Nano-Drug Delivery Systems Targeting CAFs: A Promising Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer

Mingjie Wang,1,* Wenxiang Xue,2,* Hanghang Yuan,2 Zhicheng Wang,2 Lei Yu1 1Department of Radiotherapy, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China; 2NHC Key Laboratory of Radiobiology, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin,...

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Main Authors: Wang M, Xue W, Yuan H, Wang Z, Yu L
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2024-03-01
Series:International Journal of Nanomedicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/nano-drug-delivery-systems-targeting-cafs-a-promising-treatment-for-pa-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJN
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author Wang M
Xue W
Yuan H
Wang Z
Yu L
author_facet Wang M
Xue W
Yuan H
Wang Z
Yu L
author_sort Wang M
collection DOAJ
description Mingjie Wang,1,* Wenxiang Xue,2,* Hanghang Yuan,2 Zhicheng Wang,2 Lei Yu1 1Department of Radiotherapy, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China; 2NHC Key Laboratory of Radiobiology, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhicheng Wang; Lei Yu, Tel +86-431-85619443, Email zhicheng@jlu.edu.cn; yul0826@163.comAbstract: Currently, pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors. PC is typically diagnosed at a late stage, exhibits a poor response to conventional treatment, and has a bleak prognosis. Unfortunately, PC’s survival rate has not significantly improved since the 1960s. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a key component of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment (TME). They play a vital role in maintaining the extracellular matrix and facilitating the intricate communication between cancer cells and infiltrated immune cells. Exploring therapeutic approaches targeting CAFs may reverse the current landscape of PC therapy. In recent years, nano-drug delivery systems have evolved rapidly and have been able to accurately target and precisely release drugs with little or no toxicity to the whole body. In this review, we will comprehensively discuss the origin, heterogeneity, potential targets, and recent advances in the nano-drug delivery system of CAFs in PC. We will also propose a novel integrated treatment regimen that utilizes a nano-drug delivery system to target CAFs in PC, combined with radiotherapy and immunotherapy. Additionally, we will address the challenges that this regimen currently faces.Keywords: nanoparticle, nano-drug delivery system, cancer-associated fibroblasts, pancreatic cancer, tumor microenvironment
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spelling doaj.art-414ab928585c44fa84f499d32fa628422024-03-19T17:12:18ZengDove Medical PressInternational Journal of Nanomedicine1178-20132024-03-01Volume 192823284991312Nano-Drug Delivery Systems Targeting CAFs: A Promising Treatment for Pancreatic CancerWang MXue WYuan HWang ZYu LMingjie Wang,1,* Wenxiang Xue,2,* Hanghang Yuan,2 Zhicheng Wang,2 Lei Yu1 1Department of Radiotherapy, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China; 2NHC Key Laboratory of Radiobiology, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhicheng Wang; Lei Yu, Tel +86-431-85619443, Email zhicheng@jlu.edu.cn; yul0826@163.comAbstract: Currently, pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors. PC is typically diagnosed at a late stage, exhibits a poor response to conventional treatment, and has a bleak prognosis. Unfortunately, PC’s survival rate has not significantly improved since the 1960s. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a key component of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment (TME). They play a vital role in maintaining the extracellular matrix and facilitating the intricate communication between cancer cells and infiltrated immune cells. Exploring therapeutic approaches targeting CAFs may reverse the current landscape of PC therapy. In recent years, nano-drug delivery systems have evolved rapidly and have been able to accurately target and precisely release drugs with little or no toxicity to the whole body. In this review, we will comprehensively discuss the origin, heterogeneity, potential targets, and recent advances in the nano-drug delivery system of CAFs in PC. We will also propose a novel integrated treatment regimen that utilizes a nano-drug delivery system to target CAFs in PC, combined with radiotherapy and immunotherapy. Additionally, we will address the challenges that this regimen currently faces.Keywords: nanoparticle, nano-drug delivery system, cancer-associated fibroblasts, pancreatic cancer, tumor microenvironmenthttps://www.dovepress.com/nano-drug-delivery-systems-targeting-cafs-a-promising-treatment-for-pa-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJNnanoparticlenano-drug delivery systemcancer-associated fibroblastspancreatic cancertumor microenvironment
spellingShingle Wang M
Xue W
Yuan H
Wang Z
Yu L
Nano-Drug Delivery Systems Targeting CAFs: A Promising Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer
International Journal of Nanomedicine
nanoparticle
nano-drug delivery system
cancer-associated fibroblasts
pancreatic cancer
tumor microenvironment
title Nano-Drug Delivery Systems Targeting CAFs: A Promising Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer
title_full Nano-Drug Delivery Systems Targeting CAFs: A Promising Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer
title_fullStr Nano-Drug Delivery Systems Targeting CAFs: A Promising Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer
title_full_unstemmed Nano-Drug Delivery Systems Targeting CAFs: A Promising Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer
title_short Nano-Drug Delivery Systems Targeting CAFs: A Promising Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer
title_sort nano drug delivery systems targeting cafs a promising treatment for pancreatic cancer
topic nanoparticle
nano-drug delivery system
cancer-associated fibroblasts
pancreatic cancer
tumor microenvironment
url https://www.dovepress.com/nano-drug-delivery-systems-targeting-cafs-a-promising-treatment-for-pa-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJN
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AT yuanh nanodrugdeliverysystemstargetingcafsapromisingtreatmentforpancreaticcancer
AT wangz nanodrugdeliverysystemstargetingcafsapromisingtreatmentforpancreaticcancer
AT yul nanodrugdeliverysystemstargetingcafsapromisingtreatmentforpancreaticcancer