"Composite functional carrier" refers to nanomaterials with various functions that can be used to carry and deliver immune agents, such as antigens, adjuvants, immune checkpoint inhibitors, etc., to enhance the effect of tumor immunotherapy. Compound functional carriers can realize the precise release and regulation of immune agents according to different stimulation conditions, such as the characteristics of tumor microenvironment or exogenous energy sources, so as to improve the targeting, safety and synergism of immunotherapy.

Case of composite functional carrier for nanoimmunotherapy exploration:

Composite functional vector based on porous silicon wafer for tumor in situ immunotherapy. This system uses porous silicon wafers as nanocarriers to surface modify tumor-specific ligands and to coat antigens, adjuvants, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. This system can be implanted at the resection margin after surgical tumor resection, use tumor residue as endogenous stimuli to release immune agents and further control the release rate by exogenous near-infrared light. This system efficiently activates dendritic cells and T cells and induced robust antitumor immune memory, enabling elimination of primary and metastatic tumors in a mouse model.

Composite functional carriers based on semiconductor polymers for precision photodynamic immunotherapy activated by tumor microacid environment. The system connects the TLR 7 agonist (R837) to the amphipathic polymer through a microacid sensitive bond, and uses the polymer to wrap the NIR photosensitive material to build a dual responsive nanoimmune preparation. This system can kill tumor cells and induce immunogenic death under exogenous laser stimulation, release TLR 7 agonist under endogenous tumor microacid stimulation, and cooperate with released tumor-related antigen and damage-related molecular patterns, as in situ tumor vaccine, activate dendritic cells and T cells, and realize the elimination of primary tumor and metastatic tumor in the mouse model.

Composite functional carriers based on metal-organic framing (MOFs) for ultrasound-triggered multimodal immunotherapy. This system uses MOFs as nanocarriers, surface-modified tumor-targeting ligands and coated with antigens, adjuvants, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. The system can achieve the precise release of immune preparations through ultrasonic stimulation, and produce mechanical forces and thermal effects at the same time, enhancing the immunogenic death and vascular permeability of tumor cells. This system efficiently activates dendritic cells and T cells and induced robust antitumor immune memory, enabling elimination of primary and metastatic tumors in a mouse model.

Reference Documentation:

[1]Shi, Y., Fan, X., Deng, H., Breger, J. C., Zhao, Z., Noh, H., … & Mooney, D. J. (2017). A photoactivable multi-inhibitor nanoliposome for tumour control and simultaneous inhibition of treatment escape pathways. Nature nanotechnology, 12(4), 378-387. https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2016.268

[2]Zhuang, Y., Gao, Y., You, X., & Wu, J. (2021). Tumor-Microenvironment-Activatable Polymer Nano-Immunomodulator for Precision Cancer Photoimmunotherapy. Advanced Materials, 2106654. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202106654

[3]Wang, C., Ye, Y., Hochu, G. M., Sadeghifar, H., & Gu, Z. (2016). Enhanced cancer immunotherapy by microneedle patch-assisted delivery of anti-PD1 antibody. Nano letters, 16(3), 2334-2340. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b05030