Nanoparticles for tumor immunotherapy

Abstract

Although most researches and therapies have been focused on the tumor itself, it is becoming clear that immune cells can not only suppress tumor development but support and maintain their malignant type. Promising recent developments in immunology will provide opportunities for tumor-specific immunotherapy, which can orchestrate the patients immune system to target, fight and eradicate cancer cells without destroying healthy cells. However, antitumor immunity driven by self-immune system alone may be therapeutically insufficient. Developments in nanoparticle based drug delivery system can promote immunotherapy and re-educate immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which provide promising strategies for cancer therapy. In this review, we will focus on nanoparticle-based immunotherapeutic approaches against cancer, ranging from nanovaccines, artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPCs) to nanoparticles reversing tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment.

Keywords: Antitumor immune response; Artificial antigen presenting cells; Immunosuppression; Nanoparticles; Nanovaccines; Targeting to immunosuppressive cells; Tumor immunotherapy.