Rough Nanovaccines Boost Antitumor Immunity Through the Enhancement of Vaccination Cascade and Immunogenic Cell Death Induction

Small Methods. 2023 May;7(5):e2201595. doi: 10.1002/smtd.202201595. Epub 2023 Mar 3.

Abstract

Nanovaccines have attracted intense interests for efficient antigen delivery and tumor-specific immunity. It is challenging to develop a more efficient and personalized nanovaccine to maximize all steps of the vaccination cascade by exploiting the intrinsic properties of nanoparticles. Here, biodegradable nanohybrids (MP) composed of manganese oxide nanoparticles and cationic polymers are synthesized to load a model antigen ovalbumin to form MPO nanovaccines. More interestingly, MPO could serve as autologous nanovaccines for personalized tumor treatment taking advantage of in situ released tumor-associated antigens induced by immunogenic cell death (ICD). The intrinsic properties of MP nanohybrids including morphology, size, surface charge, chemical, and immunoregulatory functions are fully exploited to enhance of all steps of the cascade and induce ICD. MP nanohybrids are designed to efficiently encapsulate antigens by cationic polymers, drain to lymph nodes by appropriate size, be internalized by dendritic cells (DCs) by rough morphology, induce DC maturation through cGAS-STING pathway, and enhance lysosomal escape and antigen cross-presentation through the "proton sponge effect". The MPO nanovaccines are found to efficiently accumulate in lymph nodes and elicit robust specific T-cell immune responses to inhibit the occurrence of ovalbumin-expressing B16-OVA melanoma. Furthermore, MPO demonstrate great potential to serve as personalized cancer vaccines through the generation of autologous antigen depot through ICD induction, activation of potent antitumor immunity, and reversal of immunosuppression. This work provides a facile strategy for the construction of personalized nanovaccines by exploiting the intrinsic properties of nanohybrids.

Keywords: MnOx nanoparticles; cascade; immunogenic cell death; intrinsic properties; nanovaccines.

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Humans
  • Immunogenic Cell Death*
  • Neoplasms*
  • Ovalbumin / chemistry
  • Polymers
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • Ovalbumin
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Polymers