Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has emerged as a key regulator of cell invasion and metastasis in cancers. Besides the acquisition of migratory/invasive abilities, the EMT process is tightly connected with the generation of cancer stem cells (CSCs), thus contributing to chemoresistance. However, although EMT represents a relevant therapeutic target for cancer treatment, its application in the clinic is still limited due to various reasons, including tumor-stage heterogeneity, molecular-cellular target specificity, and appropriate drug delivery. Concerning this last point, different nanomaterials may be used to counteract EMT induction, providing novel therapeutic tools against many different cancers. In this review, (1) we discuss the application of various nanomaterials for EMT-based therapies in cancer, (2) we summarize the therapeutic relevance of some of the proposed EMT targets, and (3) we review the potential benefits and weaknesses of each approach.
Highlights
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a highly dynamic multistep process implicated in a plethora of physio-pathological conditions, including cancer
For the treatment of cancer through EMT suppression, the use of several systems based on mesoporous silica (MSNs) and mesoporous titanium (NTNs) nanoparticles functionalized with hyaluronic acid (HA), DOX, and ADH-1 [70,71] has been reported
EMT induction leads to an extensive reprogramming of the cell proteome implicated in many physio-pathological conditions, including tumor transformation and metastasis
Summary
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a highly dynamic multistep process implicated in a plethora of physio-pathological conditions, including cancer. Among the standard therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment (e.g., surgery, radiation, chemotherapy), the one that can be applied at all stages, including metastasis (stage 4), is chemotherapy since it is administered systemically [6]. It presents a variety of drawbacks, such as low specificity, drug resistance, rapid drug clearance, and biodegradation, which can lead to treatment failures and related mortality [7]. We summarized a plethora of studies describing the capability of nanostructures to inhibit EMT in cancer cells and in in vivo models, leading to cell death, chemosensitivity, and inhibition of cancer cell invasion and metastasis
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