Abstract

Protein Therapy is a newly developed method, which allows proteins, peptides and biologically active compounds to penetrate across the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells by a polyarginine (most efficiently by 11-arginine, 11R) protein transduction domain [1]. This method enables us to control the localization of targeted substances in subcellular compartments, such as the nuclei, mitochondria and post-synaptic density. The method is very efficient and applicable not only to c ultur ed ce lls but also to tissue slic e s and the whole a nimal. Bra in, hea r t, skeleta l muscle, liver, pancreas and lymphocytes are efficient target organs and tissues for Protein Therapy [1, 2]. The method is therefore a very useful strategy in the post-genomic era. In this mini-review, the development of Protein Therapy and its application for cancer cells and neuroscience study will be shown.

Keywords: Protein Therapy, Polyarginine, eukaryotic cells, 11-arginine, lymphocytes, neuroscience, cancer cells