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Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?
Published on: June 13, 2014
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Endogenous Enzyme-responsive Nanoplatforms for Anti-tumor Therapy
Xue-Fang Lou1, Yong-Zhong Du2, Xiao-Ling Xu2
1School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, 51 Hu-Zhou Street, Hangzhou 310015, China.
Current Drug Targets
|January 18, 2021
Summary
Enzyme-responsive nanoplatforms enhance drug delivery by targeting tumors. This review summarizes recent advancements and challenges in developing these advanced cancer treatment systems.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Responsive drug delivery systems offer improved therapeutic outcomes, including reduced toxicity and enhanced drug circulation.
- Enzyme-responsive nanoplatforms are particularly promising due to the specific and efficient nature of enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
- Recent advancements focus on nanoplatforms activated by tumor-associated enzymes for targeted cancer therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review enzyme-based, mono-responsive drug delivery systems developed in the last five years.
- To explore dual-stimuli-responsive nanoplatforms activated by enzymes.
- To discuss the challenges hindering the clinical translation of these systems.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of enzyme-responsive nanoplatforms for drug delivery.
- Focus on systems utilizing tumor-related enzymes like matrix metalloproteinase, esterase, hyaluronidase, caspase, and cathepsin.
- Analysis of both mono- and dual-stimuli-responsive systems.
Main Results:
- Summarized recent developments in enzyme-activated drug delivery systems.
- Highlighted nanoplatforms responsive to specific tumor enzymes.
- Identified dual-stimuli-responsive systems as an emerging area.
- Discussed obstacles to clinical application, including enzyme heterogeneity, reaction environment, and animal models.
Conclusions:
- Enzyme-activated nanoplatforms show significant potential for cancer treatment.
- Despite progress, challenges in enzyme heterogeneity, reaction environment, and preclinical models need addressing for clinical translation.
- Further research is needed to overcome these obstacles and realize the full potential of enzyme-responsive drug delivery.
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