Editorial: The potential of transferrin as a drug target and drug delivery system

Essential proteins such as insulin or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and micronutrients such as iron enter a eukaryotic cell through receptor-mediated endocytosis. Subsequently, the early endosomes fuse with the vesicles containing such receptor-ligand complexes and play a vital role in sorting the incoming ligands and receptors. While the ligands are either degraded inside the vesicle or released into the cytosol, their receptors are returned to the plasma membrane for further rounds of...

Upon entering the systemic circulation, drugs can distribute into the interstitial and intracellular fluid of various tissue cells. This distribution is facilitated by the binding of drugs to different cellular components within tissues, which may lead to drug accumulation in specific areas. Drugs bound to tissue components serve as reservoirs that release free drugs back into the system, prolonging the drug's overall action. However, this accumulation can also result in local toxicity.
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Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:

Carrier-mediated transport is a pivotal process in drug absorption, particularly for lipid-insoluble drugs, and encompasses facilitated diffusion and active transport. Facilitated diffusion allows drugs to move along their concentration gradient without energy expenditure, while active transport utilizes ATP to drive drug movement against this gradient.
Active transport involves two types of membrane-spanning transporters: uptake and efflux. Uptake transporters are expressed in the small...

Site-targeted drug delivery systems enhance therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity and treatment costs. Unlike conventional methods, these systems ensure precise drug delivery, improving bioavailability and reducing side effects. Targeted drug delivery is classified into three levels. First-order targeting directs drugs to the capillary beds of specific organs or tissues. Second-order targets specific cell types, such as tumor cells, using receptor-mediated interactions.

Polymeric carriers enhance targeted drug delivery by increasing efficacy while minimizing off-target effects. These carriers comprise a biodegradable polymeric backbone integrated with functional elements that enable targeting, improve physicochemical properties, and regulate drug release.Targeting MechanismsThe targeting ability of polymeric carriers is mediated by a homing device, which is a molecular recognition component designed to selectively bind to specific tissues or cells. Monoclonal...