Design, fabrication and biomedical applications of zein-based nano/micro-carrier systems.
Nano/micro-carrier systems have shown promising application in the biomedical field as various delivery carriers. The composite material and fabrication method determine their microstructures, properties and thus their potential applications. Since approved as tablet coating material by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA), zein has been widely investigated as one of protein-based materials in the past few decades. Zein is renewable, biodegradable and relatively inexpensive in comparison with animal proteins (e.g., gelatin and albumin). This paper reviews the current landscape of zein-based nano/micro-carrier systems, with particular emphasis on nano/microparticles, nano/microcapsules and their design, fabrication, assembly mechanisms and biomedical applications especially for controlled drug delivery. The benefits, challenges and related solutions of zein-based colloidal carrier systems are also discussed. In addition, investigations on the molecular structure, biocompatibility and immunogenicity of zein are summarized and discussed.
National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; State Key Laboratory of New Pharmaceutical Preparations and Excipients, Shijiazhuang 050051, China. Electronic address: zhangyongking1@gmail.com.
Yong
Y
Zhang
Pharmaceutical Biophysics Group, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom.
Lili
L
Cui
National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China.
Feng
F
Li
Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical University, Jilin 132013, China.
Nianqiu
N
Shi
State Key Laboratory of New Pharmaceutical Preparations and Excipients, Shijiazhuang 050051, China.
Chunlei
C
Li
National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China.
Xianghui
X
Yu
National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China. Electronic address: chen_yan@jlu.edu.cn.
Yan
Y
Chen
National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China.
Wei
W
Kong
D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004339:Drug Compounding; D015195:Drug Design; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D015028:Zein / Q000737:chemistry*
D004337:Drug Carriers; D015028:Zein
Biopolymer; Delivery carrier; Microcapsule; Nano/microparticle; Nanocapsule