Virus‐based immunotherapy is a promising approach to treat tumor. Closely mimicking the structure and sequential infection processes of natural viruses is highly desirable for effective tumor immunotherapy but remains challenging. Here, inspired by the robust innate immunity induced by herpesvirus, a herpesvirus‐mimicking nanoparticle (named Vir‐ZM@TD) is engineered for tumor therapy by mimicking the structure and infection processes of herpesvirus. In this biomimetic system, DNAzyme‐loaded manganese‑doped zeolitic imidazolate framework‑90 (ZIF‐90) nanoparticles (ZM@TD) mimic the virus nucleocapsid containing the genome; the erythrocyte membrane mimics the viral envelope; and two functional peptides, RGD and HA2 peptides, resemble the surface glycoprotein spikes of herpesvirus. Vir‐ZM@TD can both effectively evade rapid clearance in the blood circulation and closely mimic the serial infection processes of herpesvirus, including specific tumor targeting, membrane fusion‐mediated endosomal escape, and TFAM (transcription factor A, mitochondrial) deficiency‐triggered mitochondrial DNA stress, as well as the release of manganese ions (Mn2+) from organelles into the cytosol, ultimately effectively priming cGAS‐STING pathway‐mediated innate immunity with 68% complete regression of primary tumors and extending by 32 days the median survival time of 4T1‐tumor‐bearing mice.
Efficient nuclear DNA damage and release is highly recommended to improve the photodynamic immunotherapy by eliciting innate immune response yet remains challenging. Herein, an intracellular self-assembly driven nucleustargeted photo-immune stimulator (PIS) with chromatin decompaction function is reported for innate and adaptive antitumor immunity co-activation. The PIS consists of vorinostat (SAHA)-loaded manganese-porphyrin metal-organic framework (Mn (III)-TCPP MOF) with further modification of AS1411 aptamer. The PIS can be efficiently internalized by tumor cells and disassembled under the intracellular overexpressed glutathione (GSH). Notably, the released AS1411 is able to be self-assembled with photosensitizer TCPP in situ within cells, driving nucleus-targeted delivery of TCPP; meanwhile, the loaded SAHA can induce chromatin decompaction, cooperatively promoting TCPP-mediated photodynamic nuclear DNA damage and cytosolic release under laser irradiation. In addition, the released manganese ions (Mn 2+ ) further enhance the cytosolic DNA/cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon gene (STING) pathway mediated innate immunity, which synergizes with PDT-induced immunogenic cell death to achieve co-activation of innate and adaptive immunity. Compared to traditional PDT, the self-assembly driven nucleus-targeted PDT system with chromatin decompaction show significantly enhanced efficacy for inhibiting primary tumor growth and distant metastasis in several xenograft tumor models, mechanistically by promoting the maturation of dendritic cells and tumor infiltration of natural killer cell, cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
Scheme 1. Schematic illustration of fabrication and antitumor effect of the URG. A) Synthetic procedure for URG. B) Mechanism of augmented free radical therapy of URG for antitumor.
Metastasis is one of the main causes of failure in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Abnormally estrogen level and activated platelets are the key driving forces for TNBC metastasis. Herein, an “ion/gas” bioactive nanogenerator (termed as IGBN), comprising a copper-based MOF and loaded cisplatin-arginine (Pt-Arg) prodrug is developed for metastasis-promoting tumor microenvironment reprogramming and TNBC therapy. The copper-based MOF not only serves as a drug carrier, but also specifically produces Cu2+ in tumors, which catalytic oxidizing estrogen to reduce estrogen levels in situ. Meanwhile, the rationally designed Pt-Arg prodrug reduced into cisplatin to significantly promote the generation of H2O2 in the tumor, then permitting self-augmented cascade NO gas generation by oxidizing Arg through a H2O2 self-supplied way, thus blocking platelet activation in tumor. We clarified that IGBN inhibited TNBC metastasis through local estrogen deprivation and platelets blockade, affording 88.4% inhibition of pulmonary metastasis in a 4T1 mammary adenocarcinoma model. Notably, the locally copper ion interference, NO gas therapy and cisplatin chemotherapy together resulted in an enhanced therapeutic efficacy in primary tumor ablation without significant toxicity. This “ion/gas” bioactive nanogenerator offers a robust and safe strategy for TNBC therapy.
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