title: Nano-sized albumin-copolymer micelles for efficient doxorubicin delivery.
abstract: We present the discovery of a nano-sized protein-derived micellar drug delivery system based on the polycationic albumin precursor protein cBSA-147. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was efficiently encapsulated into nanosized micelles based on hydrophobic interactions with the polypeptide scaffold. These micelles revealed attractive stabilities in various physiological buffers and a wide pH range as well as very efficient uptake into A549 cells after 1 h incubation time only. In vitro cytotoxicity was five-times increased compared to free DOX also indicating efficient intracellular drug release. In addition, multiple functional groups are available for further chemical modifications. Based on the hydrophobic loading mechanism, various classical anti-cancer drugs, in principle, could be delivered even synergistically in a single micelle. Considering these aspects, this denatured albumin-based drug delivery system represents a highly attractive platform for nanomedicine approaches towards cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Chemistry III, Macromolecular Chemistry, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Yuzhou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Er Kai
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramanathan
authors.forename: Subhash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vasudevan
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weil
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000737:chemistry*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008823:Micelles; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008823:Micelles; D004317:Doxorubicin