Controlling subcellular delivery to optimize therapeutic effect.
This article focuses on drug targeting to specific cellular organelles for therapeutic purposes. Drugs can be delivered to all major organelles of the cell (cytosol, endosome/lysosome, nucleus, nucleolus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, peroxisomes and proteasomes) where they exert specific effects in those particular subcellular compartments. Delivery can be achieved by chemical (e.g., polymeric) or biological (e.g., signal sequences) means. Unidirectional targeting to individual organelles has proven to be immensely successful for drug therapy. Newer technologies that accommodate multiple signals (e.g., protein switch and virus-like delivery systems) mimic nature and allow for a more sophisticated approach to drug delivery. Harnessing different methods of targeting multiple organelles in a cell will lead to better drug delivery and improvements in disease therapy.
Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA.
Mohanad
M
Mossalam
Andrew S
AS
Dixon
Carol S
CS
Lim
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D004304:Dosage Forms; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004339:Drug Compounding; D006801:Humans; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods
D004304:Dosage Forms; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations