Surface receptor‐mediated targeted drug delivery systems for enhanced cancer treatment: A state‐of‐the‐art review

Abstract

Enhanced cancer treatment remains as one of the focused areas for researchers around the world. Hence, the progress in this direction will be a challenge and an opportunity in, inter‐disciplinary field to mitigate the suffering of millions in the upcoming decades. As we see, cancer death rate has also progressively increased despite the current impressive treatment regimens but also due to the non‐availability of vaccines and the re‐occurring of cancer in substantially recovered patients. Currently, numerous treatment strategies like surgical removal of solid tumors followed by radiation with a combination of immunotherapy/chemotherapy by the researchers and clinicians are routinely being followed. However, recurrence and distant metastasis often occur following radiation therapy, commonly due to the generation of radio‐resistance through deregulation of the cell cycle, cell death, and inhibition of DNA damage repair mechanisms. Thus, chemotherapeutic/immunotherapeutic treatment systems have progressed remarkably in the latest years owing to destroying tumors, noninvasive, and affordable charge of therapy. But, traditional chemotherapeutic approaches target the DNA of mutated and normal healthy cells, resulting in a significantly increased risk of toxicity and drug resistance. Thus, many receptors targeted therapies are in the developmental phase of discovery. Cancer cells have a specialized set of surface receptors that provide potential targets for cancer therapeutics. Cell surface receptor‐dependent endocytosis is well a known major mechanism for the internalization of macromolecular drugs. This review emphasizes the recent development of several surface receptors mediated cancer‐targeting approaches for the effective delivery of various therapeutic formulations.

Potentiating Therapeutic Effects of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibition in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

“…Nanocarriers are nano-sized (10–400 nm) particles that are able to encapsulate therapeutic or diagnostic molecules, which include lipid nanoparticles (liposomes), biocompatible polymers, surfactants, protein particles, RNA nanoparticles, and extracellular vesicles [ 248 , 610 , 611 , 612 , 613 , 614 , 615 , 621 , 622 ]. A variety of EGFR-targeting molecules have been utilized to effectively and selectively deliver nanocarriers to tumor stroma, including monoclonal antibodies, single-chain antibodies, nanobodies, affimers, affinity peptides, and oligonucleotide aptamers [ 623 , 624 , 625 , 626 , 627 , 628 , 629 , 630 ].…”

Nano Based Approach for the Treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases

“…Firstly, these nano-engineered particulate systems can encapsulate a high density of conventional drug molecules that can deliver directly into severely infected specific sites or cells or targetoriented tissues and enhances the bio-availability of drugs. Due to this site specific delivery of drugs that can increase the sensitivity of drugs against disease causing pathogens via stimulation of immune system as well as reduces the drug resistance (Kunjiappan et al, 2020). Secondly, they can circulate freely in the human body as compared to macromolecular conventional drugs.…”

“…For example, size less than 200 nm enables a longer blood stream circulation period and avoids accumulation in the liver and spleen. In addition, surface characteristics (charge) can also play a major role in protein adsorption, which in turn affects nanoparticles' pharmacokinetics and bio-distribution profiles (Kunjiappan et al, 2020). Research has shown that highly cationic nanocarrier systems are very easily removed from circulation compared to highly anionic nanocarrier systems.…”

Dynamic covalent chemistry in live cells for organelle targeting and enhanced photodynamic action

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Targeting therapeutic molecules to desired intracellular areas can improve their efficacy and help to understand mechanisms of their action. [8][9][10][11] On the other hand, targeting fluorescent probes to specific organelles is useful for monitoring and tracking of behavior and functions of different organelles in normal and stress conditions. 2,5,[12][13][14] Previous studies showed that photosensitizers (PS) targeted to cell organelles, especially mitochondria and plasma membranes could improve the efficacy and precision of photodynamic therapy (PDT).…”