Targeting regulated cell death in tumor nanomedicines

Area of Science:

• Nanomedicine
• Oncology
• Cell Death Research

Background:

• Nanomedicines offer targeted cancer treatment but face challenges from cancer cell resistance and self-protection.
• Regulated cell death (RCD) pathways, including autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis, are emerging as key strategies to enhance cancer therapy efficacy.
• Increasing cancer cell sensitivity to apoptosis is crucial for overcoming treatment resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and discuss paradigmatic studies of RCD-mediated synergistic nanotherapeutics for cancer treatment.
• To explore the coordination mechanisms of various RCD-enhanced nanotherapies.
• To analyze current challenges and future prospects of RCD-based nanomedicines in precision oncology.

Main Methods:

• Review of RCD-mediated synergistic nanotherapeutics, including autophagy-enhanced photodynamic therapy (PDT).
• Analysis of ferroptosis-sensitized sonodynamic therapy (SDT) and necroptosis-augmented photothermal therapy (PTT).
• Discussion of pyroptosis-collaborative chemodynamic therapy (CDT) and their underlying mechanisms.

Main Results:

• RCD pathways can significantly augment the therapeutic efficiency of nanomedicines against tumors.
• Synergistic effects were observed in combining RCD with various nanotherapies like PDT, SDT, PTT, and CDT.
• These combined approaches enhance cancer cell sensitivity to apoptosis, overcoming resistance mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• RCD-based nanomedicines represent a promising strategy for precision cancer therapy.
• Further research and development in RCD-mediated nanotherapeutics are expected to broaden their clinical application scope.
• Co-adjuvant therapeutic methodologies based on RCDs hold considerable potential for advancing nanomedicine in oncology.