Exosomes as a Drug Delivery System in Cancer Therapy: Potential and Challenges

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.8b00277
• Publication Date: 2018-05-17T20:38:54Z
• Authors: Golam Kibria; Erika K. Ramos; Yong Wan; David R. Gius; Huiping Liu
• Keywords: Exosome; Targeted drug delivery; Cancer Therapy

Exosomes play a pivotal role in mediating intercellular communications and package delivery. They have recently been discovered to serve as diagnostic biomarkers well possible drug delivery vehicle based on their nanometer size range capability transfer biological materials recipient cells. Their unique biocompatibility, high stability, preferred tumor homing, adjustable targeting efficiency can make exosomes an attractive potentially effective tool of cancer therapy. While possess properties that them uniquely suitable for bioactive molecules, there remains to-be-filled gap between the current understanding about exosome biology ideal application scenarios. In this review, we summarize characteristics enabling potential outstanding questions related composition function, production purification, bioengineering targeting, uptake biodistribution, efficacy immune regulation, etc. Advanced technologies are demanded visualize, characterize, sort heterogeneous populations. We positive deeper more comprehensive advanced nanotechnology will certainly accelerate its therapeutic applications.