Assembled Hemoglobin and Catalase Nanotubes for the Treatment of Oxidative Stress

Hemoglobin-based nanotubes for the treatment of oxidative stress are successfully fabricated via covalent layer-by-layer assembly. Catalase, the most efficient enzyme for scavenging the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is embedded into the inner pores of the hemoglobin/dialdehyde heparin (Hb/DHP)5 nanotubes via covalent bonding to protect the delicate enzyme from inactivation after the removal of the polycarbonate (PC) template. Dialdehyde heparin (DHP) as wall components is a cross-linker. The biocompatibility and capabilities of the nanotubes to protect the cells under oxidative stress are characterized with the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). The scavenging capabilities of four kinds of autofluorescent nanotubes are tested through the reaction with H2O2 by the measurement of the UV–vis absorbance at 240 nm. All the experimental results show that the assembled hemoglobin-based nanotubes possess H2O2-scavenging capacity as well as biocompatibility, indicating the potential application in the treatment of oxidative...