Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2025
14:20
Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?
Published on: June 13, 2014
16.8K
pH-triggered cancer-targeting polymers: From extracellular accumulation to intracellular release
Rizwan Ullah Khan1, Jinning Shao1, Jia-Yu Liao1
1Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cancer Center & Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 China.
Nano Research
|January 9, 2023
Summary
pH-responsive polymers offer targeted drug delivery and controlled release by exploiting pH variations in the body. These advanced nanocarriers enhance therapeutic efficacy, particularly in cancer treatment and cellular uptake.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Stimuli-responsive polymers are crucial for targeted delivery, stability, and controlled release of therapeutic agents.
- pH variations in physiological environments and pathological states, like tumors, enable selective drug delivery.
- pH-responsive nanocarriers are vital for overcoming biological barriers and enhancing drug efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review pH-responsive polymeric nanocarriers for targeted delivery and controlled release.
- To explore the structure-property relationships of pH-sensitive interactions.
- To highlight applications in cancer targeting and endosomal escape.
Main Methods:
- Review of non-covalent and covalent pH-responsive interactions in polymeric nanocarriers.
- Analysis of structure-property relationships for pH-sensitive materials.
- Examination of applications in cancer therapy and intracellular drug delivery.
Main Results:
- pH-responsive polymers can be designed to exploit specific pH gradients for targeted delivery.
- Both non-covalent and covalent strategies offer tunable pH sensitivity.
- These nanocarriers demonstrate potential for enhanced cancer targeting and endosomal escape.
Conclusions:
- pH-responsive polymeric nanocarriers represent a promising platform for advanced drug delivery systems.
- Understanding structure-property relationships is key to optimizing nanocarrier performance.
- These materials hold significant potential for improving cancer treatment and intracellular delivery.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
7.8K
The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.8K
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
621
Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
621
01:17The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
6.5K
The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...
6.5K
01:27Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
1.1K
Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
1.1K
02:56Treatment Resistant Cancers
3.4K
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...
3.4K