Virus-inspired intracellular drug delivery

All drug has side effects, unfortunately. Side effects are often induced because drugs can exert biological activity against not only diseases cells but also non-target cells. So, what if we can deliver the drugs into specific cells or tissues without compromising healthy cells in the body? “Drug delivery system” may overcome the bad side of drugs.

Intracellular delivery is one of the hardest parts in the drug delivery; because the cell’s defense system, the cell membrane, has a stable structure and makes nanoparticles difficult to penetrate.

Viruses are sophisticated invaders that can penetrate the cell membrane and establish infection. The secrets of these tiny nanoparticles may be the hint to develop a novel type of drug delivery system to achieve efficient cytoplasmic drug delivery.

I have been studying the mechanisms of cellular entry of the hepatitis B virus. I’m particularly interested in membrane fusion proteins of viruses; these fascinating proteins enable viruses to penetrate the stubborn cell membrane.

Publications

1. M. Somiya et al., “Intracellular trafficking of bio-nanocapsule-liposome complex: Identification of fusogenic activity in the pre-S1 region of hepatitis B virus surface antigen L protein.,” Journal of controlled release, vol. 212, pp. 10–8, 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2015.06.012.
2. M. Somiya and S. Kuroda, “Development of a virus-mimicking nanocarrier for drug delivery systems: The bio-nanocapsule,” Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, vol. 95, pp. 77–89, Dec. 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2015.10.003.
3. M. Somiya et al., “Cellular uptake of hepatitis B virus envelope L particles is independent of sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide, but dependent on heparan sulfate proteoglycan,” Virology, vol. 497, pp. 23–32, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2016.06.024.