Strategic disruption of cancer’s powerhouse - precise nanomedicine targeting of mitochondrial metabolism

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Hazel

Mitochondria function as the central hub of oxidative metabolism in eukaryotic cells, generating energy by converting sugars, fats, and amino acids into usable metabolic intermediates. Disruption of mitochondrial metabolic activity is a hallmark of multiple diseases, especially cancer, where tumor cells reprogram metabolism to sustain proliferation, immune evasion, and therapy resistance. This review maps mitochondrial metabolic pathways and explains how aberrant metabolism drives oncogenesis and tumor persistence, then evaluates nanomedicine strategies for precise mitochondrial targeting, along with key challenges and future directions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Mitochondrial structure and roles in energy metabolism

Mitochondrial metabolic pathways and ROS-mediated impacts

Links between mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming and cancer

Lin etal. Journal of Nanobiotechnology (2024) 22:318 [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-024-02585-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-024-02585-3) Journal of Nanobiotechnology REVIEW Open Access Strategic disruption of cancer’s powerhouse: precise nanomedicine targeting of mitochondrial metabolism Pei Lin 1†, Ye Lu 1†, Jiarong Zheng2, Yunfan Lin 1, Xinyuan Zhao 1* and Li Cui 1,3* Abstract Mitochondria occupy a central role in the biology of most eukaryotic cells, functioning as the hub of oxidative metabolism where sugars, fats, and amino acids are ultimately oxidized to release energy. This crucial function fuels a variety of cellular activities. Disruption in mitochondrial metabolism is a common feature in many diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative conditions and cardiovascular diseases. Targeting tumor cell mitochondrial metabolism with multifunctional nanosystems emerges as a promising strategy for enhancing therapeutic efficacy against cancer. This review comprehensively outlines the pathways of mitochondrial metabolism, emphasizing their critical roles in cellular energy production and metabolic regulation. The associations between aberrant mitochondrial metabolism and the initiation and progression of cancer are highlighted, illustrating how these metabolic disruptions contribute to oncogenesis and tumor sustainability. More importantly, innovative strategies employing nanomedicines to precisely target mitochondrial metabolic pathways in cancer therapy are fully explored. Furthermore, key challenges and future directions in this field are identified and discussed. Collectively, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of the current state and future potential of nanomedicine in targeting mitochondrial metabolism, offering insights for developing more effective cancer therapies. Keywords Mitochondria, Metabolism, Nanomedicine, Cancer therapy †Pei Lin and Ye Lu are equal contributors. *Correspondence: Xinyuan Zhao [zhaoxinyuan1989@smu.edu.cn](zhaoxinyuan1989@smu.edu.cn) Li Cui [licui@smu.edu.cn](licui@smu.edu.cn) 1Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, China 2Department of Dentistry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China 3School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA Background Mitochondria, the cell’s bioenergetic hubs, comprise four key components: the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM), the intermembrane space (IMS), the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM), and the mitochondrial matrix (MM) [1]. They are central to cellular energy metabolism, playing a crucial role in the oxidation of various metabolic substrates, including carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. These substrates are converted into intermediates like acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA), which then enters the mitochondria for further processing in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, underscoring the organelles’ critical role in energy production. Additionally, mitochondria are pivotal in regulating key cellular processes like redox balance, Ca2+ levels, apoptosis © The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licen

FAQs

Why is mitochondrial metabolism important for cellular function?

Mitochondria are the bioenergetic hub that governs oxidative metabolism and energy production, while also regulating redox balance, Ca2+ homeostasis, apoptosis, and biomacromolecule balance.

How does disruption of mitochondrial metabolism contribute to cancer?

Cancer cells reprogram mitochondrial metabolic pathways to meet energy and biosynthetic demands, supporting growth, immune evasion, and resistance to conventional therapies.

What is the review’s focus regarding nanomedicine in cancer treatment?

It explores strategies that use nanomedicines to precisely target mitochondrial metabolic pathways in cancer therapy, and discusses key challenges and future directions.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Hazel