KIU Publications

Selective induction of cancer cell death remains a central goal of modern oncology, yet conventional chemotherapeutics often lack specificity, leading to systemic toxicity and therapeutic resistance. Organelletargeted nanotechnology has emerged as a powerful strategy to overcome these limitations by directing therapeutic agents precisely to intracellular organelles that govern survival, metabolism, and death signaling. Mitochondria, nucleus, lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus each play distinct roles in regulating apoptosis, autophagy, redox balance, and stress responses, making them highly attractive targets for precision cancer therapy. Nanotechnology enables the rational design of nanoscale systems capable of crossing cellular and subcellular barriers, sensing intracellular cues, and releasing therapeutic payloads at defined organellar sites. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of organelle-targeted nanotechnology for selective cancer cell death. We discuss the biological rationale for targeting specific organelles, design principles of organelle-directed nanocarriers, and mechanistic pathways through which localized damage induces apoptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, or immunogenic cell death. Current preclinical advances, emerging combinatorial strategies, and translational challenges are critically evaluated. Organelle-targeted nanotherapeutics represent a transformative platform for achieving high therapeutic precision and durable anticancer responses.