Abstract
As an acidic, ocean colloid polysaccharide, alginate is both a biopolymer and a polyelectrolyte that is considered to be biocompatible, nontoxic, nonimmunogenic, and biodegradable. A significant number of studies have confirmed the potential use of alginate-based platforms as effective vehicles for drug delivery for cancer-targeted treatment. In this review, the focus is on the formation of alginate-based cancer-targeted delivery systems. Specifically, some general chemical and physical properties of alginate and different types of alginate-based delivery systems are discussed, and various kinds of alginate-based carriers are introduced. Finally, recent innovative strategies to functionalize alginate-based vehicles for cancer targeting are described to highlight research towards the optimization of alginate.
Highlights
Cancer cells are believed to arise from the transformation of normal cells
Loading of ketoprofen was performed by exposing the aerogel microparticles to the saturated solution of the drug in supercritical CO2 (sc-CO2), whereas the loading of quercetin was performed during the final solvent exchange step because of its low solubility in sc-CO2
Different types of nanoparticles can accumulate in other tissues or organs with distinct physiological properties in the body, showing high anticancer efficiency in vitro or in vivo by enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) or enhanced cancer cellular uptake effects when nanosized alginate-based carriers are fabricated
Summary
Cancer cells are believed to arise from the transformation of normal cells. Considering that anticancer drugs are typically toxic to both cancer and normal cells, undesirable side effects and minimal treatment efficiency, respectively, can result from an inability to discriminate between healthy and cancerous cells [1]. To target and eradicate cancer cells, it is urgent to distinguish cancer cells from normal cells with high precision, such as the development of smart drug delivery platforms. To construct such smart platforms, suitable polymers should be chosen. With the emergence of new applications of alginate and its derivatives for targeting strategies in recent years, it is necessary to update and build a more systematic review of alginate-based platforms for cancer-targeted drug delivery. This review is based on a search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and the NIH database for English-language articles containing the following terms: “alginate”, “drug delivery”, “targeting/targeted therapy”, “cancer”, and “carriers” and we give a comprehensive and critical update of the applications of alginate as a BioMed Research International potential platform for cancer-targeted delivery systems.
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