title: Polysaccharide nanoparticles for protein and Peptide delivery: exploring less-known materials.
abstract: Finding adequate carriers for protein and peptide delivery has become an urgent need, owing to the growing number of macromolecules identified as having therapeutic potential. Nanoparticles have emerged in the field as very promising vehicles and much work has been directed to testing the capacity of different materials to compose the matrix of these carriers. Natural materials and, specifically, polysaccharides have been taking the forefront of the challenge, because of several favoring properties that include the higher propensity to exhibit biodegradability and biocompatibility, and also the high structural flexibility. The majority of works found in the literature regarding polysaccharide nanoparticles uses very popular materials like chitosan or hyaluronic acid. This review is aimed at describing and exploring the potential of polysaccharides that are not so well known or that are less explored. For those, the main properties will be described, together with an overview of the reported applications as nanoparticle matrix materials.
authors.affiliation: Joan-Vernikos Aerospace Pharmacy Laboratory, School of Pharmacy, Microgravity Centre, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marlise A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.affiliation: CBME-Centre for Molecular and Structural Biomedicine/IBB-Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal. Electronic address: amgrenha@ualg.pt.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grenha
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D005936:Glucans / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007328:Insulin / Q000737:chemistry; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000737:chemistry; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry; D055672:Static Electricity
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005936:Glucans; D007328:Insulin; D012709:Serum Albumin; C009109:pullulan; D013213:Starch; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates
keywords: Cellulose; Chondroitin sulfate; Fucoidan; Gums; Mannans; Nanoparticles; Polysaccharides; Protein delivery; Pullulan