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Mitochondrial dysfunction-targeted nanosystems for precise tumor therapeutics
Zhaoyu Ma1, Heyou Han2, Yanli Zhao3
1The State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore.
Abstract:
Mitochondria play critical roles in the regulation of the proliferation and apoptosis of cancerous cells. Targeted induction of mitochondrial dysfunction in cancer cells by multifunctional nanosystems for cancer treatment has attracted increasing attention in the past few years. Numerous therapeutic nanosystems have been designed for precise tumor therapy by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction, including reducing adenosine triphosphate, breaking redox homeostasis, inhibiting glycolysis, regulating proteins, membrane potential depolarization, mtDNA damage, mitophagy dysregulation and so on. Understanding the mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction would be helpful for efficient treatment of diseases and accelerating the translation of these therapeutic strategies into the clinic. Then, various strategies to construct mitochondria-targeted nanosystems and induce mitochondrial dysfunction are summarized, and the recent research progress regarding precise tumor therapeutics is highlighted. Finally, the major challenges and an outlook in this rapidly developing field are discussed. This review is expected to inspire further development of novel mitochondrial dysfunction-based strategies for precise treatments of cancer and other human diseases.
Insights
Targeting cancer cell mitochondria with nanosystems induces dysfunction, offering a promising new avenue for precise cancer therapy. This approach disrupts key cellular processes, paving the way for advanced treatments.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- Mitochondria are crucial regulators of cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis.
- Targeting mitochondrial dysfunction in cancer is an emerging therapeutic strategy.
- Nanosystems offer precise delivery for inducing mitochondrial dysfunction in tumors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review strategies for constructing mitochondria-targeted nanosystems.
- To summarize recent advances in using mitochondrial dysfunction for cancer therapy.
- To discuss challenges and future directions in this field.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on mitochondria-targeted nanosystems.
- Analysis of mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction induction.
- Highlighting recent research progress in precise tumor therapeutics.
Main Results:
- Nanosystems can induce mitochondrial dysfunction through various mechanisms (e.g., ATP reduction, redox imbalance, depolarization).
- These strategies enable precise tumor therapy by exploiting cancer cell vulnerabilities.
- Understanding these mechanisms is key to clinical translation.
Conclusions:
- Mitochondria-targeted nanosystems represent a promising approach for precise cancer treatment.
- Further research is needed to overcome challenges and accelerate clinical application.
- This field holds potential for treating various human diseases beyond cancer.
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