Tumor-Activated Size-Enlargeable Bioinspired Lipoproteins Access Cancer Cells in Tumor to Elicit Anti-Tumor Immune Responses

Adv Mater. 2020 Sep;32(38):e2002380. doi: 10.1002/adma.202002380. Epub 2020 Aug 16.

Abstract

The limited lymphocytes infiltration and immunosuppression in tumor are the major challenges of cancer immunotherapy. The use of immunogenic cell death (ICD)-inducing agents has potential to potentiate antitumor immune responses, but is tremendously hampered by the poor delivery efficiency. Herein, a tumor-activated size-enlargeable bioinspired lipoprotein of oxaliplatin (TA-OBL) is designed to access cancer cells and boost the ICD-induced antitumor immunity for synergizing immune-checkpoint blockades (ICBs)-mediated immunotherapy. TA-OBL is constructed by integrating a legumain-sensitive melittin conjugate for improving intratumoral permeation and cancer cell accessibility, a pH-sensitive phospholipid for triggering size-enlargement and drug release in intracellular acidic environments, a nitroreductase-sensitive hydrophobic oxaliplatin prodrug (N-OXP) for eliciting antitumor immunity into the bioinspired nano-sized lipoprotein system. TA-OBL treatment produced robust antitumor immune responses and its combination with ICBs demonstrates strong therapeutic benefits with delayed tumor growth and extended survival rate, making it a promising delivery nanoplatform to elicit antitumor immunity for cancer immunotherapy.

Keywords: anti‐tumor immune responses; cancer immunotherapy; lipoproteins; oxaliplatin; tumor targeting.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomimetic Materials / chemistry*
  • Biomimetic Materials / metabolism
  • Biomimetic Materials / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Humans
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Immunogenic Cell Death / drug effects*
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Lipoproteins / chemistry*
  • Lipoproteins / metabolism
  • Lipoproteins / pharmacology*
  • Oxaliplatin / chemistry
  • Oxaliplatin / metabolism
  • Prodrugs / chemistry
  • Prodrugs / metabolism

Substances

  • Lipoproteins
  • Prodrugs
  • Oxaliplatin