title: Cancer nanomedicine and the complement system activation paradigm: anaphylaxis and tumour growth.
abstract: A wide variety of nanocarriers and particularly cancer nanomedicines activate the complement system, which is the first line of the innate immune defence mechanism. Complement activation may induce inflammatory responses, but such responses arising from uncontrolled complement activation could be life threatening. Accordingly, the role of complement in initiation of adverse reactions to particulate and polymer therapeutics is receiving increasing attention. Furthermore, the involvement of complement-activation products in promoting tumour growth has also been indicated. This could be of serious concern for development of cancer nanomedicines and cancer nanotechnology initiatives. These concepts are reviewed with preliminary evidence that intra-tumoural accumulation of model long circulating nanoparticles could promote tumour growth.
authors.affiliation: Nanomedicine Research Group and Centre for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. Electronic address: moien.moghimi@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Moghimi
mesh_terms: D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000209:etiology*; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D050997:Nanomedicine; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D011137:Polystyrenes
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D011137:Polystyrenes
keywords: Cancer; Cardiopulmonary distress; Complement activation; Poloxamine 908; Polystyrene nanoparticles; Tumour growth