Nanobiotechnology with Therapeutically Relevant Macromolecules from Animal Venoms: Venoms, Toxins, and Antimicrobial Peptides

Abstract

Some diseases of uncontrolled proliferation such as cancer, as well as infectious diseases, are the main cause of death in the world, and their causative agents have rapidly developed resistance to the various existing treatments, making them even more dangerous. Thereby, the discovery of new therapeutic agents is a challenge promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Biomacromolecules, isolated or synthesized from a natural template, have therapeutic properties which have not yet been fully studied, and represent an unexplored potential in the search for new drugs. These substances, starting from conglomerates of proteins and other substances such as animal venoms, or from minor substances such as bioactive peptides, help fight diseases or counteract harmful effects. The high effectiveness of these biomacromolecules makes them promising substances for obtaining new drugs; however, their low bioavailability or stability in biological systems is a challenge to be overcome in the coming years with the help of nanotechnology. The objective of this review article is to describe the relationship between the structure and function of biomacromolecules of animal origin that have applications already described using nanotechnology and targeted delivery.

Beta‐lactam resistance and the effectiveness of antimicrobial peptides against KPC‐producing bacteria

“…This strategy is a key to the development of potential bioconjugates against MRD bacteria. Nanobioconjugates are conjugates of materials with the capacity to form nanosystems (Roque‐Borda et al, 2022). Polymeric bioconjugation, for example, allowed the incorporation of AMPs in alginate/collagen/hyaluronic acid matrices against mixed‐bacteria‐infected wound (MRSA, E. coli and S. aureus ), with the most favorable results compared to one of commercial use (Lin et al, 2019).…”

Activity of Bacteriophage D29 Loaded on Nanoliposomes against Macrophages Infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

“…Nanotechnology is a tool that allows the targeted delivery of drugs for a longer period [15,16]. It improves stability and manages to cross insurmountable barriers such as the intestinal barrier [17], macrophages [18] or the blood-brain barrier [19], allowing a better biodistribution of promising macromolecules [20]. Nanoliposomes are nanostructured transport systems for small molecules such as nucleic acids, phages and peptides [21].…”

Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

“…Pharmaceutical biotechnology has made it possible to quickly obtain vaccines and new recombinant drugs or drugs derived from living organisms that have a broad spectrum or specific action and manage to prevent diseases [ 5 ]. However, when it comes to infectious diseases, obtaining new drugs approved by the FDA is difficult because the ratio between reports of new MDR strains and new drugs is significantly large [ 6 ].…”

“…In summary, these results allow us to appreciate the great opportunities that the use of nanotechnology offers in the fight against MDR bacteria, improving the stability and administration of drugs against diseases or metabolic deregulations [ 5 ].…”