Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems to overcome gastric cancer drug resistance

Gastric cancer (GC) results from deregulated cell growth in the stomach. Despite significant efforts and recent advancements in the treatment of gastric cancer, it remains a life-threatening disease. This is in part due to the chemotherapy failure resulting from multi-drug resistance (MDR) in the associated Gastric cancer cells (GCC). These cells can acquire MDR through different mechanisms. Perhaps the most important mechanism would be the increased drug efflux by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, which reduces the intracellular concentration of the chemotherapy drugs. Recently, nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems (nano-DDS) have been emerged to reverse MDR by altering the mechanisms through which the drugs may function. Nano-DDSs are also highly regarded because of their potential to enhance the pharmacological profile of chemotherapy drugs, improving drug solubility, and decrease their adverse effects. This review summarizes known factors that are involved in the MDR of GCC. Additionally, we will describe the application of nano-DDSs to reverse MDR in GCC.