A Review on Natural Sources Derived Protein Nanoparticles as Anticancer Agents

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Nanomedicine
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Carcinoma poses a significant global health burden, with conventional chemotherapy often lacking specificity, leading to adverse effects on normal tissues.
• Poor drug delivery systems contribute to the non-specificity of chemotherapeutic agents, limiting their therapeutic efficacy.
• Nanomedicine offers a solution by employing nanoparticles as drug delivery systems (nanocarriers) to enhance targeted delivery and treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review chemotherapeutic agents used for carcinoma treatment.
• To explore natural protein-based nanoparticles (PNPs) as advanced nanocarriers for anticancer drug delivery.
• To highlight the potential of PNPs in overcoming limitations of conventional chemotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of chemotherapeutic agents and nanomedicine applications in cancer therapy.
• Focus on natural protein sources (e.g., ferritin, lipoproteins, lectins) for nanoparticle development.
• Analysis of the advantages of PNPs, including bioavailability and genetic modification potential.

Main Results:

• Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems improve targeted delivery, drug internalization, and permeability, enhancing the effectiveness of anticancer agents.
• Natural Protein-based Nanoparticles (PNPs) are emerging as viable alternatives to synthetic nanocarriers, offering improved therapeutic outcomes.
• PNPs demonstrate advantages such as enhanced bioavailability and the potential for genetic engineering to tailor their properties for drug delivery.

Conclusions:

• Nanomedicine, particularly using PNPs, offers a promising strategy to improve the specificity and efficacy of cancer chemotherapy.
• PNPs represent a valuable resource for developing next-generation drug delivery systems for various carcinomas.
• Further research into PNPs can lead to enhanced cancer treatment with reduced systemic toxicity.