Nanomedicine to overcome radioresistance in glioblastoma stem-like cells and surviving clones

Delphine Séhédic (1, 2) , Annabelle Cikankowitz (1, 2) , François Hindré (1, 2) , François Davodeau (3, 2) , Emmanuel Garcion (1, 2)

1 MINT - Micro et Nanomédecines Biomimétiques
2 UNAM - PRES Université Nantes Angers Le Mans
3 CRCNA - Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie Nantes-Angers

Radiotherapy is one of the standard treatments for glioblastoma, but its effectiveness often encounters the phenomenon of radioresistance. This resistance was recently attributed to distinct cell contingents known as glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs) and dominant clones. It is characterized in particular by the activation of signaling pathways and DNA repair mechanisms. Recent advances in the field of nanomedicine offer new possibilities for radiosensitizing these cell populations. Several strategies have been developed in this direction, the first consisting of encapsulating a contrast agent or synthesizing metal-based nanocarriers to concentrate the dose gradient at the level of the target tissue. In the second strategy the physicochemical properties of the vectors are used to encapsulate a wide range of pharmacological agents which act in synergy with the ionizing radiation to destroy the cancerous cells. This review reports on the various molecular anomalies present in GSCs and the predominant role of nanomedicines in the development of radiosensitization strategies.

Mots clés: radiosensitization; targeted therapies; glioblastoma; nanomedicine; radioresistance

Domaines: Cancer

Delphine Séhédic, Annabelle Cikankowitz, François Hindré, François Davodeau, Emmanuel Garcion. Nanomedicine to overcome radioresistance in glioblastoma stem-like cells and surviving clones. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 2015, 36 (4), pp.236 - 252. ⟨10.1016/j.tips.2015.02.002⟩. ⟨inserm-01818674⟩