Engineering lactate-modulating nanomedicines for cancer therapy

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Oncology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Lactate, a product of cancer cell glycolysis, was historically viewed as a mere biomarker of malignancy.
• Emerging evidence highlights lactate's critical role in regulating tumor development, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in engineering nanomedicines for modulating tumor lactate.
• To elucidate the mechanisms by which lactate modulation enhances cancer therapy.
• To discuss challenges and future perspectives of lactate-modulating nanomedicines.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on lactate modulation and nanomedicine in cancer therapy.
• Analysis of the role of lactate as a fuel source and signaling molecule in tumors.
• Discussion of nanomedicine strategies for optimizing lactate-modulating agent delivery.

Main Results:

• Lactate actively promotes tumor progression, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, and resistance to treatment.
• Conventional agents for lactate regulation face limitations like short half-life and poor bioavailability.
• Lactate-modulating nanomedicines demonstrate potential for precise and effective cancer treatment by optimizing drug delivery and remodeling the tumor microenvironment.

Conclusions:

• Nanomedicine-based lactate modulation represents a promising strategy for overcoming limitations of conventional therapies.
• Targeting tumor lactate homeostasis via nanomedicines can enhance therapeutic efficacy across various cancer treatment modalities.
• Further research and development are needed to address challenges and fully realize the potential of this emerging anti-cancer approach.