Nanoparticles and Glycosaminoglycans: Progress and Applications for Cancer Therapy

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) play essential roles in biological processes such as cell signaling and extracellular matrix assembly. Alterations in the structure of GAGs have been implicated in cancer pathogenesis, demonstrating their potential as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and progression, as well as targets for pharmacological interventions. For these reasons, GAGs have been attracting considerable interest for potential applications in cancer therapies. On the one side, GAGs are optimal targeting sites for drug delivery systems enhancing their specificity, but on the other side, these interactions can also alter the function and cellular uptake of therapeutics. This is particularly true for nanoscaled therapeutics. This review aims at highlighting the role of the GAGs in regulating the cellular uptake of nanoparticles (NPs) and of the exploitation of NP–GAG interactions for effective drug delivery, particularly in targeting cancer cells. We will include relevant examples of GAG-functionalized NPs for their potential in targeted drug delivery, imaging, and theranostic applications, showing that GAG stabilization can prevent agglomeration and improve functionality.