Abstract
Albumin nanovectors represent one of the most promising carriers recently generated because of the cost-effectiveness of their fabrication, biocompatibility, safety, and versatility in delivering hydrophilic and hydrophobic therapeutics and diagnostic agents. In this review, we describe and discuss the recent advances in how this technology has been harnessed for drug delivery in cancer, evaluating the commonly used synthesis protocols and considering the key factors that determine the biological transport and the effectiveness of such technology. With this in mind, we highlight how clinical and experimental albumin-based delivery nanoplatforms may be designed for tackling tumor progression or improving the currently established diagnostic procedures.
Highlights
During the last decades, a large variety of carriers was generated from different organic and inorganic materials so as to encapsulate and enhance the delivery of very toxic and/or hydrophobic drugs, as well as to improve the sensitivity of the current diagnostic agents [1]
Many works attribute the clinical potential of albumin and albumin nanovector (ANV) to albumin receptors, highlighting their key role in the mechanisms and/or the biological trafficking processes central to this technology
Gp60, secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), and FcRn targeting should be monitored in applications using ANVs synthesized without protein denaturation, while Gp30, Gp18, and FcRγ could be activated when ANVs are fabricated through denaturing methods
Summary
A large variety of carriers was generated from different organic and inorganic materials so as to encapsulate and enhance the delivery of very toxic and/or hydrophobic drugs, as well as to improve the sensitivity of the current diagnostic agents [1]. Because of its natural properties as a blood transporter, the single molecule of albumin can be loaded and/or conjugated to different therapeutic payloads [17] in order to enhance their pharmacokinetics. For these reasons, Albumin was successfully tested to fabricate safe and cost-effective nanovectors [18], as they can be manufactured at the nanoscale, and they can accommodate an extremely versatile variety of the therapeutic, diagnostic, and theranostic payloads. We will focus on the recent advances in albumin nanovector (ANV) generation, providing insights into the synthetic processes, delivery properties, and applications in the treatment or diagnosis of cancer
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