The Application of Inorganic Nanoparticles in Molecular Targeted Cancer Therapy: EGFR Targeting

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an anticancer drug target for a number of cancers, such as non-small cell lung cancer. However, unsatisfying treatment effects, terrible side-effects, and development of drug resistance are current insurmountable challenges of EGFR targeting treatments for cancers. With the advancement of nanotechnology, an increasing number of inorganic nanomaterials are applied in EGFR-mediated therapy to improve those limitations and further potentiate the efficacy of molecular targeted cancer therapy. Given their facile preparation, easy modification, and biosecurity, inorganic nanoparticles (iNPs) have been extensively explored in cancer treatments to date. This review presents an overview of the application of some typical metal nanoparticles and nonmetallic nanoparticles in EGFR-targeted therapy, then discusses and summarizes the relevant advantages. Moreover, we also highlight future perspectives regarding their remaining issues. We hope these discussions inspire future research on EGFR-targeted iNPs.

Research Progresses of Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, with nearly one million new cases and deaths every year. Owing to the complex pathogenesis, hidden early symptoms, rapidly developing processes, and poor prognosis, the morbidity and mortality of HCC are increasing yearly. With the progress being made in modern medicine, the treatment of HCC is no longer limited to traditional methods. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have emerged to treat advanced and metastatic HCC in recent years. Since Sorafenib is the first molecular targeting drug against angiogenesis, targeted drugs for HCC are continually emerging. Moreover, immunotherapy plays a vital role in clinical trials. In particular, the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors, which have received increasing attention in the field of cancer treatment, is a possible research path. Interestingly, these two therapies generally complement each other at some stages of HCC, bringing new hope for patients with advanced HCC. In this paper, we discuss the research progress of targeted therapy and immunotherapy for HCC in recent years, which will provide a reference for the further development of drugs for HCC.

Insulin-like Growth Factor I Receptor: A Novel Target for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Gene Therapy

Human insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis affects the molecular pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially in the abnormality of hepatic IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) or IGF-II expression as a key molecule in hepatocarcinogenesis. However, the over-expression of hepatic IGFIR is associated with HCC progression with largely unknown mechanisms. The IGF-IR as one key molecule of the IGF signal pathway plays an important role in the hepatocyte malignant transformation. Attaching importance to IGF-IR might improve the prognostic or the therapeutic technique of HCC. This article reviews IGF-IR alteration during HCC development, and the effects of silencing IGF-IR gene by specific short hairpin RNA on the inhibition of cell proliferation in vitro or HCC xenograft growth in vivo to elucidate it as a novel molecular-targeted therapy for HCC.