Nanoparticles—Emerging Potential for Managing Leukemia and Lymphoma

Abstract

Nanotechnology has become a powerful approach to improve the way we diagnose and treat cancer. In particular, nanoparticles (NPs) possess unique features for enhanced sensitivity and selectivity for earlier detection of circulating cancer biomarkers. In vivo, NPs enhance the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer agents when compared with conventional chemotherapy, improving vectorization and delivery, and helping to overcome drug resistance. Nanomedicine has been mostly focused on solid cancers due to take advantage from the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect experienced by tissues in the close vicinity of tumors, which enhance nanomedicine’s accumulation and, consequently, improve efficacy. Nanomedicines for leukemia and lymphoma, where EPR effect is not a factor, are addressed differently from solid tumors. Nevertheless, NPs have provided innovative approaches to simple and non-invasive methodologies for diagnosis and treatment in liquid tumors. In this review, we consider the state of the art on different types of nanoconstructs for the management of liquid tumors, from preclinical studies to clinical trials. We also discuss the advantages of nanoplatforms for theranostics and the central role played by NPs in this combined strategy.

Gene Therapy in Cancer Treatment: Why Go Nano?

“…Delivery of TNAs, such as genes, oligonucleotides, miRNAs or siRNAs to cancer cells has allowed to tackle cancer via the silencing oncogenes or restoring the expression of tumor suppressor genes [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Most of these approaches (e.g., antisense therapy, RNA interference (RNAi), gene editing) aim at gene alteration/modulation [16][17][18][19][76][77][78][79][80][81] -see Figure 3.…”

“…Gold nanoconjugates conjugated with oligonucleotides have also demonstrated their effective application in gene therapy [19]. Indeed, Vinhas and collaborators have demonstrated that AuNPs functionalized with an antisense oligonucleotide against BCR-ABL mRNA, a fusion mRNA that when translated gives rise to a constitutively active tyrosine kinase that plays a central role on leukemogenesis, induces an effective silencing and increase in K562 cell death [15]. Also, Cordeiro and collaborators demonstrated the applicability and efficiency of Au-nanobeacons for in vivo silencing of a fli-enhanced green fluorescence protein (fli-EGFP) transgenic zebrafish embryos [175].…”

“…The mounting knowledge on the characteristics of tumor cells and surrounding TME have sparked the use of gene therapy to tackle cancer molecular mechanisms. Gene therapy consists of the introduction of exogenous nucleic acids, such as genes, gene segments, oligonucleotides, miRNAs or siRNAs into cells envisaging a target gene edition, expression modulation of a target gene, mRNA or synthesis of an exogenous protein [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Gene transfer into tumor cells has been demonstrated via administration of therapeutic nucleic acids (TNAs) ex vivo and/or in vivo (Figure 1) [20].…”

“…Cont. -phosphatidylcholine; 12 TUSC2: tumor suppressor candidate 2; 13 mRNA: messenger RNA; 14 PKN3: protein kinase 3;15 shRNA: short hairpin RNA; 16 STMN1: human stathmin 1; 17 saRNA: small/short activating RNA;18 CEBPA: CCAAT enhancer-binding protein alpha; 19 GRB2: growth factor receptor bound protein 2; 20 OX40L: OX40 ligand (CD252); 21 KRAS: Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog; 22 PLK1: Polo-like kinase 1.; 23 VEGF-A: Vascular endothelial growth factor A; 24 KSP: kinesin spindle protein.…”

Nanocarriers as Magic Bullets in the Treatment of Leukemia

“…In hematologic malignancies, in fact, tumor cells are free in circulation, thus requiring specific active targeting. However, confined tumor sites, such as the bone marrow and/or lymphoid tissues, in which the EPR effect can be exploited are also present [90].…”