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Tumor Microenvironment Sensitive Nanocarriers for Bioimaging and Therapeutics
Hyeongmok Park1, Gurusamy Saravanakumar1, Jinseong Kim1
1Department of Chemistry, POSTECH-CATHOLIC Biomedical Engineering Institute, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
The tumor microenvironment (TME), which is composed of cancer cells, stromal cells, immune cells, and extracellular matrices, plays an important role in tumor growth and progression. Thus, targeting the TME using a well-designed nano-drug delivery system is emerging as a promising strategy for the treatment of solid tumors. Compared to normal tissues, the TME presents several distinguishable physiological features such as mildly acidic pH, hypoxia, high level of reactive oxygen species, and overexpression of specific enzymes, that are exploited as stimuli to induce specific changes in the nanocarrier structures, and thereby facilitates target-specific delivery of imaging or chemotherapeutic agents for the early diagnosis or effective treatment, respectively. Recently, smart nanocarriers that respond to more than one stimulus in the TME have also been designed to elicit a more desirable spatiotemporally controlled drug release. This review highlights the recent progress in TME-sensitive nanocarriers designed for more efficient tumor therapy and imaging. In particular, the design strategies, challenges, and critical considerations involved in the fabrication of TME-sensitive nanocarriers, along with their in vitro and in vivo evaluations are discussed.
Insights
Smart nanocarriers targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME) offer a promising strategy for cancer therapy. These nanocarriers exploit unique TME features for targeted drug delivery, improving treatment efficacy and diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Oncology
Background:
- The tumor microenvironment (TME) significantly influences tumor growth and progression.
- The TME exhibits unique physiological characteristics (e.g., acidic pH, hypoxia, reactive oxygen species, enzymes) distinct from normal tissues.
- Targeting the TME via nano-drug delivery systems is a key strategy for solid tumor treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in TME-sensitive nanocarriers for enhanced tumor therapy and imaging.
- To discuss the design strategies, challenges, and considerations for fabricating TME-sensitive nanocarriers.
- To highlight the in vitro and in vivo evaluations of these nanocarriers.
Main Methods:
- Exploiting TME-specific stimuli (pH, hypoxia, ROS, enzymes) to trigger nanocarrier structural changes.
- Designing multi-stimuli-responsive nanocarriers for spatiotemporally controlled drug release.
- Fabricating and evaluating nanocarriers for targeted delivery of therapeutic and imaging agents.
Main Results:
- TME-sensitive nanocarriers facilitate targeted delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents.
- Smart nanocarriers responding to multiple TME stimuli enable more precise drug release.
- Recent progress shows improved efficiency in tumor therapy and imaging using these advanced nanocarriers.
Conclusions:
- TME-sensitive nanocarriers represent a significant advancement in cancer treatment strategies.
- Careful design and evaluation are crucial for developing effective nanocarrier-based therapies.
- These nanocarriers hold great potential for improving early diagnosis and effective treatment of solid tumors.
