Prospects for Cancer Nanotechnology Treatment by Azurin

Bacterial redox protein azurin (azurin for short, or Az) belongs to a class of copper-containing proteins known as cupredoxins. We report here our detailed studies and findings on prospects for application of Az for treatment of cancer through various approaches of nanotechnology. We first present the structure and characteristics of Az protein molecule, its electronic properties and its electron transfer capabilities. The details of how Az induces apoptosis including the mechanisms of its entry into mammalian cells and its cytotoxicity are also presented. Past studies on Az for controlling cancer cell treatment are enumerated. They include melanoma cell treatment; breast, bone and prostate cancer cells treatment; and malignant brain tumor and leukemia cells treatment. Then other applications of Az in nanomedicine and in molecular detection are presented. They include: i) the uses Az-specific antibody to detect Pseudomonas bacteria in a patient's blood; ii) application of anti-oxidative properties of laz (an Az paralogue) in different biomedical situations that involves oxidative stress; iii) nanoscale liposomal formulation of Az to target tumor-associated macrophages and immune system cells; iv-nanotechnology approaches to use Az as inhibitor of parasitic growth. The prospects of facilitating anticancer function of Az in conjunction with various nanoentities including gold nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, dendrimers, folic acid and carbon nanotube are presented in detail. We conclude there are a number of outstanding challenges to be met in using Az for nanotechnology treatment of cancer. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________