We have designed a mass stable reporter (msr) tag with
m/
z over 500, trifluoroacetyl(
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
,
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
-diethyl)Gly-Lys(N
![](/images/gifchars/epsilon.gif)
biotin)-(D)Lys-Cys, for the quantification of the uptake and studyof the degradation processes of cell-penetrating peptides(CPP), by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionizationtime-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. This tagwas found stable in cell lysis conditions. Using a quantitative MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry analysis basedmethod, an accurate tracking of a new CPP and of itsdegradation products could be done. (1
) The new
msr(W/R) nonapeptide (H-RRWWRRWRR-NH
2) enters chinesehamster ovary (CHO) K1 cells with a kinetic reaching asteady state after 30-60 min of incubation. This plateauwas stable for 4 h and decreased slowly afterward. (2
) Thepeptide
msr(W/R) nonapeptide was not cytotoxic over48 h incubation with CHO cells. (3
) After 1 h incubation,the
msr(W/R) nonapeptide accumulated with a 3-foldhigher concentration than the extracellularly added concentration (7.5
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
M). (4
) The intracellular quantificationwas accurate with less than 3% of the quantified peptidebeing potentially membrane-bound. (5
) There was noleakage of the full-length CPP outside the cells. And,finally, (6
) analysis of the degradation process of this newCPP suggests that the peptide did not traffick to lyso-somes.