Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles-based Smart Nanocarriers for Targeted Drug Delivery in Colorectal Cancer Therapy

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for advanced therapeutic strategies. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have emerged as a promising approach to improve the specificity and efficacy of anticancer treatments. This review examines three cutting-edge mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN)-based drug delivery to introduce novel CRC therapy, each utilizing unique functionalization strategies for targeted drug release. The first system, hyaluronidase-responsive MSN-HA/DOX, employs biotin-modified hyaluronic acid to facilitate dual-stimulus drug release in the tumor microenvironment, exhibiting enhanced in vivo tumor inhibition. The DOX/SLN-PEG-Biotin utilizes polyethylene glycol and biotin to improve drug stability and target biotin-overexpressing CRC cells, demonstrating superior anti-cancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Lastly, galactosylated chitosan-functionalized MSNs enable targeted delivery through asialoglycoprotein receptors, providing controlled drug release and strong therapeutic potential. Collectively, these systems highlight the advancements in nanoparticle functionalization for CRC treatment, offering a pathway to overcome the limitations of conventional chemotherapy. Further research is required to translate these innovations into clinical practice, ensuring safety and scalability.