Engineering small-molecule and protein drugs for targeting bone tumors

Mol Ther. 2024 May 1;32(5):1219-1237. doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.03.001. Epub 2024 Mar 6.

Abstract

Bone cancer is common and severe. Both primary (e.g., osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma) and secondary (e.g., metastatic) bone cancers lead to significant health problems and death. Currently, treatments such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiation therapy are used to treat bone cancer, but they often only shrink or slow tumor growth and do not eliminate cancer completely. The bone microenvironment contributes unique signals that influence cancer growth, immunogenicity, and metastasis. Traditional cancer therapies have limited effectiveness due to off-target effects and poor distribution on bones. As a result, therapies with improved specificity and efficacy for treating bone tumors are highly needed. One of the most promising strategies involves the targeted delivery of pharmaceutical agents to the site of bone cancer by introduction of bone-targeting moieties, such as bisphosphonates or oligopeptides. These moieties have high affinities to the bone hydroxyapatite matrix, a structure found exclusively in skeletal tissue, and can enhance the targeting ability and efficacy of anticancer drugs when combating bone tumors. This review focuses on the engineering of small molecules and proteins with bone-targeting moieties for the treatment of bone tumors.

Keywords: bisphosphonate; bone; bone metastasis; bone tumor; bone-targeting.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Bone Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Bone Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Diphosphonates / chemistry
  • Diphosphonates / pharmacology
  • Diphosphonates / therapeutic use
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods
  • Humans
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods
  • Osteosarcoma / drug therapy
  • Osteosarcoma / pathology
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / drug therapy
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / therapy
  • Tumor Microenvironment / drug effects

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Diphosphonates