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. 2018 Oct 31:9:1230.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01230. eCollection 2018.

Tumor Microenvironment Targeted Nanotherapy

Clara Fernandes  1 , Divya Suares  1 , Mayur C Yergeri  1
Affiliations

Tumor Microenvironment Targeted Nanotherapy

Clara Fernandes et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Recent developments in nanotechnology have brought new approaches to cancer diagnosis and therapy. While enhanced permeability and retention effect promotes nano-chemotherapeutics extravasation, the abnormal tumor vasculature, high interstitial pressure and dense stroma structure limit homogeneous intratumoral distribution of nano-chemotherapeutics and compromise their imaging and therapeutic effect. Moreover, heterogeneous distribution of nano-chemotherapeutics in non-tumor-stroma cells damages the non-tumor cells, and interferes with tumor-stroma crosstalk. This can lead not only to inhibition of tumor progression, but can also paradoxically induce acquired resistance and facilitate tumor cell proliferation and metastasis. Overall, the tumor microenvironment plays a vital role in regulating nano-chemotherapeutics distribution and their biological effects. In this review, the barriers in tumor microenvironment, its consequential effects on nano-chemotherapeutics, considerations to improve nano-chemotherapeutics delivery and combinatory strategies to overcome acquired resistance induced by tumor microenvironment have been summarized. The various strategies viz., nanotechnology based approach as well as ligand-mediated, redox-responsive, and enzyme-mediated based combinatorial nanoapproaches have been discussed in this review.

Keywords: cancer; nano carrier; nano therapy; resistance; tumor microenviroment.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Tumor microenvironment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Tumor microenvironment priming.
Figure 3
Figure 3
EPR effect in a tumor microenvironment.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Types of nanocarriers.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Different types of ligands for targeting nano-chemotherapeutics.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Redox responsive nanocarriers.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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