Engineered biomimetic cell membrane-coated polymeric nanostructures for cancer therapy

Marta Faria, Inês Ferreira-Faria, Inês Sousa-Oliveira, Patrícia C. Pires, Huma Hameed, Fernando Silva, Gabriela Moço, Juanna Ren, Ehsan Nazarzadeh Zare, Zhanhu Guo, Francisco Veiga, Pooyan Makvandi*, Ana Cláudia Paiva-Santos*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Nanoparticle-based formulations have high-potential for cancer treatment and diagnosis owing to their high drug loading capacity, easy tunability, controlled cargo release and decreased nonspecific toxicity. However, they can be recognized by the immune system and be eliminated, thus compromising their effectiveness. To tackle this difficulty, cell membrane-coated nanoparticles (CMNPs) have emerged, which acquire various functions attributed to the biological cells from which they are obtained, such as prolonged circulation time, immune escape ability, and tumor targeting. However, CMNPs cannot improve the targetability and specificity of the nanosystems by 100 %. To circumvent this drawback, cell membrane engineering has been explored as a tool for refining the potential of the nanosystem, to assign new functions and to attach desired molecules to its surface, while maintaining the membrane's biological properties and biocompatibility intact.
This review focuses on CMNPs, their synthesis methods and engineering strategies to enhance their functionality. Additionally, we explore the most recent progress in their biomedical applications, particularly in cancer therapy and diagnostics. This comprehensive evaluation highlights the potential of CMNPs as a versatile and innovate tool for advanced theranostics, while emphasizing the need for continued research to fully unlock their capabilities.

Original languageEnglish
Article number102506
Pages (from-to)1-20
Number of pages20
JournalMaterials Today Chemistry
Volume43
Early online date8 Jan 2025
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2025

Keywords

  • Biomimetic
  • Cell membrane coating
  • Chemical engineering
  • Chemical functionalization
  • Polymeric nanoparticle

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