Producing the Controlled Hybrid lattice of Natural Protein Nanotubes by
Chemical Hydrolysis for Nanomedicine
Pegah Esmaeilzadeh
1a
, Zahra Fakhroueian*
2b
, Pouriya Esmaeilzadeh
3c
1
Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Pharmacy, Biomedical MaterialDepartment,
Germany.
2
Institute of Petroleum Engineering, P.O.Box:11155-4563, University of Tehran, Iran.
3
Process simulation and control Lab. chemical Engineering collage, Iran University of Science and
Technology (IUST), Narmak, Tehran, Iran.
a
pegah.esmaeilzadeh@pharmazie.uni-halle.de
b
, fakhroueian@ut.ac.ir (corresponding author),
c
pouriya66@yahoo.com
Keywords: Nanobiotechnology, Protein Nanohybrids, Protein Nanotubes, Sol-Gel Method,
Nanomedicine, Protein hybrid lattice, Nanotubes-Nanorods Hybrids.
Abstract. This work was instigated by the fact that sol-gel chemistry provides a relatively simple
way to incorporate recognition species in a stable host green environment. In this new strategy,
which represents a low cost example of bottom-up nano-assembly, chemistry art is entering the
field of nanobiotechnology in fabrication and control of an expanded homogeneous length of
separate single-walled and ordered, helical lattice-like open-ended natural protein nanotubes(PNTs)
and also creative novel bio-nanohybrids. A new type of protein nanohybrids containg nanotubes-
nanorods, nanotubes-nanofibers, nanotubes core-shell nanofibers were prepared using an
electrostatic self-assembly method with the aid of chemical partial hydrolysis of milk protein α-
lactalbumin (sol-gel technique) at a suitable pH value for the first time. They can have long
helically coiled length and are promising for high capacity drug loading and applying in
nanomedicine as organ transplantation in human body and implant material, because of their
improved stability and unique mechanical and lattice thermal resistivity properties. In this study,
various valuable ligand or binding sites such as distinct Mn
+2
, Ca
+2
or Zn
+2
cations were used for
incorporated into protein nanostructures as the self-assembly essential stimulant motor. It was found
that the designed nanobioproducts could retain and stabilize as very clear and transparent green
aqueous nanobiofluids during two years.
Introduction
Over recent years of advancement in nanoparticles, drug delivery is widely expected to change the
landscape of pharmaceutical and nano-biotechnology industries for the foreseeable future. A typical
nanohybrid has emerged as a promising strategy for the efficient delivery of drugs used in the
treatment of cancer by avoiding the reticuloendothelial system, utilizing the enhanced permeability
and retention effect and tumor-specific targeting. Carbon nanofibers and functionalized multiwalled
carbon nanotubes (CNT) are found to be an effective strategy for building a biosensor platform [1,
2]. Recently, nanohybrids, quantum dots and CNTs have been proposed as significant drug delivery
carriers [3]. Nanohybrids combine biological or bio-functionalized molecules giving rise to a
system capable of drug delivery with an emphasis toward cancer therapy. Natural protein nanotubes
(PNTs) containing lattice nanohybrids are hydrophilic character in nature and thus soluble in water,
which do not limit their application in biomedical and medicinal chemistry so as to avoid their
aggregation and to facilitate their use in clinical applications.
This work was instigated by the fact that nonhydrolytic sol-gel chemistry provides a relatively
simple way to incorporate recognition species in a stable host environment [4]. In this new strategy
which represent a low cost example of bottom-up assembly, chemistry is entering the field of
nanoscale science, which was originally physics-oriented. This novel well-orchestrated mechanism
offer obvious advantages as a ‘smart’ nanoparticles-based system. The types of smartness that have
Journal of Nano Research Vol. 21 (2013) pp 7-13
© (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/JNanoR.21.7
All rights reserved. No part of contents of this paper may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of TTP,
www.ttp.net. (ID: 81.201.144.193-13/12/12,18:43:50)