Polymer Nanostructures Synthesized by Controlled Living Polymerization for Tumor-Targeted Drug Delivery

Abstract

The development of drug delivery systems based on well-defined polymer nanostructures could lead to significant improvements in the treatment of cancer. The design of these therapeutic nanosystems must account for numerous systemic and circulation obstacles as well as the specific pathophysiology of the tumor. Nanoparticle size and surface charge must also be carefully selected in order to maintain long circulation times, allow tumor penetration, and avoid clearance by the reticuloendothelial system (RES). Targeting ligands such as vitamins, peptides, and antibodies can improve the accumulation of nanoparticle-based therapies in tumor tissue but must be optimized to allow for intratumoral penetration. In this review, we will highlight factors influencing the design of nanoparticle therapies as well as the development of modern controlled "living" polymerization techniques (e.g. ATRP, RAFT, ROMP) that are leading to the creation of sophisticated new polymer architectures with discrete spatially-defined functional modules. These innovative materials (e.g. star polymers, polymer brushes, macrocyclic polymers, and hyperbranched polymers) combine many of the desirable properties of traditional nanoparticle therapies while substantially reducing or eliminating the need for complex formulations.

Department(s)

Materials Science and Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Controlled drug delivery; Dendrimers; Living polymerization; Nanoparticles; Nanostructures; Nanosystems; Tumors, Drug delivery system; Hyperbranched polymers; Innovative materials; Macrocyclic polymers; Polymer architecture; Polymer nanostructures; Reticuloendothelial systems; Tumor-targeted drug deliveries, Polymers, antineoplastic agent; hyperbranched polymer; macrocyclic polymer; nanocarrier; nanomaterial; polymer brush; star polymer; unclassified drug; antineoplastic agent; nanomaterial; polymer, Article; chemical structure; controlled living polymerization; drug delivery system; drug distribution; drug release; human; molecularly targeted therapy; neoplasm; nonhuman; polymerization; priority journal; synthesis; animal; Neoplasms; polymerization, Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Drug Delivery Systems; Humans; Nanostructures; Neoplasms; Polymerization; Polymers

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0168-3659

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2015 Elsevier, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Dec 2015

PubMed ID

26342661

Link to Full Text

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