Hyaluronic acid-functionalized lipoplexes and polyplexes as emerging nanocarriers for receptor-targeted cancer therapy

Cancer is an intricate disease that develops as a response to a combination of hereditary and environmental risk factors, which then result in a variety of changes to the genome. The cluster of differentiation (CD44) is a type of transmembrane glycoprotein that serves as a potential biomarker for cancer stem cells (CSC) and viable targets for therapeutic intervention in the context of cancer therapy. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a linear polysaccharide that exhibits a notable affinity for the CD44 receptor. This characteristic renders it a promising candidate for ther-apeutic interventions aimed at selectively targeting CD44-positive cancer cells. Treating cancer via non-viral vector-based gene delivery has changed the notion of curing illness through the incorporation of therapeutic genes into the organism. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of various hyaluronic acid -modified lipoplexes and polyplexes as potential drug delivery methods for specific forms of cancer by effec-tively targeting CD44.

Automated summary

Cancer is a complex disease that develops in response to a combination of hereditary and environmental risk factors, resulting in genomic changes. CD44, a transmembrane glycoprotein, serves as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer stem cells. Hyaluronic acid, a polysaccharide, shows affinity for the CD44 receptor, making it a promising candidate for selectively targeting CD44-positive cancer cells.