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Global Translational Medicine Nanoparticles in cancer treatment

vivo tissue model with similar temperature profiles. Their poor lymphatic drainage . Besides, the EPR effect is also
[1]
findings showed an increase of 70 ± 16% (curcumin) and affected by the size of NPs. Several reports have shown
127 ± 20% doxorubicin in drug release using the LIPUS- that the smaller NPs have a higher likelihood of being
triggered drug delivery method (both thermal and non- absorbed by tumor cells without integrating into healthy
thermal mechanisms) in contrast to using the water bath cells [48,49] , whereas larger particles are more susceptible to
(thermal mechanisms only)-mediated release. Moreover, scavenging by immune cells . Although factors such as
[50]
they demonstrated that the non-thermal mechanism neovascularization, inflammation, and hypoxia contribute
plays a key role in LIPUS-induced drug release, which to an increase in the permeability of the endothelial layer
depends on the type of anticancer drug loaded on in the tumor vascular system, allowing NPs to enter and
the GNP surface . GNPs are excellent nominees for be taken up by tumor cells [1,51,52] . However, the challenges
[37]
photothermal therapy. For instance, Jakhmola et al. associated with passive targeting are the irregular leakage
developed a very simple synthesis method for NPs using caused by the highly angiogenic activity of tumor cells
a genuine, environmental-friendly, and room-temperature and the higher intratumor pressure, which could obstruct
strategy that involved mixing aqueous solutions of gold the accumulation of NPs inside tumor cells . Moreover,
[53]
salt and trisodium citrate. Their findings revealed a broad different tumor tissues can exhibit varying levels of vessel
secondary absorption of the GNPs in the near-infrared permeability, posing more challenges for passive drug
region and demonstrated a high surface-enhanced Raman delivery . Overcoming these complexities and challenges
[54]
scattering (SERS), which was easily absorbed by living cells requires further studies and investigations to gain a better
without causing severe toxicity [38,39] . In addition, studies understanding of the NP-tumor interaction and to provide
have reported that the application of the doxorubicin better solutions for drug delivery methods using NPs.
drug together with the carbon NP, graphene oxide, led to
higher anti-cancer activity in the cellular model of breast 4. Conclusion
cancer . However, further comprehensive studies are One of the main global challenges in cancer treatment is
[40]
necessary to increase the target specificity of these drugs the discovery and development of efficient and beneficial
and decrease their toxicity to pave the way for successful therapeutic methods. Nanotechnology has opened up new
clinical applications. horizons by introducing novel molecules, such as NPs,
that can be used for the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of
3. Targeting strategies of NPs for cancer various cancer types. Compared to conventional methods
therapy for cancer therapy, the new drug delivery method, which
Two different targeting systems have been assigned for involves NPs, is more efficient and beneficial. Enhanced
NDDS: Active and passive targeting. The active system efficiency, specific tumor targeting, reduced side effects,
utilizes ligands on the surface of the NPs that bind and overcoming drug resistance, improved pharmacokinetics,
interact with the receptors on the cancer cells, such as biocompatibility, and more stability are some of the
the epidermal growth factor receptor [6,41-43] , allowing advantages that NDDSs can offer in clinical treatments.
for the selective interaction between NPs and cancer Thanks to these advantages, NPs can be commonly used
cells and resulting in the abundant release of the drugs in clinical trials such as chemotherapy, gene therapy, and
into the targeted cancerous cells while sparing healthy radiotherapy. Nevertheless, NDDSs also face challenges,
cells [12,44] . The active targeting system is suitable for using including nanomaterial toxicity and the difficulty of
macromolecules, including siRNAs and proteins, in penetrating physiological barriers due to the small size
drug delivery . However, there is a limitation of active of the NPs. Furthermore, studies have reported on the
[45]
targeting. It is a ligand-based method that targets the disruption of the cell membrane, organelles, and DNA
distinct overexpressed receptors on the surface of the caused by free radicals generated by NPs. Another challenge
tumor cells, distinguishing the tumor cells from healthy arises from the stimulation of an immune response when
cells. However, healthy cells might, at some points and nanomolecules interact with cell-surface receptors. While
in certain tissues, express those receptor proteins equal NPs hold great promise for future cancer treatment, further
to or even higher than that expressed in targeted tumor studies and investigations are necessary to transform the
cells, exposing the healthy cells to drug toxicity [46,47] . On newly discovered NDDS into highly efficient, effective,
the other hand, passive targeting benefits from the EPR and comprehensive methods that can be widely used for
effect leads to the delivery of the drug to the target site. clinical treatments against various types of cancer.
The EPR effect mostly depends on the tumor’s biological Acknowledgments
features, such as vascular leakage due to the highly
angiogenic activity and intratumor pressure caused by None.

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2023) 3 https://doi.org/10.36922/gtm.0394