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Nanopreparations to overcome multidrug resistance in cancer

Niravkumar R Patel1, Bhushan S Pattni, Abraham H Abouzeid

  • 1Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews
|August 27, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Multidrug resistance in cancer hinders chemotherapy. Nanotechnology offers a promising approach to overcome this challenge by optimizing drug delivery and improving therapeutic efficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Nanotechnology
  • Drug Delivery

Background:

  • Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle in cancer chemotherapy, driven by cellular and physiological factors.
  • These factors include efflux transporters, apoptosis defects, altered targets, high interstitial pressure, low pH, and irregular tumor vasculature.
  • Poor drug solubility, instability, and systemic toxicity further complicate effective cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted factors contributing to multidrug resistance in cancer.
  • To explore the application of nanotechnology in overcoming multidrug resistance.
  • To discuss spheroid culture and in vitro microtumor models for studying MDR.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of factors causing multidrug resistance.
  • Analysis of nanotechnology-based strategies for drug delivery in cancer.
  • Examination of spheroid culture and microtumor tissue production techniques.

Main Results:

  • Nanoparticles (up to 400 nm) show potential for carrying and delivering therapeutic molecules.
  • Nanotechnology can address challenges posed by tumor physiology and drug properties.
  • Spheroid cultures and in vitro microtumor models offer valuable research platforms.

Conclusions:

  • Nanotechnology presents a viable strategy to overcome multidrug resistance in cancer therapy.
  • Optimized drug delivery systems are crucial for enhancing treatment outcomes.
  • Advanced in vitro models are essential for studying and combating MDR.
Keywords:
Combination therapyMultidrug resistanceNanopreparationsSpheroid culture

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