Transportation of drug-(polystyrene bead) conjugate by actomyosin motor system.

The Nanorobotics and cargo transportation application of molecular motors is of recent intent. The present study explores the transportation of Mesalamine/5-aminosalicylic acid/5-ASA drug by molecular motors. Mesalamine is an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Conjugate of mesalamine and polystyrene (Dia.: 3 microm) beads was prepared by amide linkage between amine (-NH2) group of drug and carboxyl (-COOH) group of the bead. In Fourier Transform Infrared spectra, peaks were observed at 3428.1 and 1654.0 cm(-1) for N-H and C=O stretching bond respectively confirming the amide bond formation between drug and microbeads. Quantification of 5-ASA attached to polystyrene bead was done by UV-vis spectroscopy and it was ascertained that 93% of 5-ASA was loaded on polystyrene beads. Conjugate of drug-polystyrene beads were then covalently attached to actin filaments. Velocity of actin filaments attached to drug loaded beads in in-vitro motility assay reduced to 0.89 microm/s as compared to free actin velocity (4.64 microm/s). This further ascertains the microcomposites formation. The present study provides an insight into the actin-myosin based molecular motor systems for an efficient tool for drug transportation.