title: Elastin-like polypeptides in drug delivery.
abstract: The use of recombinant elastin-like materials, or elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs), in drug-delivery applications is reviewed in this work. Although ELRs were initially used in similar ways to other, more conventional kinds of polymeric carriers, their unique properties soon gave rise to systems of unparalleled functionality and efficiency, with the stimuli responsiveness of ELRs and their ability to self-assemble readily allowing the creation of advanced systems. However, their recombinant nature is likely the most important factor that has driven the current breakthrough properties of ELR-based delivery systems. Recombinant technology allows an unprecedented degree of complexity in macromolecular design and synthesis. In addition, recombinant materials easily incorporate any functional domain present in natural proteins. Therefore, ELR-based delivery systems can exhibit complex interactions with both their drug load and the tissues and cells towards which this load is directed. Selected examples, ranging from highly functional nanocarriers to macrodepots, will be presented.
authors.affiliation: Bioforge, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain; Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Spain. Electronic address: roca@bioforge.uva.es.
authors.forename: José Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Cabello
authors.affiliation: Bioforge, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain; Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.affiliation: Bioforge, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain; Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Spain.
authors.forename: Matilde Alonso
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.affiliation: Bioforge, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain; Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Spain.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Girotti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004549:Elastin; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D004549:Elastin
keywords: Chemotherapeutic agents; Drug delivery; Elastin-like recombinamers; Macro-depots; Nano-carriers; Self-assembling; Thermo-responsive materials