title: A comprehensive review of the neonatal Fc receptor and its application in drug delivery.
abstract: Advances in the understanding of neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) biology and function have demonstrated that this receptor, primarily identified for the transfer of passive immunity from mother infant, is involved in several biological and immunological processes. In fact, FcRn is responsible for the long half-life of IgG and albumin in the serum, by creating an intracellular protein reservoir, which is protected from lysosomal degradation and, importantly, trafficked across the cell. Such discovery has led researchers to hypothesize the role for this unique receptor in the controlled delivery of therapeutic agents. A great amount of FcRn-based strategies are already under extensive investigation, in which FcRn reveals to have profound impact on the biodistribution and half-life extension of therapeutic agents. This review summarizes the main findings on FcRn biology, function and distribution throughout different tissues, together with the main advances on the FcRn-based therapeutic opportunities and model systems, which indicate that this receptor is a potential target for therapeutic regimen modification.
authors.affiliation: i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; ICBAS - Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo 228, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: João Pedro
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; ICBAS - Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo 228, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal; Ipatimup - Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5 E, FI -00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Hélder A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barrias
authors.affiliation: i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; CESPU - Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada em Ciências e Tecnologias da Saúde and Instituto Universitário de Ciências da Saúde, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal. Electronic address: bruno.sarmento@ineb.up.pt.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarmento
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011961:Receptors, Fc; C100688:Fc receptor, neonatal
keywords: Albumin; Drug delivery; FcRn; IgG; Recycling; Transcytosis