Recent advances of using polyhydroxyalkanoate-based nanovehicles as therapeutic delivery carriers

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a class of diverse biodegradable polyesters that can be produced either by natural bioconversion process or by chemical synthesis via the ring-opening polymerization of β-lactones. Because of the excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility, the development of PHA-based nanovehicles as therapeutic delivery carriers, including nanoparticles, micelles, liposomes, and vesicles, has received considerable attention in recent years, and these sophisticated materials have demonstrated significant impact on the drug bioavailability, better encapsulation, and less toxic properties of biodegradable polymers. In this review, the most recent advances of using PHA-based nanovehicles as therapeutic delivery carriers are summarized with respect to different material types including intrinsic bulk PHA and functionalized PHA through biological and chemical approaches. The bio-significance of using different carriers in the controlled and targeted delivery of hydrophobic drugs, proteins, vaccines, nucleic acids (DNA and siRNA), and biological macromolecules in cancer therapy is also discussed. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2017, 9:e1429. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1429 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.