Biomaterials-assisted construction of neoantigen vaccines for personalized cancer immunotherapy

Regulation of tumor antigens-Dependent immunotherapy via the hybrid M1 macrophage/tumor lysates Hydrogel

Tumor treatment poses a significant obstacle in contemporary healthcare. Using components derived from a patient's own cellular and tissue materials to prepare hydrogels and other therapeutic systems has become a novel therapeutic approach, drawing considerable interest for their applicability in basic research on cancer immunotherapy. These hydrogels can engage with cellular components directly and offer a supportive scaffold, aiding in the normalization of tumor tissues. Additionally, their superior capability for encapsulating targeted anti-tumor medications amplifies treatment effectiveness. Given their origin from a patient's own cells, these hydrogels circumvent the risks of immune rejection by the body and severe side effects typically associated with foreign substance. In this study, we developed a composite hydrogel constructed by the cellular lysates of autologous tumor cells and M1 macrophages. This combination promoted the M2 macrophages polarization to the M1 phenotype. Subsequently, the polarized M1 macrophages infiltrated into the hydrogel and can directly capture tumor antigens. As antigen-presenting cells, M1 macrophages can stimulate the production of antigen-specific T cells to kill tumor cells. This work proposes a dual-benefit research strategy that not only polarizes M2 macrophages but also enhances immune activation, boosting T cell-mediated tumor-killing effects. This approach offers a new therapeutic option for clinical cancer immunotherapy.

Recent advances in personalized cancer immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors, T cells and vaccines

The results of genomic and molecular profiling of cancer patients can be effectively applied to immunotherapy agents, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, to select the most appropriate treatment. In addition, accurate prediction of neoantigens facilitates the development of individualized cancer vaccines and T-cell therapy. This review summarizes the biomarker(s) predicting responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors and focuses on current strategies to identify and isolate neoantigen-reactive T cells as well as the clinical development of neoantigen-based therapeutics. The results suggest that maximal T-cell stimulation and expansion can be achieved with combination therapies that enhance antigen-presenting cells' function and optimal T-cell priming in lymph nodes.

Biomimetic Cell-Derived Nanoparticles: Emerging Platforms for Cancer Immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy can significantly prevent tumor growth and metastasis by activating the autoimmune system without destroying normal cells. Although cancer immunotherapy has made some achievements in clinical cancer treatment, it is still restricted by systemic immunotoxicity, immune cell dysfunction, cancer heterogeneity, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (ITME). Biomimetic cell-derived nanoparticles are attracting considerable interest due to their better biocompatibility and lower immunogenicity. Moreover, biomimetic cell-derived nanoparticles can achieve different preferred biological effects due to their inherent abundant source cell-relevant functions. This review summarizes the latest developments in biomimetic cell-derived nanoparticles for cancer immunotherapy, discusses the applications of each biomimetic system in cancer immunotherapy, and analyzes the challenges for clinical transformation.