Engineering metal-based hydrogel-mediated tertiary lymphoid structure formation via activation of the STING pathway for enhanced immunotherapy

Mater Horiz. 2023 Oct 2;10(10):4365-4379. doi: 10.1039/d3mh00748k.

Abstract

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) primarily constructed by multiple immune cells can effectively enhance tumor immune responses, but expediting the formation of TLSs is still an enormous challenge. Herein, a stimulator of interferon gene (STING)-activating hydrogel (ZCCG) was elaborately developed by coordinating Zn2+ with 4,5-imidazole dicarboxylic acid, and simultaneously integrating chitosan (a stimulant of STING pathway activation) and CpG (an agonist of toll-like receptor 9, TLR9) for initiating and activating cGAS-STING and TLR9 pathway-mediated immunotherapy. Moreover, the dual-pathway activation could effectively enhance the infiltration of immune cells and the expression of lymphocyte-recruiting chemokines in the tumor microenvironment (TME), thereby promoting the formation of TLSs and further strengthening tumoricidal immunity. Local administration of the hydrogel could prime systemic immune responses and long-term immune memory and improve the therapeutic effects of programmed death-1 antibody (αPD-1) to inhibit tumor progression, metastasis and recurrence. The engineered hydrogel lays the foundation for tumor immunotherapy strategies based on the enhanced formation of TLSs via the activation of the cGAS-STING and TLR9 pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Hydrogels*
  • Immunotherapy
  • Metals
  • Nucleotidyltransferases
  • Tertiary Lymphoid Structures*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 9

Substances

  • Hydrogels
  • Toll-Like Receptor 9
  • Metals
  • Nucleotidyltransferases