Engineered Cell Membrane-Coated Nanoparticles: New Strategies in Glioma Targeted Therapy and Immune Modulation

ROS-Activated Nanohydrogel Scaffolds with Multi-Factors Controlled Release for Targeted Dual-Lineage Repair of Osteochondral Defects

Achieving self-healing for osteochondral defects caused by trauma, aging, or disease remains a significant challenge in clinical practice. It is an effective therapeutic strategy to construct gradient-biomimetic biomaterials that replicate the hierarchical structure and complex microenvironment of osteochondral tissues for dual-lineage regeneration of both cartilage and subchondral bone. Herein, ROS-activated nanohydrogels composite bilayer scaffolds with multi-factors controlled release are rationally designed using the combination of 3D printing and gelatin placeholder methods. The resulting nanohydrogel scaffolds exhibit micro-nano interconnected porous bilayer structure and soft-hard complex mechanical strength for facilitating 3D culture of BMSCs in vitro. More importantly, multi-stage continuous responses of anti-inflammation, chondrogenesis and osteogenesis, are effectively induced via the sequential release of multi-factors, including diclofenac sodium (DS), kartogenin (KGN) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), from ROS-activated nanohydrogel scaffolds, thereby improved dual-lineage regeneration of cartilage and subchondral bone tissue in the osteochondral defect model of SD rats. These findings suggest that ROS-activated nanohydrogel scaffolds with such specific soft-hard bilayer structure and sequential delivery of functional factors, provides a promising strategy in dual-lineage regeneration of osteochondral defects.

Exosomes in the Chemoresistance of Glioma: Key Point in Chemoresistance

Gliomas are the most ordinary primary virulent brain tumours and commonly used clinical treatments include tumour resection, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Although significant progress has been made in recent years in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for patients with high-grade gliomas, the prognosis for patients remains poor. Chemoresistance refers to the phenomenon of decreased sensitivity of tumour cells to drugs, resulting in reduced or ineffective drug efficacy, and is an important cause of failure of tumour chemotherapy. Exosomes, a type of extracellular vesicle, are secreted by cancer cells and various stromal cells in the tumour microenvironment (TME) and transfer their inclusions to cancer cells, increasing chemoresistance. Furthermore, depletion of exosomes reverses certain detrimental effects on tumour metabolism and restores sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. Here, we summarised the correlation between exosomes and resistance to chemotherapeutic agents in glioma patients, the mechanisms of action of exosomes involved in resistance and their clinical value. We aimed to afford new thoughts for research, clinical diagnosis and intervention in the mechanisms of chemoresistance in glioma patients.

Biomimetic Dendritic Cell-Based Nanovaccines for Reprogramming the Immune Microenvironment to Boost Tumor Immunotherapy

Although dendritic cell (DC)-mediated immunotherapies are effective options for immunotherapy, traditional DC vaccines are hampered by a variety of drawbacks such as insufficient antigen delivery, weak lymph node homing, and the risk of living cell transfusion. To address the above-mentioned issues, we developed a personalized DC-mimicking nanovaccine (HybridDC) that enhances antigen presentation and elicits effective antitumor immunity. The biomimetic nanovaccine contains cell membranes derived from genetically engineered DCs, and several cellular components are simultaneously anchored onto these membranes, including CC-chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7), tumor-associated antigenic (TAA) peptide/tumor-derived exosome (TEX), and relevant costimulatory molecules. Compared with previous vaccines, the HybridDC vaccine showed an increased ability to target lymphoid tissues and reshape the immune landscape in the tumor milieu. HybridDC demonstrated significant therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy in poorly immunogenic, orthotopic models of glioma. Furthermore, the HybridDC vaccine potentiates the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy, providing a potential combination strategy to maximize the efficacy of ICB. Specifically, HybridDC can induce long-term protective immunity in memory T cells. Overall, the HybridDC vaccine is a promising platform for personalized cancer vaccines and may offer a combinational modality to improve current immunotherapy.

Targeted blood-brain barrier penetration and precise imaging of infiltrative glioblastoma margins using hybrid cell membrane-coated ICG liposomes

Surgical resection remains the primary treatment modality for glioblastoma (GBM); however, the infiltrative nature of GBM margins complicates achieving complete tumor removal. Additionally, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) poses a formidable challenge to effective probe delivery, thereby hindering precise imaging-guided surgery. Here, we introduce hybrid cell membrane-coated indocyanine green (ICG) liposomes (HM-Lipo-ICG) as biomimetic near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes for targeted BBB penetration and accurate delineation of infiltrative GBM margins. HM-Lipo-ICG encapsulates clinically approved ICG within its core and utilizes a hybrid cell membrane exterior, enabling specific targeting and enhanced BBB permeation. Quantitative assessments demonstrate that HM-Lipo-ICG achieves BBB penetration efficiency 2.8 times higher than conventional ICG liposomes. Mechanistically, CD44 receptor-mediated endocytosis facilitates BBB translocation of HM-Lipo-ICG. Furthermore, HM-Lipo-ICG enables high-contrast NIR imaging, achieving a signal-to-background ratio of 6.5 in GBM regions of an orthotopic glioma mouse model, thereby improving tumor margin detection accuracy fourfold (84.4% vs. 22.7%) compared to conventional ICG liposomes. Application of HM-Lipo-ICG facilitates fluorescence-guided precision surgery, resulting in complete resection of GBM cells. This study underscores the potential of hybrid cell membrane-coated liposomal probes in precisely visualizing and treating infiltrative GBM margins.

Cell Membrane-Coated Nanoparticles for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Diseases

Dental, oral, and craniofacial diseases can substantially impact the quality of human life, thereby posing a serious public health concern. Although conventional therapies such as surgery have solved these problems largely, the prognosis of patients is not always satisfactory. Cell membrane-coated nanoparticles (CMCNPs) carry nanodrugs with the help of natural cell membranes, therefore utilizing their remarkable ability to interface and interact with their surrounding environment. These nanoparticles have demonstrated substantial advantages in drug targeting, prolonging blood circulation time, penetrating biofilms, and immune escape. With the assistance of CMCNPs, the therapeutic effects of dental, oral, and craniofacial diseases can reach a higher level. CMCNPs have been applied for dental, oral, and craniofacial diseases for various conditions such as head and neck cancer, periodontal disease, and oral biosignal detection. For the therapies of head and neck cancer, CMCNPs have been widely utilized as a tool of chemotherapy, phototherapy, and immunotherapy, while yet to be exploited in imaging technique. In the end, we summarized the challenges and prospectives of CMCNPs for dental, oral, and craniofacial diseases: large-scale production with uniform standards and high quantity, extensive application directions in dental, oral, and craniofacial regions (implant, endodontics), and the promotion of its clinical application.

Biomimetic Nucleic Acid Drug Delivery Systems for Relieving Tumor Immunosuppressive Microenvironment

Immunotherapy combats tumors by enhancing the body's immune surveillance and clearance of tumor cells. Various nucleic acid drugs can be used in immunotherapy, such as DNA expressing cytokines, mRNA tumor vaccines, small interfering RNAs (siRNA) knocking down immunosuppressive molecules, and oligonucleotides that can be used as immune adjuvants. Nucleic acid drugs, which are prone to nuclease degradation in the circulation and find it difficult to enter the target cells, typically necessitate developing appropriate vectors for effective in vivo delivery. Biomimetic drug delivery systems, derived from viruses, bacteria, and cells, can protect the cargos from degradation and clearance, and deliver them to the target cells to ensure safety. Moreover, they can activate the immune system through their endogenous activities and active components, thereby improving the efficacy of antitumor immunotherapeutic nucleic acid drugs. In this review, biomimetic nucleic acid delivery systems for relieving a tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment are introduced. Their immune activation mechanisms, including upregulating the proinflammatory cytokines, serving as tumor vaccines, inhibiting immune checkpoints, and modulating intratumoral immune cells, are elaborated. The advantages and disadvantages, as well as possible directions for their clinical translation, are summarized at last.