The Nanotechnology-Based Approaches against Kirsten Rat Sarcoma-Mutated Cancers

Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) is a small GTPase which acts as a molecular switch to regulate several cell biological processes including cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Alterations in KRAS have been found in 25% of all human cancers, with pancreatic cancer (90%), colorectal cancer (45%), and lung cancer (35%) being the types of cancer with the highest mutation rates. KRAS oncogenic mutations are not only responsible for malignant cell transformation and tumor development but also related to poor prognosis, low survival rate, and resistance to chemotherapy. Although different strategies have been developed to specifically target this oncoprotein over the last few decades, almost all of them have failed, relying on the current therapeutic solutions to target proteins involved in the KRAS pathway using chemical or gene therapy. Nanomedicine can certainly bring a solution for the lack of specificity and effectiveness of anti-KRAS therapy. Therefore, nanoparticles of different natures are being developed to improve the therapeutic index of drugs, genetic material, and/or biomolecules and to allow their delivery specifically into the cells of interest. The present work aims to summarize the most recent advances related to the use of nanotechnology for the development of new therapeutic strategies against KRAS-mutated cancers.

Automated summary

Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) is a small GTPase that regulates cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Mutations in KRAS are found in various human cancers, with the highest rates in pancreatic, colorectal, and lung cancers. These mutations are associated with poor prognosis, low survival rate, and resistance to chemotherapy. Nanomedicine offers a promising solution to improve the specificity and effectiveness of anti-KRAS therapy through the development of nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery. This article aims to summarize the recent advances in using nanotechnology for new therapeutic strategies against KRAS-mutated cancers.