Nanovaccine-based strategies for lymph node targeted delivery and imaging in tumor immunotherapy

Abstract

Therapeutic tumor vaccines have attracted considerable attention in the past decade; they can induce tumor regression, eradicate minimal residual disease, establish lasting immune memory and avoid non-specific and adverse side effects. However, the challenge in the field of therapeutic tumor vaccines is ensuring the delivery of immune components to the lymph nodes (LNs) to activate immune cells. The clinical response rate of traditional therapeutic tumor vaccines falls short of expectations due to inadequate lymph node delivery. With the rapid development of nanotechnology, a large number of nanoplatform-based LN-targeting nanovaccines have been exploited for optimizing tumor immunotherapies. In addition, some nanovaccines possess non-invasive visualization performance, which is benefit for understanding the kinetics of nanovaccine exposure in LNs. Herein, we present the parameters of nanoplatforms, such as size, surface modification, shape, and deformability, which affect the LN-targeting functions of nanovaccines. The recent advances in nanoplatforms with different components promoting LN-targeting are also summarized. Furthermore, emerging LNs-targeting nanoplatform-mediated imaging strategies to both improve targeting performance and enhance the quality of LN imaging are discussed. Finally, we summarize the prospects and challenges of nanoplatform-based LN-targeting and /or imaging strategies, which optimize the clinical efficacy of nanovaccines in tumor immunotherapies.

The quest for nanoparticle-powered vaccines in cancer immunotherapy

“…In recent years, the use of nanomaterials has shown considerable promise in enhancing the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy while mitigating undesired adverse effects [76,106,[108][109][110][111][112]. A wide variety of NP delivery systems have been utilized as vaccine carriers and adjuvants, offering advantages over existing approaches [113][114][115][116].…”

Lymphoid organ-targeted nanomaterials for immunomodulation of cancer, inflammation, and beyond

“…Lymph nodes are small, oval-shaped clusters of lymphatic tissue that are distributed throughout the body and interconnected via lymphatic vessels. 20 They are mainly found in the cervical, axillary, mesenteric, inguinal, and popliteal regions. They consist of the cortex and medulla, enclosed by a thin fibrous capsule lined by barrier cells, including subcapsular sinus macrophages, that control the entry of nanomaterials.…”

Enhancing Dendritic Cell Activation Through Manganese-Coated Nanovaccine Targeting the cGAS-STING Pathway

“…[8][9][10][11][12] Apart from achieving proficient antigen delivery, the immunogenicity and adjuvant potential of nanovaccine are of paramount importance. 13 The cGAS-STING pathway emerges as a focal point in the design of nanovaccines. [14][15][16][17] Serving as a cytoplasmic DNA sensing pathway, it triggers the production of type I interferons (IFN) and other pro-inflammatory cytokines, facilitating DC maturation and antigen presentation.…”