Recombinant ferritins for multimodal nanomedicine

In all living organisms, ferritins are a group of proteins important for maintaining iron homeostasis. Increasing amount of studies has shown that recombinant ferritins can be widely used in multimodal nanomedicine, especially for anticancer treatment and vaccination. Recombinant particles prepared by fusing viral proteins and ferritin subunits produce a better immune response and higher antibody titres. Moreover, actively-targeted ferritin nanoparticles can recognise receptors and deliver natural or chemical drugs specifically to the tumour tissue. In addition, ferritin-linked or loaded with contrast agents or fluorescent dyes can be used as multimodal particles useful cancer theranostics. In this review, we fully summarised the unitisation of recombinant ferritins in multimodal nanomedicine. The research progress of using recombinant ferritins as nanovaccines, nanozymes, and bioengineered nanocarriers for targeted therapy and bioimaging is emphasised.

Automated summary

Recombinant ferritins play a crucial role in maintaining iron homeostasis in living organisms. They have found wide application in multimodal nanomedicine, particularly in anticancer treatment and vaccination. The fusion of viral proteins and ferritin subunits in recombinant particles has been shown to enhance the immune response and antibody production. Targeted ferritin nanoparticles can specifically deliver drugs to tumor tissue, while ferritin linked with contrast agents or fluorescent dyes has potential use in cancer theranostics. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the utilization of recombinant ferritins in multimodal nanomedicine, with emphasis on their role as nanovaccines, nanozymes, and targeted therapy carriers for bioimaging.