Recent advances in hyaluronic acid-decorated nanocarriers for targeted cancer therapy

Abstract

The cluster-determinant 44 (CD44) receptor has a high affinity for hyaluronic acid (HA) binding and is a desirable receptor for active targeting based on its overexpression in cancer cells compared with normal body cells. The nanocarrier affinity can be increased by conjugating drug-loaded carriers with HA, allowing enhanced cancer cell uptake via the HA-CD44 receptor-mediated endocytosis pathway. In this review, we discuss recent advances in HA-based nanocarriers and micelles for cancer therapy. In vitro and in vivo experiments have repeatedly indicated HA-based nanocarriers to be a target-specific drug and gene delivery platform with great promise for future applications in clinical cancer therapy.

Hyaluronic Acid–Based Activatable Nanomaterials for Stimuli‐Responsive Imaging and Therapeutics: Beyond CD44‐Mediated Drug Delivery

“…Given this rapidly increasing interest in HA nanomaterials, there have been several excellent reviews that describe research involving CD44‐targeted nanomaterials; however, there is a lack of reports covering the healthcare applications of HA‐based stimuli‐responsive nanomaterials. Therefore, our general focus here is on the healthcare applications of HA‐based stimuli‐responsive nanomaterials along with some fundamental physicochemical and biological attributes of HA.…”

Folic acid conjugated polymeric micelles loaded with a curcumin difluorinated analog for targeting cervical and ovarian cancers

“…Polymeric nanomicelles have been widely used in medicine as drug delivery carrier by active targeting approach [7–9] They have the ability to improve hydrophobic drug delivery, reducing metabolic drug degradation, specific targeting of cancer cells by surface modification using targeted ligand, and displaying sustained and triggered drug release [10–12]. In addition to the ability to enhance the aqueous solubility of hydrophobic drugs, nanomicelles also have the ability to target cancer cells by two approached: passive and active.…”

<p>Ultrasound Mediated Destruction of LMW-HA-Loaded and Folate-Conjugated Nanobubble for TAM Targeting and Reeducation</p>

“…Large nanobubbles (>500 nm) are unable to penetrate the cell membrane. 30 The contrast enhancement of ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) was declined with the diameter decreased. 31 The size of HA-FOL-NB is about 342 nm (PDI: 0.155), which is fine with both EPR and CEUS.…”