Hypoxic-Sensitive Nano-Carriers for Anti-Neoplastic Drug Delivery: New Perspectives

Abstract

Since the inception of Anti-neoplastic drug delivery in the 1950s oncologists and researchers have revolutionized the field of diagnostics and treatment with novel therapeutic modalities. Tumor hypoxia remains the first and foremost factor contributing to a resistance in anti-neoplastic drugs, ionized radiation and chemotherapy by solid tumors. The laps in vasculature in solid tumors promulgates tumor resistance by inhibiting the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) within the tumor. It is on this basis that the selectivity of hypoxic cells are datelined. Based on clinical studies it was revealed that hypoxia does not occur in healthy human tissue; thus, paving the way for the exploitation of hypoxia as an advantage in creating novel therapeutic methods of detection and treatment for solid tumors with an added advantage of nano-science. The biological application of nano-carriers is a fast developing area of nano-science that is expected to realize new and innovative possibilities in the diagnosis and treatment of human cancers. Cancer diagnostics using nano-carriers entails the use of fluorescent nanoparticles for a multiplex of simultaneous profiling of tumor bio-markers. These fluorescent probes are also used for detection of multiple RNA matrices and genes within in-situ hybridization. It is expected that in the very near future, the application of conjugated nanoparticles in anti-neoplastic tumor detection and drug delivery will enable oncologists and scientists to pinpoint and identify cancer-related proteins on tumor surfaces, providing a new method of analysis; thus, creating personalized treatment methods for individual tumors. Nano-carriers possess an extraordinary possibility as contrast agents for cancer cell detection in vivo, and for monitoring the response to treatment of select cancers.

Keywords: Nano-Medicine, Hypoxia, Solid Tumors, HIF factor.

DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/102-04

Publication date:October 31^st 2022