Abstract
The delivery of therapeutic proteins is one of the greatest challenges in the treatment of human diseases. In this frame, ferritins occupy a very special place. Thanks to their hollow spherical structure, they are used as modular nanocages for the delivery of anticancer drugs. More recently, the possibility of encapsulating even small proteins with enzymatic or cytotoxic activity is emerging. Among all ferritins, particular interest is paid to the Archaeoglobus fulgidus one, due to its peculiar ability to associate/dissociate in physiological conditions. This protein has also been engineered to allow recognition of human receptors and used in vitro for the delivery of cytotoxic proteins with extremely promising results.
Highlights
One of the major challenges in treating a range of human diseases is the use of therapeutic proteins and peptides
Proapoptotic proteins, being of human origin, display a high clinical value in oncology, because they do not induce immunogenic responses [8]. monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are the largest group of therapeutic proteins being able to inhibit specific receptors involved in cancer development [9]
Chen H. et al [74] showed that the cleavage of the last 23 amino acids at the carboxyl terminal of human H ferritin alters the interfaces at the quaternary symmetry axes of native protein, allowing it to dissociate at milder pH values
Summary
One of the major challenges in treating a range of human diseases is the use of therapeutic proteins and peptides. Most of the scientific literature in the field of protein drug encapsulation and delivery concern viral nanoparticles (VNPs), which, due to their highly symmetrical structures, can be considered one of the most versatile natural nanomaterials, potentially infectious and hazardous in humans and other mammals. In this frame, a safer profile is shown by ferritins that, very recently, have been tested for the delivery of therapeutic proteins [41,42]. This review will focus on the on-going research on ferritin-mediated protein drug delivery
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