Nanotechnology-Enabled Targeted Delivery of Protacs for Cancer Therapy

Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) is novel drug delivery use primarily in the treatments of various disease as cancer, neurodegenerative disorder, Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. PROTACs is next generation therapeutic strategy that use nanotechnology to treat disease by selectively degrading disease causing protein, PROTACs are special molecules that can remove unwanted or disease-causing proteins from the body. They work very well and are considered a new and powerful treatment method, especially for cancer. Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are a new and promising type of cancer treatment. Instead of only blocking harmful proteins, PROTACs remove (degrade) disease-causing proteins from cancer cells. Because of this unique action, PROTACs have attracted great attention in cancer research. However, despite their strong potential, several challenges limit their successful use in clinical treatment. However PROTACs also have some problems, Limitations of Conventional PROTACs, Although PROTACs are effective, they face some important problems. One major challenge is off-target effects, where PROTACs may accidentally degrade proteins other than the intended target, which can cause side effects. Another limitation is poor cell permeability. Many PROTAC molecules are large and complex, making it difficult for them to easily enter cancer cells. In addition, PROTACs can show a hook effect. This happens when PROTACs are used at very high concentrations. Instead of working better, they become less effective because proper interaction between the target protein, PROTAC, and E3 ligase is disrupted. Nanotechnology as a Solution: Nanotechnology offers a promising solution to overcome these limitations. By loading PROTACs into very small carriers called nanoparticles, scientists have developed Nano-PROTACs. These nanoparticle-based systems help PROTACs reach tumour tissues more accurately, which reduces unwanted effects on healthy tissues. Nanoparticles also improve the ability of PROTACs to enter cancer cells more efficiently. Moreover, Nano carriers allow controlled and sustained release of PROTACs, ensuring that the drug remains active for a longer time at the target site. As a result, nano-PROTACs show better protein degradation efficiency and improved safety compared to conventional PROTACs. They can also be combined with other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy, to produce stronger and more effective therapeutic outcomes.