Tumor-targeting glycol chitosan nanocarriers: overcoming the challenges posed by chemotherapeutics

ABSTRACT

Introduction: In the past decade, the glycol chitosan nanocarriers (GCNCs) have been widely used for tumor-targeted delivery of anticancer agents such as chemo drugs, peptides, and genes due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and easy fabrication. In particular, GCNCs can effectively solubilize water-insoluble chemo drugs as well as improve the delivery efficiency of chemo drugs to the tumor, resulting in maximizing therapeutic efficacy and minimizing side effect. In this review, we introduce the various applications of GCNCs for cancer treatment and these GCNCs demonstrate the great potential in overcoming challenges of chemotherapeutics.

Areas covered: Various designs of GC nanocarriers have been reviewed. The current state of GC nanocarriers for delivering chemotherapeutics with a focus on their physicochemical properties including solubilization of anti-cancer drugs, sustained release, and tumor-selectivity. Furthermore, state of the art in delivery and therapeutic strategy using GC nanocarriers also introduced for overcoming challenges of chemotherapeutics.

Expert opinion: Based on the reviewed literature, physicochemical properties of GC nanocarriers will have a great potential to overcome challenges posed by chemotherapeutics.

KEYWORDS:

• Glycol chitosan nanocarrier
• chemotherapy
• drug delivery
• cancer therapy

Article highlights

• Owing to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and easy fabrication, GC has promised as a potential delivery carrier for various chemotherapeutics.

• Hydrophobically modified GCNCs can effectively encapsulate hydrophobic chemotherapeutics using hydrophobic multi-core and they can increase the delivery amount of chemotherapeutics to the tumor tissue by EPR effect.

• The primary amine groups in the GC backbone can form nanocomplexes with siRNA, resulting in allowing to improve siRNA delivery efficiency and effective treatment of chemotherapeutic resistance.

• So far, most of the GCNC-based DDS have been investigated for tumor-targeted drug delivery. Properties of the TME including ECM, vascularization, and the tumor blood flow can directly influence the delivery efficiency of GCNCs. To improve tumor-targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics, therefore, versatile physicochemical designs which can overcome the TME need to be considered.

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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

The authors were supported by the Global Research Lab (GRL) Program (NRF-2013K1A1A2A02050115) - National Research Foundation of Korea; KU-KIST School Project by Korea University, Korea; The Intramural Research Program of Korea, Institute of Science and Technology, Korea.