Emerging magic bullet: subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapy

The therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs heavily relies on their concentration and retention at the corresponding target site. Hence, merely increasing the cellular concentration of drugs is insufficient to achieve satisfactory therapeutic outcomes, especially for the drugs that target specific...

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Main Authors: Yan Yue, Zhang Yimeng, Liu Jianxiong, Chen Binlong, Wang Yiguang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: De Gruyter 2025-04-01
Series:Medical Review
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1515/mr-2024-0044
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author Yan Yue
Zhang Yimeng
Liu Jianxiong
Chen Binlong
Wang Yiguang
author_facet Yan Yue
Zhang Yimeng
Liu Jianxiong
Chen Binlong
Wang Yiguang
author_sort Yan Yue
collection DOAJ
description The therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs heavily relies on their concentration and retention at the corresponding target site. Hence, merely increasing the cellular concentration of drugs is insufficient to achieve satisfactory therapeutic outcomes, especially for the drugs that target specific intracellular sites. This necessitates the implementation of more precise targeting strategies to overcome the limitations posed by diffusion distribution and nonspecific interactions within cells. Consequently, subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapy, characterized by its exceptional precision, have emerged as a promising approach to eradicate cancer cells through the specific disruption of subcellular organelles. Owing to several advantages including minimized dosage and side effect, optimized efficacy, and reversal of multidrug resistance, subcellular organelle-targeted therapies have garnered significant research interest in recent years. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the distribution of drug targets, targeted delivery strategies at various levels, and sophisticated strategies for targeting specific subcellular organelles. Additionally, we highlight the significance of subcellular targeting in cancer therapy and present essential considerations for its clinical translation.
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spelling doaj-art-2edfa7f32cfb4900bf3d9546f7ee77b72025-08-20T02:11:55ZengDe GruyterMedical Review2749-96422025-04-015211713810.1515/mr-2024-0044Emerging magic bullet: subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapyYan Yue0Zhang Yimeng1Liu Jianxiong2Chen Binlong3Wang Yiguang4Department of Central Laboratory, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Central Laboratory, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, ChinaThe therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs heavily relies on their concentration and retention at the corresponding target site. Hence, merely increasing the cellular concentration of drugs is insufficient to achieve satisfactory therapeutic outcomes, especially for the drugs that target specific intracellular sites. This necessitates the implementation of more precise targeting strategies to overcome the limitations posed by diffusion distribution and nonspecific interactions within cells. Consequently, subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapy, characterized by its exceptional precision, have emerged as a promising approach to eradicate cancer cells through the specific disruption of subcellular organelles. Owing to several advantages including minimized dosage and side effect, optimized efficacy, and reversal of multidrug resistance, subcellular organelle-targeted therapies have garnered significant research interest in recent years. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the distribution of drug targets, targeted delivery strategies at various levels, and sophisticated strategies for targeting specific subcellular organelles. Additionally, we highlight the significance of subcellular targeting in cancer therapy and present essential considerations for its clinical translation.https://doi.org/10.1515/mr-2024-0044cancerdrug targetssubcellular targetingdrug deliveryorganelle
spellingShingle Yan Yue
Zhang Yimeng
Liu Jianxiong
Chen Binlong
Wang Yiguang
Emerging magic bullet: subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapy
Medical Review
cancer
drug targets
subcellular targeting
drug delivery
organelle
title Emerging magic bullet: subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapy
title_full Emerging magic bullet: subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapy
title_fullStr Emerging magic bullet: subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapy
title_full_unstemmed Emerging magic bullet: subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapy
title_short Emerging magic bullet: subcellular organelle-targeted cancer therapy
title_sort emerging magic bullet subcellular organelle targeted cancer therapy
topic cancer
drug targets
subcellular targeting
drug delivery
organelle
url https://doi.org/10.1515/mr-2024-0044
work_keys_str_mv AT yanyue emergingmagicbulletsubcellularorganelletargetedcancertherapy
AT zhangyimeng emergingmagicbulletsubcellularorganelletargetedcancertherapy
AT liujianxiong emergingmagicbulletsubcellularorganelletargetedcancertherapy
AT chenbinlong emergingmagicbulletsubcellularorganelletargetedcancertherapy
AT wangyiguang emergingmagicbulletsubcellularorganelletargetedcancertherapy