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Related Concept Videos

Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
Cancer Vaccines01:30

Cancer Vaccines

Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
Mesenchymal Stem Cells01:19

Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells that can differentiate into most connective tissue cell types, except for hematopoietic cells, depending upon the source of MSCs. For example, bone-marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) can differentiate into osteocytes, hepatocytes, and pancreatic and neuronal cells. MSCs can be isolated from various sources such as bone marrow, placenta, adipose tissue, teeth, and Wharton’s jelly, a gelatinous substance in the umbilical cord. The ease of their access...

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Related Experiment Video

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Fabrication of Anisotropic Polymeric Artificial Antigen Presenting Cells for CD8+ T Cell Activation
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Published on: October 12, 2018

Immunologically active biomaterials for cancer therapy.

Omar A Ali1, David J Mooney

  • 1Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 58 Oxford St., 415, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. alio@seas.harvard.edu

Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology
|June 18, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Immunologically active biomaterials offer a promising new avenue for cancer immunotherapy by enhancing anti-tumor immune responses. These advanced materials can target and sustain the delivery of antigens and adjuvants, leading to more potent and prolonged therapeutic effects.

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Area of Science:

  • Intersection of materials science and immunology
  • Biomaterials for cancer immunotherapy

Background:

  • Current immunotherapies often lack sustained and targeted delivery, limiting their efficacy against large tumor burdens.
  • Need for advanced strategies to elicit strong and durable anticancer immune responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the potential of immunologically active biomaterials in cancer immunotherapy.
  • To investigate how biomaterials can enhance antigen and adjuvant delivery for improved T cell responses.
  • To assess the role of 3D immune cell niches in promoting antitumor immunity.

Main Methods:

  • Development of multifunctional biomaterial particles for targeted delivery of antigens and adjuvants to dendritic cells.
  • Engineering of three-dimensional immune cell niches to regulate immune cell activity in situ.
  • Preclinical testing of material-based immunotherapies in tumor models.

Main Results:

  • Materials with immune targeting and stimulatory capabilities enhance the magnitude and duration of immune responses to cancer antigens.
  • Preclinical studies demonstrate significant therapeutic benefits of material-based immunotherapy in tumor models.

Conclusions:

  • Immunologically active biomaterials show strong potential for improving cancer immunotherapy.
  • These materials can direct and prolong antigen-specific T cell responses for enhanced antitumor effects.
  • Promising preclinical results warrant clinical translation and further investigation.