Nanoparticle Engineering Breakthrough | Using Sugar Coatings to Target Breast Cancer Cells

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) lacks traditional molecular targets, making it hard to treat. Researchers at the University of Mississippi have developed a novel sugar-coating approach for nanoparticles that could improve targeted drug delivery for TNBC and beyond.

The University of Mississippi team, led by assistant professor Eden Tanner has turned that dependency into an opportunity. They created nanoparticles coated in sugar-based ionic liquids; essentially wrapping the drug carriers in a sweet disguise. That way, the TNBC cells invite them in, using their GLUT transporters to uptake the nanoparticles. Please see the published paper here:

Dasanayake, G. S., Hamadani, C. M., Hailu, F., Owolabi, I., Patel, M., Chism, C. M., Toragall, V., Misra, S. K., Mishra, S. K., Jahan, M. E., Vashisth, P., Sharp, J. S., Flynt, A., Doerksen, R. J., Werfel, T. A., Singh, G., & Tanner, E. E. L. (2025). Glyco Ionic Liquids as Novel Nanoparticle Coatings to Enhance Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer Drug Delivery. Advanced Healthcare Materials. https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202500592

Triple negative breast cancer remains one of the most challenging types of breast cancer to treat. It doesn’t express estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, or HER2 proteins, so conventional therapies often fall short. Clinically, TNBC is more common among young women and disproportionately affects Black and African-American patients; making the need for innovative solutions urgent.

What’s special about TNBC cells, though, is their glucose “addiction.” To fuel rapid growth, these cells overexpress glucose transporters (GLUTs), effectively expressing a “sweet tooth” at the cellular level.

Mira Pital from University of Mississippi stated:

“The drug itself is encapsulated in the nanoparticle, which is then coated in the glucose”.

The researchers modified PLGA (poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles with sugar-derived ionic liquids (Glyco-ILs). In the lab, these Glyco-IL-NPs showed both enhanced binding to TNBC cells and longer retention in the bloodstream when tested in healthy mice. They also accumulated less in the liver; a useful hint that they might reduce off-target effects.

In simpler terms; the sugar coating increases affinity for cancer cells, extends circulation time, and avoids rapid clearance. Molecular docking simulations, LC-MS analysis, and transport inhibition tests all supported these interactions with GLUTs and endocytosis pathways. That combination adds technical depth to the project’s foundational premise.

This work builds on earlier findings at Ole Miss in 2024. Thomas Werfel and Kenneth Hulugalla demonstrated that glycopolymer (sugar-like) coatings on nanoparticles reduced immune response and improved tumor delivery in mouse models, compared with PEG-coated controls. Their key point; more nanoparticles reached tumors, and less was cleared prematurely.

Eden Tanner, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry from University of Mississippi stated:

“One thing that’s consistent across all of the patients (with triple negative breast cancer) is that they overexpress glucose transporters to bring more sugars to the cells,” Tanner said. “Essentially, it has a sweet tooth. So, how can we get it to take its medicine? We wrap it in sugar.”

These two approaches together; immune dampening via glycopolymer and GLUT; targeting via Glyco ILs form a coherent engineering strategy: improve delivery both by stealth and by smart targeting.

The research remains preclinical. Tanner and colleagues have yet to test Glyco IL NPs carrying actual drugs in disease models. But the clear benefit so far: better targeting, less off-target accumulation, and potential relevance across other GLUT; overexpressing conditions like colon cancer, brain cancer, and fatty liver disease

Still, translating this technology will demand addressing stability, manufacturing scale up, regulatory constraints, and ensuring consistent behavior in complex biological systems. These are standard steps in engineering translation.

From an engineering-oriented view, this work stands out for blending material science (Glyco IL coatings), pharmaceutical delivery vehicles (PLGA nanoparticles), and biological targeting (GLUT affinity). It exemplifies how design informed by cellular metabolism and immune system dynamics yields engineering-enabled therapies.

To bring this closer to practice, next lines of work could include:

• Loading Glyco IL NPs with therapeutic agents and testing in TNBC animal models
• Evaluating pharmacokinetics and biodistribution in detail
• Examining manufacturability; batch consistency, shelf life, formulation robustness
• Expanding to other disease models that share GLUT overexpression

This sugar coated nanoparticle work isn’t flashy; but it’s smart. It turns a cancer’s metabolic weakness into a delivery advantage. By combining stealth delivery and cell-specific uptake, it points toward a more refined, potentially safer route for treating TNBC, a cancer subtype that desperately needs better options.