title: LHRH-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for Cancer Therapy.
abstract: Targeted delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents to cancer sites has significant potential to improve the therapeutic outcome of treatment while minimizing severe side effects. It is widely accepted that decoration of the drug delivery systems with targeting ligands that bind specifically to the receptors on the cancer cells is a promising strategy that may substantially enhance accumulation of anticancer agents in the tumors. Due to the transformed cellular nature, cancer cells exhibit a variety of overexpressed cell surface receptors for peptides, hormones, and essential nutrients, providing a significant number of target candidates for selective drug delivery. Among others, luteinizing hormonereleasing hormone (LHRH) receptors are overexpressed in the majority of cancers, while their expression in healthy tissues, apart from pituitary cells, is limited. The recent studies indicate that LHRH peptides can be employed to efficiently guide anticancer and imaging agents directly to cancerous cells, thereby increasing the amount of these substances in tumor tissue and preventing normal cells from unnecessary exposure. This manuscript provides an overview of the targeted drug delivery platforms that take advantage of the LHRH receptors overexpression by cancer cells.
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Portland, OR 97201,. United States.
authors.forename: Oleh
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Taratula
authors.forename: Olena
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Taratula
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schumann
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Minko
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011966:Receptors, LHRH / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008024:Ligands; D011966:Receptors, LHRH; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone