CD44-targeting nanocarriers for cancer treatment

Recently, the theory of cancer stem cell (CSC) is gaining increasing attention from researchers and has become an important focus of cancer research. Since the discovery that the marker molecule is over-expressed in a variety of solid tumors, many studies have focused on methods for targeting the hyaluronan receptor CD44. Hyaluronic acid, the primary CD44 binding molecule, has proved a significant factor in developing nanocarriers that demonstrate preferential tumor accumulation and increased cell uptake. Research is frequently conducted to add further functions to nanocarriers targeting CD44. It is expected that more effective drug delivery will be possible by combining with existing technology. In this review, we introduce research approaches from the current literature that take advantage of CD44-targeting ability and describe the possible advantages for each approach. Finally, we describe our recent progress in hyaluronic acid-modified thermoresponsive liposome aiming for CD44-targeting and combined with oncothermia.