Huo M, Zhao Y, Satterlee AB, Wang Y, Xu Y, Huang L. Tumor-targeted delivery of
sunitinib base enhances vaccine therapy for advanced melanoma by remodeling the tumor microenvironment.
J Control Release 2016;
245:81-94. [PMID:
27863995 DOI:
10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.11.013]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Development of an effective treatment against advanced tumors remains a major challenge for cancer immunotherapy. We have previously developed a potent mannose-modified lipid calcium phosphate (LCP) nanoparticle (NP)-based Trp2 vaccine for melanoma therapy, but because this vaccine can induce a potent anti-tumor immune response only during the early stages of melanoma, poor tumor growth inhibition has been observed in more advanced melanoma models, likely due to the development of an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). To effectively treat this aggressive tumor, a multi-target receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, sunitinib base, was efficiently encapsulated into a targeted polymeric micelle nano-delivery system (SUNb-PM), working in a synergistic manner with vaccine therapy in an advanced mouse melanoma model. SUNb-PM not only increased cytotoxic T-cell infiltration and decreased the number and percentage of MDSCs and Tregs in the TME, but also induced a shift in cytokine expression from Th2 to Th1 type while remodeling the tumor-associated fibroblasts, collagen, and blood vessels in the tumor. Additionally, inhibition of the Stat3 and AKT signaling pathways by SUNb-PM may induce tumor cell apoptosis or decrease tumor immune evasion. Our findings indicated that targeted delivery of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor to tumors can be used in a novel synergistic way to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of existing immune-based therapies for advanced melanoma.
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