Abstract

MITOCHONDRIAL TARGETING FOR ANTI TUMOR PROPERTY

Sajan Jose, Swapna Paul*, Johnson Joseph, Archana Babu, Jisna Jose and Deepa K. S.

ABSTRACT

Mitochondria, dynamic intracellular organelles with their own DNA, play a crucial role in controlling the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), metabolic signaling, proliferation, redox equilibrium, and the stimulation or inhibition of apoptotic signaling pathways. Many human disorders, including cancer, are caused by genetic and/or metabolic changes in the mitochondria. The Warburg effect, which refers to the increased uptake of glucose in most cancers, has long been thought to support the idea that glycolysis is the primary source of energy in cancer cells. However, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), a mitochondrial function, has only recently been identified as having a critical role in oncogenesis. Biotherapy, including gene and immunotherapy, has been considered the fourth modality for treating cancer due to its low side effects and great therapeutic efficacy. However, biotherapy also has challenges, such as immunotherapy working for only a small percentage of cancer patients and inefficient delivery of biomacromolecules into cells for gene therapy. Recent findings show that the mtDNA found in entire mitochondria is mobile and capable of horizontal cell transfer, adding credence to the significance of mitochondria in intercellular communication. A growing body of research focuses on the delivery of anti-cancer medications to mitochondria in order to treat cancer, offering enormous promise for the creation of new, effective anti-cancer treatments. However, many chemicals find it difficult to enter mitochondria due to their four-layer structure, which consists of an outer membrane, an inner membrane, a matrix, and an intermembrane space. Lipophilic compounds have membrane permeability, which enables them to pass across mitochondrial membranes through hydrophobic interactions, leading to the development of chemicals that target mitochondria, which may accumulate preferentially inside the mitochondria of cancer cells.

Keywords: Tumour, Nano particles, Warburg effect, Oncogenesis, Oxidative phosphorylation.