Delivering Combination Chemotherapies and Targeting Oncogenic Pathways via Polymeric Drug Delivery Systems

Abstract

The side-effects associated with chemotherapy necessitates better delivery of chemotherapeutics to the tumor. Nanoparticles can load higher amounts of drug and improve delivery to tumors, increasing the efficacy of treatment. Polymeric nanoparticles, in particular, have been used extensively for chemotherapeutic delivery. This review describes the efforts made to deliver combination chemotherapies and inhibit oncogenic pathways using polymeric drug delivery systems. Combinations of chemotherapeutics with other drugs or small interfering RNA (siRNA) combinations have been summarized. Special attention is given to the delivery of drug combinations that involve either paclitaxel or doxorubicin, two popular chemotherapeutics in clinic. Attempts to inhibit specific pathways for oncotherapy have also been described. These include inhibition of oncogenic pathways (including those involving HER2, EGFR, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, STAT3, and HIF-1α), augmentation of apoptosis by inhibiting anti-apoptosis proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and survivin), and targeting dysregulated pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin and Hedgehog.

Recent advances in metallopolymer-based drug delivery systems

“…24,25 Due to the difference of several orders of magnitude between the size of polymeric materials and the size of, for example, cancer cells, polymeric materials are ideally suited as in vivo DDSs. [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] Three different methods for producing polymer-based DDSs have been developed: (1) physical encapsulation, (2) complexation of drugs with donor atoms of the polymer chains, and (3) conjugation of drugs with a polymeric carrier via a linker (polymeric prodrug). The undoubted advantage of the latter method is the delay in the release and even the trigger of the release when the DDS reaches its target.…”

Electrospun Environment Remediation Nanofibers Using Unspinnable Liquids as the Sheath Fluids: A Review

“…Based on coaxial electrospinning, the applications of electrospun nanofibers from unspinnable fluids for pharmaceutical applications have been broadly reported, which can provide different kinds of drug-controlled release profiles such as immediate release, sustained release and multiple-phase release [43][44][45][46]. However, the publications about their environmental applications are still very limited, the published jobs have demonstrated the usefulness of this advanced electrospinning method in creating novel functional nanostructures for removing heavy metal ions from the polluted water and for antibacterial applications to keep a healthy environment.…”

Micro/Nanorobot: A Promising Targeted Drug Delivery System

“…These ligands include antibodies (epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), etc. [9]), antibody fragments, peptides (transferrin, etc. [10]), small molecules (folic acid, etc.…”