| خلاصه مقاله | Background:
Solid tumors, such as breast cancer, can’t be treated with traditional medicines, and comprehensive therapy requires drug delivery systems that can penetrate deep into the tumor. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have shown promise in effectively targeting solid tumors by enhancing drug accumulation at the tumor site while minimizing systemic toxicity. These systems can also be designed to release drugs in a controlled manner, improving treatment outcomes and patient quality of life. Furthermore, nanoparticles can be engineered to specifically target cancer cells through surface modifications, increasing the efficacy of treatment. Additionally, the small size of nanoparticles allows for improved circulation and distribution throughout the body, reaching tumors that are difficult to access with traditional treatments. miRNA-based gene therapy has been used as a potentially effective emerging treatment modality for several co-morbidities. Direct delivery of miRNA is impractical because of its limited penetration across the cellular membrane, lesser specificity, and decreased stability. For miRNA to be delivered effectively, appropriate delivery vectors must be used. The composition of non-viral vectors might consist of polymers, lipids, inorganic substances, or nanocarriers. Because chitosan is a cationic polymer and is also biodegradable, biocompatible, and has a greater capacity for functional changes than other cationic polymers, it is a useful tool for delivering miRNA. Consequently, chitosan has been extensively used to efficiently transport several miRNAs to the intended location.
Methods:
Using the search terms 'gene delivery,' 'chitosan nanoparticles,' 'miRNA,' and 'breast cancer” on Google Scholar and PubMed. All recent papers published since 2020 was used in the study.
Results:
MicroRNAs exert their destructive effect on breast cancer cells by modulating various cellular pathways associated with the biology of this cancer. The findings demonstrated that functional chitosan nanoparticles possess the capability to effectively deliver microRNAs to specific targets. The findings from the study on the impact of CS/miR-34a nanoparticles on MDA-MB-231 cells indicate that these nanoparticles can enhance the movement and infiltration of MDA-MB-231 cells to hinder their growth effectively. In addition, the presence of chitosan nanoparticles incorporating miR-340 leads to an increase in the expression of P-27 in BC cells. Furthermore, the introduction of miR-340 CNPs resulted in a reduction in BRP-39, a highly efficacious agent in the therapy of breast cancer. The combination of various chemotherapeutic medicines, such as 5-FU, with specific miRNAs has been found to have notable synergistic effects and restrict the activity of TNBC cells. This combination reduces the resistance to 5-FU and effectively decreases cell viability and proliferation. In addition, the outcomes of introducing various miRNAs, including miRNA-145, miRNA-141, and several others, have also demonstrated the favorable efficacy of chitosan nanoparticles in effectively delivering microRNAs for the treatment of breast cancer.
Conclusion:
MiRNA delivery in miRNA-based therapy involves targeting pathological disorders through cellular modification. Chitosan, a cationic polymer, is a promising nonviral vector for miRNA delivery due to its safety, high drug-loading capacity, and biocompatibility. However, its limited solubility in water creates barriers to its applications. By attaching suitable ligands or penetrating peptide sequences to chitosan nanocarriers, efficient delivery of miRNA can be achieved. Potentially, miRNAs have been used to target cancer cells, especially solid tumors such as breast cancer. |