Biomedical applications of nano-engineered enzymes: Current status and future direction

Enzymes, as one of the most powerful biotechnological products, have been considered for different therapeutic, diagnostic, and theranostic purposes. Their exceptional functionality and affinity against a specific target make them a superior choice in biochemical reactions. With progressive development in protein engineering and bioconjugation chemistry, the modification of enzymes using nanoscale technologies can overcome some important shortcomings of enzymes, including poor stability, low half-life, potential immunogenicity, and systemic toxicity. Different nanocarriers (e.g. nanomicelles, nanoliposomes, polymeric nanoparticles [NPs], lipidic NPs, dendrimers, and inorganic nanoparticles) have been utilized in the development of nanocarriers for the delivery of biomacromolecules such as enzymes. Further modification with ligands, targeting agents, and stimuli-responsive entities can make them smart multimodal-targeted nanosystems (NSs). In the current chapter, we aim to provide deep insights into the therapeutic enzymes, discuss the most recent advancements, and articulate the optimization of physicochemical properties of nano-engineered enzyme to enhance their biomedical applications in clinical stages.