A Sensory Valve in Liposomal Drug Delivery Systems

Abstract

A mechano-gated membrane channel protein is used as a controllable, nonselective, large, aqueous pore in sterically stabilized liposomal drug delivery systems. The channel protein is engineered first to sense the light and/or the pH under iso-osmotic conditions, and then to convert these signals into conformational changes ultimately leading to pore formation in the drug loaded liposomes. This system offers not only the target specific drug delivery but also control over the timing of the delivery.