Nanodevices for the immobilization of therapeutic enzymes

Therapeutic enzymes are one of the most promising applications of this century in the field of pharmaceutics. Biocatalyst properties can be improved by enzyme immobilization on nano-objects, thereby increasing stability and reusability and also enhancing the targeting to specific tissues and cells. Therapeutic biocatalyst-nanodevice complexes will provide new tools for the diagnosis and treatment of old and newly emerging pathologies. Among the advantages of this approach are the wide span and diverse range of possible materials and biocatalysts that promise to make the matrix-enzyme combination a unique modality for therapeutic delivery. This review focuses on the most significant techniques and nanomaterials used for enzyme immobilization such as metallic superparamagnetic, silica, and polymeric and single-enzyme nanoparticles. Finally, a review of the application of these nanodevices to different pathologies and modes of administration is presented. In short, since therapeutic enzymes constitute a highly promising alternative for treating a variety of pathologies more effectively, this review is aimed at providing the comprehensive summary needed to understand and improve this burgeoning area.