Chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer-based immunostimulatory nanoparticles for sonoimmunotherapy

Abstract

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) has recently emerged as a promising alternative to photodynamic therapy because of its applicability in treating deeply located tumors accessible by ultrasound (US). However, the therapeutic potential of conventional sonosensitizers is limited by the low quantum yield of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and poor immune responses eliciting canonical apoptosis of cancer cells. Herein, we report chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (CRET)-based immunostimulatory nanoparticles (iCRET NPs) for sonoimmunotherapy, which not only amplify the ROS quantum yield of sonosensitizers but also generate carbon dioxide (CO₂) bubbles to induce immunogenic cell death in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Owing to their CRET phenomena responsive to H₂O₂ in the TME, iCRET NPs exhibit strong cytotoxicity to cancer cells by producing a large quantity of ROS. Additionally, iCRET NPs effectively induce CO₂-mediated immunogenic cell death by rupturing the cancer cell membrane in the presence of US, leading to the release of bare damage-associated molecular patterns, such as HSP 70 and HMGB1. Consequently, when iCRET NPs are combined with anti-PD-1 antibodies, iCRET NPs exhibit synergistic effects in 4T1 tumor-bearing mice, in which antitumor immunity is remarkably amplified to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis.

Keywords: Cancer immunotherapy; Carbon dioxide; Chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer; Reactive oxygen species; Sonodynamic therapy.