Encapsidated ultrasmall nanolipospheres as novel nanocarriers for highly hydrophobic anticancer drugs

Abstract

The design and construction of novel nanocarriers that have controlled shape and size and are made of inherently biocompatible components represents a milestone in the field of nanomedicine. Here, we show the tailoring of nanoliposphere-like particles for use as biocompatible drug nanocarriers. They are made with the building block components present in human lipoproteins by means of microfluidization, which allows for good size and polydispersity control, mimicking the physical properties of natural low-density lipoproteins (LDLs). This new type of nanocarrier has a negative surface charge and a hydrophobic core that allow the stabilization and encapsulation of hydrophobic anticancer drugs such as camptothecin, resulting in anticancer drug-loaded nanolipospheres. However, we found that the nanoparticles are unstable since their size increases with time. These nanolipospheres were further encapsidated using the non-cytotoxic capsid protein of the plant virus CCMV, which renders the nanoparticles stable. In a more general application, this new virus-like particle confers a controlled microenvironment for the transport of any kind of hydrophobic drug that can bypass the cellular defense mechanisms and deliver its payload.

Encapsidation of Different Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles by the CCMV Capsid Protein

“…Furthermore, gold nanoshells are susceptible to photothermal fragmentation, when exposed to high IR incident intensities [42]. It has been shown that encapsidation by the CCMV capsid can provide stability against Ostwald ripening in nanolipospheres systems [43]. Therefore, the encapsidation can provide not only a biocompatible surface but also an envelope that can give them a better stability against fragmentation either due to Ostwald ripening or photofragmentation.…”

Two-tier supramolecular encapsulation of small molecules in a protein cage

“…6). Although various nanoparticles have been coated with peptides and proteins [29][30][31][32] , affording a range of functional hybrid assemblies 33 , the use of a well-defined, stable protein shell to template lipid assembly offers an alternative means of creating hybrid containers, simplifying formulation, and allowing surfactant composition to be tailored to specific applications.…”

<p>Novel Drug Delivery Systems for Loading of Natural Plant Extracts and Their Biomedical Applications</p>

“…They have variable sizes (within the nanometer range) and morphologies from simple spheres to rods to icosahedrons ( Figure 26). 313,314 In this respect, viruses have been dedicated to targeting the most pronounced organisms and tissues. Most applications use virus nanoparticle (VNP) and virus-like particles (VLP) are native viral capsid proteins without nucleic acid in order not to cause infection.…”