RNA tumor vaccine (Huawe Medicine)

Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a potent treatment strategy by harnessing the host immune system to target cancer cells. However, challenges including low tumor vaccine immunogenicity and tumor heterogeneity hinder its clinical efficacy. To address these issues, we propose a novel nanoplatform integrating photothermal material gold nanorods (GNRs) with polyphenols for enhanced immunotherapy efficacy via photothermal therapy. Polyphenols, natural compounds with phenolic hydroxyl groups, are known for their ability to bind tightly to various molecules, making them ideal for antigen capture. We synthesized GNRs modified with polyphenols (GNR-PA and GNR-GA) and demonstrated their ability to induce immunogenic cell death upon laser irradiation, releasing tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). The surface polyphenols on GNRs effectively captured released TAAs to shield them from clearance. In vivo studies confirmed increased accumulation of GNR-GA in lymph nodes and enhanced dendritic cell maturation, leading to promoted effector T cell infiltration into tumors. Furthermore, treatment combined with PD-1/PD-L1 pathway blockade demonstrated potent tumor regression and systemic immunotherapy efficacy. Our findings highlight the potential of this photothermal nanoplatform as a promising strategy to overcome the limitations of current cancer immunotherapy approaches and improve therapeutic outcomes.

With the rapid development of immunotherapy, therapeutic tumor vaccines, which aim to enhance the immunogenicity of tumor cells and activate the patient's immune system to kill tumor cells, as well as eliminate or inhibit tumor growth, have drawn increasing attention in the field of tumor therapy. However, due to the lack of immune cell infiltration, low immunogenicity, immune escape and other problems, the efficacy of tumor vaccine is often limited. Researchers have developed a variety of strategies to enhance tumor immune recognition, such as improving the immunogenicity of tumor antigens, selecting a suitable vaccine platform, or combining tumor vaccines with other anticancer treatments. In this review, we will deliberate on how to overcome the problem of therapeutic tumor vaccines, and discuss the up-to-date progress and achievements in the tumor vaccine development, as well as their future in cancer treatment.