Leveraging self-assembled nanobiomaterials for improved cancer immunotherapy

Self-Assembled systems for Nose-to-Brain delivery of Temozolamide (TMZ) in brain tumor therapy

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive and highly invasive primary brain tumor with poor prognosis and resistance to conventional therapies. The therapeutic efficacy of existing treatments is significantly hampered by the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), tumor heterogeneity, and intrinsic drug resistance mechanisms. Temozolomide (TMZ), the standard chemotherapeutic agent for GBM, suffers from low bioavailability, rapid systemic clearance, and enzymatic degradation, limiting its clinical success. This review highlights the potential of self-assembled nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems for enhancing the therapeutic index of TMZ through intranasal administration, which provides a direct and non-invasive route to the brain, circumventing the BBB and improving central nervous system (CNS) drug bioavailability. Self-assembled systems are highly customizable, allowing for precise control over particle size, surface charge, and release profiles, which can be tailored to improve the penetration and retention of TMZ in the brain. We comprehensively discuss recent advancements in polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, niosomes, and solid lipid nanoparticles, emphasizing their physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, and mechanisms of targeted drug release. Additionally, we explore molecular and oxidative stress-related pathways contributing to GBM progression and TMZ resistance. Emerging research suggests that nanocarrier-based intranasal delivery of TMZ enhances drug stability, prolongs brain retention time, and minimizes systemic toxicity, offering a promising avenue for improving GBM treatment outcomes.

An Energy Metabolism Nanoblocker for Cutting Tumor Cell Respiration and Inhibiting Mitochondrial Hijacking from Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte

Energy metabolism modulation emerges as a highly regarded strategy for tumor therapy. However, the efficacy of targeting energy metabolism in tumor cells remains unsatisfactory due to the alternate energy production pathways by switching between mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis. In addition, tumor cells can hijack mitochondria from peripheral immune cells to maintain their energy metabolism as an extra respiratory pathway. In this study, a CD44 receptor-targeted hyaluronic acid energy metabolism nanoblocker is developed to achieve bidirectional blockade of basal respiration in tumor cells with the loaded mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) inhibitor nebivolol hydrochloride, and the glycolysis inhibitor 3-bromopyruvate. Furthermore, combined intraperitoneal injection of L-778123 hydrochloride inhibits mitochondrial transfer, thus blocking the extra respiratory pathway of tumor cells and the depletion of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. This emerging strategy, which involves depleting tumor cell energy through inhibition of basal respiration (OXPHOS/glycolysis) and extra respiration, while synergistically enhancing effector immune cells to maintain systemic anti-tumor immune effects, demonstrates high efficacy and safety in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. It provides a conceptual paradigm shift in nanomedicine-mediated energy metabolism-based tumor therapy.

Injectable celastrol-loading emulsion hydrogel for immunotherapy of low-immunogenic cancer

Immunotherapy, exemplified by immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), has been extensively employed in antitumor treatments. Nevertheless, its efficacy in addressing low-immunogenic tumors has not yielded satisfactory results, primarily due to the depletion and inadequate infiltration of effector T cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we construct an injectable water-in-oil emulsion hydrogel to load clinically used Celastrol (Gel@Cel), which addresses the limitations of Cel's hydrophobicity. Cel can both inhibit tumor cell proliferation and promote tumor cell apoptosis, while simultaneously inducing immunogenic cell death, through activation of the AKT and MAPK pathways. In a model of clinically refractory hepatocellular carcinoma with malignant ascites, intraperitoneal administration of Gel@Cel significantly inhibits tumor progression and activates antitumor immune effects through lipase-controlled release of Cel, as compared to free Cel. Intriguingly, the Gel@Cel induces the activation of dendritic cells, resulting in the infiltration of cytotoxic T cells in the TME of ascites. Furthermore, the administration of Cel increases the expression of programmed cell death protein ligand-1 (PD-L1) in tumor cells. Moreover, combining the PD-1 antibody (αPD-1) with Gel@Cel further enhances the antitumor effect and amplifies the immune activation. In conclusion, Gel@Cel exhibits promising therapeutic potential in the treatment of low-immunogenic tumors, especially when combined with ICB therapy.

Insights into Non-Metallic Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents: Advances and Perspectives

Traditional metal-based magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents (MRI CAs), such as gadolinium, iron, and manganese, have made significant advancements in diagnosing major diseases. However, their potential toxicity due to long-term accumulation in the brain and bones raises safety concerns. In contrast, non-metallic MRI CAs, which can produce a nuclear magnetic resonance effect, show great promise in MRI applications due to their adaptable structure and function, good biocompatibility, and excellent biodegradability. Nevertheless, the development of non-metallic MRI CAs is slow due to the inherent low magnetic sensitivity of organic compounds, their rapid metabolism, and susceptibility to reduction. Designing effective multifunctional organic compounds for high-sensitivity MRI remains a challenge. In this discussion, the mechanisms of various non-metallic MRI CAs are explored and an overview of their current status, highlighting both their advantages and potential drawbacks, is provided. The key strategies for creating high-performance MRI CAs are summarized and how different synthetic approaches affect the performance of non-metallic MRI Cas is evaluated. Last, the challenges and future prospects for these promising non-metallic MRI CAs are addressed.

Utilizing Nanoparticles to Overcome Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 Immunotherapy Resistance in Non-Small Cell Lung cancer: A Potential Strategy

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) constituting 85% of cases. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represented by anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/ programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) have emerged as a promising frontier in cancer treatment, effectively extending the survival of patients with NSCLC. However, the efficacy of ICIs exhibits significant variability across diverse patient populations, with a substantial proportion showing poor responsiveness and acquired resistance in those initially responsive to ICIs treatments. With the advancement of nanotechnology, nanoparticles offer unique advantages in tumor immunotherapy, including high permeability and prolonged retention(EPR) effects, enhanced drug delivery and stability, and modulation of the inflammatory tumor microenvironment(TME). This review summarizes the mechanisms of resistance to ICIs in NSCLC, focusing on tumor antigens loss and defective antigen processing and presentation, failure T cell priming, impaired T cell migration and infiltration, immunosuppressive TME, and genetic mutations. Furthermore, we discuss how nanoparticles, through their intrinsic properties such as the EPR effect, active targeting effect, shielding effect, self-regulatory effect, and synergistic effect, can potentiate the efficacy of ICIs and reverse resistance. In conclusion, nanoparticles serve as a robust platform for ICIs-based NSCLC therapy, aiding in overcoming resistance challenges.

Application of nanoparticles with activating STING pathway function in tumor synergistic therapy

Although immunotherapy is currently one of the most promising methods for cancer treatment, its clinical application is limited due to issues such as excessive autoimmune responses and lack of specificity. Therefore, there is a need to improve immunotherapy by integrating emerging medical technologies with traditional treatments. The activation of the cGAS-STING pathway plays a crucial role in innate immunity and antiviral defense, making it highly promising for immunotherapy and attracting significant attention. In recent years, research on nanomaterials and immunotherapy has achieved groundbreaking progress in the medical field. Due to their unique size, shape, stiffness, surface effects, and quantum size effects, nanomaterials can either carry STING activators or directly activate the STING pathway, offering new opportunities for tumor-specific immunotherapy. These unique advantages of nanomaterials have opened up broader prospects for nanoparticle-based therapies targeting the STING pathway. This paper summarizes the current research on utilizing nanomaterials to activate the STING pathway, detailing the characteristics, classifications, and different approaches for targeting tumor cells. Additionally, it focuses on the latest advancements in combined nanotherapies based on cGAS-STING pathway activation, including the integration of nanomaterial-mediated STING pathway activation with immunotherapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and photodynamic therapy. This provides new ideas for nanoparticle-based combination therapies involving the STING pathway.

The allogenic non-proteinogenic amino acid BMAA-based vaccine breaks up the immune tolerance against colorectal cancer

The fundamental issue in immunotherapy is the lack of tumor-specific antigens in most types of tumors, leading to immune tolerance. For approximately 85% of patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC), the absence of tumor neoantigens results in poor immunotherapy efficacy. Our previous study demonstrated that the misincorporation of non-proteinogenic proline (Pro) analog azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (AZE) could generate mutated proteins that significantly enhance tumor cell antigenicity and anti-tumor immune responses. Methods: To activate more specific anti-tumor immune responses with fewer side effects, we utilized the non-proteinogenic serine (Ser) analog β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), which can be misincorporated into proteins as a Ser substitute by seryl tRNA synthetase at an appropriate rate. BMAA misincorporated neoantigens were detected using mass spectrometry (MS), and cancer cell-enriched peptides with high antigenicity were selected in a murine CRC model for the preparation of BMAA-based self-assembling nanoparticles (SAN). Single-cell sequencing was performed to analyze immune responses induced by SAN vaccination combined with a toll-like receptor 7 agonist (TLRa) adjuvant and BMAA treatment. Results: SAN-TLRa vaccination with BMAA treatment induced an anti-tumor immune microenvironment. This combination stimulated the generation of specific CD8+ T cells and IgG targeting BMAA misincorporated neoepitopes, ultimately promoting immune activation, tumor suppression, and prolonged survival in the CRC murine model. Additionally, BMAA combined with SAN vaccine significantly enhanced the efficacy of the immune checkpoint inhibitor anti-PD-1 antibody. Conclusion: Our findings provide a promising strategy for artificially introducing neoantigens using BMAA, which can break immune tolerance without disrupting systemic immune balance. This approach offers novel avenues for CRC immunotherapy.

A promising role of noble metal NPs@MOFs in chondrosarcoma management

Chondrosarcoma, a challenging and malignant neoplasm originating from cartilage cells, poses significant diagnostic and therapeutic hurdles due to its resistance to conventional treatments and the complexity of its diagnosis. Noble metal nanoparticle-embedded metal-organic frameworks (NPs@MOFs) stand out as a novel approach for the diagnosis and treatment of chondrosarcoma. This review delves into the properties and applications of NPs@MOFs, focusing on their classification by noble metal type and their role in enhancing photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), targeted drug delivery and chondrosarcoma diagnosis. Despite promising in vitro and in vivo results, challenges such as understanding the mechanisms of action and clinical translation remain, and the therapeutic effect of PTT and PDT on deep chondrosarcoma seems unsatisfactory. Future exploration, such as combined therapy and multiple MOF therapy, could unlock the full potential of noble metal NPs@MOFs in revolutionizing chondrosarcoma management, offering insights into the prospect of these materials in chondrosarcoma management.

Influencing inter-cellular junctions with nanomaterials

Cell-cell junctions are essential for maintaining tissue integrity and regulating a wide range of physiological processes. While the disruption of intercellular junctions may lead to pathological conditions, it also presents an opportunity for therapeutic interventions. Nanomaterials have emerged as promising tools for modulating cell-cell junctions, offering new avenues for innovative treatments. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the various nanomaterials interaction with cell-cell junctions. We discussed their underlying mechanisms, heterogenous effects on cellular behavior, and the therapeutic strategies of applying nanomaterial-induced intercellular junction disruption. Additionally, we address the challenges and opportunities involved in translating these strategies into clinical practice and discuss future directions for this rapidly advancing field.

Biometallic ions and derivatives: a new direction for cancer immunotherapy

Biometallic ions play a crucial role in regulating the immune system. In recent years, cancer immunotherapy has become a breakthrough in cancer treatment, achieving good efficacy in a wide range of cancers with its specificity and durability advantages. However, existing therapies still face challenges, such as immune tolerance and immune escape. Biometallic ions (e.g. zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese, etc.) can assist in enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy through the activation of immune cells, enhancement of tumor antigen presentation, and improvement of the tumor microenvironment. In addition, biometallic ions and derivatives can directly inhibit tumor cell progression and offer the possibility of effectively overcoming the limitations of current cancer immunotherapy by promoting immune responses and reducing immunosuppressive signals. This review explores the role and potential application prospects of biometallic ions in cancer immunotherapy, providing new ideas for future clinical application of metal ions as part of cancer immunotherapy and helping to guide the development of more effective and safe therapeutic regimens.

Advances in Pure Drug Self-Assembled Nanosystems: A Novel Strategy for Combined Cancer Therapy

Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems hold great promise for improving the effectiveness of anti-tumor therapies. However, their clinical translation remains hindered by several significant challenges, including intricate preparation processes, limited drug loading capacity, and concerns regarding potential toxicity. In this context, pure drug-assembled nanosystems (PDANSs) have emerged as a promising alternative, attracting extensive research interest due to their simple preparation methods, high drug loading efficiency, and suitability for large-scale industrial production. This innovative approach presents new opportunities to enhance both the safety and therapeutic efficacy of cancer treatments. This review comprehensively explores recent progress in the application of PDANSs for cancer therapy. It begins by detailing the self-assembly mechanisms and fundamental principles underlying PDANS formation. The discussion then advances to strategies for assembling single pure drug nanoparticles, as well as the co-assembly of multiple drugs. Subsequently, the review addresses the therapeutic potential of PDANSs in combination treatment modalities, encompassing diagnostic and therapeutic applications. These include combinations of chemotherapeutic agents, phototherapeutic approaches, the integration of chemotherapy with phototherapy, and the synergistic use of immunotherapy with other treatment methods. Finally, the review highlights the potential of PDANSs in advancing tumor therapy and their prospects for clinical application, providing key insights for future research aimed at optimizing this technology and broadening its utility in cancer treatment.

Targeted Drug Nanodelivery and Immunotherapy for Combating Tumor Resistance

Chemotherapy resistance is a common cause of tumor treatment failure. Various molecular responses, such as increased expression of efflux transporter proteins, including Pglycoprotein (P-gp), changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME), the role of platelets, and the effects of cancer stem cells (CSCs), can lead to drug resistance. Through extensive research on the mechanisms of drug resistance, more effective anti-resistance drugs and therapeutic approaches are being developed. This review explores drug resistance mechanisms and summarizes relevant anti-resistance drugs. In addition, due to the therapeutic limitations of the aforementioned treatments, new advances in nanocarrier-based combination immunotherapy to address the challenge of drug resistance have been described. Nanocarriers combined with immunotherapy can not only target tumor sites for targeted drug release but also modulate the autoimmune system and enhance immune efficacy, thereby overcoming tumor drug resistance. This review suggests new strategies for overcoming tumor drug resistance and is expected to inform tumor treatment and prognosis.

Combination Nanodrug Delivery Systems Facilitate the Syncretism of Chemotherapy with Immunotherapy to Promote Cancer Treatment

Cancer has emerged as a significant threat that gravely endanger human health. Anti-tumor immunotherapy has now emerged as an important treatment for cancer. However, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment limits the antitumor immunity. The importance of the immune system in the cancer treatment process must be emphasized. Herein, two precision-targeted nanoparticles PD-L1@Cur-NPs and PD-1@AS-NPs are constructed for cancer treatment. PD-L1@Cur-NPs can precisely target tumor cells in vivo to eradicate tumor cells or induce them apoptosis. PD-1@AS-NPs can precisely target T cells in vivo to activate the T cell-mediated immune system and induce antitumor immune responses. Furthermore, these two nanoparticles have good synergistic effect and show stronger antitumor effect after combination. After treatment with the combination of two nanoparticles, the tumor volumes of C57BL/6 tumor-bearing mice are significantly reduced. Moreover, the percentage of CD8+T cells and CD4+T cells in the tumor significantly increased, and the percentage of regulatory T cells significantly decreased. The percentage of memory T cells and memory effector T cells in the spleen also significantly increased after treatment, suggesting that the antitumor immunity is activated after treatment. This study provides a new antitumor treatment strategy combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which has good application prospect.

Erythrocyte-Based Biomimetic MOFs as a Triple Epigenetic Regulator for Enhancing Anti-Leukemia Immunity

While therapeutic strategies targeting epigenetic dysregulation hold promise for leukemia, epigenetic drugs face several limitations, including low utilization rates, the emergence of resistance, and off-target effects. The hypoxic microenvironment in leukemia further impairs drug sensitivity. Here, we synthesized an MOF-based erythrocyte biomimetic nanoplatform to enhance immune responses against leukemia by targeting three epigenetic modifications. UiO-66-NH2 was loaded with two epigenetic drugs, along with oxygen-rich erythrocytes (red blood cells, RBCs). MA272@MOF@RBC suppressed hypoxia-induced factor (HIF-1α) and its downstream oncogenes, thereby enhancing the efficacy of the epigenetic drugs. The drugs inhibited the growth of leukemia cells by targeting DNA and histone methylation while enhancing m6A-RNA methylation. MA272@MOF@RBC activated cytotoxic and memory T cells by increasing the antigenicity of leukemia cells. MA272@MOF@RBC also demonstrated immunotherapeutic effects on solid tumors. This was the first study to report the synthesis of triple epigenetic regulatory biomimetic MOFs with significant clinical potential for tumor immunotherapy.

pH-Activatable Molecular Probe for COX-2 Imaging in Human Oral Squamous Carcinoma Cells and Patient-Derived Tissues

For developing a successful cancer therapeutic modality, the early precise detection of cancer cells in patient biopsies in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is crucial. This could help researchers create new diagnostic and therapeutic tools and assist clinicians in recommending more effective treatment plans and improving patient survival. We have developed an SMPD, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) targeting pH-activable fluorophore named CNP, combining a potent COX-2 inhibitor, celecoxib, linked to a naphthalimide fluorophore with an acidic microenvironment-responsive piperazine moiety for specific optical imaging of OSCC in cells and patient tissues. Compared to reference probe RNP lacking celecoxib, CNP selectively enters the COX-2 overexpressing oral cancer cells. Its acidity-responsive imaging response enhances selectivity over cancers with lower COX-2 expression levels and normal cells. Further, CNP is demonstrated in imaging OSCC cells in patient-derived biopsies. Thus, multifunctional CNP shows potential in exploring more reagents for fluorescence-based detection of OSCC cells in patient tissues with translational applications.

Triggering immunogenic death of cancer cells by nanoparticles overcomes immunotherapy resistance

Immunotherapy resistance poses a significant challenge in oncology, necessitating novel strategies to enhance the therapeutic efficacy. Immunogenic cell death (ICD), including necroptosis, pyroptosis and ferroptosis, triggers the release of tumor-associated antigens and numerous bioactive molecules. This release can potentiate a host immune response, thereby overcoming resistance to immunotherapy. Nanoparticles (NPs) with their biocompatible and immunomodulatory properties, are emerging as promising vehicles for the delivery of ICD-inducing agents and immune-stimulatory adjuvants to enhance immune cells tumoral infiltration and augment immunotherapy efficacy. This review explores the mechanisms underlying immunotherapy resistance, and offers an in-depth examination of ICD, including its principles and diverse modalities of cell death that contribute to it. We also provide a thorough overview of how NPs are being utilized to trigger ICD and bolster antitumor immunity. Lastly, we highlight the potential of NPs in combination with immunotherapy to revolutionize cancer treatment.

Innate immunity-modulating nanobiomaterials for controlling inflammation resolution

The acute inflammatory response is an inherent protective mechanism, its unsuccessful resolution can contribute to disease pathogenesis and potentially lead to death. Innate immune cells are the first line of host defenders and play a substantial role in inflammation initiation, amplification, resolution, or subsequent disease progression. As the resolution of inflammation is an active and highly regulated process, modulating innate immune cells, including neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages, and endothelial cells, and their interactions offer opportunities to control excessive inflammation. Nanobiomaterials have shown superior therapeutic potential in inflammation-related diseases by manipulating inflammatory responses because nanobiomaterials can target and interact with innate immune cells. Versatile nanobiomaterials can be designed for targeted modulation of specific innate immune responses. Nanopro-resolving medicines have been prepared both with pro-resolving lipid mediators and peptides each demonstrated to active resolution of inflammation in animal disease models. Here, we review innovative nanobiomaterials for modulating innate immunity and alleviating inflammation. We summarise the strategies converging the design of nanobiomaterials and the nano-bio interaction in modulating innate immune profiles and propelling the advancement of nanobiomaterials for inflammatory disease treatments. We also propose the future perspectives and translational challenges of nanobiomaterials that need to be overcome in this swiftly rising field.

Recent advances of self-assembled nanoparticles in the diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis remains a significant global health challenge, with its related conditions as the leading cause of death, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Recently, self-assembled nanoparticles (SANPs) have shown remarkable promise in treating atherosclerosis, attributed to their superior bioavailability, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and ease of functional modification. Numerous SANP variants, such as DNA origami, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), nanozymes, peptide-based nanoparticles, and self-assembled prodrug nanoparticles, have been engineered, extending their utility in targeted drug delivery and imaging. Advances in fabrication technologies, including microfluidic techniques, allow for precise and scalable SANP production, while innovative nanoparticle designs-such as stimuli-responsive and carrier-free variants-enhance pharmacokinetic properties. The deployment of SANPs in atherosclerosis has introduced a range of diagnostic and therapeutic solutions, from non-invasive imaging and stimuli-responsive drug delivery to vaccination, theranostics, and biosensing. This review consolidates the recent progress in SANP applications for atherosclerosis, emphasizing their transformative potential in disease management.

Phase-Separated Nano-Antibiotics Enhanced Survival in Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Sepsis by Precise Periplasmic EcDsbA Targeting

Disulfide bond (Dsb) proteins, especially DsbA, represent a promising but as-yet-unrealized target in combating multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria because their precise subcellular targeting through multibarrier remains a significant challenge. Here, a novel heterogenization-phase-separated nano-antibiotics (NCefoTs) is proposed, through the co-assembly of enzyme-inhibiting lipopeptides (ELp component), membrane-recognizing and disrupting lipopeptides (MLp component), and cefoperazone. The self-sorting components of MLp "concentrated island-liked clusters" on the surface of NCefoTs promote the efficient penetration of NCefoTs through the outer membrane. Triggered by the DsbA, the precisely spatiotemporal engineered NCefoTs transform to nanofibers in situ and further significantly enhance the inhibition of DsbA. The hydrolytic activity of β-lactamase and the motility function of flagella are thereby impeded, confirming the efficacy of NCefoTs in restoring susceptibility to antibiotics and inhibiting infection dissemination. By these synergistic effects of NCefoTs, the minimum inhibitory concentration of antibiotics decreases from over 300 µM to 1.56 µM for clinically isolated E. coli MDR. The survival rate of sepsis-inflicted mice is significantly enhanced from 0% to 92% upon encapsulation of cefoperazone in NCefoTs, which rapidly eliminates invading pathogens and mitigates inflammation. The universally applicable delivery system, based on an "on demands" strategy, presents a promising prospect for undruggable antibiotic targets in the periplasm to combat MDR bacteria.

Biomaterial-Mediated Metabolic Regulation of Ferroptosis for Cancer Immunotherapy

Ferroptosis is a lipid peroxidation-driven cell death route and has attracted enormous interest for cancer therapy. Distinct from other forms of regulated cell death, its process is involved with multiple metabolic pathways including lipids, bioenergetics, iron, and so on, which influence cancer cell ferroptosis sensitivity and communication with the immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Development of novel technologies for harnessing the ferroptosis-associated metabolic regulatory network would profoundly improve our understanding of the immune responses and enhance the efficacy of ferroptosis-dependent immunotherapy. Interestingly, the recent advances in bio-derived material-based therapeutic platforms offer novel opportunities to therapeutically modulate tumor metabolism through the in situ delivery of molecular or material cues, which not only allows the tumor-specific elicitation of ferroptosis but also holds promise to maximize their immunostimulatory impact. In this review, we will first dissect the crosstalk between tumor metabolism and ferroptosis and its impact on the immune regulation in the tumor microenvironment, followed by the comprehensive analysis on the recent progress in biomaterial-based metabolic regulatory strategies for evoking ferroptosis-mediated antitumor immunity. A perspective section is also provided to discuss the challenges in metabolism-regulating biomaterials for ferroptosis-immunotherapy. We envision that this review may provide new insights for improving tumor immunotherapeutic efficacy in the clinic.

Precise Clearance of Intracellular MRSA via Internally and Externally Mediated Bioorthogonal Activation of Micro/Nano Hydrogel Microspheres

Traditional high-dose antibiotic treatments of intracellular methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are highly inefficient and associated with a high rate of infection relapse. As an effective antibacterial technology, sonodynamic therapy (SDT) may be able to break the dilemma. However, indiscriminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) release leads to potential side effects. This study incorporates Staphylococcal Protein A antibody-modified Cu2+/tetracarboxyphenylporphyrin nanoparticles (Cu(II)NS-SPA) into hydrogel microspheres (HAMA@Cu(II)NS-SPA) to achieve precise eradication of intracellular bacteria. This eradication is under bioorthogonal activation mediated by bacillithiol (BSH) (internally) and ultrasound (US) (externally). To specify, the US responsiveness of Cu(II)NS-SPA is restored when it is reduced to Cu(I)NS-SPA by the BSH secreted characteristically by intracellular MRSA, thus forming a bioorthogonal activation with the external US, which confines ROS production within the infected MΦ. Under external US activation at 2 W cm-2, over 95% of intracellular MRSA can be cleared. In vivo, a single injection of HAMA@Cu(II)NS-SPA achieves up to two weeks of antibacterial sonodynamic therapy, reducing pro-inflammatory factor expression by 90%, and peri-implant bone trabeculae numbers exceed the control group by five times. In summary, these micro/nano hydrogel microspheres mediated by internal and external bioorthogonal activation can precisely eliminate intracellular MRSA, effectively treating multi-drug resistant intracellular bacterial infections.

Resveratrol suppresses liver cancer progression by downregulating AKR1C3: targeting HCC with HSA nanomaterial as a carrier to enhance therapeutic efficacy

The enzyme AKR1C3 plays a crucial role in hormone and drug metabolism and is associated with abnormal expression in liver cancer, leading to tumor progression and poor prognosis. Nanoparticles modified with HSA can modulate the tumor microenvironment by enhancing photodynamic therapy to induce apoptosis in tumor cells and alleviate hypoxia. Therefore, exploring the potential regulatory mechanisms of resveratrol on AKR1C3 through the construction of HSA-RSV NPs carriers holds significant theoretical and clinical implications for the treatment of liver cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the targeted regulation of AKR1C3 expression through the loading of resveratrol (RSV) on nanomaterials HSA-RSV NPs (Nanoparticles) in order to alleviate tumor hypoxia and inhibit the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to explore its molecular mechanism. PubChem database and PharmMapper server were used to screen the target genes of RSV. HCC-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed through the GEO dataset, and relevant genes were retrieved from the GeneCards database, resulting in the intersection of the three to obtain candidate DEGs. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed on the candidate DEGs to analyze the potential cellular functions and molecular signaling pathways affected by the main target genes. The cytohubba plugin was used to screen the top 10 target genes ranked by Degree and further intersected the results of LASSO and Random Forest (RF) to obtain hub genes. The expression analysis of hub genes and the prediction of malignant tumor prognosis were conducted. Furthermore, a pharmacophore model was constructed using PharmMapper. Molecular docking simulations were performed using AutoDockTools 1.5.6 software, and ROC curve analysis was performed to determine the core target. In vitro cell experiments were carried out by selecting appropriate HCC cell lines, treating HCC cells with different concentrations of RSV, or silencing or overexpressing AKR1C3 using lentivirus. CCK-8, clone formation, flow cytometry, scratch experiment, and Transwell were used to measure cancer cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis, respectively. Cellular oxygen consumption rate was analyzed using the Seahorse XF24 analyzer. HSA-RSV NPs were prepared, and their characterization and cytotoxicity were evaluated. The biological functional changes of HCC cells after treatment were detected. An HCC subcutaneous xenograft model was established in mice using HepG2 cell lines. HSA-RSV NPs were injected via the tail vein, with a control group set, to observe changes in tumor growth, tumor targeting of NPs, and biological safety. TUNEL, Ki67, and APC-hypoxia probe staining were performed on excised tumor tissue to detect tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, and hypoxia. Lentivirus was used to silence or overexpress AKR1C3 simultaneously with the injection of HSA-RSV NPs via the tail vein to assess the impact of AKR1C3 on the regulation of HSA-RSV NPs in HCC progression. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that AKR1C3 is an important target gene involved in the regulation of HCC by RSV, which is associated with the prognosis of HCC patients and upregulated in expression. In vitro cell experiments showed that RSV significantly inhibits the respiratory metabolism of HCC cells, suppressing their proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoting apoptosis. Silencing AKR1C3 further enhances the toxicity of RSV towards HCC cells. The characterization and cytotoxicity experiments of nanomaterials demonstrated the successful construction of HSA-RSV NPs, which exhibited stronger inhibitory effects on HCC cells. In vivo, animal experiments further confirmed that targeted downregulation of AKR1C3 by HSA-RSV NPs suppresses the progression of HCC and tumor hypoxia while exhibiting tumor targeting and biological safety. Targeted downregulation of AKR1C3 by HSA-RSV NPs can alleviate HCC tumor hypoxia and inhibit the progression of HCC.

The Application of Nanoparticle-Based Imaging and Phototherapy for Female Reproductive Organs Diseases

Various female reproductive disorders affect millions of women worldwide and bring many troubles to women's daily life. Let alone, gynecological cancer (such as ovarian cancer and cervical cancer) is a severe threat to most women's lives. Endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and other chronic diseases-induced pain have significantly harmed women's physical and mental health. Despite recent advances in the female reproductive field, the existing challenges are still enormous such as personalization of disease, difficulty in diagnosing early cancers, antibiotic resistance in infectious diseases, etc. To confront such challenges, nanoparticle-based imaging tools and phototherapies that offer minimally invasive detection and treatment of reproductive tract-associated pathologies are indispensable and innovative. Of late, several clinical trials have also been conducted using nanoparticles for the early detection of female reproductive tract infections and cancers, targeted drug delivery, and cellular therapeutics. However, these nanoparticle trials are still nascent due to the body's delicate and complex female reproductive system. The present review comprehensively focuses on emerging nanoparticle-based imaging and phototherapies applications, which hold enormous promise for improved early diagnosis and effective treatments of various female reproductive organ diseases.

pH-sensitive and redox-responsive poly(tetraethylene glycol) nanoparticle-based platform for cancer treatment

Effective drug delivery with precise tumour targeting is crucial for cancer treatment. To address the challenges posed by the specificity and complexity of the tumour microenvironment, we developed a poly(tetraethylene glycol)-based disulfide nanoparticle (NP) platform and explored its potential in cancer treatment, focusing on drug loading and controlled release performance. Poly(tetraethylene glycol) NPs were characterised using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Additionally, we evaluated physicochemical properties, including dynamic light scattering, zeta potential analysis, drug loading capacity (DLC), and drug loading efficiency (DLE). The impact of NPs on the mouse colorectal cancer cell line (CT26) and NIH3T3 cells was assessed using a cytotoxicity assay, live/dead staining assay, flow cytometry, and confocal fluorescence microscopy. The experimental results align with the expected chemical structure and physicochemical properties of poly(tetraethylene glycol) NPs. These NPs exhibit high DLE (78.7%) and DLC (12%), with minimal changes in particle size over time in different media.In vitroexperiments revealed that the NPs can induce significant cytotoxicity and apoptosis in CT26 cells. Cellular uptake notably increases with increasing concentration and exposure time. The confocal microscopic analysis confirmed the effective distribution and accumulation of NPs within cells. In conclusion, poly(tetraethylene glycol) NPs hold promise for improving drug-delivery efficiency, offering potential advancements in cancer treatment.

Biomaterials with cancer cell-specific cytotoxicity: challenges and perspectives

Significant advances have been made in materials for biomedical applications, including tissue engineering, bioimaging, cancer treatment, etc. In the past few decades, nanostructure-mediated therapeutic strategies have been developed to improve drug delivery, targeted therapy, and diagnosis, maximizing therapeutic effectiveness while reducing systemic toxicity and side effects by exploiting the complicated interactions between the materials and the cell and tissue microenvironments. This review briefly introduces the differences between the cells and tissues of tumour or normal cells. We summarize recent advances in tumour microenvironment-mediated therapeutic strategies using nanostructured materials. We then comprehensively discuss strategies for fabricating nanostructures with cancer cell-specific cytotoxicity by precisely controlling their composition, particle size, shape, structure, surface functionalization, and external energy stimulation. Finally, we present perspectives on the challenges and future opportunities of nanotechnology-based toxicity strategies in tumour therapy.

Stimuli-Responsive Polymersomes: Reshaping the Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment

The progression of cancer involves mutations in normal cells, leading to uncontrolled division and tissue destruction, highlighting the complexity of tumor microenvironments (TMEs). Immunotherapy has emerged as a transformative approach, yet the balance between efficacy and safety remains a challenge. Nanoparticles such as polymersomes offer the possibility to precisely target tumors, deliver drugs in a controlled way, effectively modulate the antitumor immunity, and notably reduce side effects. Herein, stimuli-responsive polymersomes, with capabilities for carrying multiple therapeutics, are highlighted for their potential in enhancing antitumor immunity through mechanisms like inducing immunogenic cell death and activating STING (stimulator of interferon genes), etc. The recent progress of utilizing stimuli-responsive polymersomes to reshape the TME is reviewed here. The advantages and limitations to applied stimuli-responsive polymersomes are outlined. Additionally, challenges and future prospects in leveraging polymersomes for cancer therapy are discussed, emphasizing the need for future research and clinical translation.

Engineered nanoparticles for precise targeted drug delivery and enhanced therapeutic efficacy in cancer immunotherapy

The advent of cancer immunotherapy has imparted a transformative impact on cancer treatment paradigms by harnessing the power of the immune system. However, the challenge of practical and precise targeting of malignant cells persists. To address this, engineered nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a promising solution for enhancing targeted drug delivery in immunotherapeutic interventions, owing to their small size, low immunogenicity, and ease of surface modification. This comprehensive review delves into contemporary research at the nexus of NP engineering and immunotherapy, encompassing an extensive spectrum of NP morphologies and strategies tailored toward optimizing tumor targeting and augmenting therapeutic effectiveness. Moreover, it underscores the mechanisms that NPs leverage to bypass the numerous obstacles encountered in immunotherapeutic regimens and probes into the combined potential of NPs when co-administered with both established and novel immunotherapeutic modalities. Finally, the review evaluates the existing limitations of NPs as drug delivery platforms in immunotherapy, which could shape the path for future advancements in this promising field.

Nanomaterial-assisted oncolytic bacteria in solid tumor diagnosis and therapeutics

Cancer presents a formidable challenge in modern medicine due to the intratumoral heterogeneity and the dynamic microenvironmental niche. Natural or genetically engineered oncolytic bacteria have always been hailed by scientists for their intrinsic tumor-targeting and oncolytic capacities. However, the immunogenicity and low toxicity inevitably constrain their application in clinical practice. When nanomaterials, characterized by distinctive physicochemical properties, are integrated with oncolytic bacteria, they achieve mutually complementary advantages and construct efficient and safe nanobiohybrids. In this review, we initially analyze the merits and drawbacks of conventional tumor therapeutic approaches, followed by a detailed examination of the precise oncolysis mechanisms employed by oncolytic bacteria. Subsequently, we focus on harnessing nanomaterial-assisted oncolytic bacteria (NAOB) to augment the effectiveness of tumor therapy and utilizing them as nanotheranostic agents for imaging-guided tumor treatment. Finally, by summarizing and analyzing the current deficiencies of NAOB, this review provides some innovative directions for developing nanobiohybrids, intending to infuse novel research concepts into the realm of solid tumor therapy.

Therapeutic expression of RAS Degrader RRSP in Pancreatic Cancer via Nanocarrier-mediated mRNA delivery

About one-third of all human cancers encode abnormal RAS proteins locked in a constitutively activated state to drive malignant transformation and uncontrolled tumor growth. Despite progress in development of small molecules for treatment of mutant KRAS cancers, there is a need for a pan-RAS inhibitor that is effective against all RAS isoforms and variants and that avoids drug resistance. We have previously shown that the naturally occurring bacterial enzyme RAS/RAP1-specific endopeptidase (RRSP) is a potent RAS degrader that can be re-engineered as a biologic therapy to induce regression of colorectal, breast, and pancreatic tumors. Here, we have developed a strategy for in vivo expression of this RAS degrader via mRNA delivery using a synthetic nonviral gene delivery platform composed of the poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(propylene sulfide) (PEG-b-PPS) block copolymer conjugated to a dendritic cationic peptide (PPDP2). Using this strategy, PPDP2 is shown to deliver mRNA to both human and mouse pancreatic cells resulting in RRSP gene expression, activity, and loss of cell proliferation. Further, pancreatic tumors are reduced with residual tumors lacking detectable RAS and phosphorylated ERK. These data support that mRNA-loaded synthetic nanocarrier delivery of a RAS degrader can interrupt the RAS signaling system within pancreatic cancer cells while avoiding side effects during therapy.

Controlled adsorption of multiple bioactive proteins enables targeted mast cell nanotherapy

Protein adsorption onto nanomaterials often results in denaturation and loss of bioactivity. Controlling the adsorption process to maintain the protein structure and function has potential for a range of applications. Here we report that self-assembled poly(propylene sulfone) (PPSU) nanoparticles support the controlled formation of multicomponent enzyme and antibody coatings and maintain their bioactivity. Simulations indicate that hydrophobic patches on protein surfaces induce a site-specific dipole relaxation of PPSU assemblies to non-covalently anchor the proteins without disrupting the protein hydrogen bonding or structure. As a proof of concept, a nanotherapy employing multiple mast-cell-targeted antibodies for preventing anaphylaxis is demonstrated in a humanized mouse model. PPSU nanoparticles displaying an optimized ratio of co-adsorbed anti-Siglec-6 and anti-FcεRIα antibodies effectively inhibit mast cell activation and degranulation, preventing anaphylaxis. Protein immobilization on PPSU surfaces provides a simple and rapid platform for the development of targeted protein nanomedicines.

Nanodrug Delivery Systems in Antitumor Immunotherapy

Cancer has become one of the most important factors threatening human health, and the global cancer burden has been increasing rapidly. Immunotherapy has become another clinical research hotspot after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy because of its high efficiency and tumor metastasis prevention. However, problems such as lower immune response rate and immune-related adverse reaction in the clinical application of immunotherapy need to be urgently solved. With the development of nanodrug delivery systems, various nanocarrier materials have been used in the research of antitumor immunotherapy with encouraging therapeutic results. In this review, we mainly summarized the combination of nanodrug delivery systems and immunotherapy from the following 4 aspects: (a) nanodrug delivery systems combined with cytokine therapy to improve cytokines delivery in vivo; (b) nanodrug delivery systems provided a suitable platform for the combination of immune checkpoint blockade therapy with other tumor treatments; (c) nanodrug delivery systems helped deliver antigens and adjuvants for tumor vaccines to enhance immune effects; and (d) nanodrug delivery systems improved tumor treatment efficiency and reduced toxicity for adoptive cell therapy. Nanomaterials chosen by researchers to construct nanodrug delivery systems and their function were also introduced in detail. Finally, we discussed the current challenges and future prospects in combining nanodrug delivery systems with immunotherapy.

Advancements in Stimulus-Responsive Co-Delivery Nanocarriers for Enhanced Cancer Immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a novel therapeutic approach against tumors, with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) making significant clinical practice. The traditional ICIs, PD-1 and PD-L1, augment the cytotoxic function of T cells through the inhibition of tumor immune evasion pathways, ultimately leading to the initiation of an antitumor immune response. However, the clinical implementation of ICIs encounters obstacles stemming from the existence of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and inadequate infiltration of CD8+T cells. Considerable attention has been directed towards advancing immunogenic cell death (ICD) as a potential solution to counteract tumor cell infiltration and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This approach holds promise in transforming "cold" tumors into "hot" tumors that exhibit responsiveness to antitumor. By combining ICD with ICIs, a synergistic immune response against tumors can be achieved. However, the combination of ICD inducers and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors is hindered by issues such as poor targeting and uncontrolled drug release. An advantageous solution presented by stimulus-responsive nanocarrier is integrating the physicochemical properties of ICD inducers and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, facilitating precise delivery to specific tissues for optimal combination therapy. Moreover, these nanocarriers leverage the distinct features of the tumor microenvironment to accomplish controlled drug release and regulate the kinetics of drug delivery. This article aims to investigate the advancement of stimulus-responsive co-delivery nanocarriers utilizing ICD and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Special focus is dedicated to exploring the advantages and recent advancements of this system in enabling the combination of ICIs and ICD inducers. The molecular mechanisms of ICD and ICIs are concisely summarized. In conclusion, we examine the potential research prospects and challenges that could greatly enhance immunotherapeutic approaches for cancer treatment.

Nanocatalytic Anti-Tumor Immune Regulation

Immunotherapy has brought a new dawn for human being to defeat cancer. Although existing immunotherapy regimens (CAR-T, etc.) have made breakthroughs in the treatments of hematological cancer and few solid tumors such as melanoma, the therapeutic efficacy on most solid tumors is still far from being satisfactory. In recent years, the researches on tumor immunotherapy based on nanocatalytic materials are under rapid development, and significant progresses have been made. Nanocatalytic medicine has been demonstrated to be capable of overcoming the limitations of current clinicnal treatments by using toxic chemodrugs, and exhibits highly attractive advantages over traditional therapies, such as the enhanced and sustained therapeutic efficacy based on the durable catalytic activity, remarkably reduced harmful side-effects without using traditional toxic chemodrugs, and so on. Most recently, nanocatalytic medicine has been introduced in the immune-regulation for disease treatments, especially, in the immunoactivation for tumor therapies. This article presents the most recent progresses in immune-response activations by nanocatalytic medicine-initiated chemical reactions for tumor immunotherapy, and elucidates the mechanism of nanocatalytic medicines in regulating anti-tumor immunity. By reviewing the current research progress in the emerging field, this review will further highlight the great potential and broad prospects of nanocatalysis-based anti-tumor immune-therapeutics.

Optimal Irreversible Electroporation Combined with Nano-Enabled Immunomodulatory to Boost Systemic Antitumor Immunity

In this work, we proposed nµPEF, a novel pulse configuration combining nanosecond and microsecond pulses (nµPEF), to enhance tumor ablation in irreversible electroporation (IRE) for oncological therapy. nµPEF demonstrated improved efficacy in inducing immunogenic cell death, positioning it as a potential candidate for next-generation ablative therapy. However, the immune response elicited by nµPEF alone was insufficient to effectively suppress distant tumors. To address this limitation, we developed PPR@CM-PD1, a genetically engineered nanovesicle. PPR@CM-PD1 employed a polyethylene glycol-polylactic acid-glycolic acid (PEG-PLGA) nanoparticle encapsulating the immune adjuvant imiquimod and coated with a genetically engineered cell membrane expressing programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1). This design allowed PPR@CM-PD1 to target both the innate immune system through toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) agonism and the adaptive immune system through programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD1/PDL1) checkpoint blockade. In turn, nµPEF facilitated intratumoral infiltration of PPR@CM-PD1 by modulating the tumor stroma. The combination of nµPEF and PPR@CM-PD1 generated a potent and systemic antitumor immune response, resulting in remarkable suppression of both nµPEF-treated and untreated distant tumors (abscopal effects). This interdisciplinary approach presents a promising perspective for oncotherapy and holds great potential for future clinical applications.

Nanotherapeutics for prostate cancer treatment: A comprehensive review

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prevalent solid organ malignancy and seriously affects male health. The adverse effects of prostate cancer therapeutics can cause secondary damage to patients. Nanotherapeutics, which have special targeting abilities and controlled therapeutic release profiles, may serve as alternative agents for PCa treatment. At present, many nanotherapeutics have been developed to treat PCa and have shown better treatment effects in animals than traditional therapeutics. Although PCa nanotherapeutics are highly attractive, few successful cases have been reported in clinical practice. To help researchers design valuable nanotherapeutics for PCa treatment and avoid useless efforts, herein, we first reviewed the strategies and challenges involved in prostate cancer treatment. Subsequently, we presented a comprehensive review of nanotherapeutics for PCa treatment, including their targeting methods, controlled release strategies, therapeutic approaches and mechanisms. Finally, we proposed the future prospects of nanotherapeutics for PCa treatment.

Nanomaterial-mediated modulation of the cGAS-STING signaling pathway for enhanced cancer immunotherapy

Despite the current promise of immunotherapy, many cancer patients still suffer from challenges such as poor immune response rates, resulting in unsatisfactory clinical efficacy of existing therapies. There is an urgent need to combine emerging biomedical discoveries and innovations in traditional therapies. Modulation of the cGAS-STING signalling pathway represents an important innate immunotherapy pathway that serves as a crucial DNA sensing mechanism in innate immunity and viral defense. It has attracted increasing attention as an emerging target for cancer therapy. The recent advancements in nanotechnology have led to the significant utilization of nanomaterials in cancer immunotherapy, owing to their exceptional physicochemical properties such as large specific surface area and efficient permeability. Given the rapid development of cancer immunotherapy driven by the cGAS-STING activation, this study reviews the latest research progress in employing nanomaterials to modulate this signaling pathway. Based on the introduction of the main activation mechanisms of cGAS-STING pathway, this review focuses on nanomaterials that mediate the agonists involved and effectively activate this signaling pathway. In addition, combination nanotherapeutics based on the activation of the cGAS-STING signaling pathway are also discussed, including emerging strategies combining nanoformulated agonists with chemotherapy, radiotherapy as well as other immunomodulation in tumor targeting therapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Given the rapid development of cancer immunotherapy driven by the cGAS / STING activation, this study reviews the latest research advances in the use of nanomaterials to modulate this signaling pathway. Based on the introduction of key cGAS-STING components and their activation mechanisms, this review focuses on nanomaterials that can mediate the corresponding agonists and effectively activate this signaling pathway. In addition, combination nanotherapies based on the activation of the cGAS-STING signaling pathway are also discussed, including emerging strategies combining nanoformulated agonists with chemotherapy, radiotherapy as well as immunomodulation in cancer therapy,.

Advances in Cancer Research: Current and Future Diagnostic and Therapeutic Strategies

Cancers of unknown primary (CUP) exhibit significant cellular heterogeneity and malignancy, which poses significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. Recent years have seen deeper insights into the imaging, pathology, and genetic characteristics of CUP, driven by interdisciplinary collaboration and the evolution of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. However, due to their insidious onset, lack of evidence-based medicine, and limited clinical understanding, diagnosing and treating CUP remain a significant challenge. To inspire more creative and fantastic research, herein, we report and highlight recent advances in the diagnosis and therapeutic strategies of CUP. Specifically, we discuss advanced diagnostic technologies, including 12-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-D-glucose integrated with computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) or 68Ga-FAPI (fibroblast activation protein inhibitor) PET/CT, liquid biopsy, molecular diagnostics, self-assembling nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence (AI). In particular, the discussion will extend to the effective treatment techniques currently available, such as targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and bio-nanotechnology-based therapeutics. Finally, a novel perspective on the challenges and directions for future CUP diagnostic and therapeutic strategies is discussed.

The quest for nanoparticle-powered vaccines in cancer immunotherapy

Despite recent advancements in cancer treatment, this disease still poses a serious threat to public health. Vaccines play an important role in preventing illness by preparing the body's adaptive and innate immune responses to combat diseases. As our understanding of malignancies and their connection to the immune system improves, there has been a growing interest in priming the immune system to fight malignancies more effectively and comprehensively. One promising approach involves utilizing nanoparticle systems for antigen delivery, which has been shown to potentiate immune responses as vaccines and/or adjuvants. In this review, we comprehensively summarized the immunological mechanisms of cancer vaccines while focusing specifically on the recent applications of various types of nanoparticles in the field of cancer immunotherapy. By exploring these recent breakthroughs, we hope to identify significant challenges and obstacles in making nanoparticle-based vaccines and adjuvants feasible for clinical application. This review serves to assess recent breakthroughs in nanoparticle-based cancer vaccinations and shed light on their prospects and potential barriers. By doing so, we aim to inspire future immunotherapies for cancer that harness the potential of nanotechnology to deliver more effective and targeted treatments.

Rational Engineering of Islet Tolerance via Biomaterial-Mediated Immune Modulation

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) onset is characterized by an autoimmune attack on β islet cells within the pancreas, preventing the insulin secretion required to maintain glucose homeostasis. Targeted modulation of key immunoregulatory cell populations is a promising strategy to restore tolerance to β cells. This strategy can be used to prevent T1D onset or reverse T1D with transplanted islets. To this end, drug delivery systems can be employed to transport immunomodulatory cargo to specific cell populations that inhibit autoreactive T cell-mediated destruction of the β cell mass. The rational engineering of biomaterials into nanoscale and microscale drug carriers can facilitate targeted interactions with immune cells. The physicochemical properties of the biomaterial, the delivered immunomodulatory agent, and the target cell populations are critical variables in the design of these delivery systems. In this review, we discuss recent biomaterials-based drug delivery approaches to induce islet tolerance and the need to consider both immune and metabolic markers of disease progression.

Nanomedicine for Diagnosis and Treatment of Atherosclerosis

With the changing disease spectrum, atherosclerosis has become increasingly prevalent worldwide and the associated diseases have emerged as the leading cause of death. Due to their fascinating physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, nanomaterials are regarded as a promising tool to tackle enormous challenges in medicine. The emerging discipline of nanomedicine has filled a huge application gap in the atherosclerotic field, ushering a new generation of diagnosis and treatment strategies. Herein, based on the essential pathogenic contributors of atherogenesis, as well as the distinct composition/structural characteristics, synthesis strategies, and surface design of nanoplatforms, the three major application branches (nanodiagnosis, nanotherapy, and nanotheranostic) of nanomedicine in atherosclerosis are elaborated. Then, state-of-art studies containing a sequence of representative and significant achievements are summarized in detail with an emphasis on the intrinsic interaction/relationship between nanomedicines and atherosclerosis. Particularly, attention is paid to the biosafety of nanomedicines, which aims to pave the way for future clinical translation of this burgeoning field. Finally, this comprehensive review is concluded by proposing unresolved key scientific issues and sharing the vision and expectation for the future, fully elucidating the closed loop from atherogenesis to the application paradigm of nanomedicines for advancing the early achievement of clinical applications.

The construction of elastin-like polypeptides and their applications in drug delivery system and tissue repair

Elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) are thermally responsive biopolymers derived from natural elastin. These peptides have a low critical solution temperature phase behavior and can be used to prepare stimuli-responsive biomaterials. Through genetic engineering, biomaterials prepared from ELPs can have unique and customizable properties. By adjusting the amino acid sequence and length of ELPs, nanostructures, such as micelles and nanofibers, can be formed. Correspondingly, ELPs have been used for improving the stability and prolonging drug-release time. Furthermore, ELPs have widespread use in tissue repair due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Here, this review summarizes the basic property composition of ELPs and the methods for modulating their phase transition properties, discusses the application of drug delivery system and tissue repair and clarifies the current challenges and future directions of ELPs in applications.

Precise surface functionalization of PLGA particles for human T cell modulation

The biofunctionalization of synthetic materials has extensive utility for biomedical applications, but approaches to bioconjugation typically show insufficient efficiency and controllability. We recently developed an approach by building synthetic DNA scaffolds on biomaterial surfaces that enables the precise control of cargo density and ratio, thus improving the assembly and organization of functional cargos. We used this approach to show that the modulation and phenotypic adaptation of immune cells can be regulated using our precisely functionalized biomaterials. Here, we describe the three key procedures, including the fabrication of polymeric particles engrafted with short DNA scaffolds, the attachment of functional cargos with complementary DNA strands, and the surface assembly control and quantification. We also explain the critical checkpoints needed to ensure the overall quality and expected characteristics of the biological product. We provide additional experimental design considerations for modifying the approach by varying the material composition, size or cargo types. As an example, we cover the use of the protocol for human primary T cell activation and for the identification of parameters that affect ex vivo T cell manufacturing. The protocol requires users with diverse expertise ranging from synthetic materials to bioconjugation chemistry to immunology. The fabrication procedures and validation assays to design high-fidelity DNA-scaffolded biomaterials typically require 8 d.

A Universal Cyclodextrin-Based Nanovaccine Platform Delivers Epitope Peptides for Enhanced Antitumor Immunity

Currently, there is still an intense demand for a simple and scalable delivery platform for peptide-based cancer vaccines. Herein, a cyclodextrin-based polymer nanovaccine platform (CDNP) is designed for the codelivery of peptides with two immune adjuvants [the Toll-like receptor (TLR)7/8 agonist R848 and the TLR9 agonist CpG] that is broadly applicable to epitope peptides with diverse sequences. Specifically, the cyclodextrin-based polymers are covalently linked to epitope peptides via a bioreactive bond-containing cross-linker (PNC-DTDE-PNC) and then physically load with R848 and CpG to obtain CDNP. The CDNP efficiently accumulats in the lymph nodes (LNs), greatly facilitating antigen capture and cross-presentation by antigen-presenting cells. The immunogenicity of the epitope peptides is significantly enhanced by the codelivery and synergy of the adjuvants, and the CDNP shows the ability to inhibit tumor progression in diverse tumor-bearing mouse models. It is concluded that CDNP holds promise as an optimized peptide-based cancer vaccine platform.

Advancement of regulating cellular signaling pathways in NSCLC target therapy via nanodrug

Lung cancer (LC) is one of the leading causes of high cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of LC. The mechanisms of NSCLC evolution involve the alterations of multiple complex signaling pathways. Even with advances in biological understanding, early diagnosis, therapy, and mechanisms of drug resistance, many dilemmas still need to face in NSCLC treatments. However, many efforts have been made to explore the pathological changes of tumor cells based on specific molecular signals for drug therapy and targeted delivery. Nano-delivery has great potential in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors. In recent years, many studies have focused on different combinations of drugs and nanoparticles (NPs) to constitute nano-based drug delivery systems (NDDS), which deliver drugs regulating specific molecular signaling pathways in tumor cells, and most of them have positive implications. This review summarized the recent advances of therapeutic targets discovered in signaling pathways in NSCLC as well as the related NDDS, and presented the future prospects and challenges.

Biomaterial-enabled therapeutic modulation of cGAS-STING signaling for enhancing antitumor immunity

cGAS-STING signaling is a central component in the therapeutic action of most existing cancer therapies. The accumulated knowledge of tumor immunoregulatory network in recent years has spurred the development of cGAS-STING agonists for tumor treatment as an effective immunotherapeutic strategy. However, the clinical translation of these agonists is thus far unsatisfactory because of the low immunostimulatory efficacy and unrestricted side effects under clinically relevant conditions. Interestingly, the rational integration of biomaterial technology offers a promising approach to overcome these limitations for more effective and safer cGAS-STING-mediated tumor therapy. Herein, we first outline the cGAS-STING signaling axis and generally discuss its association with tumors. We then symmetrically summarize the recent progress in those biomaterial-based cGAS-STING agonism strategies to generate robust antitumor immunity, categorized by the chemical nature of those cGAS-STING stimulants and carrier substrates. Finally, a perspective is provided to discuss the existing challenges and potential opportunities in cGAS-STING modulation for tumor therapy.

Nanomedicine in kidney disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The pathophysiological understanding of kidney-related disorders has profoundly increased; however, tissue-specific and cell-specific treatments in this field remain scarce. Advances in nanomedicine enable alteration of pharmacokinetics and targeted treatments improving efficiency and reducing toxicity. This review addresses recent developments of nanocarriers used for various purposes in the broad field of kidney disease, which may pave a path to new therapeutic and diagnostic solutions employing nanomedicine.

RECENT FINDINGS

Controlled delivery of antiproliferative medications enables improved treatment of polycystic kidney disease and fibrosis. Directed anti-inflammatory treatment mitigated glomerulonephritis and tubulointerstitial nephritis. Multiple injury pathways in AKI have been targeted, with therapeutic solutions for oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, local inflammation and improving self-repair mechanisms. In addition to such treatment development, noninvasive early detection methods (minutes after ischemic insult) have been demonstrated as well. Sustained release of therapies that reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury as well as new aspects for immunosuppression bring hope to improving kidney transplant outcomes. The latest breakthroughs in gene therapy are made achievable by engineering the targeted delivery of nucleic acids for new treatments of kidney disease.

SUMMARY

Recent advances in nanotechnology and pathophysiological understanding of kidney diseases show potential for translatable therapeutic and diagnostic interventions in multiple etiologies of kidney disease.

Biomaterials That Induce Immunogenic Cell Death

The immune system takes part in most physiological and pathological processes of the body, including the occurrence and development of cancer. Immunotherapy provides a promising modality for inhibition and even the cure of cancer. During immunotherapy, the immunogenic cell death (ICD) of tumor cells induced by chemotherapy, radiotherapy, phototherapy, bioactive materials, and so forth, triggers a series of cellular responses by causing the release of tumor-associated antigens and damage-associated molecular patterns, which ultimately activate innate and adaptive immune responses. Among them, the ICD-induced biomaterials attract increasing conditions as a benefit of biosafety and multifunctional modifications. This Review summarizes the research progress in biomaterials for inducing ICD via triggering endoplasmic reticulum oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell membrane rupture and discusses the application prospects of ICD-inducing biomaterials in clinical practice for cancer immunotherapy.

Multifunctional Nano-Biomaterials for Cancer Therapy via Inducing Enhanced Immunogenic Cell Death

Immunotherapy is considered to be one of the most promising methods to overcome cancer. Immunogenic cell death (ICD), as a special form of cell death that can trigger an antitumor immune response, has attracted increasing attention for cancer immunotherapy. Presently, ICD-mediating immunotherapy needs to overcome many hurdles including a lack of targeted delivery systems for ICD inducers, insufficient antitumor immunity, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Recent research has demonstrated that nano-biomaterials exhibit unique biochemphysical properties at the nanoscale, providing a prospective approach to overcoming these obstacles. In this review, the authors first survey the occurrence, processes, and detection methods of ICD. Subsequently, the recent advances of nano-biomaterials applied to enhance ICD according to the key steps in the process of ICD, particularly with a focus on the mechanisms and lifting schemes are investigated. Finally, based on the achievement in the representative studies, the prospects and challenges of nanotechnology in ICD for cancer therapy are discussed to enable clinical translation.

Role of nanotechnology in the prolonged release of drugs by the subcutaneous route

INTRODUCTION

Subcutaneous physiology is distinct from other parenteral routes that benefit the administration of prolonged-release formulations. A prolonged-release effect is particularly convenient for treating chronic diseases because it is associated with complex and often prolonged posologies. Therefore, drug-delivery systems focused on nanotechnology are proposed as alternatives that can overcome the limitations of current therapeutic regimens and improve therapeutic efficacy.

AREAS COVERED

This review presents an updated systematization of nanosystems, focusing on their applications in highly prevalent chronic diseases. Subcutaneous-delivered nanosystem-based therapies comprehensively summarize nanosystems, drugs, and diseases and their advantages, limitations, and strategies to increase their translation into clinical applications. An outline of the potential contribution of quality-by-design (QbD) and artificial intelligence (AI) to the pharmaceutical development of nanosystems is presented.

EXPERT OPINION

Although recent academic research and development (R&D) advances in the subcutaneous delivery of nanosystems have exhibited promising results, pharmaceutical industries and regulatory agencies need to catch up. The lack of standardized methodologies for analyzing in vitro data from nanosystems for subcutaneous administration and subsequent in vivo correlation limits their access to clinical trials. There is an urgent need for regulatory agencies to develop methods that faithfully mimic subcutaneous administration and specific guidelines for evaluating nanosystems.

Directional conjugation of Trop2 antibody to black phosphorus nanosheets for phototherapy in orthotopic gastric carcinoma

Tumor-associated calcium signal transducer 2 (Trop2) highly specific expression in gastric carcinoma (GC). The combination of Trop2 antibody and phototherapy agents could exhibit synergetic antitumor activity. Black phosphorus nanosheets (BP) are covalently modified with Trop2 IgG antibodies via heterobifunctional linker of polyethylene glycol (PEG). Then the Trop2 antibody was directionally conjugated to BP via Schiff base reaction between aldehyde group from oxidized Trop2 antibody and amino group of PEG. The Trop2-funcationalzied BP can significantly increase the endocytosis of BP in Trop2-positive GC cells exhibiting a reinforced antitumor activity under near infrared (NIR) irradiation. More importantly, a murine orthotopic GC model demonstrates that Trop2 antibody modification can significantly promote the accumulation of BP at tumor tissues and strengthen antitumoral activity of phototherapy. Directional conjugation of Trop2 antibody to BP facilitates the BP with superior stability, tumor targeting ability and excellent anti-tumor activity under NIR irradiation without systemic toxicity.