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Revitalizing Bacillus Calmette–Guérin Immunotherapy for Bladder Cancer: Nanotechnology and Bioengineering Approaches

Authors :
Maoxin Lv
Shihao Shang
Kepu Liu
Yuliang Wang
Peng Xu
Hao Song
Jie Zhang
Zelong Sun
Yuhao Yan
Zheng Zhu
Hao Wu
Hao Li
Source :
Pharmaceutics, Vol 16, Iss 8, p 1067 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy has been a cornerstone treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer for decades and still faces challenges, such as severe immune adverse reactions, which reduce its use as a first-line treatment. This review examines BCG therapy’s history, mechanisms, and current status, highlighting how nanotechnology and bioengineering are revitalizing its application. We discuss novel nanocarrier systems aimed at enhancing BCG’s efficacy while mitigating specific side effects. These approaches promise improved tumor targeting, better drug loading, and an enhanced stimulation of anti-tumor immune responses. Key strategies involve using materials such as liposomes, polymers, and magnetic particles to encapsulate BCG or functional BCG cell wall components. Additionally, co-delivering BCG with chemotherapeutics enhances drug targeting and tumor-killing effects while reducing drug toxicity, with some studies even achieving synergistic effects. While most studies remain experimental, this research direction offers hope for overcoming BCG’s limitations and advancing bladder cancer immunotherapy. Further elucidation of BCG’s mechanisms and rigorous safety evaluations of new delivery systems will be crucial for translating these innovations into clinical practice.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
19994923
Volume :
16
Issue :
8
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Pharmaceutics
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.77a9ff66b0f2454bb3924bd97f520ca2
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16081067