Preferential Cancer Cell Self-Recognition and Tumor Self-Targeting by Coating Nanoparticles with Homotypic Cancer Cell Membranes.

The ultimate goal in cancer therapy and diagnosis is to achieve highly specific targeting to cancer cells. Coated with the source cancer cell membrane specifically derived from the homologous tumors, the nanoparticles are identified with the self-recognition internalization by the source cancer cell lines in vitro and the highly tumor-selective targeting "homing" to the homologous tumor in vivo even in the competition of another heterologous tumor. As the result, MNP@DOX@CCCM nanovehicle showed strong potency for tumor treatment in vivo and the MR imaging. This bioinspired strategy shows great potential for precise therapy/diagnosis of various tumors merely by adjusting the cell membrane source accordingly on the nanoparticle surface.