The role of the transferrin–transferrin-receptor system in drug delivery and targeting

Exploration of the potential of site-specific and target-oriented drug delivery systems has gained interest recently. Indeed, the efficient cellular mechanism of transferrin uptake has been exploited for the delivery not only of anticancer drugs and proteins, but also of therapeutic genes into proliferating malignant cells that overexpress transferrin receptors. In particular, the transferrin receptor offers great promise in the delivery of therapeutic agents across the blood–brain barrier to the brain. Transferrin and the transferrin receptor system have shown great potential in the delivery of a wide variety of therapeutics (e.g. drugs and genes) across biological barriers.