Cyclic dinucleotide (CDN) agonists of stimulator of interferon genes (STING) are a promising class of immunotherapeutic that activate innate immunity to increase tumor immunogenicity. However, the efficacy of CDNs is limited by drug delivery barriers, including poor cellular targeting, rapid clearance, and inefficient transport to the cytosol where STING is localized. Here we describe STING-activating nanoparticles (STING-NPs), rationally designed polymersomes for enhanced cytosolic delivery of the endogenous CDN ligand for STING, 2’3’ cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP). STING-NPs increase the biological potency of cGAMP, enhance STING signaling in the tumour microenvironment and sentinel lymph node, and convert immunosuppressive tumours to immunogenic, tumouricidal microenvironments. This leads to enhanced therapeutic efficacy of cGAMP, inhibition of tumour growth, increased rates of long-term survival, improved response to immune checkpoint blockade, and induction of immunological memory that protects against tumour rechallenge. We validate STING-NPs in freshly isolated human melanoma tissue, highlighting their potential to improve clinical outcomes of immunotherapy.

Protein subunit vaccines offer important potential advantages over live vaccine vectors, but generally elicit weaker and shorter-lived cellular immune responses. Here we investigate the use of pH-responsive, endosomolytic polymer nanoparticles that were originally developed for RNA delivery as vaccine delivery vehicles for enhancing cellular and humoral immune responses. Micellar nanoparticles were assembled from amphiphilic diblock copolymers composed of an ampholytic core-forming block and a re-designed polycationic corona block doped with thiol-reactive pyridyl disulfide groups to enable dual-delivery of antigens and immunostimulatory CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG ODN) adjuvants. Polymers assembled into 23 nm particles with simultaneous packaging of CpG ODN and a thiolated protein antigen, ovalbumin (ova). Conjugation of ova to nanoparticles significantly enhanced antigen cross-presentation in vitro relative to free ova or an unconjugated, physical mixture of the parent compounds. Subcutaneous vaccination of mice with ova-nanoparticle conjugates elicited a significantly higher CD8+ T cell response (0.5% IFN-ɣ+ of CD8+) compared to mice vaccinated with free ova or a physical mixture of the two components. Significantly, immunization with ova-nanoparticle conjugates electrostatically complexed with CpG ODN (dual-delivery) enhanced CD8+ T cell responses (3.4% IFN-ɣ+ of CD8+) 7-, 18-, and 8-fold relative to immunization with conjugates, ova administered with free CpG, or a formulation containing free ova and CpG complexed to micelles, respectively. Similarly, dual-delivery carriers significantly increased CD4+IFN-ɣ+ (Th1) responses, and elicited a balanced IgG1/IgG2c antibody response. Intradermal administration further augmented cellular immune responses, with dual-delivery carriers inducing ~7% antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. This work demonstrates the ability of pH-responsive, endosomolytic nanoparticles to actively promote antigen cross-presentation and augment cellular and humoral immune responses via dual-delivery of protein antigens and CpG ODN. Hence, pH-responsive polymeric nanoparticles offer promise as a delivery platform for protein subunit vaccines.

Encapsulation of cells and tissue offers a rational approach for attenuating deleterious host responses toward transplanted cells, but a need exists to develop cell encapsulation strategies that minimize transplant volume. In this report, we describe the formation of nanothin, PEG-rich conformal coatings on individual pancreatic islets via layer-by-layer self-assembly of poly( l-lysine)- g-poly(ethylene glycol)(biotin) (PPB) and streptavidin (SA). Through control of grafting ratio, PPB could be rendered nontoxic and facilitated growth of PPB/SA multilayer thin films that conformed to the heterogeneous islet surface. (PPB/SA) 8 multilayer films could be assembled without loss of islet viability or function, and coated islets performed comparably to untreated controls in vivo in a murine model of allogenic intraportal islet transplantation.

Layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) films represents a bottom-up approach for re-engineering the molecular landscape of cell surfaces with spatially continuous and molecularly uniform ultrathin films. However, fabricating PEMs on viable cells has proven challenging owing to the high cytotoxicity of polycations. Here, we report the rational engineering of a new class of PEMs with modular biological functionality and tunable physicochemical properties which have been engineered to abrogate cytotoxicity. Specifically, we have discovered a subset of cationic copolymers that undergoes a conformational change, which mitigates membrane disruption and facilitates the deposition of PEMs on cell surfaces that are tailorable in composition, reactivity, thickness, and mechanical properties. Furthermore, we demonstrate the first successful in vivo application of PEM-engineered cells, which maintained viability and function upon transplantation and were used as carriers for in vivo delivery of PEMs containing biomolecular payloads. This new class of polymeric film and the design strategies developed herein establish an enabling technology for cell transplantation and other therapies based on engineered cells.