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Jeon D, Hill E, McNeel DG. Toll-like receptor agonists as cancer vaccine adjuvants. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2297453. [PMID: 38155525 PMCID: PMC10760790 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2297453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a promising strategy to treat cancer patients. Among the wide range of immunological approaches, cancer vaccines have been investigated to activate and expand tumor-reactive T cells. However, most cancer vaccines have not shown significant clinical benefit as monotherapies. This is likely due to the antigen targets of vaccines, "self" proteins to which there is tolerance, as well as to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. To help circumvent immune tolerance and generate effective immune responses, adjuvants for cancer vaccines are necessary. One representative adjuvant family is Toll-Like receptor (TLR) agonists, synthetic molecules that stimulate TLRs. TLRs are the largest family of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that serve as the sensors of pathogens or cellular damage. They recognize conserved foreign molecules from pathogens or internal molecules from cellular damage and propel innate immune responses. When used with vaccines, activation of TLRs signals an innate damage response that can facilitate the development of a strong adaptive immune response against the target antigen. The ability of TLR agonists to modulate innate immune responses has positioned them to serve as adjuvants for vaccines targeting infectious diseases and cancers. This review provides a summary of various TLRs, including their expression patterns, their functions in the immune system, as well as their ligands and synthetic molecules developed as TLR agonists. In addition, it presents a comprehensive overview of recent strategies employing different TLR agonists as adjuvants in cancer vaccine development, both in pre-clinical models and ongoing clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghwan Jeon
- Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ethan Hill
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Douglas G. McNeel
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA
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2
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Yang R, Yao T, Xu J, Liu X, Yang Y, Ding J, Cao C, Su R, Li S, Lu W, Gao X. Peptide-TLR7/8a-Coordinated DNA Vaccines Elicit Enhanced Immune Responses against Infectious Diseases. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024. [PMID: 38869358 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.4c00749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
DNA vaccines represent an innovative approach for the immunization of diverse diseases. However, their clinical trial outcomes are constrained by suboptimal transfection efficiency and immunogenicity. In this work, we present a universal methodology involving the codelivery of Toll-like receptor 7/8 agonists (TLR7/8a) and antigen gene using TLR7/8a-conjugated peptide-coated poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE) nanoparticles (NPs) to augment delivery efficiency and immune response. Peptide-TLR7/8a-coated PBAE NPs exhibit advantageous biophysical attributes, encompassing diminutive particle dimensions, nearly neutral ζ potential, and stability in the physiological environment. This synergistic approach not only ameliorates the stability of plasmid DNA (pDNA) and gene delivery efficacy but also facilitates subsequent antigen production. Furthermore, under optimal formulation conditions, the TLR7/8a-conjugated peptide coated PBAE NPs exhibit a potent capacity to induce robust immune responses. Collectively, this nanoparticulate gene delivery system demonstrates heightened transfection efficacy, stability, biodegradability, immunostimulatory effect, and low toxicity, making it a promising platform for the clinical advancement of DNA vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/NHC/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Tingting Yao
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/NHC/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jinliang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/NHC/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/NHC/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yaqi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/NHC/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Junqiang Ding
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Pudong Hospital & Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Cong Cao
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/NHC/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Runping Su
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/NHC/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Sha Li
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/NHC/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wuyuan Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/NHC/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xihui Gao
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/NHC/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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Fu Y, Zhu X, Ren L, Wan J, Wang H. Syringeable Near-Infrared Light-Activated In Situ Immunogenic Hydrogel Boosts the Cancer-Immunity Cycle to Enhance Anticancer Immunity. ACS NANO 2024; 18:14877-14892. [PMID: 38809421 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Effective anticancer immunity depends on properly activating multiple stepwise events in the cancer-immunity cycle. An immunologically "cold" tumor microenvironment (TME) engenders immune evasion and refractoriness to conventional checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. Here, we combine nanoparticle formulations and an in situ formed hydrogel scaffold to treat accessible tumors locally and to stimulate systemic immunity against metastatic tumor lesions. The nanoparticles encapsulate poly(ε-caprolactone)-derived cytotoxic chemotherapy and adjuvant of Toll-like receptor 7/8 through a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-cleavable linker that can be self-activated by the coassembled neighboring photosensitizer following near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. Further development results in syringeable, NIR light-responsive, and immunogenic hydrogel (iGEL) that can be implanted peritumorally and deposited into the tumor surgical bed. Upon NIR laser irradiation, the generated ROS induces iGEL degradation and bond cleavage in the polymer-drug conjugates, triggering the immunogenic cell death cascade in cancer cells and spontaneously releasing encapsulated agents to rewire the cancer-immunity cycle. Notably, upon application in multiple preclinical models of melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer, which are aggressive and refractory to conventional immunotherapy, iGEL induces durable remission of established tumors, extends postsurgical tumor-free survival, and inhibits metastatic burden. The result of this study is a locally administrable immunogenic hydrogel for triggering host systemic immunity to improve immunotherapeutic efficacy with minimal off-target side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Fu
- The First Affiliated Hospital; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310003, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoxiao Zhu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310016, P. R. China
| | - Lulu Ren
- The First Affiliated Hospital; Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310003, P. R. China
| | - Jianqin Wan
- The First Affiliated Hospital; Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310003, P. R. China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong Province 250117, P. R. China
| | - Hangxiang Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital; Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310003, P. R. China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong Province 250117, P. R. China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325000, P. R. China
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4
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Cao LM, Yu YF, Li ZZ, Zhong NN, Wang GR, Xiao Y, Liu B, Wu QJ, Feng C, Bu LL. Adjuvants for cancer mRNA vaccines in the era of nanotechnology: strategies, applications, and future directions. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:308. [PMID: 38825711 PMCID: PMC11145938 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02590-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Research into mRNA vaccines is advancing rapidly, with proven efficacy against coronavirus disease 2019 and promising therapeutic potential against a variety of solid tumors. Adjuvants, critical components of mRNA vaccines, significantly enhance vaccine effectiveness and are integral to numerous mRNA vaccine formulations. However, the development and selection of adjuvant platforms are still in their nascent stages, and the mechanisms of many adjuvants remain poorly understood. Additionally, the immunostimulatory capabilities of certain novel drug delivery systems (DDS) challenge the traditional definition of adjuvants, suggesting that a revision of this concept is necessary. This review offers a comprehensive exploration of the mechanisms and applications of adjuvants and self-adjuvant DDS. It thoroughly addresses existing issues mentioned above and details three main challenges of immune-related adverse event, unclear mechanisms, and unsatisfactory outcomes in old age group in the design and practical application of cancer mRNA vaccine adjuvants. Ultimately, this review proposes three optimization strategies which consists of exploring the mechanisms of adjuvant, optimizing DDS, and improving route of administration to improve effectiveness and application of adjuvants and self-adjuvant DDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei-Ming Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Yi-Fu Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Zi-Zhan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Nian-Nian Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Guang-Rui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Yao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Bing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial - Head Neck Oncology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Qiu-Ji Wu
- Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behavior, Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, China.
| | - Chun Feng
- Department of Gynecology, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Tongii Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Lin-Lin Bu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial - Head Neck Oncology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
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Peng Y, Liang S, Meng QF, Liu D, Ma K, Zhou M, Yun K, Rao L, Wang Z. Engineered Bio-Based Hydrogels for Cancer Immunotherapy. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2313188. [PMID: 38362813 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202313188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy represents a revolutionary paradigm in cancer management, showcasing its potential to impede tumor metastasis and recurrence. Nonetheless, challenges including limited therapeutic efficacy and severe immune-related side effects are frequently encountered, especially in solid tumors. Hydrogels, a class of versatile materials featuring well-hydrated structures widely used in biomedicine, offer a promising platform for encapsulating and releasing small molecule drugs, biomacromolecules, and cells in a controlled manner. Immunomodulatory hydrogels present a unique capability for augmenting immune activation and mitigating systemic toxicity through encapsulation of multiple components and localized administration. Notably, hydrogels based on biopolymers have gained significant interest owing to their biocompatibility, environmental friendliness, and ease of production. This review delves into the recent advances in bio-based hydrogels in cancer immunotherapy and synergistic combinatorial approaches, highlighting their diverse applications. It is anticipated that this review will guide the rational design of hydrogels in the field of cancer immunotherapy, fostering clinical translation and ultimately benefiting patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Shuang Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Qian-Fang Meng
- Institute of Biomedical Health Technology and Engineering, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518132, China
| | - Dan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Kongshuo Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Mengli Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Kaiqing Yun
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Lang Rao
- Institute of Biomedical Health Technology and Engineering, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518132, China
| | - Zhaohui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
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Mason M, Bisbal Lopez L, Bashiri F, Herrero A, Baron A, Bucci R, Pignataro L, Gennari C, Dal Corso A. Amine-Carbamate Self-Immolative Spacers Counterintuitively Release 3° Alcohol at Much Faster Rates than 1° Alcohol Payloads. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400174. [PMID: 38415320 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Self-immolative (SI) spacers are degradable chemical connectors widely used in prodrugs and drug conjugates to release pharmaceutical ingredients in response to specific stimuli. Amine-carbamate SI spacers are particularly versatile, as they have been used to release different hydroxy cargos, ranging from 2° and 3° alcohols to phenols and oximes. In this work, we describe the ability of three amine-carbamate SI spacers to release three structurally similar imidazoquinoline payloads, bearing either a 1°, a 2° or a 3° alcohol as the leaving group. While the spacers showed comparable efficacy at releasing the 2° and 3° alcohols, the liberation of the 1° alcohol was much slower, unveiling a counterintuitive trend in nucleophilic acyl substitutions. The release of the 1° alcohol payload was only possible using a SI spacer bearing a pyrrolidine ring and a tertiary amine handle, which opens the way to future applications in drug delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Mason
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi, 19, I, -20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Lydia Bisbal Lopez
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi, 19, I, -20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Fazel Bashiri
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi, 19, I, -20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Aurélie Herrero
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi, 19, I, -20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Aurélien Baron
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi, 19, I, -20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaella Bucci
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, via G. Venezian 21, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Pignataro
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi, 19, I, -20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Cesare Gennari
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi, 19, I, -20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Dal Corso
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi, 19, I, -20133, Milan, Italy
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Xu S, Li X, Hu Q, Zhang J, Li R, Meng L, Zhu X. Focused Ultrasound-Responsive Nanocomposite with Near-Infrared II Mechanoluminescence for Spatiotemporally Selective Immune Activation in Lymph Nodes. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202304066. [PMID: 38289154 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202304066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
The immune regulation of the lymphatic system, especially the lymph node (LN), is of great significance for the treatment of diseases and the inhibition of pathogenic organisms spreading in the body. However, achieving precise spatiotemporal control of immune cell activation in LN in vivo remains a challenge due to tissue depth and off-target effects. Furthermore, minimally invasive and real-time feedback methods to monitor the regulation of the immune system in LN are lacking. Here, focused ultrasound responsive immunomodulator loaded nanoplatform (FURIN) with near-infrared II (NIR-II) luminescence is designed to achieve spatiotemporally controllable immune activation in LN in vivo. The NIR-II persistent luminescence of FURIN can track its delivery in LN through bioimaging. Under focused ultrasound (FUS) stimulation, the immunomodulator encapsulated in FURIN can be released locally in the LN to activate immune cells such as dendritic cells and the NIR-II mechanoluminescence of FURIN provides real-time optical feedback signals for immune activation. This work points to a FUS mediated, spatiotemporal selective immune activation strategy in vivo with the feedback control of luminescence signals via ultrasound responsive nanocomposite, which is of great significance in improving the efficacy and reducing the side effect of immune regulation for the development of potential immunotherapeutic methods in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sixin Xu
- School of Physical Science and Technology., ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Xiaohe Li
- School of Physical Science and Technology., ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Qian Hu
- School of Physical Science and Technology., ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Jieying Zhang
- School of Physical Science and Technology., ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Ruotong Li
- School of Physical Science and Technology., ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Lingkai Meng
- School of Physical Science and Technology., ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Xingjun Zhu
- School of Physical Science and Technology., ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Medical Materials and Devices., ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
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Wu B, Liang J, Yang X, Fang Y, Kong N, Chen D, Wang H. A Programmable Peptidic Hydrogel Adjuvant for Personalized Immunotherapy in Resected Stage Tumors. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:8585-8597. [PMID: 38478659 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Adjuvant treatment after surgical resection usually plays an important role in delaying disease recurrence. Immunotherapy displays encouraging results in increasing patients' chances of staying cancer-free after surgery, as reported by recent clinical trials. However, the clinical outcomes of current immunotherapy need to be improved due to the limited responses, patient heterogeneity, nontargeted distribution, and immune-related adverse effects. This work describes a programmable hydrogel adjuvant for personalized immunotherapy after surgical resection. By filling the hydrogel in the cavity, this system aims to address the limited secretion of granzyme B (GrB) during immunotherapy and improve the low immunotherapy responses typically observed, while minimizing immune-related side effects. The TLR7/8 agonist imidazoquinoline (IMDQ) is linked to the self-assembling peptide backbone through a GrB-responsive linkage. Its release could enhance the activation and function of immune cells, which will lead to increased secretion of GrB and enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy together. The hydrogel adjuvant recruits immune cells, initiates dendritic cell maturation, and induces M1 polarized macrophages to reverse the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in situ. In multiple murine tumor models, the hydrogel adjuvant suppresses tumor growth, increases animal survival and long-term immunological memory, and protects mice against tumor rechallenge, leading to effective prophylactic and therapeutic responses. This work provides a potential chemical strategy to overcome the limitations associated with immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bihan Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Juan Liang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Xuejiao Yang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Yu Fang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Nan Kong
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Dinghao Chen
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Huaimin Wang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
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9
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Tandel N, Patel D, Thakkar M, Shah J, Tyagi RK, Dalai SK. Poly(I:C) and R848 ligands show better adjuvanticity to induce B and T cell responses against the antigen(s). Heliyon 2024; 10:e26887. [PMID: 38455541 PMCID: PMC10918150 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Poly(I:C) and R848, synthetic ligands that activate Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and TLR7/8 respectively, have been well-established for their ability to stimulate the immune system and induce antigen-specific immune responses. These ligands are capable of inducing the production of cytokines and chemokines, and hence support the activation and differentiation of B and T cells. We saw the long-lasting and perdurable immune responses by these adjuvants essentially required for an efficacious subunit vaccine. In this study, we investigated the potential of poly(I:C) and R848 to elicit B and T cell responses to the OVA antigen. We assessed the stimulatory effects of these ligands on the immune system, their impact on B and T cell activation, and their ability to enhanced generation of B and T cells. Collectively, our findings contribute to the understanding how poly(I:C) and R848 can be utilized as an adjuvant system to enhance immune responses to protein-based subunit vaccines. In the end, this work provides insights for the development of novel vaccination strategies and improving the vaccine efficacy. Present work shall help formulate newer strategies for subunit vaccines to address the infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikunj Tandel
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, SG highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
| | - Digna Patel
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, SG highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
| | - Mansi Thakkar
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, SG highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
| | - Jagrut Shah
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, SG highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
| | - Rajeev K. Tyagi
- Division of Cell Biology and Immunology, Biomedical Parasitology and Translational-immunology Lab, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh, India
| | - Sarat K. Dalai
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, SG highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
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10
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Alsaiari SK, Nadeef S, Daristotle JL, Rothwell W, Du B, Garcia J, Zhang L, Sarmadi M, Forster TA, Menon N, Lin SQ, Tostanoski LH, Hachmann N, Wang EY, Ventura JD, Barouch DH, Langer R, Jaklenec A. Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks activate endosomal Toll-like receptors and potentiate immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein trimer. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj6380. [PMID: 38446889 PMCID: PMC10917347 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj6380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Nanomaterials offer unique opportunities to engineer immunomodulatory activity. In this work, we report the Toll-like receptor agonist activity of a nanoscale adjuvant zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8). The accumulation of ZIF-8 in endosomes and the pH-responsive release of its subunits enable selective engagement with endosomal Toll-like receptors, minimizing the risk of off-target activation. The intrinsic adjuvant properties of ZIF-8, along with the efficient delivery and biomimetic presentation of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike protein receptor-binding domain trimer, primed rapid humoral and cell-mediated immunity in a dose-sparing manner. Our study offers insights for next-generation adjuvants that can potentially impact future vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahad K. Alsaiari
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Seba Nadeef
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - John L. Daristotle
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - William Rothwell
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Bujie Du
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Johnny Garcia
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Linzixuan Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Morteza Sarmadi
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Timothy A. Forster
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Nandita Menon
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Stacey Qiaohui Lin
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Lisa H. Tostanoski
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Nicole Hachmann
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Erika Yan Wang
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - John D. Ventura
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Dan H. Barouch
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Robert Langer
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ana Jaklenec
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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11
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Huang Z, Zhuang X, Liu L, Zhao J, Ma S, Si X, Zhu Z, Wu F, Jin N, Tian M, Song W, Chen X. Modularized viromimetic polymer nanoparticle vaccines (VPNVaxs) to elicit durable and effective humoral immune responses. Natl Sci Rev 2024; 11:nwad310. [PMID: 38312378 PMCID: PMC10833449 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines had shown great potential during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was thought to be the next generation of antiviral vaccine technology due to viromimetic structures. However, the time-consuming and complicated processes in establishing a current recombinant-protein-based VLP vaccine has limited its quick launch to the out-bursting pandemic. To simplify and optimize VLP vaccine design, we herein report a kind of viromimetic polymer nanoparticle vaccine (VPNVax), with subunit receptor-binding domain (RBD) proteins conjugated to the surface of polyethylene glycol-b-polylactic acid (PEG-b-PLA) nanoparticles for vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. The preparation of VPNVax based on synthetic polymer particle and chemical post-conjugation makes it possible to rapidly replace the antigens and construct matched vaccines at the emergence of different viruses. Using this modular preparation system, we identified that VPNVax with surface protein coverage of 20%-25% had the best immunostimulatory activity, which could keep high levels of specific antibody titers over 5 months and induce virus neutralizing activity when combined with an aluminum adjuvant. Moreover, the polymer nano-vectors could be armed with more immune-adjuvant functions by loading immunostimulant agents or chemical chirality design. This VPNVax platform provides a novel kind of rapidly producing and efficient vaccine against different variants of SARS-CoV-2 as well as other viral pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zichao Huang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Xinyu Zhuang
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130122, China
| | - Liping Liu
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jiayu Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Sheng Ma
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- Jilin Biomedical Polymers Engineering Laboratory, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Xinghui Si
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- Jilin Biomedical Polymers Engineering Laboratory, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Zhenyi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Fan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Ningyi Jin
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130122, China
| | - Mingyao Tian
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130122, China
| | - Wantong Song
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Jilin Biomedical Polymers Engineering Laboratory, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Xuesi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Jilin Biomedical Polymers Engineering Laboratory, Changchun 130022, China
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12
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Shaha S, Rodrigues D, Mitragotri S. Locoregional drug delivery for cancer therapy: Preclinical progress and clinical translation. J Control Release 2024; 367:737-767. [PMID: 38325716 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.01.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Systemic drug delivery is the current clinically preferred route for cancer therapy. However, challenges associated with tumor localization and off-tumor toxic effects limit the clinical effectiveness of this route. Locoregional drug delivery is an emerging viable alternative to systemic therapies. With the improvement in real-time imaging technologies and tools for direct access to tumor lesions, the clinical applicability of locoregional drug delivery is becoming more prominent. Theoretically, locoregional treatments can bypass challenges faced by systemic drug delivery. Preclinically, locoregional delivery of drugs has demonstrated enhanced therapeutic efficacy with limited off-target effects while still yielding an abscopal effect. Clinically, an array of locoregional strategies is under investigation for the delivery of drugs ranging in target and size. Locoregional tumor treatment strategies can be classified into two main categories: 1) direct drug infusion via injection or implanted port and 2) extended drug elution via injected or implanted depot. The number of studies investigating locoregional drug delivery strategies for cancer treatment is rising exponentially, in both preclinical and clinical settings, with some approaches approved for clinical use. Here, we highlight key preclinical advances and the clinical relevance of such locoregional delivery strategies in the treatment of cancer. Furthermore, we critically analyze 949 clinical trials involving locoregional drug delivery and discuss emerging trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyog Shaha
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Allston, MA 02134, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Danika Rodrigues
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Allston, MA 02134, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Samir Mitragotri
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Allston, MA 02134, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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13
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Liu D, Fu L, Gong L, Li S, Li K, Liu K, Yang D. Proton-Gradient-Driven Porphyrin-Based Liposome Remote-Loaded with Imiquimod as In Situ Nanoadjuvants for Synergistically Augmented Tumor Photoimmunotherapy. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:8403-8416. [PMID: 38334116 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c17133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is expected to achieve tumor treatment mainly by stimulating the patient's own immune system to kill tumor cells. However, the low immunogenicity of the tumor and the poor efficiency of tumor antigen presentation result in a variety of solid tumors that do not respond to immunotherapy. Herein, we designed a proton-gradient-driven porphyrin-based liposome (PBL) with highly efficient Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) agonist (imiquimod, R837) encapsulation (R837@PBL). R837@PBL rapidly released R837 in the acid microenvironment to activate the TLR in the endosome inner membrane to promote bone-marrow-derived dendritic cell maturation and enhance antigen presentation. R837@PBL upon laser irradiation triggered immunogenic cell death of tumor cells and tumor-associated antigen release after subcutaneous injection, activated TLR7, formed in situ tumor nanoadjuvants, and enhanced the antigen presentation efficiency. Photoimmunotherapy promoted the infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes into tumor tissues, inhibited the growth of the treated and abscopal tumors, and exerted highly effective photoimmunotherapeutic effects. Hence, our designed in situ tumor nanoadjuvants are expected to be an effective treatment for treated and abscopal tumors, providing a novel approach for synergistic photoimmunotherapy of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dechun Liu
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, China
| | - Luyao Fu
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, China
| | - Linlin Gong
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shasha Li
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, China
| | - Kunwei Li
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, China
| | - Kunhong Liu
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, China
| | - Dan Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Weiyang University Park, Xi'an 710021, China
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14
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Zhang X, Liu Y, Jiang M, Mas-Rosario JA, Fedeli S, Cao-Milan R, Liu L, Winters KJ, Hirschbiegel CM, Nabawy A, Huang R, Farkas ME, Rotello VM. Polarization of macrophages to an anti-cancer phenotype through in situ uncaging of a TLR 7/8 agonist using bioorthogonal nanozymes. Chem Sci 2024; 15:2486-2494. [PMID: 38362405 PMCID: PMC10866364 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc06431j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Macrophages are plastic cells of the immune system that can be broadly classified as having pro-inflammatory (M1-like) or anti-inflammatory (M2-like) phenotypes. M2-like macrophages are often associated with cancers and can promote cancer growth and create an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment. Repolarizing macrophages from M2-like to M1-like phenotype provides a crucial strategy for anticancer immunotherapy. Imiquimod is an FDA-approved small molecule that can polarize macrophages by activating toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR 7/8) located inside lysosomes. However, the non-specific inflammation that results from the drug has limited its systemic application. To overcome this issue, we report the use of gold nanoparticle-based bioorthogonal nanozymes for the conversion of an inactive, imiquimod-based prodrug to an active compound for macrophage re-education from anti- to pro-inflammatory phenotypes. The nanozymes were delivered to macrophages through endocytosis, where they uncaged pro-imiquimod in situ. The generation of imiquimod resulted in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The re-educated M1-like macrophages feature enhanced phagocytosis of cancer cells, leading to efficient macrophage-based tumor cell killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzhi Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | - Yuanchang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | - Mingdi Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | - Javier A Mas-Rosario
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst 230 Stockbridge Road Amherst Massachusetts 01003 USA
| | - Stefano Fedeli
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | - Roberto Cao-Milan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | - Liang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | - Kyle J Winters
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | | | - Ahmed Nabawy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | - Rui Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | - Michelle E Farkas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst 230 Stockbridge Road Amherst Massachusetts 01003 USA
| | - Vincent M Rotello
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant St. Amherst MA 01003 USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst 230 Stockbridge Road Amherst Massachusetts 01003 USA
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15
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He L, Zhang MY, Cox M, Zhang Q, Donnell AF, Zhang Y, Tarby C, Gill P, Subbaiah MAM, Ramar T, Reddy M, Puttapaka V, Li YX, Sivaprakasam P, Critton D, Mulligan D, Xie C, Ramakrishnan R, Nagar J, Dudhgaonkar S, Murtaza A, Oderinde MS, Schieven GL, Mathur A, Gavai AV, Vite G, Gangwar S, Poudel YB. Identification and Optimization of Small Molecule Pyrazolopyrimidine TLR7 Agonists for Applications in Immuno-oncology. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:189-196. [PMID: 38352849 PMCID: PMC10860188 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Small molecule toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 agonists have gathered considerable interest as promising therapeutic agents for applications in cancer immunotherapy. Herein, we describe the development and optimization of a series of novel TLR7 agonists through systematic structure-activity relationship studies focusing on modification of the phenylpiperidine side chain. Additional refinement of ADME properties culminated in the discovery of compound 14, which displayed nanomolar reporter assay activity and favorable drug-like properties. Compound 14 demonstrated excellent in vivo pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profiles and synergistic antitumor activity when administered in combination with aPD1 antibody, suggesting opportunities of employing 14 in immuno-oncology therapies with immune checkpoint blockade agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqi He
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Meng Yao Zhang
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Matthew Cox
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Qian Zhang
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Andrew F. Donnell
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Yong Zhang
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Christine Tarby
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Patrice Gill
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | | | | | - Maheswara Reddy
- Biocon
Bristol Myers Squibb R&D Centre, Bangalore 560099, India
| | | | - Yi-Xin Li
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Prasanna Sivaprakasam
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - David Critton
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Dawn Mulligan
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Chunshan Xie
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Radha Ramakrishnan
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Jignesh Nagar
- Biocon
Bristol Myers Squibb R&D Centre, Bangalore 560099, India
| | | | - Anwar Murtaza
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Martins S. Oderinde
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Gary L. Schieven
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Arvind Mathur
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Ashvinikumar V. Gavai
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Gregory Vite
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Sanjeev Gangwar
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Yam B. Poudel
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
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16
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D'Oro U, O'Hagan DT. The scientific journey of a novel adjuvant (AS37) from bench to bedside. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:26. [PMID: 38332005 PMCID: PMC10853242 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00810-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
A decade ago, we described a new approach to discover next generation adjuvants, identifying small-molecule immune potentiators (SMIPs) as Toll-like receptor (TLR)7 agonists. We also optimally formulated these drugs through adsorption to aluminum salts (alum), allowing them to be evaluated with a range of established and early-stage vaccines. Early proof-of-concept studies showed that a TLR7 agonist (TLR7a)-based SMIP, when adsorbed to alum, could perform as an effective adjuvant for a variety of different antigens, in both small and large animals. Studies in rodents demonstrated that the adjuvant enhanced immunogenicity of a recombinant protein-based vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus, and also showed potential to improve existing vaccines against pertussis or meningococcal infection. Extensive evaluations showed that the adjuvant was effective in non-human primates (NHPs), exploiting a mechanism of action that was consistent across the different animal models. The adjuvant formulation (named AS37) has now been advanced into clinical evaluation. A systems biology-based evaluation of the phase I clinical data with a meningococcal C conjugate vaccine showed that the AS37-adjuvanted formulation had an acceptable safety profile, was potent, and activated the expected immune pathways in humans, which was consistent with observations from the NHP studies. In the intervening decade, several alternative TLR7 agonists have also emerged and advanced into clinical development, such as the alum adsorbed TLR7/8 SMIP present in a widely distributed COVID-19 vaccine. This review summarizes the research and early development of the new adjuvant AS37, with an emphasis on the steps taken to allow its progression into clinical evaluations.
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17
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Tong AJ, Leylek R, Herzner AM, Rigas D, Wichner S, Blanchette C, Tahtinen S, Kemball CC, Mellman I, Haley B, Freund EC, Delamarre L. Nucleotide modifications enable rational design of TLR7-selective ligands by blocking RNase cleavage. J Exp Med 2024; 221:e20230341. [PMID: 38095631 PMCID: PMC10720541 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20230341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors 7 (TLR7) and 8 (TLR8) each sense single-stranded RNA (ssRNA), but their activation results in different immune activation profiles. Attempts to selectively target either TLR7 or TLR8 have been hindered by their high degree of homology. However, recent studies revealed that TLR7 and TLR8 bind different ligands resulting from the processing of ssRNA by endolysosomal RNases. We demonstrate that by introducing precise 2' sugar-modified bases into oligoribonucleotides (ORNs) containing known TLR7 and TLR8 binding motifs, we could prevent RNase-mediated degradation into the monomeric uridine required for TLR8 activation while preserving TLR7 activation. Furthermore, a novel, optimized protocol for CRISPR-Cas9 knockout in primary human plasmacytoid dendritic cells showed that TLR7 activation is dependent on RNase processing of ORNs and revealed a previously undescribed role for RNase 6 in degrading ORNs into TLR ligands. Finally, 2' sugar-modified ORNs demonstrated robust innate immune activation in mice. Altogether, we identified a strategy for creating tunable TLR7-selective agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ira Mellman
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
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18
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Lensch V, Gabba A, Hincapie R, Bhagchandani SH, Basak A, Alam MM, Irvine DJ, Shalek AK, Johnson JA, Finn MG, Kiessling LL. Glycan-costumed virus-like particles promote type 1 anti-tumor immunity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.18.575711. [PMID: 38293025 PMCID: PMC10827186 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.18.575711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Cancer vaccine development is inhibited by a lack of strategies for directing dendritic cell (DC) induction of effective tumor-specific cellular immunity. Pathogen engagement of DC lectins and toll-like receptors (TLRs) shapes immunity by directing T cell function. Strategies to activate specific DC signaling pathways via targeted receptor engagement are crucial to unlocking type 1 cellular immunity. Here, we engineered a glycan-costumed virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine that delivers programmable peptide antigens to induce tumor-specific cellular immunity in vivo. VLPs encapsulating TLR7 agonists and decorated with a selective mannose-derived ligand for the lectin DC-SIGN induced robust DC activation and type 1 cellular immunity, whereas VLPs lacking this key DC-SIGN ligand failed to promote DC-mediated immunity. Vaccination with glycan-costumed VLPs generated tumor antigen-specific Th1 CD4+ and CD8+ T cells that infiltrated solid tumors, inhibiting tumor growth in a murine melanoma model. Thus, VLPs employing lectin-driven immune reprogramming provide a framework for advancing cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Lensch
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Adele Gabba
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Robert Hincapie
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sachin H. Bhagchandani
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ankit Basak
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | | | - Darrell J. Irvine
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Alex K. Shalek
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Jeremiah A. Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - M. G. Finn
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Laura L. Kiessling
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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19
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Strašek Benedik N, Dolšak A, Švajger U, Sosič I, Gobec S, Sova M. Structural Optimization and Biological Evaluation of Isoxazolo[5,4 -d]pyrimidines as Selective Toll-Like Receptor 7 Agonists. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:2362-2382. [PMID: 38250345 PMCID: PMC10795023 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c06343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are components of innate immunity that play a crucial role in several diseases, including chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. In particular, TLR7 has been identified as a key player in the innate immune response against viral infections and small-molecule TLR7 agonists have shown potential for vaccine therapy, for treatment of asthma and allergies, and as anticancer drugs. Inspired by our previous discovery of selective TLR7 agonists, our goal was to develop and introduce a new chemotype of TLR7 agonists by replacing the quinazoline ring with a new heterocycle isoxazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine. Here, we report design, optimized synthesis, and structure-activity relationship studies of a novel class of TLR7 agonists based on the 6-(trifluoromethyl)isoxazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine-4-amine scaffold that demonstrate high selectivity and low micromolar potencies. The best-in-class agonist 21a, with an EC50 value of 7.8 μM, also proved to be noncytotoxic and induced secretion of cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-12p70, IL-8, and TNF-α, indicating its potential to modulate the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nika Strašek Benedik
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Ana Dolšak
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Urban Švajger
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
- Blood
Transfusion Centre of Slovenia, Šlajmerjeva 6, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Izidor Sosič
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Stanislav Gobec
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Matej Sova
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
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20
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Abdelwahab WM, Auclair S, Borgogna T, Siram K, Riffey A, Bazin HG, Cottam HB, Hayashi T, Evans JT, Burkhart DJ. Co-Delivery of a Novel Lipidated TLR7/8 Agonist and Hemagglutinin-Based Influenza Antigen Using Silica Nanoparticles Promotes Enhanced Immune Responses. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:107. [PMID: 38258117 PMCID: PMC10819884 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Co-delivery of antigens and adjuvants to the same antigen-presenting cells (APCs) can significantly improve the efficacy and safety profiles of vaccines. Here, we report amine-grafted silica nanoparticles (A-SNP) as a tunable vaccine co-delivery platform for TLR7/8 agonists along with the recombinant influenza antigen hemagglutinin H7 (H7) to APCs. A-SNP of two different sizes (50 and 200 nm) were prepared and coated with INI-4001 at different coating densities, followed by co-adsorption of H7. Both INI-4001 and H7 showed >90% adsorption to the tested A-SNP formulations. TNF-α and IFN-α cytokine release by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-12 release by mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells revealed that the potency of the INI-4001-adsorbed A-SNP (INI-4001/A-SNP) formulations was improved relative to aqueous formulation control. This improved potency was dependent on particle size and ligand coating density. In addition, slow-release profiles of INI-4001 were measured from INI-4001/A-SNP formulations in plasma with 30-50% INI-4001 released after 7 days. In vivo murine immunization studies demonstrated significantly improved H7-specific humoral and Th1/Th17-polarized T cell immune responses with no observed adverse reactions. Low-density 50 nm INI-4001/A-SNP elicited significantly higher IFN-γ and IL-17 induction over that of the H7 antigen-only group and INI-4001 aqueous formulation controls. In summary, this work introduces an effective and biocompatible SNP-based co-delivery platform that enhances the immunogenicity of TLR7/8 agonist-adjuvanted subunit influenza vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walid M. Abdelwahab
- Center for Translational Medicine, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA (K.S.); (A.R.); (J.T.E.)
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Sarah Auclair
- Center for Translational Medicine, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA (K.S.); (A.R.); (J.T.E.)
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Timothy Borgogna
- Center for Translational Medicine, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA (K.S.); (A.R.); (J.T.E.)
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Karthik Siram
- Center for Translational Medicine, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA (K.S.); (A.R.); (J.T.E.)
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Alexander Riffey
- Center for Translational Medicine, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA (K.S.); (A.R.); (J.T.E.)
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Hélène G. Bazin
- Inimmune Corporation, 1121 East Broadway, Missoula, MT 59812, USA;
| | - Howard B. Cottam
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA (T.H.)
| | - Tomoko Hayashi
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA (T.H.)
| | - Jay T. Evans
- Center for Translational Medicine, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA (K.S.); (A.R.); (J.T.E.)
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
- Inimmune Corporation, 1121 East Broadway, Missoula, MT 59812, USA;
| | - David J. Burkhart
- Center for Translational Medicine, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA (K.S.); (A.R.); (J.T.E.)
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
- Inimmune Corporation, 1121 East Broadway, Missoula, MT 59812, USA;
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21
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Agarwal M, Kumar M, Pathak R, Bala K, Kumar A. Exploring TLR signaling pathways as promising targets in cervical cancer: The road less traveled. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 385:227-261. [PMID: 38663961 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths for women globally. Despite notable advancements in prevention and treatment, the identification of novel therapeutic targets remains crucial for cervical cancer. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an essential role in innate immunity as pattern-recognition receptors. There are several types of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), including those present in cervical cancer cells, which have the ability to activate toll-like receptors (TLRs). Recent studies have revealed dysregulated toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways in cervical cancer, leading to the production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines that can facilitate tumor growth and metastasis. Consequently, TLRs hold significant promise as potential targets for innovative therapeutic agents against cervical cancer. This book chapter explores the role of TLR signaling pathways in cervical cancer, highlighting their potential for targeted therapy while addressing challenges such as tumor heterogeneity and off-target effects. Despite these obstacles, targeting TLR signaling pathways presents a promising approach for the development of novel and effective treatments for cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohini Agarwal
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Manish Kumar
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rajiv Pathak
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kumud Bala
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Anoop Kumar
- National Institute of Biologicals, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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22
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Dang BTN, Kwon TK, Lee S, Jeong JH, Yook S. Nanoparticle-based immunoengineering strategies for enhancing cancer immunotherapy. J Control Release 2024; 365:773-800. [PMID: 38081328 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is a groundbreaking strategy that has revolutionized the field of oncology compared to other therapeutic strategies, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. However, cancer complexity, tumor heterogeneity, and immune escape have become the main hurdles to the clinical application of immunotherapy. Moreover, conventional immunotherapies cause many harmful side effects owing to hyperreactivity in patients, long treatment durations and expensive cost. Nanotechnology is considered a transformative approach that enhances the potency of immunotherapy by capitalizing on the superior physicochemical properties of nanocarriers, creating highly targeted tissue delivery systems. These advantageous features include a substantial specific surface area, which enhances the interaction with the immune system. In addition, the capability to finely modify surface chemistry enables the achievement of controlled and sustained release properties. These advances have significantly increased the potential of immunotherapy, making it more powerful than ever before. In this review, we introduce recent nanocarriers for application in cancer immunotherapy based on strategies that target different main immune cells, including T cells, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and tumor-associated macrophages. We also provide an overview of the role and significance of nanotechnology in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Taeg Kyu Kwon
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea
| | - Sooyeun Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee-Heon Jeong
- Department of Precision Medicine, School of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea.
| | - Simmyung Yook
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea; School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea.
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23
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Heck AG, Stickdorn J, Rosenberger LJ, Scherger M, Woller J, Eigen K, Bros M, Grabbe S, Nuhn L. Polymerizable 2-Propionic-3-methylmaleic Anhydrides as a Macromolecular Carrier Platform for pH-Responsive Immunodrug Delivery. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:27424-27436. [PMID: 38054646 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c08511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
The design of functional polymers coupled with stimuli-triggered drug release mechanisms is a promising achievement to overcome various biological barriers. pH trigger methods yield significant potential for controlled targeting and release of therapeutics due to their simplicity and relevance, especially upon cell internalization. Here, we introduce reactive polymers that conjugate primary or secondary amines and release potential drugs under acidic conditions. For that purpose, we introduced methacrylamide-based monomers with pendant 2-propionic-3-methylmaleic anhydride groups. Such groups allow the conjugation of primary and secondary amines but are resistant to radical polymerization conditions. We, therefore, polymerized 2-propionic-3-methylmaleic anhydride amide-based methacrylates via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Their amine-reactive anhydrides could sequentially be derivatized by primary or secondary amines into hydrophilic polymers. Acidic pH-triggered drug release from the polymeric systems was fine-tuned by comparing different amines. Thereby, the conjugation of primary amines led to the formation of irreversible imide bonds in dimethyl sulfoxide, while secondary amines could quantitatively be released upon acidification. In vitro, this installed pH-responsiveness can contribute to an effective release of conjugated immune stimulatory drugs under endosomal pH conditions. Interestingly, the amine-modified polymers generally showed no toxicity and a high cellular uptake. Furthermore, secondary amine-modified immune stimulatory drugs conjugated to the polymers yielded better receptor activity and immune cell maturation than their primary amine derivatives due to their pH-sensitive drug release mechanism. Consequently, 2-propionic-3-methylmaleic anhydride-based polymers can be considered as a versatile platform for pH-triggered delivery of various (immuno)drugs, thus enabling new strategies in macromolecule-assisted immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina G Heck
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | | | - Laura J Rosenberger
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center (UMC) of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz 55131, Germany
| | | | - Jonas Woller
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Katharina Eigen
- Institute of Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg 97070, Germany
| | - Matthias Bros
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center (UMC) of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz 55131, Germany
| | - Stephan Grabbe
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center (UMC) of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz 55131, Germany
| | - Lutz Nuhn
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz 55128, Germany
- Institute of Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg 97070, Germany
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24
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Bisbal Lopez L, Ravazza D, Bocci M, Zana A, Principi L, Dakhel Plaza S, Galbiati A, Gilardoni E, Scheuermann J, Neri D, Pignataro L, Gennari C, Cazzamalli S, Dal Corso A. Ex vivo mass spectrometry-based biodistribution analysis of an antibody-Resiquimod conjugate bearing a protease-cleavable and acid-labile linker. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1320524. [PMID: 38125888 PMCID: PMC10731371 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1320524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune-stimulating antibody conjugates (ISACs) equipped with imidazoquinoline (IMD) payloads can stimulate endogenous immune cells to kill cancer cells, ultimately inducing long-lasting anticancer effects. A novel ISAC was designed, featuring the IMD Resiquimod (R848), a tumor-targeting antibody specific for Carbonic Anhydrase IX (CAIX) and the protease-cleavable Val-Cit-PABC linker. In vitro stability analysis showed not only R848 release in the presence of the protease Cathepsin B but also under acidic conditions. The ex vivo mass spectrometry-based biodistribution data confirmed the low stability of the linker-drug connection while highlighting the selective accumulation of the IgG in tumors and its long circulatory half-life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matilde Bocci
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jörg Scheuermann
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Dario Neri
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
- Philogen S.p.A, Siena, Italy
| | - Luca Pignataro
- Chemistry Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Cesare Gennari
- Chemistry Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Alberto Dal Corso
- Chemistry Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
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25
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Hobson AD. Antibody drug conjugates beyond cytotoxic payloads. PROGRESS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY 2023; 62:1-59. [PMID: 37981349 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmch.2023.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
For many years, antibody drug conjugates (ADC) have teased with the promise of targeted payload delivery to diseased cells, embracing the targeting of the antibody to which a cytotoxic payload is conjugated. During the past decade this promise has started to be realised with the approval of more than a dozen ADCs for the treatment of various cancers. Of these ADCs, brentuximab vedotin really laid the foundations of a template for a successful ADC with lysosomal payload release from a cleavable dipeptide linker, measured DAR by conjugation to the Cys-Cys interchain bonds of the antibody and a cytotoxic payload. Using this ADC design model oncology has now expanded their repertoire of payloads to include non-cytotoxic compounds. These new payload classes have their origins in prior medicinal chemistry programmes aiming to design selective oral small molecule drugs. While this may not have been achieved, the resulting compounds provide excellent starting points for ADC programmes with some compounds amenable to immediate linker attachment while for others extensive SAR and structural information offer invaluable design insights. Many of these new oncology payload classes are of interest to other therapeutic areas facilitating rapid access to drug-linkers for exploration as non-oncology ADCs. Other therapeutic areas have also pursued unique payload classes with glucocorticoid receptor modulators (GRM) being the most clinically advanced in immunology. Here, ADC payloads come full circle, as oncology is now investigating GRM payloads for the treatment of cancer. This chapter aims to cover all these new ADC approaches while describing the medicinal chemistry origins of the new non-cytotoxic payloads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian D Hobson
- Small Molecule Therapeutics & Platform Technologies, AbbVie Bioresearch Center, Worcester, MA, United States.
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26
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Moni SS, Abdelwahab SI, Jabeen A, Elmobark ME, Aqaili D, Ghoal G, Oraibi B, Farasani AM, Jerah AA, Alnajai MMA, Mohammad Alowayni AMH. Advancements in Vaccine Adjuvants: The Journey from Alum to Nano Formulations. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1704. [PMID: 38006036 PMCID: PMC10674458 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11111704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccination is a groundbreaking approach in preventing and controlling infectious diseases. However, the effectiveness of vaccines can be greatly enhanced by the inclusion of adjuvants, which are substances that potentiate and modulate the immune response. This review is based on extensive searches in reputable databases such as Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The goal of this review is to provide a thorough analysis of the advances in the field of adjuvant research, to trace the evolution, and to understand the effects of the various adjuvants. Historically, alum was the pioneer in the field of adjuvants because it was the first to be approved for use in humans. It served as the foundation for subsequent research and innovation in the field. As science progressed, research shifted to identifying and exploiting the potential of newer adjuvants. One important area of interest is nano formulations. These advanced adjuvants have special properties that can be tailored to enhance the immune response to vaccines. The transition from traditional alum-based adjuvants to nano formulations is indicative of the dynamism and potential of vaccine research. Innovations in adjuvant research, particularly the development of nano formulations, are a promising step toward improving vaccine efficacy and safety. These advances have the potential to redefine the boundaries of vaccination and potentially expand the range of diseases that can be addressed with this approach. There is an optimistic view of the future in which improved vaccine formulations will contribute significantly to improving global health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivakumar S. Moni
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia; (A.J.)
| | | | - Aamena Jabeen
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia; (A.J.)
| | - Mohamed Eltaib Elmobark
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia; (A.J.)
| | - Duaa Aqaili
- Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gassem Ghoal
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bassem Oraibi
- Medical Research Centre, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia (B.O.)
| | | | - Ahmed Ali Jerah
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahdi Mohammed A. Alnajai
- General Directorate of Health Services and University Hospital, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia;
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27
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Belda W, Passero LFD, de Carvalho CHC, Mojica PCR, Vale PA. Chromoblastomycosis: New Perspective on Adjuvant Treatment with Acitretin. Diseases 2023; 11:162. [PMID: 37987273 PMCID: PMC10660773 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11040162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromoblastomycosis (CBM) is a neglected human disease, caused by different species of pigmented dematiaceous fungi that cause granulomatous and suppurative dermatosis. This infection is difficult to treat and there are limited therapeutic options, including terbinafine, itraconazole, and tioconazole. Classic treatment is administered for a long period of time, but some patients do not respond properly, and therefore, such therapeutic approaches possess low cure rates. Therefore, it is vital to develop new strategies for the treatment of CBM. In this regard, it has been observed that the association of immunomodulatory molecules such as glucan with therapy carried out with antifungal drugs improves cutaneous lesions in comparison to treatment with antifungal drugs alone, suggesting that drug association may be an interesting and significant approach to incorporate into CBM therapy. Thus, the aim of this work was to associate classical antifungal therapy with the adjuvants imiquimod and acitretin. In the present case, we reported a patient with extensive CBM caused by Fonsaecae pedrosoi, that affected an extensive area of the right leg, that was left without treatment for 11 years. He was treated with a classical combination of itraconazole and terbinafine via the oral route plus topical imiquimod and oral acitretin, as an adjuvant therapy. After five months of treatment, a significant regression of verrucous plaques was observed, suggesting that the use of these adjuvants combined with the classical antifungal drugs, intraconazole plus terbinafine, can reduce treatment time and rapidly improve the patient's quality of life. This result confirms that the use of coadjuvant drugs may be effective in the treatment of this infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Belda
- Dermatology Department, Medical School, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil; (C.H.C.d.C.); (P.C.R.M.); (P.A.V.)
- Laboratory of Pathology of Infectious Diseases, Medical School, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo 01246-000, Brazil
| | - Luiz Felipe Domingues Passero
- Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Sao Vicente 11330-900, Brazil;
- Institute for Advanced Studies of Ocean, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Sao Vicente 11350-011, Brazil
| | | | - Paula Celeste Rubiano Mojica
- Dermatology Department, Medical School, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil; (C.H.C.d.C.); (P.C.R.M.); (P.A.V.)
| | - Pablo Andrade Vale
- Dermatology Department, Medical School, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil; (C.H.C.d.C.); (P.C.R.M.); (P.A.V.)
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28
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Lessmann T, Jones SA, Voigt T, Weisbrod S, Kracker O, Winter S, Zúñiga LA, Stark S, Bisek N, Sprogøe K. Degradable Hydrogel for Sustained Localized Delivery of Anti-Tumor Drugs. J Pharm Sci 2023; 112:2843-2852. [PMID: 37279836 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2023.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Disadvantages of systemically administered immunomodulatory anti-tumor therapies include poor efficacy and high toxicity. Direct intratumoral injection of a drug is often associated with rapid efflux from the site of administration, thus reducing local exposure and therapeutic efficacy, while potentially increasing systemic adverse events. To address this, a sustained release prodrug technology was developed using a transient conjugation (TransConTM) technology to provide long-term high local drug exposure after injection in the tumor while minimizing systemic exposure. TransCon technology for systemic delivery is clinically validated, with multiple compounds in late-stage clinical development and approval of a once-weekly growth hormone for pediatric growth hormone deficiency. As a further application of this technology, this report describes the design, preparation, and functional characterization of hydrogel microspheres as insoluble, yet degradable carrier system. Microspheres were obtained after reaction of PEG-based polyamine dendrimers and bifunctional crosslinkers. Resiquimod, a TLR7/8 agonist, and axitinib, a vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, were chosen as anti-cancer drugs. The drugs were covalently attached to the carrier by linkers, which released the drugs under physiological conditions. Essentially all resiquimod or axitinib was released over weeks before physical degradation of the hydrogel microsphere was observed. In summary, TransCon Hydrogel technology allows localized sustained-release drug delivery for cancer therapy enabling high local drug concentrations while at the same time ensuring low systemic drug exposure over weeks with a single injection, which may improve the therapeutic index and improve efficacy, while minimizing systemic adverse events. A hydrogel prodrug of resiquimod, TransCon TLR7/8 agonist, is currently being investigated in clinical trials of patients with solid tumors (NCT04799054).
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Affiliation(s)
- Torben Lessmann
- Ascendis Pharma GmbH; Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Seth A Jones
- Ascendis Pharma GmbH; Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tobias Voigt
- Ascendis Pharma GmbH; Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Samuel Weisbrod
- Ascendis Pharma GmbH; Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Oliver Kracker
- Ascendis Pharma GmbH; Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Steffen Winter
- Ascendis Pharma GmbH; Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Sebastian Stark
- Ascendis Pharma GmbH; Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicola Bisek
- Ascendis Pharma GmbH; Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kennett Sprogøe
- Ascendis Pharma A/S, Tuborg Boulevard 12, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark.
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29
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Stickdorn J, Czysch C, Medina-Montano C, Stein L, Xu L, Scherger M, Schild H, Grabbe S, Nuhn L. Peptide-Decorated Degradable Polycarbonate Nanogels for Eliciting Antigen-Specific Immune Responses. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15417. [PMID: 37895096 PMCID: PMC10607756 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
For successful therapeutic interventions in cancer immunotherapy, strong antigen-specific immune responses are required. To this end, immunostimulating cues must be combined with antigens to simultaneously arrive at antigen-presenting cells and initiate cellular immune responses. Recently, imidazoquinolines have shown their vast potential as small molecular Toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR7/8) agonists for immunostimulation when delivered by nanocarriers. At the same time, peptide antigens are promising antigen candidates but require combination with immune-stimulating adjuvants to boost their immunogenicity and exploit their full potential. Consequently, we herein present biodegradable polycarbonate nanogels as versatile delivery system for adjuvants within the particles' core as well as for peptide antigens by surface decoration. For that purpose, orthogonally addressable multifunctional polycarbonate block copolymers were synthesized, enabling adjuvant conjugation through reactive ester chemistry and peptide decoration by strain-promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition (SPAAC). In preparation for SPAAC, CD4+-specific peptide sequences of the model protein antigen ovalbumin were equipped with DBCO-moieties by site-selective modification at their N-terminal cysteine. With their azide groups exposed on their surface, the adjuvant-loaded nanogels were then efficiently decorated with DBCO-functional CD4+-peptides by SPAAC. In vitro evaluation of the adjuvant-loaded peptide-decorated gels then confirmed their strong immunostimulating properties as well as their high biocompatibility. Despite their covalent conjugation, the CD4+-peptide-decorated nanogels led to maturation of primary antigen-presenting cells and the downstream priming of CD4+-T cells. Subsequently, the peptide-decorated nanogels loaded with TLR7/8 agonist were successfully processed by antigen-presenting cells, enabling potent immune responses for future application in antigen-specific cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carolina Medina-Montano
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Lara Stein
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Lujuan Xu
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, China
| | | | - Hansjörg Schild
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Stephan Grabbe
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Lutz Nuhn
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry, Institute of Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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30
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Liang H, Lu Q, Yang J, Yu G. Supramolecular Biomaterials for Cancer Immunotherapy. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2023; 6:0211. [PMID: 37705962 PMCID: PMC10496790 DOI: 10.34133/research.0211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has achieved tremendous successful clinical results and obtained historic victories in tumor treatments. However, great limitations associated with feeble immune responses and serious adverse effects still cannot be neglected due to the complicated multifactorial etiology and pathologic microenvironment in tumors. The rapid development of nanomedical science and material science has facilitated the advanced progress of engineering biomaterials to tackle critical issues. The supramolecular biomaterials with flexible and modular structures have exhibited unparalleled advantages of high cargo-loading efficiency, excellent biocompatibility, and diversiform immunomodulatory activity, thereby providing a powerful weapon for cancer immunotherapy. In past decades, supramolecular biomaterials were extensively explored as versatile delivery platforms for immunotherapeutic agents or designed to interact with the key moleculars in immune system in a precise and controllable manner. In this review, we focused on the crucial role of supramolecular biomaterials in the modulation of pivotal steps during tumor immunotherapy, including antigen delivery and presentation, T lymphocyte activation, tumor-associated macrophage elimination and repolarization, and myeloid-derived suppressor cell depletion. Based on extensive research, we explored the current limitations and development prospects of supramolecular biomaterials in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Liang
- College of Science,
Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Qingqing Lu
- College of Science,
Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Jie Yang
- College of Science,
Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Guocan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry,
Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
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31
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Onodera T, Sakudo A, Sugiura K, Haritani M, Furusaki K, Kirisawa R. Antiviral agents and disinfectants for foot‑and‑mouth disease (Review). Biomed Rep 2023; 19:57. [PMID: 37614986 PMCID: PMC10442741 DOI: 10.3892/br.2023.1639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluorouracil, 5-azacytidine, 6-azauridine, ribavirin, favipiravir (T-705) and its derivative (T-1105) exhibit anti-foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) effects. In particular, T-1105 exhibits promising results when administered to guinea pigs orally, and pigs in their feed. FMDV is excreted in the early stages of infection in aerosols and oral or nasal droplets from animals. T-1105 along with the FMDV vaccine can be used to combat foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) epidemics. Several studies have shown that sodium hypochlorous solutions are widely used to inactivate viruses, including FMDV. However, these solutions must be stored under cool and dark conditions to maintain their virucidal effects. Interestingly, a study indicated that the virucidal activity of a calcium bicarbonate solution with a mesoscopic structure (CAC-717) did not decrease after storage at room temperature for at least four years outside direct sunlight. Numerous lessons acquired from the 2010 FMD outbreak in Japan are relevant for the control of COVID-19. However, the widespread use of chlorite can cause environmental issues. Chlorite can be combined with nitrogen to produce chloramine or N-nitrosodimethylamine, which plays a role in carcinogenesis. Therefore, risk assessments should be conducted in aquatic environments. Moreover, there is a need to develop nonchlorine disinfectants that can be used during epidemics, including FMD. The approach of 'One Health' should be shared between the public health and veterinary fields to improve the management of viral outbreaks, including those due to FMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Onodera
- Laboratory of Environmental Science for Sustainable Development, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
- Research Center for Food Safety, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Akikazu Sakudo
- Department of Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Ehime 794-8555, Japan
| | - Katsuaki Sugiura
- Laboratory of Environmental Science for Sustainable Development, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Makoto Haritani
- Laboratory of Environmental Science for Sustainable Development, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Koichi Furusaki
- Mineral Activation Research Institute, Kumamoto 865-0023, Japan
| | - Rikio Kirisawa
- Laboratory of Environmental Science for Sustainable Development, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
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Wang W, Zhu Q, Jin Y, Gao J, Li J, Zheng X, Gao W, Saeed M, Sheng W, Yu H. Self-Immolated Nanoadjuvant for In Situ Vaccination Immunotherapy of Colorectal Cancer. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2300524. [PMID: 37269141 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202300524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Vaccination immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment modalities. Although the immunomodulatory adjuvant generally employs for potentiating vaccine response, systemic administration may drive immune-related side effects, even immune tolerance. Therefore, tunable immunoadjuvants are highly desirable to simultaneously stimulate the immune response and mitigate systemic toxicity. Self-immolated nanoadjuvants are herein reported to potentiate vaccination immunotherapy of cancer. The nanoadjuvants are engineered by co-assembling an intracellular acidity-ionizable polymeric agonist of toll-like receptor 7/8 resiquimod (R848) and polymeric photosensitizer pyropheophorbide a (PPa). The resultant nanoadjuvants specifically accumulate at the tumor site via passive targeting and are dissociated in the acidic endosome versicles to activate PPa via protonation of the polymer backbone. Upon 671 nm laser irradiation, PPa performed photodynamic therapy to induce immunogenic cell death of tumor cells and subsequently releases R848 in a customized manner, which synergistically activates dendritic cells (DCs), promotes antigen cross-presentation, and eventually recruits cytotoxic T lymphocytes for tumor regression. Furthermore, the synergistic in situ vaccination immunotherapy with immune checkpoint blockade induce sustained immunological memory to suppress tumor recurrence in the rechallenged colorectal tumor model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqi Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China
- Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Qiwen Zhu
- Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yilan Jin
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China
- Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jing Gao
- Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jianan Li
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China
| | - Xiaohua Zheng
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China
| | - Weidong Gao
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Madiha Saeed
- Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
| | - Weizhong Sheng
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Haijun Yu
- Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
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Banstola A, Pandit M, Duwa R, Chang J, Jeong J, Yook S. Reactive oxygen species-responsive dual-targeted nanosystem promoted immunogenic cell death against breast cancer. Bioeng Transl Med 2023; 8:e10379. [PMID: 37693071 PMCID: PMC10487313 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of an optimal treatment modality to improve the therapeutic outcome of breast cancer patients is still difficult. Poor antigen presentation to T cells is a major challenge in cancer immunotherapy. In this study, a synergistic immunotherapy strategy for breast cancer incorporating immune cell infiltration, immunogenic cell death (ICD), and dendritic cell (DC) maturation through a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive dual-targeted smart nanosystem (anti-PD-L1-TKNP) for the simultaneous release of DOX, R848, and MIP-3α in the tumor microenvironment is reported. Following local injection, anti-PD-L1-DOX-R848-MIP-3α/thioketal nanoparticle (TKNP) converts tumor cells to a vaccine owing to the combinatorial effect of DOX-induced ICD, R848-mediated immunostimulatory properties, and MIP-3α-induced immune cell recruitment in the tumor microenvironment. Intratumoral injection of anti-PD-L1-DOX-R848-MIP-3α/TKNP caused significant regression of breast cancer. Mechanistic studies reveal that anti-PD-L1-DOX-R848-MIP-3α/TKNP specifically targets tumor tissue, resulting in maximum exposure of calreticulin (CRT) and HMGB1 in tumors, and significantly enhances intratumoral infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in tumors. Therefore, a combined strategy using dual-targeted ROS-responsive TKNP highlights the significant application of nanoparticles in modulating the tumor microenvironment and could be a clinical treatment strategy for effective breast cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmita Banstola
- College of PharmacyKeimyung UniversityDaeguSouth Korea
- Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical SchoolWellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Mahesh Pandit
- College of PharmacyYeungnam UniversityGyeongsanGyeongbukSouth Korea
| | - Ramesh Duwa
- College of PharmacyKeimyung UniversityDaeguSouth Korea
| | - Jae‐Hoon Chang
- College of PharmacyYeungnam UniversityGyeongsanGyeongbukSouth Korea
| | - Jee‐Heon Jeong
- Department of Precision Medicine, School of MedicineSungkyunkwan UniversitySuwonSouth Korea
| | - Simmyung Yook
- College of PharmacyKeimyung UniversityDaeguSouth Korea
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Alexander S, Moghadam MG, Rothenbroker M, Y T Chou L. Addressing the in vivo delivery of nucleic-acid nanostructure therapeutics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 199:114898. [PMID: 37230305 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
DNA and RNA nanostructures are being investigated as therapeutics, vaccines, and drug delivery systems. These nanostructures can be functionalized with guests ranging from small molecules to proteins with precise spatial and stoichiometric control. This has enabled new strategies to manipulate drug activity and to engineer devices with novel therapeutic functionalities. Although existing studies have offered encouraging in vitro or pre-clinical proof-of-concepts, establishing mechanisms of in vivo delivery is the new frontier for nucleic-acid nanotechnologies. In this review, we first provide a summary of existing literature on the in vivo uses of DNA and RNA nanostructures. Based on their application areas, we discuss current models of nanoparticle delivery, and thereby highlight knowledge gaps on the in vivo interactions of nucleic-acid nanostructures. Finally, we describe techniques and strategies for investigating and engineering these interactions. Together, we propose a framework to establish in vivo design principles and advance the in vivo translation of nucleic-acid nanotechnologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shana Alexander
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
| | | | - Meghan Rothenbroker
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Leo Y T Chou
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada.
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35
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Mondal A, Maffe P, Wilson SN, Ghalei S, Palacio R, Handa H, Brisbois EJ. Catalytic effect of transition metal-doped medical grade polymer on S-nitrosothiol decomposition and its biological response. MATERIALS ADVANCES 2023; 4:3197-3206. [PMID: 38013687 PMCID: PMC10388399 DOI: 10.1039/d3ma00191a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO)-release from polymer metal composites is achieved through the incorporation of NO donors such as S-nitrosothiols (RSNO). Several studies have shown that metal nanoparticles catalytically decompose RSNO to release NO. In polymer composites, the NO surface flux from the surface can be modulated by the application of metal nanoparticles with a varying degree of catalytic activity. In this study, we compare the NO-releasing polymer composite design strategy - demonstrating how different ways of incorporating RSNO and metal nanoparticles can affect NO flux, donor leaching, or biological activity of the films. The first approach included blending both the RSNO and metal nanoparticle in the matrix (non-layered), while the second approach involved dip-coating metal nanoparticle/polymer layer on the RSNO-containing polymer composite (layered). Secondly, we compare both designs with respect to metal nanoparticles, including iron (Fe), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and silver (Ag). Differential NO surface flux is observed for each metal nanoparticle, with the Cu-containing polymer composites showing the highest flux for layered composites, whereas Fe demonstrated the highest NO flux for non-layered composites in 24 h. Additionally, a comparative study on NO flux modulation via the choice of metal nanoparticles is shown. Furthermore, mouse fibroblast cell viability when exposed to leachates from the polymer metal composites was dependent on (1) the design of the polymer composite where the layered approach performed better than non-layered composites (2) diffusion of metal nanoparticles from the composites plays a key role. Antibacterial activity on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was also dependent on individual metal nanoparticles and flux levels in a 24 h in vitro CDC bioreactor study. Therefore, the study establishes the need for a layered polymer metal composite strategy that synergizes NO flux without negatively affecting biocompatibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Mondal
- School of Chemical, Materials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia 302 E Campus Road, Suite 2212 GA 30605 Athens 30602 USA
| | - Patrick Maffe
- School of Chemical, Materials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia 302 E Campus Road, Suite 2212 GA 30605 Athens 30602 USA
| | - Sarah N Wilson
- School of Chemical, Materials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia 302 E Campus Road, Suite 2212 GA 30605 Athens 30602 USA
| | - Sama Ghalei
- School of Chemical, Materials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia 302 E Campus Road, Suite 2212 GA 30605 Athens 30602 USA
| | - Ricky Palacio
- School of Chemical, Materials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia 302 E Campus Road, Suite 2212 GA 30605 Athens 30602 USA
| | - Hitesh Handa
- School of Chemical, Materials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia 302 E Campus Road, Suite 2212 GA 30605 Athens 30602 USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Georgia Athens 30602 USA
| | - Elizabeth J Brisbois
- School of Chemical, Materials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia 302 E Campus Road, Suite 2212 GA 30605 Athens 30602 USA
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Crofts KF, Page CL, Swedik SM, Holbrook BC, Meyers AK, Zhu X, Parsonage D, Westcott MM, Alexander-Miller MA. An Analysis of Linker-Dependent Effects on the APC Activation and In Vivo Immunogenicity of an R848-Conjugated Influenza Vaccine. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1261. [PMID: 37515076 PMCID: PMC10383912 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11071261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Subunit or inactivated vaccines comprise the majority of vaccines used against viral and bacterial pathogens. However, compared to their live/attenuated counterparts, these vaccines often demonstrate reduced immunogenicity, requiring multiple boosters and or adjuvants to elicit protective immune responses. For this reason, studies of adjuvants and the mechanism through which they can improve inactivated vaccine responses are critical for the development of vaccines with increased efficacy. Studies have shown that the direct conjugation of adjuvant to antigen promotes vaccine immunogenicity, with the advantage of both the adjuvant and antigen targeting the same cell. Using this strategy of direct linkage, we developed an inactivated influenza A (IAV) vaccine that is directly conjugated with the Toll-like receptor 7/8 agonist resiquimod (R848) through a heterobifunctional crosslinker. Previously, we showed that this vaccine resulted in improved protection and viral clearance in newborn nonhuman primates compared to a non-adjuvanted vaccine. We subsequently discovered that the choice of linker used to conjugate R848 to the virus alters the stimulatory activity of the vaccine, promoting increased maturation and proinflammatory cytokine production from DC differentiated in vitro. With this knowledge, we explored how the choice of crosslinker impacts the stimulatory activity of these vaccines. We found that the linker choice alters signaling through the NF-κB pathway in human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs). Further, we extended our analyses to in vivo differentiated APC present in human peripheral blood, replicating the linker-dependent differences found in in vitro differentiated cells. Finally, we demonstrated in a mouse model that the choice of linker impacts the amount of IAV-specific IgG antibody produced in response to vaccination. These data enhance our understanding of conjugation approaches for improving vaccine immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kali F. Crofts
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA; (K.F.C.); (C.L.P.); (S.M.S.); (B.C.H.); (A.K.M.); (X.Z.); (M.M.W.)
| | - Courtney L. Page
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA; (K.F.C.); (C.L.P.); (S.M.S.); (B.C.H.); (A.K.M.); (X.Z.); (M.M.W.)
| | - Stephanie M. Swedik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA; (K.F.C.); (C.L.P.); (S.M.S.); (B.C.H.); (A.K.M.); (X.Z.); (M.M.W.)
| | - Beth C. Holbrook
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA; (K.F.C.); (C.L.P.); (S.M.S.); (B.C.H.); (A.K.M.); (X.Z.); (M.M.W.)
| | - Allison K. Meyers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA; (K.F.C.); (C.L.P.); (S.M.S.); (B.C.H.); (A.K.M.); (X.Z.); (M.M.W.)
| | - Xuewei Zhu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA; (K.F.C.); (C.L.P.); (S.M.S.); (B.C.H.); (A.K.M.); (X.Z.); (M.M.W.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
| | - Derek Parsonage
- Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA;
| | - Marlena M. Westcott
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA; (K.F.C.); (C.L.P.); (S.M.S.); (B.C.H.); (A.K.M.); (X.Z.); (M.M.W.)
| | - Martha A. Alexander-Miller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA; (K.F.C.); (C.L.P.); (S.M.S.); (B.C.H.); (A.K.M.); (X.Z.); (M.M.W.)
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Zhao T, Cai Y, Jiang Y, He X, Wei Y, Yu Y, Tian X. Vaccine adjuvants: mechanisms and platforms. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:283. [PMID: 37468460 PMCID: PMC10356842 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01557-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Adjuvants are indispensable components of vaccines. Despite being widely used in vaccines, their action mechanisms are not yet clear. With a greater understanding of the mechanisms by which the innate immune response controls the antigen-specific response, the adjuvants' action mechanisms are beginning to be elucidated. Adjuvants can be categorized as immunostimulants and delivery systems. Immunostimulants are danger signal molecules that lead to the maturation and activation of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) by targeting Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and other pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to promote the production of antigen signals and co-stimulatory signals, which in turn enhance the adaptive immune responses. On the other hand, delivery systems are carrier materials that facilitate antigen presentation by prolonging the bioavailability of the loaded antigens, as well as targeting antigens to lymph nodes or APCs. The adjuvants' action mechanisms are systematically summarized at the beginning of this review. This is followed by an introduction of the mechanisms, properties, and progress of classical vaccine adjuvants. Furthermore, since some of the adjuvants under investigation exhibit greater immune activation potency than classical adjuvants, which could compensate for the deficiencies of classical adjuvants, a summary of the adjuvant platforms under investigation is subsequently presented. Notably, we highlight the different action mechanisms and immunological properties of these adjuvant platforms, which will provide a wide range of options for the rational design of different vaccines. On this basis, this review points out the development prospects of vaccine adjuvants and the problems that should be paid attention to in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingmei Zhao
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yulong Cai
- Division of Biliary Tract Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yujie Jiang
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuemei He
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuquan Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifan Yu
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaohe Tian
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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Bhagchandani SH, Vohidov F, Milling LE, Tong EY, Brown CM, Ramseier ML, Liu B, Fessenden TB, Nguyen HVT, Kiel GR, Won L, Langer RS, Spranger S, Shalek AK, Irvine DJ, Johnson JA. Engineering kinetics of TLR7/8 agonist release from bottlebrush prodrugs enables tumor-focused immune stimulation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg2239. [PMID: 37075115 PMCID: PMC10115420 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg2239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Imidazoquinolines (IMDs), such as resiquimod (R848), are of great interest as potential cancer immunotherapies because of their ability to activate Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and/or TLR8 on innate immune cells. Nevertheless, intravenous administration of IMDs causes severe immune-related toxicities, and attempts to improve their tissue-selective exposure while minimizing acute systemic inflammation have proven difficult. Here, using a library of R848 "bottlebrush prodrugs" (BPDs) that differ only by their R848 release kinetics, we explore how the timing of R848 exposure affects immune stimulation in vitro and in vivo. These studies led to the discovery of R848-BPDs that exhibit optimal activation kinetics to achieve potent stimulation of myeloid cells in tumors and substantial reductions in tumor growth following systemic administration in mouse syngeneic tumor models without any observable systemic toxicity. These results suggest that release kinetics can be tuned at the molecular level to provide safe yet effective systemically administered immunostimulant prodrugs for next-generation cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachin H. Bhagchandani
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Farrukh Vohidov
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Lauren E. Milling
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Evelyn Yuzhou Tong
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Christopher M. Brown
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Michelle L. Ramseier
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Timothy B. Fessenden
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Hung V.-T. Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Gavin R. Kiel
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Lori Won
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Robert S. Langer
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Stefani Spranger
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Alex K. Shalek
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Darrell J. Irvine
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Jeremiah A. Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
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Jin SM, Yoo YJ, Shin HS, Kim S, Lee SN, Lee CH, Kim H, Kim JE, Bae YS, Hong J, Noh YW, Lim YT. A nanoadjuvant that dynamically coordinates innate immune stimuli activation enhances cancer immunotherapy and reduces immune cell exhaustion. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 18:390-402. [PMID: 36635335 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-022-01296-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Although conventional innate immune stimuli contribute to immune activation, they induce exhausted immune cells, resulting in suboptimal cancer immunotherapy. Here we suggest a kinetically activating nanoadjuvant (K-nanoadjuvant) that can dynamically integrate two waves of innate immune stimuli, resulting in effective antitumour immunity without immune cell exhaustion. The combinatorial code of K-nanoadjuvant is optimized in terms of the order, duration and time window between spatiotemporally activating Toll-like receptor 7/8 agonist and other Toll-like receptor agonists. K-nanoadjuvant induces effector/non-exhausted dendritic cells that programme the magnitude and persistence of interleukin-12 secretion, generate effector/non-exhausted CD8+ T cells, and activate natural killer cells. Treatment with K-nanoadjuvant as a monotherapy or in combination therapy with anti-PD-L1 or liposomes (doxorubicin) results in strong antitumour immunity in murine models, with minimal systemic toxicity, providing a strategy for synchronous and dynamic tailoring of innate immunity for enhanced cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Mo Jin
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, and Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon Jeong Yoo
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, and Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong Sik Shin
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, and Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sohyun Kim
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, and Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Nam Lee
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, and Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Hoon Lee
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, and Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunji Kim
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, and Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Eun Kim
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, and Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Soo Bae
- Department of Biological Sciences, Science Research Center (SRC) for Immune Research on Non-lymphoid Organ (CIRNO), Department of Biological Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - JungHyub Hong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Science Research Center (SRC) for Immune Research on Non-lymphoid Organ (CIRNO), Department of Biological Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Woock Noh
- New Drug Development Center, Osong Medical Innovation Foundation, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Taik Lim
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, and Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
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3-(5-Hydroxyphenyl)-5-Phenyl-2-Pyrazolines as Toll-Like Receptor 7 Agonists. J CHEM-NY 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/2151669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is an attractive target for developing immune modulators to enhance innate immunity against ssRNA virus infections, including hepatitis C and COVID-19. Ten 3-(5-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenyl-2-pyrazolines were tested using TLR7 reporter cells, overexpressing TLR7 and the NF-κB-inducible SEAP reporter gene to discover a novel TLR7 agonist enhancing innate immunity. Of these, 2-(3-(2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)-5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)thiazol-4(5H)-one (compound 6) showed the best TLR7 agonistic activity, and further experiments were carried out to study the immune-modulatory capability of compound 6. Treatment with compound 6 rapidly induced phosphorylation of IRAK4, IKKα/β, IκBα, and p65/RelA in THP1 monocytic cells. In addition, it increased the expression of NF-κB-regulated innate cytokines, such as TNFα and IL1β, in THP1 monocytic cells. These data suggest that compound 6 induces an innate immune response by agonizing TLR7 activity in THP1 human monocytic cells. Therefore, compound 6 can be used as an innate immune modulator to develop antiviral agents and vaccine adjuvants.
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Wan J, Ren L, Li X, He S, Fu Y, Xu P, Meng F, Xian S, Pu K, Wang H. Photoactivatable nanoagonists chemically programmed for pharmacokinetic tuning and in situ cancer vaccination. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2210385120. [PMID: 36787350 PMCID: PMC9974508 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210385120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy holds great promise for the treatment of aggressive and metastatic cancers; however, currently available immunotherapeutics, such as immune checkpoint blockade, benefit only a small subset of patients. A photoactivatable toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR7/8) nanoagonist (PNA) system that imparts near-infrared (NIR) light-induced immunogenic cell death (ICD) in dying tumor cells in synchrony with the spontaneous release of a potent immunoadjuvant is developed here. The PNA consists of polymer-derived proimmunoadjuvants ligated via a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-cleavable linker and polymer-derived photosensitizers, which are further encapsulated in amphiphilic matrices for systemic injection. In particular, conjugation of the TLR7/8 agonist resiquimod to biodegradable macromolecular moieties with different molecular weights enabled pharmacokinetic tuning of small-molecule agonists and optimized delivery efficiency in mice. Upon NIR photoirradiation, PNA effectively generated ROS not only to ablate tumors and induce the ICD cascade but also to trigger the on-demand release of TLR agonists. In several preclinical cancer models, intravenous PNA administration followed by NIR tumor irradiation resulted in remarkable tumor regression and suppressed postsurgical tumor recurrence and metastasis. Furthermore, this treatment profoundly shifted the tumor immune landscape to a tumoricidal one, eliciting robust tumor-specific T cell priming in vivo. This work highlights a simple and cost-effective approach to generate in situ cancer vaccines for synergistic photodynamic immunotherapy of metastatic cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianqin Wan
- The First Affiliated Hospital, National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310003, P. R. China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan250117, P. R. China
| | - Lulu Ren
- The First Affiliated Hospital, National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310003, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital, National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310003, P. R. China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310027, P. R. China
| | - Shasha He
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore637457, Singapore
| | - Yang Fu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310016, P. R. China
| | - Peirong Xu
- The First Affiliated Hospital, National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310003, P. R. China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310027, P. R. China
| | - Fanchao Meng
- The First Affiliated Hospital, National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310003, P. R. China
| | - Shiyun Xian
- The First Affiliated Hospital, National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310003, P. R. China
| | - Kanyi Pu
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore637457, Singapore
| | - Hangxiang Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital, National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310003, P. R. China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan250117, P. R. China
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Thymosin α-1 in cancer therapy: Immunoregulation and potential applications. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 117:109744. [PMID: 36812669 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.109744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Thymosin α-1 (Tα-1) is an immunomodulating polypeptide of 28 amino acids, which was the first peptide isolated from thymic tissue and has been widely used for the treatment of viral infections, immunodeficiencies, and especially malignancies. Tα-1 stimulates both innate and adaptive immune responses, and its regulation of innate immune cells and adaptive immune cells varies under different disease conditions. Pleiotropic regulation of immune cells by Tα-1 depends on activation of Toll-like receptors and its downstream signaling pathways in various immune microenvironments. For treatment of malignancies, the combination of Tα-1 and chemotherapy has a strong synergistic effect by enhancing the anti-tumor immune response. On the basis of the pleiotropic effect of Tα-1 on immune cells and the promising results of preclinical studies, Tα-1 may be a favorable immunomodulator to enhance the curative effect and decrease immune-related adverse events of immune checkpoint inhibitors to develop novel cancer therapies.
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Yin W, Deng B, Xu Z, Wang H, Ma F, Zhou M, Lu Y, Zhang J. Formulation and Evaluation of Lipidized Imiquimod as an Effective Adjuvant. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:378-387. [PMID: 36688646 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Adjuvants are essential for the induction of robust immune responses against vaccine antigens. Small-molecule TLR7 agonists hold high potential for this purpose. In this communication, imiquimod (IMQ) bearing a cholesterol lipid moiety derivative, IMQ-Chol, was designed and synthesized as a vaccine adjuvant, which could release parent IMQ molecules in aqueous conditions via amide bond hydrolysis. We performed a series of immunological evaluations by cooperating with the inactivated foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). All of the results confirmed that IMQ-Chol could stimulate the body for a prolonged time to produce strong humoral and cellular immunity with a balanced Th1/Th2 immune response through a TLR7-related MAPK pathway. In addition, the results of the proof-of-concept vaccine indicated IMQ-Chol had a good effect on preventing and treating FMD in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhu Yin
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Ministry of Science and Technology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing210014, P. R. China
| | - Bihua Deng
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Ministry of Science and Technology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing210014, P. R. China
| | - Zeyu Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing210095, P. R. China
| | - Haiyan Wang
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Ministry of Science and Technology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing210014, P. R. China
| | - Fang Ma
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Ministry of Science and Technology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing210014, P. R. China
| | - Mingxu Zhou
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Ministry of Science and Technology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing210014, P. R. China
| | - Yu Lu
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Ministry of Science and Technology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing210014, P. R. China.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing210095, P. R. China
| | - Jinqiu Zhang
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Ministry of Science and Technology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing210014, P. R. China.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing210095, P. R. China
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Lugani S, Halabi EA, Oh J, Kohler R, Peterson H, Breakefield XO, Chiocca EAA, Miller MA, Garris C, Weissleder R. Dual Immunostimulatory Pathway Agonism through a Synthetic Nanocarrier Triggers Robust Anti-Tumor Immunity in Murine Glioblastoma. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2208782. [PMID: 36427266 PMCID: PMC10197197 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202208782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Myeloid cells are abundant, create a highly immunosuppressive environment in glioblastoma (GBM), and thus contribute to poor immunotherapy responses. Based on the hypothesis that small molecules can be used to stimulate myeloid cells to elicit anti-tumor effector functions, a synthetic nanoparticle approach is developed to deliver dual NF-kB pathway-inducing agents into these cells via systemic administration. Synthetic, cyclodextrin-adjuvant nanoconstructs (CANDI) with high affinity for tumor-associated myeloid cells are dually loaded with a TLR7 and 8 (Toll-like receptor, 7 and 8) agonist (R848) and a cIAP (cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein) inhibitor (LCL-161) to dually activate these myeloid cells. Here CANDI is shown to: i) readily enter the GBM tumor microenvironment (TME) and accumulate at high concentrations, ii) is taken up by tumor-associated myeloid cells, iii) potently synergize payloads compared to monotherapy, iv) activate myeloid cells, v) fosters a "hot" TME with high levels of T effector cells, and vi) controls the growth of murine GBM as mono- and combination therapies with anti-PD1. Multi-pathway targeted myeloid stimulation via the CANDI platform can efficiently drive anti-tumor immunity in GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Lugani
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA 02114
- Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 672, 69120 Heidelberg
| | - Elias A. Halabi
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Juhyun Oh
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Rainer Kohler
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Hannah Peterson
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Xandra O. Breakefield
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - E. Antonio A. Chiocca
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Miles A. Miller
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Christopher Garris
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Ralph Weissleder
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115
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Siena E, Schiavetti F, Borgogni E, Taccone M, Faenzi E, Brazzoli M, Aprea S, Bardelli M, Volpini G, Buricchi F, Sammicheli C, Tavarini S, Bechtold V, Blohmke CJ, Cardamone D, De Intinis C, Gonzalez-Lopez A, O'Hagan DT, Nuti S, Seidl C, Didierlaurent AM, Bertholet S, D'Oro U, Medini D, Finco O. Systems analysis of human responses to an aluminium hydroxide-adsorbed TLR7 agonist (AS37) adjuvanted vaccine reveals a dose-dependent and specific activation of the interferon-mediated antiviral response. Vaccine 2023; 41:724-734. [PMID: 36564274 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The candidate Adjuvant System AS37 contains a synthetic toll-like receptor agonist (TLR7a) adsorbed to alum. In a phase I study (NCT02639351), healthy adults were randomised to receive one dose of licensed alum-adjuvanted meningococcal serogroup C (MenC-CRM197) conjugate vaccine (control) or MenC-CRM197 conjugate vaccine adjuvanted with AS37 (TLR7a dose 12.5, 25, 50 or 100 µg). A subset of 66 participants consented to characterisation of peripheral whole blood transcriptomic responses, systemic cytokine/chemokine responses and multiple myeloid and lymphoid cell responses as exploratory study endpoints. Blood samples were collected pre-vaccination, 6 and 24 h post-vaccination, and 3, 7, 28 and 180 days post-vaccination. The gene expression profile in whole blood showed an early, AS37-specific transcriptome response that peaked at 24 h, increased with TLR7a dose up to 50 µg and generally resolved within one week. Five clusters of differentially expressed genes were identified, including those involved in the interferon-mediated antiviral response. Evaluation of 30 cytokines/chemokines by multiplex assay showed an increased level of interferon-induced chemokine CXCL10 (IP-10) at 24 h and 3 days post-vaccination in the AS37-adjuvanted vaccine groups. Increases in activated plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) and intermediate monocytes were detected 3 days post-vaccination in the AS37-adjuvanted vaccine groups. T follicular helper (Tfh) cells increased 7 days post-vaccination and were maintained at 28 days post-vaccination, particularly in the AS37-adjuvanted vaccine groups. Moreover, most of the subjects that received vaccine containing 25, 50 and 100 µg TLR7a showed an increased MenC-specific memory B cell responses versus baseline. These data show that the adsorption of TLR7a to alum promotes an immune signature consistent with TLR7 engagement, with up-regulation of interferon-inducible genes, cytokines and frequency of activated pDC, intermediate monocytes, MenC-specific memory B cells and Tfh cells. TLR7a 25-50 µg can be considered the optimal dose for AS37, particularly for the adjuvanted MenC-CRM197 conjugate vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Carlo De Intinis
- GSK, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy; University of Turin, Via Verdi 8, 10124 Torino, Italy.
| | | | | | - Sandra Nuti
- GSK, 14200 Shady Grove Rd, Rockville MD, USA.
| | | | | | | | - Ugo D'Oro
- GSK, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy.
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Gonzalez C, Williamson S, Gammon ST, Glazer S, Rhee JH, Piwnica-Worms D. TLR5 agonists enhance anti-tumor immunity and overcome resistance to immune checkpoint therapy. Commun Biol 2023; 6:31. [PMID: 36635337 PMCID: PMC9837180 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04403-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary and adaptive resistance to immune checkpoint therapies (ICT) represent a considerable obstacle to achieving enhanced overall survival. Innate immune activators have been actively pursued for their antitumor potential. Herein we report that a syngeneic 4T1 mammary carcinoma murine model for established highly-refractory triple negative breast cancer showed enhanced survival when treated intra-tumorally with either the TLR5 agonist flagellin or CBLB502, a flagellin derivative, in combination with antibodies targeting CTLA-4 and PD-1. Long-term survivor mice showed immunologic memory upon tumor re-challenge and a distinctive immune activating cytokine profile that engaged both innate and adaptive immunity. Low serum levels of G-CSF and CXCL5 (as well as high IL-15) were candidate predictive biomarkers correlating with enhanced survival. CBLB502-induced enhancement of ICT was also observed in poorly immunogenic B16-F10 melanoma tumors. Combination immune checkpoint therapy plus TLR5 agonists may offer a new therapeutic strategy to treat ICT-refractory solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Gonzalez
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Sarah Williamson
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Seth T. Gammon
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Sarah Glazer
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Joon Haeng Rhee
- grid.14005.300000 0001 0356 9399Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - David Piwnica-Worms
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
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Nanoadjuvants Actively targeting lymph node conduits and blocking tumor invasion in lymphatic vessels. J Control Release 2022; 352:497-506. [PMID: 36341931 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.10.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Great efforts have been made to manipulate nanoparticles (NPs) with a diameter of 10-100 nm to passively target lymph nodes (LNs) to magnitude anti-tumor activity of T cells. However, no attention has been paid to increasing the retention of NPs with active affinity in order to induce a prolonged release of antigens or molecular adjuvants in the LNs mattering the immune response. Here, we formulated two NPs encapsulated with imiquimod (IMQ), a TLR7/8 agonist, and paclitaxel (PTX) and further modified them with tannic acid (TA), respectively, to generate IMQ NP and PTX NP with a final diameter of approximately 40 nm. Attributing a strong affinity of TA molecules to the elastin of LN conduits, the TA modified IMQ NPs can bypass the gaps in the layer of lymphatic endothelial cells and enter the paracortex through the lymph node capsule-associated (LNC) conduits. Similarly, the TA modified PTX NPs increased delivery of PTX to the metastatic tumor site in LNs, where the tumor-associated antigens were released and presented by conduits-lining dendritic cells to activate T cells. Thus, the NPs with deposition to LN conduits showed excellent performance in preventing lymphovascular invasion of triple-negative breast cancer cells and lung metastasis thereafter. On the contrary, the NPs without TA flowed through the subcutaneous sinus existing LNs directly by efferent lymphatic vessels showing relatively poor therapeutic outcomes. This study reveals that TA may mediate the long retention of antigens and molecular adjuvants to be delivered to deep LNs for developing potent vaccination technology.
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Yang Y, Li H, Fotopoulou C, Cunnea P, Zhao X. Toll-like receptor-targeted anti-tumor therapies: Advances and challenges. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1049340. [PMID: 36479129 PMCID: PMC9721395 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1049340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors, originally discovered to stimulate innate immune reactions against microbial infection. TLRs also play essential roles in bridging the innate and adaptive immune system, playing multiple roles in inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Thanks to the immune stimulatory potential of TLRs, TLR-targeted strategies in cancer treatment have proved to be able to regulate the tumor microenvironment towards tumoricidal phenotypes. Quantities of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials using TLR-targeted strategies in treating cancer have been initiated, with some drugs already becoming part of standard care. Here we review the structure, ligand, signaling pathways, and expression of TLRs; we then provide an overview of the pre-clinical studies and an updated clinical trial watch targeting each TLR in cancer treatment; and finally, we discuss the challenges and prospects of TLR-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Development and Related Disease of Women and Children Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongyi Li
- Development and Related Disease of Women and Children Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Christina Fotopoulou
- Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paula Cunnea
- Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Xia Zhao
- Development and Related Disease of Women and Children Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Lutz J, Meister M, Habbeddine M, Fiedler K, Kowalczyk A, Heidenreich R. Local immunotherapy with the RNA-based immune stimulator CV8102 induces substantial anti-tumor responses and enhances checkpoint inhibitor activity. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2022; 72:1075-1087. [PMID: 36319717 PMCID: PMC10110722 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03311-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
AbstractImmunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment in recent years. Although currently approved checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) yield remarkable anti-tumoral responses in several cancer types, a substantial proportion of patients do not benefit from such therapies. Local activation of innate immune signaling pathways is a promising approach to overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, induce anti-tumor immunity, and improve the efficacy of CPI therapies. Here, we assessed the mode of action and efficacy of the RNA-based innate immune stimulator CV8102 for local immunotherapy in preclinical models. Intratumoral (i.t.) administration of CV8102 activated innate immune responses in the tumor microenvironment and draining lymph nodes, resulting in a dose-dependent anti-tumoral response. Combining i.t. CV8102 with systemic anti-programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) treatment further enhanced anti-tumoral responses, inducing tumor infiltration and activation of CD8+ T cells. The resulting memory response prevented tumor growth in rechallenged animals and impaired the growth of non-injected distal tumors. Therefore, i.t. CV8102 delivery is a promising approach for local cancer immunotherapy, especially in combination with CPIs. Clinical testing of CV8102 is ongoing (NCT03291002).
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Som A, Rosenboom JG, Chandler A, Sheth RA, Wehrenberg-Klee E. Image-guided intratumoral immunotherapy: Developing a clinically practical technology. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 189:114505. [PMID: 36007674 PMCID: PMC10456124 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has revolutionized the contemporary oncology landscape, with durable responses possible across a range of cancer types. However, the majority of cancer patients do not respond to immunotherapy due to numerous immunosuppressive barriers. Efforts to overcome these barriers and increase systemic immunotherapy efficacy have sparked interest in the local intratumoral delivery of immune stimulants to activate the local immune response and subsequently drive systemic tumor immunity. While clinical evaluation of many therapeutic candidates is ongoing, development is hindered by a lack of imaging confirmation of local delivery, insufficient intratumoral drug distribution, and a need for repeated injections. The use of polymeric drug delivery systems, which have been widely used as platforms for both image guidance and controlled drug release, holds promise for delivery of intratumoral immunoadjuvants and the development of an in situ cancer vaccine for patients with metastatic cancer. In this review, we explore the current state of the field for intratumoral delivery and methods for optimizing controlled drug release, as well as practical considerations for drug delivery design to be optimized for clinical image guided delivery particularly by CT and ultrasound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avik Som
- Division of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, United States; Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States
| | - Jan-Georg Rosenboom
- Division of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, United States; Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States; Department of Gastroenterology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, United States
| | - Alana Chandler
- Division of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, United States; Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States; Department of Gastroenterology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, United States
| | - Rahul A Sheth
- Department of Interventional Radiology, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, United States
| | - Eric Wehrenberg-Klee
- Division of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, United States.
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