Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells
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Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells

Published on: October 27, 2020

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Recent advances in nanoparticles targeting TGF-β signaling for cancer treatment

Ziying Li1, Xugang Ji1, Xiaoyi Cong1

  • 1Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China.

Theranostics
|January 29, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Transforming cancer therapy: Nanoparticles precisely target transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling, overcoming systemic side effects and enhancing drug delivery for improved antitumor efficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Nanotechnology
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling plays a complex, dual role in cancer, presenting challenges for systemic blockade therapies.
  • Clinical trial outcomes for TGF-β inhibitors have been disappointing due to these systemic effects and the intricate tumor microenvironment.
  • Nanotechnology offers a promising avenue to overcome these limitations through targeted delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted roles of TGF-β signaling in cancer.
  • To summarize current strategies for suppressing TGF-β signaling.
  • To emphasize advanced nanoparticle-based strategies for targeted TGF-β blockade and enhanced drug delivery.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of TGF-β signaling pathways and their therapeutic targeting.
  • Analysis of preclinical and clinical data on TGF-β inhibitors.
  • Exploration of nanoparticle engineering for stimuli-responsive and targeted drug delivery.
  • Discussion of the interplay between TGF-β blockade and nanoparticle delivery efficiency.

Main Results:

  • TGF-β exhibits complex, context-dependent effects in cancer, necessitating precise therapeutic interventions.
  • Nanoparticles engineered for TGF-β targeting can enhance drug penetration and delivery within the tumor microenvironment.
  • A synergistic relationship exists where TGF-β blockade improves nanoparticle delivery, and nanoparticles refine TGF-β targeting specificity.

Conclusions:

  • Intelligent nanodelivery systems offer a strategy to spatially control TGF-β inhibition, mitigating systemic toxicity.
  • The reciprocal enhancement between TGF-β blockade and nanoparticle delivery holds significant potential for advancing antitumor therapies.
  • Further research into nanoparticle design and TGF-β targeting is crucial for clinical translation.
Keywords:
TGF-β blockadecancer treatmentnanocarriernanodrug delivery systemnanoparticle

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