A Biomimetic Nanogel System Restores Macrophage Phagocytosis for Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Synergistic Chemoimmunotherapy of Breast Cancer

Cell Membrane-Camouflaged Chitosan-Polypyrrole Nanogels Co-Deliver Drug and Gene for Targeted Chemotherapy and Bone Metastasis Inhibition of Prostate Cancer

The development of functional nanoplatforms to improve the chemotherapy outcome and inhibit distal cancer cell metastasis remains an extreme challenge in cancer management. In this work, a human-derived PC-3 cancer cell membrane-camouflaged chitosan-polypyrrole nanogel (CH-PPy NG) platform, which can be loaded with chemotherapeutic drug docetaxel (DTX) and RANK siRNA for targeted chemotherapy and gene silencing-mediated metastasis inhibition of late-stage prostate cancer in a mouse model, is reported. The prepared NGs with a size of 155.8 nm show good biocompatibility, pH-responsive drug release profile, and homologous targeting specificity to cancer cells, allowing for efficient and precise drug/gene co-delivery. Through in-vivo antitumor treatment in a xenografted PC-3 mouse tumor model, it is shown that such a CH-PPy NG-facilitated co-delivery system allows for effective chemotherapy to slow down the tumor growth rate, and effectively inhibits the metastasis of prostate cancer to the bone via downregulation of the RANK/RANKL signaling pathway. The created CH-Ppy NGs may be utilized as a promising platform for enhanced chemotherapy and anti-metastasis treatment of prostate cancer.

Intracellular Magnetic Hyperthermia Enables Concurrent Down-Regulation of CD47 and SIRPα To Potentiate Antitumor Immunity

Harnessing the potential of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) to engulf tumor cells offers promising avenues for cancer therapy. Targeting phagocytosis checkpoints, particularly the CD47-signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) axis, is crucial for modulating TAM activity. However, single checkpoint inhibition has shown a limited efficacy. In this study, we demonstrate that ferrimagnetic vortex-domain iron oxide (FVIO) nanoring-mediated magnetic hyperthermia effectively suppresses the expression of CD47 protein on Hepa1-6 tumor cells and SIRPα receptor on macrophages, which disrupts CD47-SIRPα interaction. FVIO-mediated magnetic hyperthermia also induces immunogenic cell death and polarizes TAMs toward M1 phenotype. These changes collectively bolster the phagocytic ability of macrophages to eliminate tumor cells. Furthermore, FVIO-mediated magnetic hyperthermia concurrently escalates cytotoxic T lymphocyte levels and diminishes regulatory T cell levels. Our findings reveal that magnetic hyperthermia offers a novel approach for dual down-regulation of CD47 and SIRPα, reshaping the tumor microenvironment to stimulate immune responses, culminating in significant antitumor activity.

Lipid- and Polymer-Based Nanocarrier Platforms for Cancer Vaccine Delivery

Cancer immunotherapy has gained popularity in recent years in the search for effective treatment modalities for various malignancies, particularly those that are resistant to conventional chemo- and radiation therapy. Cancer vaccines target the cancer-immunity cycle by boosting the patient's own immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells, thus serving as both preventative and curative therapeutic tools. Among the different types of cancer vaccines, those based on nanotechnology have shown great promise in advancing the field of cancer immunotherapy. Lipid-based nanoparticles (NPs) have become the most advanced platforms for cancer vaccine delivery, but polymer-based NPs have also received considerable interest. This Review aims to provide an overview of the nanotechnology-enabled cancer vaccine landscape, focusing on recent advances in lipid- and polymer-based nanovaccines and their hybrid structures and discussing the challenges against the clinical translation of these important nanomedicines.

Stimuli-responsive hydrogel based on natural polymers for breast cancer

Aims: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women in both high- and low-resource settings. Conventional breast cancer therapies were inefficient and had low patient compliance. Stimuli-responsive hydrogels possessing similar physicochemical features as soft tissue facilitate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for breast cancer subtypes. Scope: Polysaccharides and polypeptides are major natural polymers with unique biocompatibility, biodegradability, and feasible modification approaches utilized frequently for hydrogel fabrication. Alternating the natural polymer-based hydrogel properties in response to external stimuli such as pH, temperature, light, ultrasonic, enzyme, glucose, magnetic, redox, and electric have provided great potential for the evolution of novel drug delivery systems (DDSs) and various advanced technologies in medical applications. Stimuli-responsive hydrogels are triggered by specific cancer tissue features, promote target delivery techniques, and modify release therapeutic agents at localized sites. This narrative review presented innovation in preparing and characterizing the most common stimuli-responsive natural polymer-based hydrogels for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in the breast cancer area. Conclusion: Stimuli-responsive hydrogels display bioinspiration products as DDSs for breast cancer subtypes, protect the shape of breast tissue, provide modified drug release, enhance therapeutic efficacy, and minimize chemotherapy agents' side effects. The potential benefits of smart natural polymer-based hydrogels make them an exciting area of practice for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.