STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: It is well established that dendrimers have demonstrated promising potentials for drug delivery. However, the inherent toxicity poses challenges for its clinical translation. In this regard, PEGylation has helped mitigate some of the toxicity concerns of dendrimers and have paved the way forward for testing its translational potentials. The review is a collection of articles demonstrating the utility of PEGylation of the most studied PAMAM dendrimers. To our knowledge, this is a first such attempt to draw reader's attention, specifically, towards PEGylated PAMAM dendrimers.
MATERIALS & METHODS: F-BC-MTX-LPHNPs were fabricated using self-assembled nano-precipitation technique. Fructose was conjugated on the surface of the particles. The in vitro cytotoxicity, sub-cellular localization and apoptotic activity of F-BC-MTX-LPHNPs were evaluated against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The antitumor potential of F-BC-MTX-LPHNPs was further studied.
RESULTS & CONCLUSION: Outcomes suggested that F-BC-MTX-LPHNPs induced the highest apoptosis index (0.89) against MCF-7 cells. Following 30 days of treatment, the residual tumor progression was assessed to be approximately 32%, in animals treated with F-BC-MTX-LPHNPs. F-BC-MTX-LPHNPs are competent to selectively convey the chemotherapeutic agent to the breast cancers. Beta carotene ameliorated MTX-induced hepatic and renal toxicity.
METHODS: Dendrimer mediated cancer therapy is advantageous over conventional chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgical resection due to reduced systemic toxicity, and molecular level cell injury to cancerous mass, for an appreciable survival of the subject. Recently used dendrimer mediated nanotechnology for oncology aims to conquer these challenges. Dendrimers based nano-constructs are having architectures comparable to that of biological vesicles present in the human body.
RESULTS: Operating with dendrimer technology, proffers the exclusive and novel strategies with numerous applications in cancer management involving diagnostics, therapeutics, imaging, and prognostics by sub-molecular interactions. Dendrimers are designed to acquire the benefits of the malignant tumor morphology and characteristics, i.e. leaky vasculature of tumor, expression of specific cell surface antigen, and rapid proliferation.
CONCLUSION: Dendrimers mediated targeted therapy recommends innovatory function equally in diagnostics (imaging, immune-detection) as well as chemotherapy. Currently, dendrimers as nanomedicine has offered a strong assurance and advancement in drastically varying approaches towards cancer imaging and treatment. The present review discusses different approaches for cancer diagnosis and treatment such as, targeted and control therapy, photodynamic therapy, photo-thermal therapy, gene therapy, antiangiogenics therapy, radiotherapy etc.