title: Nanotechnology-based approaches for the development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
abstract: The architecture of nanoparticles of biological origin, generally also known as bionanoparticles, presents several features that are ideal for their use in developing diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. In this regard, particles formed by viral proteins using recombinant DNA technology resemble authentic virus particles. However, they lack infectivity due to the absence of genetic components such as DNA or RNA. Hence, they are designated as virus-like particles (VLP). VLPs possess the following characteristics: (1) they can be generated by either a single or a few viral proteins; (2) their size, formed by viral proteins, is in the range of 20 to100 nm; (3) the number of protein molecules required for particle assembly is from hundreds to thousands, depending on the VLP; (4) the protein(s) responsible for their assembly are amenable for manipulation; and (5) multiple proteins/peptides can be incorporated into a VLP. The potential advantages of VLPs directed by retroviral proteins are discussed in this review.
authors.affiliation: 1 Center for Prostate Disease Research, Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Alagarsamy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.forename: Anshu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rastogi
authors.forename: Velpandi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ayyavoo
authors.forename: Shiv
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srivastava
mesh_terms: D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D057089:Pathology, Molecular / Q000379:methods*; D013812:Therapeutics / Q000379:methods*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle