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Full-Text Articles in Nanotechnology
Leveraging Bio-Inspired Molecules For Cancer Theranostics, Douglas S. Macpherson
Leveraging Bio-Inspired Molecules For Cancer Theranostics, Douglas S. Macpherson
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
A variety of molecules can be radiolabeled and delivered to a cancer site for the purposes of diagnostics and therapy. Among the most promising of tumor targeting molecules are peptides and antibodies. These bio-inspired molecules can be designed and synthesized to target and respond to cancer cells based on the properties of those cells. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes are over-expressed by some metastatic cancers, in which they are responsible for the degradation and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. In recent years, MMPs have emerged as promising targets for enzyme-responsive diagnostic probes because oligopeptides can be designed to be selectively hydrolyzed …
Developing A Dissociative Nanocontainer For Peptide Drug Delivery, Michael Patrick Kelly
Developing A Dissociative Nanocontainer For Peptide Drug Delivery, Michael Patrick Kelly
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
The potency and specificity of bioactive peptides have propelled these agents to the forefront of pharmacological research. However, delivery of peptides to their molecular target in cells is a major obstacle to their widespread application. A Trojan Horse strategy of packaging a bioactive peptide within a modified protein cage to protect it during transport, and releasing it at the target site, is a promising delivery method. Recent work has demonstrated that the viral capsid of the P22 bacteriophage can be loaded with an arbitrary, genetically-encoded peptide, and externally decorated with a cell-penetrating peptide, such as HIV-Tat, to translocate across in …