Nanobiosensor Reports on CDK1 Kinase Activity in Tumor Xenografts in Mice

Probing the dynamics and quantifying the activities of intracellular protein kinases that coordinate cell growth and division and constitute biomarkers and pharmacological targets in hyperproliferative and pathological disorders remain a challenging task. Here engineering and characterization of a nanobiosensor of the mitotic kinase CDK1, through multifunctionalization of carbon nanotubes with a CDK1-specific fluorescent peptide reporter, are described. This original reporter of CDK1 activity combines the sensitivity of a fluorescent biosensor with the unique physico-chemical and biological properties of nanotubes for multifunctionalization and efficient intracellular penetration. The functional versatility of this nanobiosensor enables implementation to quantify CDK1 activity in a sensitive and dose-dependent fashion in complex biological environments in vitro, to monitor endogenous kinase in living cells and directly within tumor xenografts in mice by fluorescence imaging, thanks to a ratiometric quantification strategy accounting for response relative to concentration in space and in time.