Molecular delivery with nanowires

Abstract

A molecular delivery system including a plurality of nanowires (e.g., Si NWs), each of the nanowires having a surface layer formed of a silicon-containing material and a covalently bound linker (e.g., silane linker) attached to the surface layer and optionally including a substrate to which the nanowires are adhered or a molecule to be delivered attached to the linker. Also disclosed is a method of delivering into a cell an exogenous molecule.

1 . A molecular delivery system, comprising:
 a substrate having a surface; and   a plurality of upstanding nanowires attached to the surface;   a plurality of cells of a first cell type, wherein at least one cell of the plurality of cells is penetrated by at least one nanowire of the plurality of nanowires; and   a plurality of molecules to be delivered to the plurality of cells,   wherein the at least one nanowire comprises a surface layer formed of a silicon-containing material, a first silane linker covalently bound thereto, and a first molecule of the plurality of molecules electrostatically bound to the first silane linker.   
     
     
         2 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first molecule is a nucleic acid, a protein, a polysaccharide, or a small molecule. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second molecule attached to a second silane linker, the second molecule being different from the first molecule. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second molecules are connected to different nanowires. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the second molecule is a nucleic acid, a protein, a polysaccharide, or a small molecule. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing material is silicon oxide silicon nitride, or silicon carbide. 
     
     
         10 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method of delivering a molecule to a cell, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate having a surface, a plurality of upstanding nanowires attached to the surface, and a plurality of molecules, wherein at least one of the nanowires further comprises a surface layer of a silicon-containing material, a first silane linker covalently bound thereto, and a first molecule of the plurality of molecules, wherein the first molecule is electrostatically bound to the first silane linker; and   contacting the plurality of nanowires with a plurality of cells to allow penetration of at least a portion of the nanowires into at least some of the cells, wherein at least one cell of the plurality of cells contains at least the first molecule of the plurality of molecules.   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first molecule is a nucleic acid, a protein, a polysaccharide, or a small molecule. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first molecule is an RNA, a protein, or a small molecule. 
     
     
         16 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one cell is an immune cell. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the immune cell is a human β cell or a dendritic cell. 
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first molecule connected to a first nanowire of the plurality of nanowires is different from a second molecule connected to a second nanowire of the plurality of nanowires. 
     
     
         23 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least about 50% of the plurality of cells contain at least one molecule of the plurality of molecules. 
     
     
         38 . A molecule, identified by a process comprising:
 providing a substrate having a surface, a plurality of upstanding nanowires attached to the surface, and a plurality of molecules, wherein at least one of the nanowires further comprises a surface layer of a silicon-containing material, a first silane linker covalently bound thereto, and a first molecule of the plurality of molecules, wherein the first molecule is electrostatically bound to the first silane linker; and   contacting the plurality of nanowires with a plurality of cells to allow penetration of at least a portion of the nanowires into at least some of the cells, wherein at least one cell of the plurality of cells contains at least the first molecule of the plurality of molecules.   
     
     
         39 . The molecule of  claim 38 , wherein the process further comprises identifying one or more molecules of the plurality of molecules that induce a change in one or more cells of the plurality of cells. 
     
     
         40 . The molecule of  claim 39 , wherein the one or more cells comprise a cancerous cell, an immune cell, a neuron, and/or a stem cell. 
     
     
         41 . The molecule of  claim 40 , wherein the immune cell is a human β cell or a dendritic cell. 
     
     
         42 . The molecule of  claim 39 , wherein the change is cell differentiation, cell growth, or apoptosis. 
     
     
         43 . The molecule of  claim 39 , wherein the one or more molecules comprise a nucleic acid, a protein, a polysaccharide, or a small molecule. 
     
     
         44 . The molecule of  claim 43 , wherein the nucleic acid comprises an RNA.