Disassembling a cancer puzzle: Cell junctions and plasma membrane as targets for anticancer therapy

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Solid tumors often exhibit enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, but drug penetration remains a challenge.
• Improving drug delivery requires strategies like modifying tumor cell-to-cell junctions and utilizing cell membrane permeabilization proteins.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review epithelial cell junctions as targets for combined anticancer therapy.
• To propose novel sources for agents that enhance tumor permeability and intracellular drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on epithelial cell junctions and cell membrane permeabilization proteins.
• Analysis of viral and bacterial pathogens as sources of therapeutic agents.
• Evaluation of pore-forming proteins and peptides for cytoplasmic delivery.

Main Results:

• Epithelial cell junctions represent a viable target for improving drug delivery in solid tumors.
• Viral and bacterial pathogens offer potential sources for novel agents to increase tumor permeability.
• Pore-forming proteins and peptides show promise for direct cytoplasmic delivery of anticancer agents.

Conclusions:

• Targeting cell junctions and employing permeabilization proteins are promising strategies to overcome drug delivery limitations in cancer.
• Exploring microbial agents and pore-forming molecules could lead to advanced anticancer therapeutics.
• Further research is needed to address the in vivo application challenges of these agents.