Tumor Therapy Strategies Based on Microenvironment-specific Responsive Nanomaterials.

Abstract

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex and variable region characterized by hypoxia, low pH, high redox status, overexpression of enzymes, and high-ATP concentrations. In recent years, with the continuous in-depth study of nanomaterials, more and more TME-specific response nanomaterials have been used for tumor treatment. However, the complexity of the TME causes different types of responses with various strategies and mechanisms of action. Aiming to systematically demonstrate the recent advances in research on TME-responsive nanomaterials, this paper summarizes the characteristics of TME and outlines the strategies of different TME responses. Representative reaction types are illustrated and their merits and demerits are analyzed. Finally, we present forward-looking views on TME-response strategies for nanomaterials. We envisage that such emerging strategies for the treatment of cancer are expected to exhibit dramatic trans-clinical capabilities, demonstrating the extensive potential for the diagnosis and therapy of cancer. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.