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Updated: Jan 11, 2026
Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?
Published on: June 13, 2014
Nano-conjugated drug delivery systems for enhanced tumour-specific targeting
Mirva Hirpara1, Priyanka Ahlawat1, Asha Patel1
1Department of Pharmaceutics, Parul Institute of Pharmacy, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
Abstract:
Cancer remains among the major causes of death in the world, yet the treatment has been hampered and hindered by the issue of nonspecific drug toxicity, lack of selectivity and resistance. Drug delivery systems based on nanocarriers have become one of the promising platforms to enhance the precision and efficacy of therapeutic options. Of particular interest among them are glycan-functionalized nanocarriers since they can utilize cancer-related glycosylation patterns to achieve better tumor-specific targeting, greater biocompatibility, and lesser systemic toxicity. Precision nanomedicine is based on specific molecular markers, which are obtained through aberrant glycosylation in cancer including tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) including truncated O-linked glycans, abnormal N-glycan branching, and increased sialylation. This review discusses the importance of glycosylation in cancer biology, design and functionalization of nanocarriers; such as polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, gold nanoparticles, dendrimers, and quantum dots, application of the nanocarriers in overcoming biological barriers and improving therapeutic outcomes. Progress in glycoengineering, such as protein engineering and cell line engineering, is also described. Lastly, the opportunities and challenges regarding translating glycan-conjugated nanomedicines to clinical use are discussed in the review with emphasis on regulatory barriers, mass-produced manufacturing, and safety issues. Glycan-conjugated nanomedicine by combining the understanding of tumor-selective glycosylation with novel nanocarrier design has the capacity to revolutionize cancer therapy to achieve a more targeted, personalized, and clinical viable approach to cancer therapy.
Insights
Glycan-functionalized nanocarriers offer a promising approach to cancer therapy by targeting specific cancer cell glycosylation patterns. This enhances drug delivery precision, improves biocompatibility, and reduces systemic toxicity for more effective treatments.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- Cancer treatment faces challenges due to nonspecific drug toxicity, lack of selectivity, and drug resistance.
- Nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems show promise for enhancing therapeutic precision and efficacy.
- Aberrant glycosylation in cancer creates unique molecular markers, including tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of glycosylation in cancer biology and its application in nanomedicine.
- To discuss the design, functionalization, and application of glycan-functionalized nanocarriers for targeted cancer therapy.
- To explore advancements in glycoengineering and the clinical translation challenges of glycan-conjugated nanomedicines.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of glycan-functionalized nanocarriers in cancer therapy.
- Analysis of nanocarrier types including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, gold nanoparticles, dendrimers, and quantum dots.
- Discussion of glycoengineering techniques like protein and cell line engineering.
Main Results:
- Glycan-functionalized nanocarriers can target cancer-specific glycosylation patterns, improving tumor targeting and reducing toxicity.
- These nanocarriers can overcome biological barriers, enhancing therapeutic outcomes.
- Glycoengineering advances offer new possibilities for precise nanomedicine development.
Conclusions:
- Glycan-conjugated nanomedicine holds significant potential to revolutionize cancer therapy through targeted and personalized approaches.
- Addressing challenges in regulatory approval, manufacturing, and safety is crucial for clinical translation.
- Combining glycosylation understanding with nanocarrier design offers a path toward more effective and viable cancer treatments.
