Nanoparticles for modulating tumor microenvironment to improve drug delivery and tumor therapy
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a critical role in tumorigenesis, tumor invasion and metastasis. TME is composed of stroma, endothelial cells, pericytes, fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and immune cells, which is characterized by hypoxia, acidosis, and high interstitial fluid pressure. Due to the important role of TME, we firstly reviewed the composition of TME and discussed the impact of TME on tumor progression, drug and nanoparticle delivery. Next, we reviewed current strategies developed to modulate TME, including modulating tumor vasculature permeability, tumor associated macrophage phenotypes, tumor associated fibroblasts, tumor stroma components, tumor hypoxia, and multiple interventions simultaneously. Also, potential problems and future directions of TME modulation strategy have been discussed.
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Tumor penetration is hindered by a dense extracellular matrix, elevated interstitial pressure, and abnormal vasculature.
“Tumor penetration is hindered by a dense extracellular matrix, elevated interstitial pressure, and abnormal vasculature [143–145]”
From Phage therapy in oncology: opportunities for cancer prevention and treatment (2026) · cites this paper as [144]
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RetractedXiao, W., Ruan, S., Yu, W., Wang, R., Hu, C., Liu, R., & Gao, H. (2017) · Molecular Pharmaceutics · doi:10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.7b00475 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Self-citationPhage therapy in oncology: opportunities for cancer prevention and treatment
Mutalik, V. K., Inman, J. L., Chang, H., Arkin, A., & Mao, J.-H. (2026) · Trends in Molecular Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.molmed.2026.02.001 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
- Authors
- Yang, S., & Gao, H.
- Affiliations
- Sichuan University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Gao, Huile
- ORCID
- Gao, Huile
- Venue
- Pharmacological Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-12
- Volume
- 126
- Pages
- 97-108
- ISSN
- 1043-6618 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2612358593
- Cited by
- 256
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 1.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Pharmacological Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (31571016, 81402866, 31400702)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Cells and Metastasis
- Keywords
- tumor microenvironment, nanoparticles, drug delivery, tumor hypoxia, tumor acidosis, interstitial fluid pressure, tumor-associated macrophages, cancer-associated fibroblasts, tumor stroma, tumor progression, metastasis
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Fibroblasts, Humans, Macrophages, Neoplasms, Drug Delivery Systems, Nanoparticles, Tumor Microenvironment, Carcinogenesis
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