Production and conjugation of ferritin protein cage with IgG antibodies to target cancer cells

• Main Author: Pugazhendhi, Sakthi
• Other Authors: Lim Sierin
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Bioengineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/68489
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Cancer is found to be one of the major threats to human race with increasing number of incidences every day. Worldwide 1 in 5 of the lung cancer patients die and the mortality of breast cancer patients is estimated to be 15%. Current decade flourishes with various new methods for cancer treatment of which targeted drug delivery is a promising approach. This research focuses on the production Ferritin from the bacterial species Archaeoglobus fulgidus (AfFtn-AA) and its use as a carrier vehicle to target the cancer cell. Ferritin nano cage is formed by its unique ability of self assembling in the presence of metal salts. TEM and mass spectrometry analysis validates the efficiency and purity of protein cage produced. Furthermore, the project aims to conjugate this protein cage with monoclonal antibodies (antiEGFR and antiICAM – 1). The optimal ratio of protein and antibody required for efficient conjugation has been determined by various trials. Other focus of the research was to target the cancer cells. MDA MB 231 triple negative breast cancer cell line and H358 lung cancer cells line are the ones used in this work. Result outcomes confirm that Ferritin protein cage produced in this research is extremely pure and optimal ratio antibody required for conjugation has also been found.