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Natural Biopolymer-Based Delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 for Cancer Treatment
1Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Abstract:
Over the last decade, the clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system has become the most promising gene editing tool and is broadly utilized to manipulate the gene for disease treatment, especially for cancer, which involves multiple genetic alterations. Typically, CRISPR/Cas9 machinery is delivered in one of three forms: DNA, mRNA, or ribonucleoprotein. However, the lack of efficient delivery systems for these macromolecules confined the clinical breakthrough of this technique. Therefore, a variety of nanomaterials have been fabricated to improve the stability and delivery efficiency of the CRISPR/Cas9 system. In this context, the natural biopolymer-based carrier is a particularly promising platform for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery due to its great stability, low toxicity, excellent biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Here, we focus on the advances of natural biopolymer-based materials for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery in the cancer field and discuss the challenges for their clinical translation.
Insights
Natural biopolymers offer a promising solution for delivering CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tools, enhancing cancer treatment. These materials improve stability and efficiency, overcoming key delivery challenges for clinical applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Gene Editing Technology
- Cancer Therapeutics
Background:
- The clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system is a leading gene editing tool for disease treatment, particularly cancer.
- Efficient delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 (as DNA, mRNA, or ribonucleoprotein) remains a significant hurdle for clinical translation.
- Nanomaterials are being developed to enhance the stability and delivery efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advances in natural biopolymer-based materials for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery in cancer therapy.
- To highlight the advantages of natural biopolymers, including stability, low toxicity, and biocompatibility.
- To discuss challenges associated with the clinical translation of these delivery systems.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on natural biopolymer applications for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery.
- Analysis of material properties relevant to gene editing delivery (stability, toxicity, biocompatibility).
- Examination of studies specifically targeting cancer applications.
Main Results:
- Natural biopolymers demonstrate significant potential as carriers for CRISPR/Cas9 systems.
- These materials offer improved stability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability compared to other delivery methods.
- Successful applications in preclinical cancer models have been reported.
Conclusions:
- Natural biopolymer-based carriers represent a promising strategy for advancing CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in cancer therapy.
- Overcoming delivery challenges is crucial for realizing the full clinical potential of CRISPR/Cas9.
- Further research is needed to address remaining challenges for successful clinical translation.
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