Nanotechnology-Based Strategies to Develop New Anticancer Therapies

Abstract

The blooming of nanotechnology has made available a limitless landscape of solutions responding to crucial issues in many fields and, nowadays, a wide choice of nanotechnology-based strategies can be adopted to circumvent the limitations of conventional therapies for cancer. Herein, the current stage of nanotechnological applications for cancer management is summarized encompassing the core nanomaterials as well as the available chemical–physical approaches for their surface functionalization and drug ligands as possible therapeutic agents. The use of nanomaterials as vehicles to delivery various therapeutic substances is reported emphasizing advantages, such as the high drug loading, the enhancement of the pay-load half-life and bioavailability. Particular attention was dedicated to highlight the importance of nanomaterial intrinsic features. Indeed, the ability of combining the properties of the transported drug with the ones of the nano-sized carrier can lead to multifunctional theranostic tools. In this view, fluorescence of carbon quantum dots, optical properties of gold nanoparticle and superparamagnetism of iron oxide nanoparticles, are fundamental examples. Furthermore, smart anticancer devices can be developed by conjugating enzymes to nanoparticles, as in the case of bovine serum amine oxidase (BSAO) and gold nanoparticles. The present review is aimed at providing an overall vision on nanotechnological strategies to face the threat of human cancer, comprising opportunities and challenges.

Facile Synthesis of Surface-Modified Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) for Biosensing and Bioimaging

“…The most advanced biosensing and bioimaging methods rely on the nanotechnology solutions [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Nanomaterials are widely applied for detecting assays production with active optical elements.…”

Polymer-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles for Protein Immobilization

“…The biomedical applications of magnetite nanoparticles are primarily cancer diagnostics and therapies (Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Hyperthermia, Magnetic Field-Assisted Radiotherapy, Photodynamic Therapy), biocatalysis, pharmaceutical analysis, tissue engineering, biosensor, and the immobilization of biomolecules such as proteins [ 3 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. However, pure, uncoated magnetite nanoparticles have some limitations in use by reason of the ability to spontaneously form aggregates (a result of the system’s desire to reduce surface energy, both under the influence of the magnetic field and the biological environment) [ 16 ].…”

Epigenetics in Breast Cancer Therapy—New Strategies and Future Nanomedicine Perspectives

“…To date, several nanomaterials have been successfully studied and introduced in cancer treatment, and many others are undergoing clinical trials. Encapsulation by intelligent nanocarriers of antitumor drugs, conventional chemotherapeutics, epi-drugs, or both, can improve their solubility and stability by protecting the drugs from fast clearance and degradation, thus prolonging their half-life in the systemic circulation [8]. Nanocarriers can also be tuned to ensure targeted, controlled, and sustained release, thereby reducing toxicity [8][9][10].…”

“…Encapsulation by intelligent nanocarriers of antitumor drugs, conventional chemotherapeutics, epi-drugs, or both, can improve their solubility and stability by protecting the drugs from fast clearance and degradation, thus prolonging their half-life in the systemic circulation [8]. Nanocarriers can also be tuned to ensure targeted, controlled, and sustained release, thereby reducing toxicity [8][9][10]. Nanoscale size and unique physicochemical properties (e.g., shape, surface area, and charge) allow the accumulation of nanocarriers in the tumor mass due to the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, which is the basis of passive targeting [11].…”