Epigenetics in cancer therapy and nanomedicine

Clin Epigenetics. 2019 May 16;11(1):81. doi: 10.1186/s13148-019-0675-4.

Abstract

The emergence of nanotechnology applied to medicine has revolutionized the treatment of human cancer. As in the case of classic drugs for the treatment of cancer, epigenetic drugs have evolved in terms of their specificity and efficiency, especially because of the possibility of using more effective transport and delivery systems. The use of nanoparticles (NPs) in oncology management offers promising advantages in terms of the efficacy of cancer treatments, but it is still unclear how these NPs may be affecting the epigenome such that safe routine use is ensured. In this work, we summarize the importance of the epigenetic alterations identified in human cancer, which have led to the appearance of biomarkers or epigenetic drugs in precision medicine, and we describe the transport and release systems of the epigenetic drugs that have been developed to date.

Keywords: DNMT inhibitors; Epigenetics; HDCA inhibitors; Nanocarriers; Nanomedicine; Nanoparticles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Epigenesis, Genetic / drug effects*
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Nanoparticles
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Precision Medicine

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases