Subcellular Organelle Targeting as a Novel Approach to Combat Tumor Metastasis

Tumor metastasis, the spread of cancer cells from the primary site to distant organs, remains a formidable challenge in oncology. Central to this process is the involvement of subcellular organelles, which undergo significant functional and structural changes during metastasis. Targeting these speci...

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Main Authors: Zefan Liu, Yang Liu, Xin Kang, Lian Li, Yucheng Xiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Pharmaceutics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/17/2/198
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author Zefan Liu
Yang Liu
Xin Kang
Lian Li
Yucheng Xiang
author_facet Zefan Liu
Yang Liu
Xin Kang
Lian Li
Yucheng Xiang
author_sort Zefan Liu
collection DOAJ
description Tumor metastasis, the spread of cancer cells from the primary site to distant organs, remains a formidable challenge in oncology. Central to this process is the involvement of subcellular organelles, which undergo significant functional and structural changes during metastasis. Targeting these specific organelles offers a promising avenue for enhanced drug delivery and metastasis therapeutic efficacy. This precision increases the potency and reduces potential off-target effects. Moreover, by understanding the role of each organelle in metastasis, treatments can be designed to disrupt the metastatic process at multiple stages, from cell migration to the establishment of secondary tumors. This review delves deeply into tumor metastasis processes and their connection with subcellular organelles. In order to target these organelles, biomembranes, cell-penetrating peptides, localization signal peptides, aptamers, specific small molecules, and various other strategies have been developed. In this review, we will elucidate targeting delivery strategies for each subcellular organelle and look forward to prospects in this domain.
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spelling doaj-art-e8b4587655dd4f2b909682c830f658d62025-08-20T02:03:42ZengMDPI AGPharmaceutics1999-49232025-02-0117219810.3390/pharmaceutics17020198Subcellular Organelle Targeting as a Novel Approach to Combat Tumor MetastasisZefan Liu0Yang Liu1Xin Kang2Lian Li3Yucheng Xiang4Department of General Surgery, First People‘s Hospital of Shuangliu District (West China Airport Hospital of Sichuan University), Chengdu 610200, ChinaDepartment of General Surgery, First People‘s Hospital of Shuangliu District (West China Airport Hospital of Sichuan University), Chengdu 610200, ChinaDepartment of General Surgery, First People‘s Hospital of Shuangliu District (West China Airport Hospital of Sichuan University), Chengdu 610200, ChinaKey Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, ChinaTumor metastasis, the spread of cancer cells from the primary site to distant organs, remains a formidable challenge in oncology. Central to this process is the involvement of subcellular organelles, which undergo significant functional and structural changes during metastasis. Targeting these specific organelles offers a promising avenue for enhanced drug delivery and metastasis therapeutic efficacy. This precision increases the potency and reduces potential off-target effects. Moreover, by understanding the role of each organelle in metastasis, treatments can be designed to disrupt the metastatic process at multiple stages, from cell migration to the establishment of secondary tumors. This review delves deeply into tumor metastasis processes and their connection with subcellular organelles. In order to target these organelles, biomembranes, cell-penetrating peptides, localization signal peptides, aptamers, specific small molecules, and various other strategies have been developed. In this review, we will elucidate targeting delivery strategies for each subcellular organelle and look forward to prospects in this domain.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/17/2/198tumor metastasistargeted therapysubcellular organelles
spellingShingle Zefan Liu
Yang Liu
Xin Kang
Lian Li
Yucheng Xiang
Subcellular Organelle Targeting as a Novel Approach to Combat Tumor Metastasis
Pharmaceutics
tumor metastasis
targeted therapy
subcellular organelles
title Subcellular Organelle Targeting as a Novel Approach to Combat Tumor Metastasis
title_full Subcellular Organelle Targeting as a Novel Approach to Combat Tumor Metastasis
title_fullStr Subcellular Organelle Targeting as a Novel Approach to Combat Tumor Metastasis
title_full_unstemmed Subcellular Organelle Targeting as a Novel Approach to Combat Tumor Metastasis
title_short Subcellular Organelle Targeting as a Novel Approach to Combat Tumor Metastasis
title_sort subcellular organelle targeting as a novel approach to combat tumor metastasis
topic tumor metastasis
targeted therapy
subcellular organelles
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/17/2/198
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AT yangliu subcellularorganelletargetingasanovelapproachtocombattumormetastasis
AT xinkang subcellularorganelletargetingasanovelapproachtocombattumormetastasis
AT lianli subcellularorganelletargetingasanovelapproachtocombattumormetastasis
AT yuchengxiang subcellularorganelletargetingasanovelapproachtocombattumormetastasis