Multifunctional Plant Virus Nanoparticles for Targeting Breast Cancer Tumors

Abstract

Breast cancer treatment using plant-virus-based nanoparticles (PVNPs) has achieved considerable success in preclinical studies. PVNP-based breast cancer therapies include non-targeted and targeted nanoplatforms for delivery of anticancer therapeutic chemo and immune agents and cancer vaccines for activation of local and systemic antitumor immunity. Interestingly, PVNP platforms combined with other tumor immunotherapeutic options and other modalities of oncotherapy can improve tumor efficacy treatment. These applications can be achieved by encapsulation of a wide range of active ingredients and conjugating ligands for targeting immune and tumor cells. This review presents the current breast cancer treatments based on PVNP platforms.

Emerging Potential of Plant Virus Nanoparticles (PVNPs) in Anticancer Immunotherapies

“…PVNPs have been explored as a unique class of nanoparticles for drug delivery, imaging, immunotherapy, and theranostic applications [8]. PVNPs hold promise for cancer immunotherapies via delivery of cancer antigens, adjuvants, and modulation of the immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) [7]. Delivery strategies of PVNPs for cancer immunotherapy have focused on systemic administration, e.g.…”

“…Every vaccine has two components, antigen to be recognized by the immune system and immune adjuvant to stimulate response against microorganisms or cells that carry the antigen [7]. Tumor antigens are highly variable and generally quite specific for each patient, particularly patientspecific are "neoantigens" that are generated by mutations that are randomly generated in many tumors.…”

“…For PVNPs and other immune stimulating nanoparticles, the tendency to be ingested by phagocytes makes them more valuable for ISV [7]. Phagocytes such as monocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages, and neutrophils are almost always found in tumors where they have immune suppressive phenotypes.…”

“…Antitumor immunity efficacy of PVNP is achieved via disruption of the immunosuppressive TME because of immune adjuvant activity with or without cancer antigen delivery [7]. PVNP-based cancer vaccines can be used to induce tumor associated antigen-specific immune responses by targeting tumor cells expressing cancer-driving receptors.…”

“…When applied as nanocarriers, the PVNP formulations can go beyond the natural immune stimulatory properties of many PVNPs and deliver cancer antigens or exogenous adjuvants. When applied as immunostimulatory reagents, PVNPs can reprogram the tumor microenvironment from immunosuppressive to more immunostimulatory, which generates local and systemic antitumor immunity [7].…”