Engineered protein nanodrug as an emerging therapeutic tool

Functional proteins are the most versatile macromolecules. They can be obtained by extraction from natural sources or by genetic engineering technologies. The outstanding selectivity, specificity, binding activity, and biocompatibility endow engineered proteins with outstanding performance for disease therapy. Nevertheless, their stability is dramatically impaired in blood circulation, hindering clinical translations. Thus, many strategies have been developed to improve the stability, efficacy, bioavailability, and productivity of therapeutic proteins for clinical applications. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the fabrication and application of therapeutic proteins. We first introduce various strategies for improving therapeutic efficacy via bioengineering and nanoassembly. Furthermore, we highlight their diverse applications as growth factors, nanovaccines, antibody-based drugs, bioimaging molecules, and cytokine receptor antagonists. Finally, a summary and perspective for the future development of therapeutic proteins are presented. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]