Protein-based nanocarriers as promising drug and gene delivery systems

• Published in: Journal of controlled release Vol. 161; no. 1; pp. 38 - 49
• Main Authors: Elzoghby, Ahmed O., Samy, Wael M., Elgindy, Nazik A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 10.07.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal proteins; Animals; binding capacity; Biological and medical sciences; cytotoxicity; Drug Carriers - chemistry; Drug Carriers - metabolism; Drug delivery; drugs; Gene delivery; Gene Transfer Techniques; General pharmacology; genes; Humans; Medical sciences; nanocarriers; Nanostructures - chemistry; Nanostructures - ultrastructure; Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant proteins; Plant Proteins - chemistry; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plants - chemistry; Plants - metabolism; Protein nanocarriers; protein structure; Proteins - chemistry; Proteins - metabolism; recombinant proteins; surface proteins; toxic substances; Plant proteins; Protein nanocarriers; Gene delivery; Drug delivery; Animal proteins; Delivery system; Pharmaceutical technology; Drug carrier; Genetic transfer; Animal protein; Plant protein; Gene therapy; Nanotechnology
• ISSN: 0168-3659; 1873-4995
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2012.04.036

Among the available potential colloidal drug carrier systems, protein-based nanocarriers are particularly interesting. Meeting requirements such as low cytotoxicity, abundant renewable sources, high drug binding capacity and significant uptake into the targeted cells, protein-based nanocarriers represent promising candidates for efficient drug and gene delivery. Moreover, the unique protein structure offers the possibility of site-specific drug conjugation and targeting using various ligands modifying the surface of protein nanocarriers. The current review highlights the main advances achieved in utilizing protein nanocarriers as natural vehicles for drug and gene delivery tasks with respect to types, advantages, limitations, formulation aspects as well as the major outcomes of the in vitro and in vivo investigations. The recently emerged technologies in the formulation of protein nanocarriers including using recombinant proteins as alternatives to native ones and new non-toxic crosslinkers as alternatives to the toxic chemical crosslinkers are also discussed. [Display omitted]