PEG-PLGA from PolySciTech utilized in development of nanoparticle that modifies tumor microenvironment for improved chemotherapy

 

In living systems, cancerous tumors create a unique, local microenvironment by a variety of mechanisms. One of these is the effect of the cancer itself which consumes resources and oxygen faster than the body can provide it leading to areas of low oxygen content. Additionally cancer acts to suppress the immune system in its local area. Often, these unusual conditions surrounding the growing cancer impedes the effects of chemotherapy agents. Recently, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences utilized PEG-PLGA (Cat AK010) from PolySciTech Division of Akina, Inc. (www.polyscitech.com) as part of a multifunctional nanoparticle and tested this for its ability to restore the microenvironment of cancer to conditions under which drugs can be more effective. This research holds promise to improve treatments against this often fatal disease. Read more: Li, Lei, Mingming Zhen, Haoyu Wang, Zihao Sun, Xinran Cao, Jie Li, Shuai Liu et al. "Tumor microenvironment-modulated multiple nanotherapeutic system for potent cancer immunotherapy and metastasis inhibition." Nano Today 48 (2023): 101702. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1748013222003309

“Highlights: This nanotherapeutic system could validly relieve tumor hypoxia and induce M2 to M1 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages to reverse immunosuppression, serving for TME reprogramming. This nanotherapeutic system stimulates dendritic cells maturation, thereby initiating T-cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response. The nanotherapeutic system eliminates primary tumor and efficiently inhibits tumor metastasis without obvious adverse effects. The nanotherapeutic system creates superior synergistic cancer immunotherapy combined with anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor. Abstract: The hypoxic and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) generally weaken the efficacy of immunotherapy in solid tumors. However, reversing TME remains a formidable challenge. Here, an elaborately multitasking nanotherapeutic system (PEG-PLGA-R848@GFCNs) is demonstrated to forceful remodel TME. This nanotherapeutic system could validly relieve tumor hypoxia and induce M2 to M1 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) to reverse immunosuppression, serving for TME reprogramming. Furthermore, PEG-PLGA-R848@GFCNs stimulates dendritic cells maturation, thereby initiating T-cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response. Of note, the nanotherapeutic system eliminates primary tumor that established by 4T1 tumor models in mice and efficiently inhibits B16F10 melanoma metastasis without obvious adverse effects. Importantly, PEG-PLGA-R848@GFCNs combined with anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor achieves superior synergistic cancer immunotherapy. Collectively, our work offers a reliable and safe strategy to fabricate a multitasking nanotherapeutic system for comprehensively modulating TME to achieve effective cancer immunotherapy and metastasis inhibition. This multitasking nanotherapeutic system could validly relieve tumor hypoxia and induce M2 to M1 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages to reverse immunosuppression, serving for tumor microenvironment reprogramming, which not only eliminates primary tumor and efficiently inhibit tumor metastasis, but could create superior synergistic cancer immunotherapy combined with anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor. Keywords: Cancer immunotherapy Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment Tumor hypoxia relief Gado fullerene nanoparticles Immune checkpoint inhibitor”