Involvement of planned cell death of necroptosis in cancer treatment by nanomaterials: Recent advances and future perspectives

With the development of the field of nanomedicine, the application of nanomaterials/NPs in cancer treatment has raised questions about their potential effects as well as thier unpredictable adverse effects. To date, the cytotoxic effects of nanomaterials have been investigated based on cell survival and cellular functionality, such as membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity and cell morphology. It is increasingly noted that more detailed analysis of RCD triggered by nanomaterials is essential to understand their full mechanism of action. One the one hand, this knowledge helps us to design safe therapeutics and also increases the therapeutic potential of NP-based anti-cancer drugs. The most common pathways of RCD in cancer cells include apoptosis, necrosis, necroptosis and autophagy with the latter two often act as secondary death pathways in cancer cells when the apoptotic and necrotic pathways are non-functional. This article reviews the recent developments and future perspectives in the ability of nanomaterials/NPs to induce the above forms of RCD especially necroptosis.