Application of HCRSV protein cage for anticancer drug delivery

The icosahedral protein cage (PC) of the Hibiscus chlorotic ringspot virus (HCRSV) was explored as a platform for anticancer drug delivery. PC was prepared by removing viral RNA from coat proteins by dialysis against a Ca2+-deficient buffer of pH 8.0, and reassembling the coat proteins by dialysis with a Ca2+-containing buffer of pH 5.0. Using polyacids and dextrans as exemplary cargoes, it was found that only polyacids with MW above 13 kDa were successfully loaded into the PC. A novel method, named a??polyacid associationa??, was developed to load doxorubicin in the PC, which was conjugated with surface folic acid for targeting to cancer cells. The resulting fPC-Dox system had comparable morphology and physical properties as the HCRSV. It showed higher in vitro cytotoxicity against OVCAR-3 and CNE-1 cancer cells than against the representative normal CCL-186 cells, suggesting that the HCRSV PC had potential for targeted anticancer drug delivery.

Author dc:creator

• REN YUPENG

• Plant virus, Hibiscus chlorotic ringspot virus, Protein cage, Anticancer drug, Doxorubicin, Polyacid association