Recent Reviews on Dendrimers as an Immunotherapy-based Nanosystem for the Effective Treatment of Cancer

Abstract

Background: Cancer is considered the prime source of death. A vast number of conventional chemotherapeutic agents are being used to treat cancer, however, these conventional chemotherapeutics agents are capable to destroy or kill both tumor and healthy cells. Cancer, Immunotherapy, Nanotechnology, Dendrimers Introduction: Cancer immunotherapy has generated large interest and is being explored presently to treat this so far to a large extent incurable disease. In the case of immunotherapy, the approach of treatment, the cancer cell is only targeted. This therapy has very few side effects compared to conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Nowadays dendrimer as a nano-system carrier plays a very crucial role in the field of immunotherapy. Methods: Biomaterials such as poly(glycerol), PAMAM, carbohydrate-derived citric acid polyester (PGLSA-OH), polyethylene glycol (PEG), poly(propylene imine) (PPI), melamine, triagine, and phosphorhydrazone have been reported for the production of dendrimer. Dendritic-based nono-carriers are classified according to the size of the dendrimers moiety and their generation. They are also classified based on the presence of internal-layers, dynamic dendritic scaffolds that interact with the drug non-covalently central core moiety, and 3D terminal functional group. Results: Dendrimers are being researched to deliver DNA drugs for antisensetherapy. There are some reports for non-viral gene transmission where PPI or PAMAM dendrimers were utilized. For the gene delivery, dendrimers that are moderately degenerated are more qualified and used to increase the reagent efficiency, hydrolytic cleavage of the amide bond in fragmentation (initiation). Conclusion: The dendrimers have the property to hold the therapeutic active ingredients such as DNA in their cavity and deliver them to the desired target site so that these are used effectively in cancer immunotherapy. Different types of dendrimers such as PAMAM-PEG dendrimers, triazine dendrimers, glycodendrimers, phosphorus dendrimers, and carbosilaneden dendrimers are being explored for commercial applications for cancer therapy and so far they have produced encouraging results.