Abstract

BIOTINYLATED ERYTHROCYTES - A NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM: REVIEW ARTICLE

Yuga Satish Sonegaonkar* and Sushma Rahul Singh

Abstract

Erythrocytes utility in drug delivery is due to its physiological characteristic, viability and fact that it is part of viable endogenous tissues. Biotinylation process involves application of Nhydroxysuccinimide ester of biotin which binds to amino groups of red blood cells involving covalent coupling and thus biotin molecules are stable on surface of erythrocytes for long time. This process is followed by attachment of drug moiety or antibodies to the biotinylated erythrocytes. Biotinylated erythrocytes have unique potential utility because they are part of viable endogenous tissue, lack nuclear material and associated with oxidated enzymes and are poorly permeable to many complex molecule including enzymes, other polypeptide and most phosphorylated compound can be targeted. It also offers advantages of increased efficacy, localization and safety of action of various drug and agents. It also helps in effective study of senescence of erythrocytes. Better than gluteraldehyde (crosslinker) reagent which when attached to surface of erythrocytes difficult to remove and is carcinogenic. This modification renders them more biocompatible and is reported to be stable on erythrocytes. They are effective in reticuloendothelial system. This report focuses on different methods of preparation, characterization and applications of biotinylated erythrocytes.

Keywords: Erythrocytes, biotinylation, biotinylated erythrocytes, senescence.