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Delivery of Biologically Active Molecules to Mitochondria

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Mitochondrial Mechanisms of Degeneration and Repair in Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

Mitochondria are subcellular organelles that produce the energy necessary for cellular functions and metabolic processes such as oxidative phosphorylation, gluconeogenesis and fatty acid oxidation. These organelles also play a pivotal role in signaling pathways, cell survival and cell death. Due to these functional characteristics, mitochondria have become an attractive target for the delivery of drugs and biomolecules for a variety of mitochondrial dysfunctions. In order to efficiently deliver biological active molecules to mitochondria, mitochondria-targeted pharmaceutical nanocarriers and other strategies have been developed. Lipophilic cations like triphenylphosphonium (TPP), for example, are well-known for their selectivity to mitochondria and they are commonly incorporated into liposomes to carry drugs and antioxidants. Szeto-Chiller (SS) peptides are an alternative to lipophilic cations to deliver antioxidants to mitochondria, as these peptide antioxidants are also taken up by cells and accumulate within mitochondria. Dequalinium chloride based on its self-assembly capability and its strong affinity to mitochondria has also been used to deliver drugs and DNA in the form of DeQAlinium-based- lipoSOMES (DQAsomes). In this chapter, we describe the use of these strategies and their mechanisms to deliver biological active molecules to mitochondria.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy-Glendale, Midwestern University, 19555 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, AZ, 85308, USA

    Diana Guzman-Villanueva M.S., Ph.D. & Volkmar Weissig Ph.D., Sc. D.

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  1. Diana Guzman-Villanueva M.S., Ph.D.
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  2. Volkmar Weissig Ph.D., Sc. D.
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Correspondence to Diana Guzman-Villanueva M.S., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Health Sciences, Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona, USA

    Lori M. Buhlman

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Guzman-Villanueva, D., Weissig, V. (2016). Delivery of Biologically Active Molecules to Mitochondria. In: Buhlman, L. (eds) Mitochondrial Mechanisms of Degeneration and Repair in Parkinson's Disease. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42139-1_13

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