Activatable dual-functional molecular agents for imaging-guided cancer therapy

Peng Zhang; Yaowei Zhu; Chunsheng Xiao; Xuesi Chen

doi:10.1016/j.addr.2023.114725

Activatable dual-functional molecular agents for imaging-guided cancer therapy

Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2023 Apr:195:114725. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114725. Epub 2023 Feb 6.

Authors

Peng Zhang¹, Yaowei Zhu², Chunsheng Xiao³, Xuesi Chen⁴

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, PR China; Jilin Biomedical Polymers Engineering Laboratory, Changchun 130022, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers (Fudan University), Shanghai 200433, PR China.
² Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, PR China; Department of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, PR China.
³ Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, PR China; Jilin Biomedical Polymers Engineering Laboratory, Changchun 130022, PR China. Electronic address: xiaocs@ciac.ac.cn.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, PR China; Jilin Biomedical Polymers Engineering Laboratory, Changchun 130022, PR China. Electronic address: xschen@ciac.ac.cn.

PMID: 36754284
DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114725

Abstract

Theranostics has attracted great attention due to its ability to combine the real-time diagnosis of cancers with efficient treatment modalities. Activatable dual-functional molecular agents could be synthesized by covalently conjugating imaging agents, therapeutic agents, stimuli-responsive linkers and/or targeting molecules together. They could be selectively activated by overexpressed physiological stimuli or external triggers at the tumor sites to release imaging agents and cytotoxic drugs, thus offering many advantages for tumor imaging and therapy, such as a high signal-to-noise ratio, low systemic toxicity, and improved therapeutic effects. This review summarizes the recent advances of dual-functional molecular agents that respond to various physiological or external stimuli for cancer theranostics. The molecular designs, synthetic strategies, activatable mechanisms, and biomedical applications of these molecular agents are elaborated, followed by a brief discussion of the challenges and opportunities in this field.

Keywords: Activatable probes; Activatable prodrugs; Cancer imaging; Cancer therapy; Dual-functional molecular agents; Targeted drug delivery.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
Humans
Neoplasms* / diagnostic imaging
Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Theranostic Nanomedicine / methods

Substances

Antineoplastic Agents