Nanomaterials for Protein Delivery in Anticancer Applications

Nanotechnology platforms, such as nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers, and micelles have been studied extensively for various drug deliveries, to treat or prevent diseases by modulating physiological or pathological processes. The delivery drug molecules range from traditional small molecules to recently developed biologics, such as proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids. Among them, proteins have shown a series of advantages and potential in various therapeutic applications, such as introducing therapeutic proteins due to genetic defects, or used as nanocarriers for anticancer agents to decelerate tumor growth or control metastasis. This review discusses the existing nanoparticle delivery systems, introducing design strategies, advantages of using each system, and possible limitations. Moreover, we will examine the intracellular delivery of different protein therapeutics, such as antibodies, antigens, and gene editing proteins into the host cells to achieve anticancer effects and cancer vaccines. Finally, we explore the current applications of protein delivery in anticancer treatments.