Nanotechnology has the
potential to make significant alterations in the treatment of diseases such as
cancer through targeted drug delivery nanoparticles. Virus-like particles
(VLPs) are composed of the capsid proteins that do not carry the viral genome
and are also noninfectious. VLPs are self-assembling competent protein
structures with identical or highly related structures to their corresponding
native viruses. VLPs that have precise 3D nanostructures exhibit a notable
diversity in shapes and structures. They can be produced in large quantities
through biological amplification and growth. External protein inserts can be
displayed through genetic methods or chemical modifications. Functionalized
VLPs when used as delivery systems have the ability to target with specificity
and can attract macrophages for the destruction of cancer cells. The capability
to target tumors for the delivery of therapeutic agents is an important goal of
the design approaches of VLPs. Against the current problems in cancer
therapies, delivery systems using VLPs are an arising and promising field with
the potential to exhibit solutions. Cancer therapies require specific targeting
of the diagnostic element or the drug to tumor cells without binding to or
affecting healthy cells and tissues. Specialization of the VLPs provides an
opportunity for using them as site-specific drug delivery systems in cancer
therapy while reducing the systemic toxicity and the overall damage to healthy
cells. With fewer side effects, immunotherapy is also a promising alternative
for cancer treatment by primarily activating the host’s immune system. Cancer vaccines
are aimed at inducing an immune response in the host, thereby generating a
defensive mechanism against tumor cells. VLPs can be used as a vaccine without
the requirement of any adjuvant due to their naturally optimized particle size
and their repetitive structural order. Therefore, the aim of this review is to
provide basic information about VLPs and describe previous research on VLPs
used as drug and vaccine delivery systems and their applications in different
types of cancer.
Primary Language | English |
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Subjects | Health Care Administration |
Journal Section | Review |
Authors | |
Publication Date | October 11, 2017 |
Submission Date | August 2, 2017 |
Published in Issue | Year 2017 |