Biodegradation of elastin-like polypeptide nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT: Protein polymers are repetitive polypeptides produced by ribosomal biosynthetic pathways; furthermore, they offer emerging opportunities in drug and biopharmaceutical delivery. As for any polymer, biodegradation is one of the most important determinants affecting how a protein polymer can be utilized in the body. This study was designed to characterize the proteolytic biodegradation for a library of protein polymers derived from the human tropoelastin, the Elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs). ELPs are of particular interest for controlled drug delivery because they reversibly transition from soluble to insoluble above an inverse phase transition temperature (T(t)). More recently, ELP block copolymers have been developed that can assemble into micelles; however, it remains unclear if proteases

SUBMITTER: Shah M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3403411 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature