The HK97 Virus-Like Particle and the RAFT Polymerization of Virus-Like Particles for Drug Delivery

Virus-like particles (VLPs) are protein cage structures that have the same organization and structural conformation of the native virus they are derived from but are devoid of certain viral proteins and the viral genome so that they are not pathogenic. The small size, physical properties, and their ability to travel through the circulatory system and enter cells make VLPs potentially useful candidates for drug delivery applications. Loading large quantities of drug cargo on the inside of VLPs could be achieved through polymerization reactions that utilize amino acid residues on the interior of the VLP as nucleation points to localize drug molecules. An approach that looks at utilizing Reversible Addition Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerization is laid out for its use in the encapsulation of drug cargoes on the interior of the VLP derived from bacteriophage HK97. Medicine, in general, would benefit from the RAFT mechanism described in this presentation to produce pure protein-polymer conjugates that provide specific targeting towards undesired diseases or conditions.