Surface modulatable nanocapsids for targeting and tracking toward nanotheranostic delivery

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Nanomedicine
• Virology

Background:

• Nanotheranostics show promise in cancer care but face challenges with tumor targeting and bioavailability.
• Existing nanocarriers often exhibit poor tumor localization and limited therapeutic efficacy.
• Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) nanocapsids present a potential solution due to their inherent stability and cell-entry capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) nanocapsids into a versatile platform for targeted cancer nanotheranostics.
• To modify HEV nanocapsids for enhanced tumor-specific delivery and detection.
• To enable controlled delivery of nanotheranostic agents via the HEV nanocapsid platform.

Main Methods:

• Self-assembly of HEV capsid subunits into non-infectious nanocapsids.
• Chemical modification of the nanocapsid surface for targeted functionalities.
• In vitro packaging of nanotheranostic molecules within the nanocapsid shell.
• Evaluation of nanocapsid stability, cell-entry, and targeting capabilities.

Main Results:

• Engineered HEV nanocapsids demonstrated stability under physiological conditions and efficient cell entry.
• Surface modifications enabled tumor-specific targeting and detection capabilities.
• Nanotheranostic agents were successfully encapsulated within the nanocapsids.
• The modified nanocapsid platform showed potential for controlled theranostic delivery.

Conclusions:

• Engineered HEV nanocapsids represent a promising, tunable platform for advanced cancer nanotheranostics.
• This approach addresses critical limitations in tumor localization and bioavailability for nanomedicines.
• The HEV nanocapsid platform facilitates targeted delivery and combined diagnostic/therapeutic functions in cancer treatment.