Advanced miRNA-nanoparticle strategies for brain cancer treatment: Bypass the blood-brain barrier for efficient treatment

The most aggressive form of brain cancer, glioblastoma, continues to pose a substantial therapeutic challenge as a result of its invasive character and poor prognosis. The median survival rate rarely exceeds 16 months. Treatment is made more difficult by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which prevents drugs from reaching the brain. Despite improvements in medical and surgical techniques, there are still no reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis, and new treatment alternatives such as immune checkpoint inhibitors have not yet received approval. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as attractive candidates for glioblastoma detection and therapy, considering their crucial role in cancer progression and their ability to cross the cerebrospinal fluid and blood. Recent developments in miRNA-based therapeutics, including miRNA mimics and inhibitors, have demonstrated potential in clinical studies. However, difficulties like as degradation, transient expression, and poor targeting restrict their clinical applicability. Nanoparticles (NPs) offer a potential technique to increase miRNA stability and targeted delivery, effectively overcoming BBB restrictions. The article addresses the specific features of NPs based miRNA delivery that promote BBB penetration, the mechanisms of NP transport, and the development of theranostic nanoplatforms for precision glioblastoma diagnosis and therapy. Furthermore, the newest breakthroughs in miRNA nanoformulations are highlighted, showing their potential to change glioblastoma treatment.