Drug delivery protein

Although oral administration is considered the most convenient and comfortable method for drug delivery, protein- and peptide-based drugs still have to be administered by injection, which is costly and has very low patient acceptability. 

Protein immobilization is an important issue for biomedical and biotechnological applications, including controlled drug delivery, protein separation, and biosensors. Smart polymers can manage protein immobilization by the manipulation of environmental parameters (temperature, pH, ionic strength, electric field, and light) (Mendes, 2008). SPB are an attractive option for protein or enzyme immobilization (Jain et al., 2009). 

Microelectronic circuits for communications. Controlled permeability films for drug delivery systems. Protein-specific sensors for the monitoring of biochemical processes. Catalysts for the production of fuels and chemicals. Optical coatings for window glass. Electrodes for batteries and fuel cells. Corrosion-resistant coatings for the protection of metals and ceramics. Surface active agents, or surfactants, for use in tertiary oil recovery and the production of polymers, paper, textiles, agricultural chemicals, and cement. 

Alternatively, one interesting drug delivery technique exploits the active transport of certain naturally-occurring and relatively small biomacromolecules across the cellular membrane. For instance, the nuclear transcription activator protein (Tat) from HIV type 1 (HlV-1) is a 101-amino acid protein that must interact with a 59-base RNA stem-loop structure, called the traus-activation region (Tar) at the 5 end of all nascent HlV-1 mRNA molecules, in order for the vims to replicate. HIV-Tat is actively transported across the cell membrane, and localizes to the nucleus [28]. It has been found that the arginine-rich Tar-binding region of the Tat protein, residues 49-57 (Tat+9 57), is primarily responsible for this translocation activity [29]. 

As discussed earlier, noncollagenous proteins, particularly albumin and to a lesser extent gelatin, in the form of microspheres and nanoparticles continue to be exploited as drug delivery systems. Oppen-heim (71) and Speiser (72) reviewed the technology developed to produce ultrafine particles, often referred to as nanoparticles. 

The nanostructured molecular arrangements from DNA developed by Seeman may find applications as biological encapsulation and drug-delivery systems, as artificial multienzymes, or as scaffolds for the self-assembling nanoscale fabrication of technical elements. Moreover, DNA-protein conjugates may be anticipated as versatile building blocks in the fabrication of multifunctional supramolecular devices and also as highly functional-... 

Ethylene vinyl acetate has also found major applications in drug delivery. These copolymers used in drug release normally contain 30-50 wt% of vinyl acetate. They have been commercialized by the Alza Corporation for the delivery of pilocarpine over a one-week period (Ocusert) and the delivery of progesterone for over one year in the form of an intrauterine device (Progestasert). Ethylene vinyl acetate has also been evaluated for the release of macromolecules such as proteins. The release of proteins form these polymers is by a porous diffusion and the pore structure can be used to control the rate of release (3). Similar nonbiodegradable polymers such as the polyurethanes, polyethylenes, polytetrafluoroethylene and poly(methyl methacrylate) have also been used to deliver a variety of different pharmaceutical agents usually as implants or removal devices. 

---