Glycocalyx-Mimicking Nanoparticles Improve Anti-PD-L1 Cancer Immunotherapy through Reversion of Tumor-Associated Macrophages

Biomacromolecules. 2018 Jun 11;19(6):2098-2108. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00305. Epub 2018 Apr 16.

Abstract

Immune checkpoint blockade by anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody (αPD-L1) has achieved unprecedented clinical benefits in certain cancers, whereas the therapeutic efficacy is often hindered by immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment mediated by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which leads to innate resistance to this approach. To improve checkpoint blockade efficacy, the amphiphilic diblock copolymers poly(mannopyranoside/galactopyranoside methacrylate)- block-polystyrene are prepared by RAFT polymerization, which are sequentially self-assembled into glycocalyx-mimicking nanoparticles (GNPs) to neutralize TAMs. It is shown that GNPs can be specifically internalized by TAMs via lectin receptors, which results in upregulation of immunostimulatory IL-12 and downregulation of immunosuppressive IL-10, arginase 1, and CCL22, indicating functional reversion of protumor TAMs toward antitumor phenotype. The reversion of TAMs is proved to be mainly controlled by suppressing STAT6 and activating NF-κB phosphorylation. In vivo therapeutic studies have demonstrated that GNPs significantly enhance the therapeutic efficacy of αPD-L1 cancer therapy by reduction of tumor burden. Moreover, combination therapies with GNPs and αPD-L1 greatly improve immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by reciprocal modulation of tumor-infiltrating effector and regulatory T cells. Notably, for the first time, our results demonstrate the reversion of TAMs and improvement of αPD-L1 cancer therapy by synthetic carbohydrate-containing nanomaterials. This research highlights a promising strategy for optimizing immune checkpoint blockade in cancer immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / pharmacokinetics
  • B7-H1 Antigen / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • B7-H1 Antigen / immunology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Glycocalyx / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects
  • Macrophages / drug effects*
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Macrophages / pathology
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Mimicry
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Nanoparticles / administration & dosage
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / therapeutic use
  • Polymerization
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Polymers / pharmacology
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
  • B7-H1 Antigen
  • CD274 protein, human
  • NF-kappa B
  • Polymers