The application of carbon nanotubes in target drug delivery systems for cancer therapies

Abstract

Among all cancer treatment options, chemotherapy continues to play a major role in killing free cancer cells and removing undetectable tumor micro-focuses. Although chemotherapies are successful in some cases, systemic toxicity may develop at the same time due to lack of selectivity of the drugs for cancer tissues and cells, which often leads to the failure of chemotherapies. Obviously, the therapeutic effects will be revolutionarily improved if human can deliver the anticancer drugs with high selectivity to cancer cells or cancer tissues. This selective delivery of the drugs has been called target treatment. To realize target treatment, the first step of the strategies is to build up effective target drug delivery systems. Generally speaking, such a system is often made up of the carriers and drugs, of which the carriers play the roles of target delivery. An ideal carrier for target drug delivery systems should have three pre-requisites for their functions: (1) they themselves have target effects; (2) they have sufficiently strong adsorptive effects for anticancer drugs to ensure they can transport the drugs to the effect-relevant sites; and (3) they can release the drugs from them in the effect-relevant sites, and only in this way can the treatment effects develop. The transporting capabilities of carbon nanotubes combined with appropriate surface modifications and their unique physicochemical properties show great promise to meet the three pre-requisites. Here, we review the progress in the study on the application of carbon nanotubes as target carriers in drug delivery systems for cancer therapies.

Biophysical and biological contributions of polyamine-coated carbon nanotubes and bidimensional buckypapers in the delivery of miRNAs to human cells

“…To assess the stability of CNT/miRNA complexes, heparin 5,000 U/mL (Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Petah Tikva, Israel) was added to CNT/ miRNA complexes, and the displacement of the complex was monitored after incubating for 30 and 60 min. To test the supernatant toxicity also, cells were treated with supPEI-CNTs and supPAM-CNTs at the same concentration of polymers (4,8,12 and 20 μg/mL) or CNTs (10,20,30 and 50 μg/mL).…”

“…[1][2][3][4] Recent findings in nanomedicine have revealed that CNTs can be used as potential drug carriers, therapeutic agents and diagnostics tools as well. [5][6][7][8][9][10] In particular, due to their ability to cross cellular membranes, their nanosize dimension, high surface area and relatively good biocompatibility, CNTs have also been employed as a novel gene delivery vector system. [11][12][13] However, one of the major drawbacks is their low solubility and high propensity to aggregate in aqueous solutions.…”

Drug-loading capacity and nuclear targeting of multiwalled carbon nanotubes grafted with anionic amphiphilic copolymers

“…4 The unique ability of CNTs to penetrate cell membranes enables them to deliver therapeutic agents into the cytoplasm and in many cases the nucleus of the cell. 5,6 Different strategies have been developed that load drug molecules onto CNTs through either covalent bonds or noncovalent adsorption. [7][8][9][10] However, covalent bonds between the CNT and carrier are inadequate, because a slight change in the…”

Carbon Nanotubes: A Review Article

“…Carbon nanotubes are used in drug delivery carriers for treatment of cancer [20]. And they are reported for targeting of amphotericin B to cells [21].…”