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A Facile and Efficient Approach for the Production of Reversible Disulfide Cross-linked Micelles
Published on: December 23, 2016
Disulfide Bond-Responsive Nanotherapeutic Systems for the Effective Payload in Cancer Therapy
Pravin Shende1, Gauraja Deshpande1
1Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy and Technology Management, SVKM's NMIMS, V. L. Mehta Road, Vile Parle (W), Mumbai, India.
Background:
The progressive treatment of cancer using disulfide bond-based therapeutics offers improvement in therapeutic potency of active, reduction in adverse events, prolongation of drug release pattern and on-site action by interacting with neoplastic cell microenvironment.
Objective:
The objective of this article is to highlight the research carried out on disulfide bond-based drug delivery systems as a potential candidate for cancer treatment.
Methods:
The article provides an overview of the importance of disulfide bonds in cancer treatment in terms of their properties, mechanism of formation/fragmentation and applications. Properties of disulfide bonds, such as pKa, entropy, and dihedral angle contribute to the structural stability of the bonds in a nanotherapeutic system, while their formation and fragmentation are attributed to the presence of a high concentration of GSH in cancer cells. The article further focuses on various drug delivery systems like dendrimers, liposomes, micelles, etc. involving disulfide cross-linked polymers for the preparation of redox-responsive drug delivery systems.
Results:
The use of nanotechnology with disulfide bond creates an anticancer drug delivery system with higher target specificity, improved bioavailability, and good therapeutic efficacy.
Conclusion:
In the near future, the combination of DSB with active, cellular material, stem cell and biological fluid will be considered as a new thrust area for research in healthcare.
Insights
Disulfide bond-based therapeutics enhance cancer treatment by improving drug delivery and reducing side effects. These advanced systems offer targeted action and increased efficacy for better patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Oncology
Background:
- Disulfide bond-based therapeutics offer improved cancer treatment by enhancing potency, reducing adverse events, and enabling on-site action.
- These systems interact with the unique microenvironment of neoplastic cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight research on disulfide bond-based drug delivery systems for cancer treatment.
- To provide an overview of disulfide bonds' properties, mechanisms, and applications in oncology.
Main Methods:
- Exploration of disulfide bond properties (pKa, entropy, dihedral angle) for nanotherapeutic stability.
- Understanding disulfide bond formation/fragmentation driven by high glutathione (GSH) concentrations in cancer cells.
- Focus on drug delivery systems like dendrimers, liposomes, and micelles using disulfide cross-linked polymers for redox-responsive delivery.
Main Results:
- Nanotechnology combined with disulfide bonds creates anticancer drug delivery systems.
- These systems exhibit higher target specificity and improved bioavailability.
- Enhanced therapeutic efficacy is achieved through targeted drug delivery.
Conclusions:
- Disulfide bond-based drug delivery systems represent a promising approach for cancer therapy.
- Future research will explore combinations with cellular materials, stem cells, and biological fluids.
- This integration signifies a new research thrust area in healthcare.

