Nanodisks: hydrophobic drug delivery vehicles.

Members of the class of exchangeable apolipoproteins possess the unique capacity to transform phospholipid vesicle substrates into nanoscale disk-shaped bilayers. This reaction can proceed in the presence of exogenous hydrophobic biomolecules, resulting in the formation of novel transport vehicles termed nanodisks (NDs). The objective of this study is to describe the structural organization of NDs and evaluate the utility of these complexes as hydrophobic biomolecule transport vehicles. The topics presented focus on two distinct water insoluble drugs, amphotericin B (AMB) and all trans retinoic acid (ATRA). In vitro and in vivo studies reveal that AMB-ND display potent anti-fungal and anti-protozoal activity, while ATRA-ND show promise in the treatment of cancer. The versatility conferred by the presence of a polypeptide component provides opportunities for targeted delivery of ND to cells.