Finding the optimal balance: Challenges of improving conventional cancer chemotherapy using suitable combinations with nano-sized drug delivery systems

Long-circulating self-assembled cholesteryl albumin nanoparticles enhance tumor accumulation of hydrophobic anticancer drug

“…Once bound to this membrane protein, the drug vehicle complex is internalized, forming caveolae that readily pass through the endothelial cell. At the end of this transport process, the albumin-PTX complex is released into the subendothelial space, where the accumulation of albumin is probably facilitated by another glycoprotein named SPARC (secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine) that binds to albumin with high affinity and has a significant homology to gp60 [15,30].…”

“…Albumin-based nanoparticle carrier systems represent an attractive strategy, because a significant amount of drug can be incorporated into the particle matrix, owing to the different drug binding sites present in the albumin molecule [13] as well as its biocompatibility. Moreover, albumin accumulates in malignant and inflamed tissues through the EPR effect [14,15] transport of albumin-bound PTX is very likely mediated by the gp60 transcytosis pathway [15]. Several albumin nanoparticles have been reported for drug delivery, including octyl-albumin conjugation to improve albumin lipophilicity [11] and a doxorubicinalbumin conjugate with a cleavable bond [16].…”

Polysaccharide-based nanoparticles for co-loading mitoxantrone and verapamil to overcome multidrug resistance in breast tumor

“…Previous studies have shown the difficulties associated with the ordinary nano-drug delivery systems to achieve effective intracellular concentration due to smaller amounts of cellular uptake, slower intracellular release rate, and easy drug efflux. 17 Therefore, to solve the problem of the common nanocarriers in overcoming MDR, a plethora of efforts to endow the nanocarriers with more functions is under investigation, and co-loading of P-gp inhibitors is one of the important strategies. Currently, there are reports of VRP and DOX co-loading in uniform mesoporous carbon spheres, liposomes, and bovine serum albumin nanoparticles.…”

Apoferritin: protein nanocarrier for targeted delivery

“…With water-soluble apoferritin, it is possible to dissolve drugs that are normally insoluble in water [7]. Due to the passive and active targeting of apoferritin, the drug concentration in the vicinity of the tumour is increased by 100-400% [91], but the total administered dose can be significantly lowered [129].…”

“…The largest nanocarriers are liposomes, which are 80-200 nm in diameter [3], polymeric nanoparticles (40-100 nm) [4] or micelles (20-60 nm) [5] and the smallest ones are dendrimers with less than 10 nm in diameter [6]. The use of suitable nanocarriers can significantly reduce negative side effects, as well as increase the biocompatibility, specificity, shelf-life and water solubility of the drug [7]. A diagnostic marker can also be encapsulated within the nanocarrrier for theranostic approach -combining diagnostics and therapy [8].…”