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Tumor Discovery Targeted drug delivery systems for the treatment of tumors

opsonization by MPS. Neutral or anionic liposomes may and resistance to degradation through hydrolysis and
evade clearance mechanisms, thereby prolonging their oxidation processes [126] . Mohamad Saimi et al. designed
residence time in the circulatory system. In contrast, cationic and optimized an aerosol delivery system for the treatment
liposomes tend to form non-specific interactions with of lung cancer. They sonicated gemcitabine and cisplatin
negatively charged blood components, leading to their rapid in sodium chloride solution and amalgamated them into
clearance through the reticuloendothelial system (RES) [122] . niosomes composed of Tween 65 and Span 60 (at a 1:2 ratio)
and cholesterol [127] . The optimized dual drug embedded
Eloy et al. developed dual drug delivery
immunoliposomes for the management of human epithelial niosomes were nanoscale (approximately 166 nm in size),
growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) carcinoma [123] . These had a low polydispersity index of 0.16, a zeta potential of
liposomes contained both paclitaxel (an anticancer drug) around 15 mV, and exhibited controlled drug release for
and rapamycin (an mTOR inhibitor) and were surface- 24 h. The cytotoxicity of the aerosolized niosomal system
coated with trastuzumab, an anti-HER2 monoclonal was tested against both MRC5 normal lung cells and
antibody, for efficient active targeting. The developed system A549 cancerous cells, demonstrating reduced toxicity to
the normal cells and high toxicity to the cancerous cells
had a particle size of 140 nm, with a higher entrapment after 72 h. These results suggest a novel application for
efficiency (56 % for paclitaxel and 69 % for rapamycin) aerosolized niosomes in the management of lung cancer.
and improved stability (−9.85 mV). The trastuzumab-
decorated liposome exhibited more than 70% affinity for Kulkarni and Rawtani developed self-assembled
HER 2, indicating their potential for the targeted delivery niosomes to customize the solubilities of tamoxifen
of paclitaxel and rapamycin in breast cancer. and doxorubicin for an effective response against breast
cancer [128] . These codelivery niosomes were spherical,
Prasad et al. developed a liposome-based nano-
theranostic system to improve the image resolution of displayed high entrapment efficiencies, and sustained
drug release for 3 days. Achieving a 15-fold increase
solid tumors [124] . The multifunctional liposomes loaded in antitumor efficacy, through the synergistic action,
with doxorubicin, gold nanoparticles, and quantum compared to a free drug combination, was demonstrated
dots exhibited photo-triggered antitumor efficacy. In in MCF-7 cell lines. The developed niosomes also exhibited
vivo antitumor diagnostics revealed bimodal imaging significantly enhanced biodistribution and improved
capabilities and tumor suppression, facilitated by the release cellular uptake, suggesting their potential for breast
of heat and oxygen-reactive groups. This novel vesicular cancer management. Niosomes coupled with ligands are
formulation has opened new avenues for targeting tumors widely explored in chemotherapy due to their ability to
and improving tumor imaging.
engage receptor-mediated endocytosis [129] . Both PEG-
Tumor-associated macrophages are important targets functionalized niosomes and ligand (peptide)-coupled
for chemotherapy, as they play a crucial role in regulating niosomes are actively internalized via endocytosis, with
tumor proliferation within the tumor microenvironment. PEG functionalization providing immunoprotection
Yin et al. developed a dual-target vesicular system and promoting drug accumulation within tumor cells.
functionalized with anti-programmed death ligand 1 (anti- Coupling a tumor-homing peptide (tLip-1) to the
PD-L1) for the co-delivery of simvastatin and gefitinib, niosome surface demonstrated high penetration through
aimed at managing brain metastasis and lung cancer [125] . active targeting in human glioblastoma (U87) cells [130] .
These liposomes demonstrated the ability to bind with
transferrin receptors, efficiently penetrate the blood-brain (c) Aquasomes and phytosomes
barrier, and minimize drug resistance by suppressing the Aquasomes and phytosomes are vesicular drug carriers
EGFR-Akt-Erk signaling pathway. resembling the properties of water, with sizes typically
ranging from 60–300 nm. Aquasomes are self-assembled
(b) Niosomes architecture held together by ionic, van der Waals, or
Niosomes are self-assembled lipoidal bilayer vesicular non-covalent bonds. These systems consist of three major
drug carriers consisting of non-ionic surfactants and components: a central ceramic core material (providing
cholesterol. These systems can accommodate a wide structural stability), a carbohydrate coating substance
range of therapeutically active agents with varying (protecting drug), and entrapped drugs (for therapeutic
solubility, making them a promising strategy for multidrug action). They are primarily designed to deliver acid-
applications. Unlike liposomes, niosomes are preferentially labile drugs (protein and peptides) in both a sustained
chosen for designing nanoscaled chemotherapeutic carriers and targeted manner. Aquasomes have found successful
due to their cost-effectiveness, scalability, stability (they are applications in the delivery of various substances, including
non-leakage vesicles), lack of special storage requirements, antigens, enzymes, hemoglobin, and insulin [131] .

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2023) 18 https://doi.org/10.36922/td.1356