TME-Related Biomimetic Strategies Against Cancer

Abstract

The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in various stages of tumor generation, metastasis, and evasion of immune monitoring and treatment. TME targeted therapy is based on TME components, related pathways or active molecules as therapeutic targets. Therefore, TME targeted therapy based on environmental differences between TME and normal cells has been widely studied. Biomimetic nanocarriers with low clearance, low immunogenicity, and high targeting have enormous potential in tumor treatment. This review introduces the composition and characteristics of TME, including cancer‑associated fibroblasts (CAFs), extracellular matrix (ECM), tumor blood vessels, non-tumor cells, and the latest research progress of biomimetic nanoparticles (NPs) based on TME. It also discusses the opportunities and challenges of clinical transformation of biomimetic nanoparticles.

Keywords:

• nanoparticles
• biomimetic delivery system
• tumor therapy
• cell membrane-coating

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (No. 81573621), the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (No. 2022JJ40320), the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province (2021RC4064), Key Discipline Project on Chinese Pharmacology of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine (202302), Excellent Youth Project of Hunan Education Department (23B0362), and Key Research and Development Plan of Hunan Province (No. 2017SK2122).

Author Contributions

Lili Zhou and Cheng Peng drafted the manuscript. Yilin Xu, Jing Wu and Donghai Wu collected important background information and translated manuscripts. Xinhua Xia reviewed and revised manuscripts. All authors contributed to data analysis, drafting or revising the article, have agreed on the journal to which the article will be submitted, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.