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Regulating glucose metabolism using nanomedicines for cancer therapy

Ming Tang1, Xiangling Ren2, Changhui Fu3

  • 1College of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China and Laboratory of Controllable Preparation and Application of Nanomaterials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China. mengxw@mail.ipc.ac.cn and Key Laboratory of Super Light Material and Surface Technology Ministry of Education, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China and CAS Key Laboratory of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.

Journal of Materials Chemistry. B
|July 1, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Regulating glucose metabolism with nanomedicines offers new cancer treatment strategies. This review explores targeting tumor cell energy pathways for enhanced therapies like chemotherapy and hyperthermia.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Oncology
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Glucose metabolism is crucial for tumor cell growth and proliferation.
  • Targeting glucose metabolism presents significant opportunities for cancer treatment.
  • Nanomedicines have advanced the regulation of glucose metabolism pathways for cancer therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of glucose metabolism in cancer.
  • To discuss nanomedicine strategies for regulating glucose metabolism in various tumor resistance contexts.
  • To present future prospects and challenges in developing nanoagents for cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of cell energy supply pathways (aerobic and anaerobic).
  • Discussion of recent research on regulating glucose metabolism against tumor resistance (heat, drug, hypoxia).
  • Analysis of multifunctional nanoagents for combined therapies.

Main Results:

  • Glucose metabolism pathways are key targets for cancer therapy.
  • Nanomedicines show promise in overcoming tumor resistance by modulating glucose metabolism.
  • Multifunctional nanoagents can integrate various therapeutic modalities.

Conclusions:

  • Regulating glucose metabolism via nanomedicines is a promising avenue for cancer treatment.
  • Further development of nanoagents is needed to address challenges in efficacy and resistance.
  • Integrating therapies like chemotherapy and hyperthermia holds potential for improved outcomes.

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