Transduction of human recombinant proteins into mitochondria as a protein therapeutic approach for mitochondrial disorders

Pharm Res. 2011 Nov;28(11):2639-56. doi: 10.1007/s11095-011-0546-y. Epub 2011 Aug 27.

Abstract

Protein therapy is considered an alternative approach to gene therapy for treatment of genetic-metabolic disorders. Human protein therapeutics (PTs), developed via recombinant DNA technology and used for the treatment of these illnesses, act upon membrane-bound receptors to achieve their pharmacological response. On the contrary, proteins that normally act inside the cells cannot be developed as PTs in the conventional way, since they are not able to "cross" the plasma membrane. Furthermore, in mitochondrial disorders, attributed either to depleted or malfunctioned mitochondrial proteins, PTs should also have to reach the subcellular mitochondria to exert their therapeutic potential. Nowadays, there is no effective therapy for mitochondrial disorders. The development of PTs, however, via the Protein Transduction Domain (PTD) technology offered new opportunities for the deliberate delivery of human recombinant proteins inside eukaryotic subcellular organelles. To this end, mitochondrial disorders could be clinically encountered with the delivery of human mitochondrial proteins (engineered via recombinant DNA and PTD technologies) at specific intramitochondrial sites to exert their function. Overall, PTD-mediated Protein Replacement Therapy emerges as a suitable model system for the therapeutic approach for mitochondrial disorders.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods
  • Gene Transfer Techniques
  • Humans
  • Mitochondria / genetics*
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Mitochondrial Diseases / genetics
  • Mitochondrial Diseases / metabolism
  • Mitochondrial Diseases / therapy*
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / genetics*
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods*
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics*
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Transduction, Genetic*

Substances

  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins