A review of nanoparticle drug delivery systems responsive to endogenous breast cancer microenvironment

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Oncology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Breast cancer remains a significant health threat, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
• Nanoparticle drug delivery systems (NDDS) show promise for targeted breast cancer treatment, improving drug bioavailability and reducing toxicity.
• The tumor microenvironment (TME) presents challenges to NDDS efficacy due to factors like hypoxia, acidosis, and protease activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the impact of the breast cancer microenvironment on NDDS.
• To summarize innovative stimuli-responsive NDDS designed to overcome TME challenges.
• To discuss the potential applications and limitations of these advanced drug delivery systems.

Main Methods:

• Exploiting endogenous stimuli within the breast cancer TME (hypoxia, acidosis, protease expression) to trigger drug release.
• Designing NDDS with specific materials, targeting groups, and drug payloads.
• Analyzing the function of stimuli-responsive NDDS in targeting and drug delivery within the TME.

Main Results:

• Stimuli-responsive NDDS can be engineered to target breast cancer cells effectively by responding to the unique TME.
• These systems demonstrate enhanced drug bioavailability and reduced systemic toxicity compared to conventional therapies.
• The heterogeneity of the breast cancer TME necessitates tailored NDDS designs for optimal therapeutic response.

Conclusions:

• Stimuli-responsive NDDS represent a promising advancement in breast cancer therapy by utilizing the TME for targeted drug delivery.
• Further research into material science, targeting strategies, and drug loading is crucial for clinical translation.
• These systems hold potential for overcoming drug resistance and improving treatment outcomes for breast cancer patients.