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Virus-like Particles: Fundamentals and Biomedical Applications Mejía-Méndez, Jorge L.; Vazquez-Duhalt, Rafael; Hernández, Luis R.; Sánchez-Arreola, Eugenio; Bach, Horacio

Abstract

Nanotechnology is a fast-evolving field focused on fabricating nanoscale objects for industrial, cosmetic, and therapeutic applications. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are self-assembled nanoparticles whose intrinsic properties, such as heterogeneity, and highly ordered structural organization are exploited to prepare vaccines; imaging agents; construct nanobioreactors; cancer treatment approaches; or deliver drugs, genes, and enzymes. However, depending upon the intrinsic features of the native virus from which they are produced, the therapeutic performance of VLPs can vary. This review compiles the recent scientific literature about the fundamentals of VLPs with biomedical applications. We consulted different databases to present a general scenario about viruses and how VLPs are produced in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell lines to entrap therapeutic cargo. Moreover, the structural classification, morphology, and methods to functionalize the surface of VLPs are discussed. Finally, different characterization techniques required to examine the size, charge, aggregation, and composition of VLPs are described.

Item Metadata

Title
Virus-like Particles: Fundamentals and Biomedical Applications
Creator
Mejía-Méndez, Jorge L.; Vazquez-Duhalt, Rafael; Hernández, Luis R.; Sánchez-Arreola, Eugenio; Bach, Horacio
Publisher
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Date Issued
2022-08-02
Description
Nanotechnology is a fast-evolving field focused on fabricating nanoscale objects for industrial, cosmetic, and therapeutic applications. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are self-assembled nanoparticles whose intrinsic properties, such as heterogeneity, and highly ordered structural organization are exploited to prepare vaccines; imaging agents; construct nanobioreactors; cancer treatment approaches; or deliver drugs, genes, and enzymes. However, depending upon the intrinsic features of the native virus from which they are produced, the therapeutic performance of VLPs can vary. This review compiles the recent scientific literature about the fundamentals of VLPs with biomedical applications. We consulted different databases to present a general scenario about viruses and how VLPs are produced in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell lines to entrap therapeutic cargo. Moreover, the structural classification, morphology, and methods to functionalize the surface of VLPs are discussed. Finally, different characterization techniques required to examine the size, charge, aggregation, and composition of VLPs are described.
Subject
nanomedicine; nanotechnology; virus-like particles; preparation; characterization
Genre
Article
Type
Text
Language
eng
Date Available
2023-02-06
Provider
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Rights
CC BY 4.0
DOI
10.14288/1.0424086
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/2429/83791
Affiliation
Medicine, Faculty of; Non UBC; Medicine, Department of
Citation
International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23 (15): 8579 (2022)
Publisher DOI
10.3390/ijms23158579
Peer Review Status
Reviewed
Scholarly Level
Faculty; Researcher
Rights URI
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Aggregated Source Repository
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CC BY 4.0