Zinc oxide nanoparticles from drug delivery to immunomodulation: progress and challenges

Area of Science:

• Nanomedicine
• Biomedical Engineering
• Oncology

Background:

• Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are increasingly recognized for their potential in diverse biomedical applications.
• Their unique properties make them suitable for advanced cancer treatment strategies.
• This review focuses on the application of ZnO NPs in cancer therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the main uses of ZnO NPs in cancer therapy.
• To highlight their roles in drug delivery, stimuli-responsive systems, and immunomodulatory treatments.
• To discuss their potential for targeting tumor tissues.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of ZnO NP properties, including dissolution in acidic tumor microenvironments and generation of radical oxygen species.
• Review of engineered multimodal nanoplatforms combining ZnO NPs with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, photodynamic, and sonodynamic therapies.
• Evaluation of ZnO NP immunomodulatory capabilities, including T-cell activation and dendritic cell maturation.

Main Results:

• ZnO NPs induce cancer cell apoptosis through metabolic dysregulation in the tumor microenvironment.
• Multimodal nanoplatforms with ZnO NPs achieve synergistic antitumor effects, addressing limitations of current therapies.
• ZnO NPs possess strong immunomodulatory capabilities, potentially reversing 'cold' tumor microenvironments.

Conclusions:

• ZnO NPs present revolutionary therapeutic prospects for novel anti-cancer treatments.
• Their ability to enhance drug delivery, create stimuli-responsive systems, and modulate the immune response is significant.
• Addressing challenges in long-term stability and controlled degradability is crucial for clinical translation.