Improved pharmacokinetic characteristics and bioactive effects of anticancer enzyme delivery systems

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Anticancer enzymes play important roles in cancer treatment. The anticancer enzyme has been in clinical use to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia for many years. Other types of anticancer enzymes have been investigated in laboratory studies and clinical trials.

Area covered: This paper will provide perspectives on the indications, anticancer mechanisms, enzymatic characteristics (such as molecular weight, organism source, and kinetic parameters) and pharmacokinetic behaviors of anticancer enzymes and their delivery systems by systematically analyzing available literature. The pharmacodynamics of anticancer enzyme delivery systems has also been summarized.

Expert opinion: Anticancer enzymes kill cancer cells by depleting important nutrients required for growth or producing metabolite toxic to tumor cells. Suitable enzyme delivery systems have demonstrated promising effects on the pharmacokinetics, bioactivity and application of anticancer enzymes. Their current limitations and future potential are analyzed.

KEYWORDS:

• Anticancer enzyme
• delivery system
• pharmacokinetics
• indication
• mechanism
• anticancer effect

Article highlights

• Anticancer enzymes have obvious anticancer activity, as demonstrated by laboratory studies and clinical trials, and they have the potential for widespread use in clinical practice.

• Anticancer enzymes have specific anticancer mechanisms.

• The current anticancer enzymes delivery system has been concluded and analyzed.

• The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anticancer enzyme delivery systems have been focused.

• The current limitations and future studies of anticancer enzyme delivery systems have been analyzed.

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This research is partially supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (30973645), Chongqing Science and Technology Committee (cstc2015jcyjBX0027, Technology innovation projects of key industries in Chongqing), Chongqing Education Committee Fund (CYS17172) and Opening Foundation of Chongqing Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Epigenetics (MOEL201701).