LDL receptors and their role in targeted therapy for glioma: a review

Gliomas are highly lethal forms of cancers occurring in the brain. Delivering the drugs into the brain is a major challenge to the treatment of gliomas because of the highly selectively permeable blood-brain barrier (BBB). Tapping the potential of receptor-mediated drug delivery systems using targeted nanoparticles (NPs) is a sought-after step forward toward successful glioma treatment. Several receptors are the focus of research for application in drug delivery. Low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLR) are abundantly expressed in both healthy brains and diseased brains with a disrupted BBB. In this review, we discuss the LDLR and the types of NPs that have been used to target the brain via this receptor.

Automated summary

Gliomas are highly lethal brain cancers, and delivering drugs into the brain is a major challenge due to the blood-brain barrier. Targeted drug delivery systems using nanoparticles show promising potential for successful glioma treatment. Low-density lipoprotein receptors are a focus for drug delivery research in this area.