of binding components, each having a plurality of binding regions adapted to bind to said plurality of structural components; and

a plurality of terminating components, each of which is adapted to bind to a binding region of one of said plurality of binding components,

wherein said plurality of structural components and said plurality of binding components self-assemble when brought into contact to form said vector nanoparticle,

wherein said plurality of terminating components act to occupy binding regions of said plurality of binding components to terminate further binding when said plurality of terminating components are present in a sufficient quantity relative to said plurality of binding regions of said plurality of binding components,

wherein the plurality of binding regions comprise β-cyclodextrin,

wherein each of said plurality of structural components comprises at least one binding element adapted to bind to the binding regions to form a first inclusion complex,

wherein the binding element comprises adamantine,

wherein the first inclusion complex is adamantine-β-cyclodextrin,

wherein each of the plurality of terminating components comprise a single terminating binding element that binds to remaining binding regions of one of said plurality of binding components by forming a second inclusion complex,

wherein said terminating binding element comprises adamantine, and

wherein said second inclusion complex is adamantine-β-cyclodextrin.

2. A method for delivering a molecule of interest into a cell, comprising

contacting the cell with a substrate having a nanostructured surface region which comprises a plurality of nanostructures, wherein multiple copies of a first member of a binding pair are covalently attached to the nanostructured surface region, so that the cell is associated with the nanostructured surface region; then

immobilizing on the nanostructured surface region with which the cell is associated at least one vector nanoparticle, wherein the vector nanoparticle encapsulates the molecule of interest and comprises, on its surface, multiple copies of a second member of the binding pair,

so that the vector nanoparticle is internalized by the cell and the molecule of interest is released from the vector particle and is delivered to the cell,

wherein the plurality of nanostructures are nanofibers or nanowires made of silicon, titanium, aluminum, steel, or an organic oxide, or are organic polymers comprising at least one of polymethacrlate, polysaccharide or polylactide,

wherein the plurality of nanostructures comprise a length and diameter such that the length is greater than the diameter,

wherein the plurality of nanostructures are attached at a first end to the substrate, and

wherein the first member of the binding pair is covalently attached to an outer surface region of the plurality of nanostructures such that the at least one vector nanoparticle is attached to the outer surface region of the plurality of nanostructures when the second member of the binding pair and the first member of the binding pair are engaged, and

wherein the vector nanoparticle further comprises:

a plurality of structural components that are suitable to at least provide some mechanical structure to said vector nanoparticle;

a plurality of binding components, each having a plurality of binding regions adapted to bind to said plurality of structural components; and

a plurality of terminating components, each of which is adapted to bind to a binding region of one of said plurality of binding components,

wherein said plurality of structural components and said plurality of binding components self-assemble when brought into contact to form said vector nanoparticle,

wherein said plurality of terminating components act to occupy binding regions of said plurality of binding components to terminate further binding when said plurality of terminating components are present in a sufficient quantity relative to said plurality of binding regions of said plurality of binding components,

wherein the plurality of binding regions comprise β-cyclodextrin,

wherein each of said plurality of structural components comprises at least one binding element adapted to bind to the binding regions to form a first inclusion complex,

wherein the binding element comprises adamantine,

wherein the first inclusion complex is adamantine-β-cyclodextrin,

wherein each of the plurality of terminating components comprise a single terminating binding element that binds to remaining binding regions of one of said plurality of binding components by forming a second inclusion complex,

wherein said terminating binding element comprises adamantine, and

wherein said second inclusion complex is adamantine-β-cyclodextrin.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising delivering more of the molecule of interest or delivering a second molecule of interest into the cell, wherein the method further comprises, after the first molecule of interest is delivered to the cell,

immobilizing on the nanostructured surface region with which the cell is associated at least one vector nanoparticle comprising multiple copies of the second member of the binding pair, wherein the vector nanoparticle encapsulates more of the first molecule or encapsulates a second molecule,

so that the vector nanoparticle is internalized by the cell and the further molecule of interest is released from the vector nanoparticle and is delivered to the cell.

4. A delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures are silicon nanowires.

5. A delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the vector nanoparticle is a liposome, self-assembled nanoparticle based on amphiphilic polymer, an inorganic nanoparticle, polymer-based nanoparticles, or a sol-gel nanoparticle.

6. The molecular delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of terminating components each have a single binding element that binds to one of the binding regions.

7. A delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second members of the binding pair are antibody-antigen; protein-substrate; protein-inhibitor; protein-protein; a pair of complementary oligonucleotides; or an inclusion complex.

8. A delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the molecule of interest is a nucleic acid, a protein, a polysaccharide, or a small molecule.

9. A method of claim 2 , wherein the cell is a tissue culture cell, a primary cell, an immune cell, a stem cell, or a neuron.

10. A kit for delivering a molecule of interest into a cell, comprising in one container a substrate comprising a nanostructured surface region to which are covalently attached multiple copies of a first member of a binding pair; and in a second container, at least one vector nanoparticle encapsulating the molecule of interest and comprising on its surface multiple copies of a second member of the binding pair,

wherein the first member of the binding pair is covalently attached to an outer surface region of the nanostructured surface region such that the at least one vector nanoparticle is attached to the outer surface region of the nanostructured surface region when the second member of the binding pair and the first member of the binding pair are engaged,

wherein the vector nanoparticle further comprises:

a plurality of structural components that are suitable to at least provide some mechanical structure to said vector nanoparticle;

a plurality of binding components, each having a plurality of binding regions adapted to bind to said plurality of structural components; and

a plurality of terminating components, each of which is adapted to bind to a binding region of one of said plurality of binding components,

wherein said plurality of structural components and said plurality of binding components self-assemble when brought into contact to form said vector nanoparticle,

wherein said plurality of terminating components act to occupy binding regions of said plurality of binding components to terminate further binding when said plurality of terminating components are present in a sufficient quantity relative to said plurality of binding regions of said plurality of binding components,

wherein the plurality of binding regions comprise β-cyclodextrin,

wherein each of said plurality of structural components comprises at least one binding element adapted to bind to the binding regions to form a first inclusion complex,

wherein the binding element comprises adamantine,

wherein the first inclusion complex is adamantine-β-cyclodextrin,

wherein each of the plurality of terminating components comprise a single terminating binding element that binds to remaining binding regions of one of said plurality of binding components by forming a second inclusion complex,

wherein said terminating binding element comprises adamantine, and

wherein said second inclusion complex is adamantine-β-cyclodextrin.

11. A delivery system of claim 1 , wherein said nanofibers or nanowires are between 50-500 nm in diameter.

12. A delivery system of claim 1 , wherein said vector nanoparticle is between 50-500 nm in diameter.

13. The method of claim 2 , wherein said vector nanoparticle is between 50-500 nm in diameter.

14. The kit of claim 10 , wherein said vector nanoparticle is between 50-500 nm in diameter.