Nano-delivery systems focused on tumor microenvironment regulation and biomimetic strategies for treatment of breast cancer metastasis

Breast cancer metastasis and recurrence accounts for vast majority of breast cancer-induced mortality. Tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role at each step of metastasis, evasion of immunosurveillance, and therapeutic resistance. Consequently, TME-targeting alternatives to traditional therapies focused on breast cancer cells are gaining increasing attention. These new therapies involve the use of tumor cells, and key TME components or secreted bioactive molecules as therapeutic targets, alone or in combination. Recently, TME-related nanoparticles have been developed to deliver various agents, such as bioactive ingredients extracted from natural sources or chemotherapeutic agents, genes, proteins, small interfering RNAs, and vaccines; they have shown great therapeutic potential against breast cancer metastasis. Among various types of nanoparticles, biomimetic nanovesicles are a promising means of addressing the limitations of conventional nanocarriers. This review highlights various nanoparticles related to or mediated by TME according to the key TME components responsible for metastasis. Furthermore, TME-related biomimetic nanoparticles against breast cancer metastasis have garnered attention owing to their promising efficiency, especially in payload delivery and therapeutic action. Here, we summarize recent representative studies on nanoparticles related to cancer-associated fibroblasts, extracellular matrix, endothelial cells, angiogenesis, and immune cells, as well as advanced biomimetic nanoparticles. Future challenges and opportunities in the field are also discussed.