Recent Advances in Nanomaterials-Based Targeted Drug Delivery for Preclinical Cancer Diagnosis and Therapeutics

Abstract

Nano-oncology is a branch of biomedical research and engineering that focuses on using nanotechnology in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Nanomaterials are extensively employed in the field of oncology because of their minute size and ultra-specificity. A wide range of nanocarriers, such as dendrimers, micelles, PEGylated liposomes, and polymeric nanoparticles are used to facilitate the efficient transport of anti-cancer drugs at the target tumor site. Real-time labeling and monitoring of cancer cells using quantum dots is essential for determining the level of therapy needed for treatment. The drug is targeted to the tumor site either by passive or active means. Passive targeting makes use of the tumor microenvironment and enhanced permeability and retention effect, while active targeting involves the use of ligand-coated nanoparticles. Nanotechnology is being used to diagnose the early stage of cancer by detecting cancer-specific biomarkers using tumor imaging. The implication of nanotechnology in cancer therapy employs photoinduced nanosensitizers, reverse multidrug resistance, and enabling efficient delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 and RNA molecules for therapeutic applications. However, despite recent advancements in nano-oncology, there is a need to delve deeper into the domain of designing and applying nanoparticles for improved cancer diagnostics.

Recent Advancements in the Formulation of Nanomaterials-Based Nanozymes, Their Catalytic Activity, and Biomedical Applications

“…It has also been demonstrated that platinum and palladium nanozymes have more efficient catalase-mimicking activity than gold and silver nanoparticles, which explains why platinum is widely used in biosensing and PDT (photodynamic therapy). 63,64 On the other hand, studies have also unveiled that FeNPs act as catalase mimetics at high pH and as peroxidase mimetics at lower pH. 65 This evidence was supported by the fact that FeNPs entrapped in lysosomal vesicles at low pH cause cell death by exhibiting peroxidaselike activity, while they cause no damage to the cells in the cytoplasmic environment, where they exhibit catalase-like activity at neutral pH.…”

Carbon Nanostructures as promising Targeted Drug Delivery systems of Anticancer Agents

“…Active targeting involves ligands or antibodies that can recognize biomarkers associated with multidrug-resistant (MDR) cancer cells, enabling the targeted targeting of these drugresistant cells (Tiwari et al, 2023;Yu et al, 2010). This can be achieved by functionalizing drug delivery systems, such as nanocarriers, with these ligands or antibodies (Seidu et al, 2022).…”

Bioactive-Based Nanocarriers for Targeting and Treating Cancer

“…By optimizing drug delivery efficiency and enhancing tumor targeting, bioactive-based nanocarriers have the potential to improve treatment efficacy, leading to better disease control and prolonged patient survival. 53 Furthermore, bioactive-based nanocarriers offer the potential to reduce systemic toxicity associated with conventional chemotherapy by minimizing drug exposure to healthy tissues. Through targeted delivery to cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment, nanocarriers can enhance therapeutic efficacy while minimizing off-target effects, thereby improving the overall safety profile of cancer treatments.…”