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Bioengineering of nano metal-organic frameworks for cancer immunotherapy
Gaowei Chong1,2, Jie Zang1, Yi Han1
1Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, The Institute for Biomedical Engineering & Nano Science, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092 China.
Abstract:
Immunotherapy techniques, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies and cancer vaccines, have been burgeoning with great success, particularly for specific cancer types. However, side effects with fatal risks, dysfunction in tumor microenvironment and low immune response rates remain the bottlenecks in immunotherapy. Nano metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs), with an accurate structure and a narrow size distribution, are emerging as a solution to these problems. In addition to their function of temporospatial delivery, a large library of their compositions, together with flexibility in chemical interaction and inherent immune efficacy, offers opportunities for various designs of nMOFs for immunotherapy. In this review, we overview state-of-the-art research on nMOFs-based immunotherapies as well as their combination with other therapies. We demonstrate that nMOFs are predominantly customized for vaccine delivery or tumor-microenvironment modulation. Finally, a prospect of nMOFs in cancer immunotherapy will be discussed.
Insights
Nano metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs) offer promising solutions to immunotherapy challenges like side effects and low response rates. These advanced materials are being customized for cancer vaccines and tumor microenvironment modulation, enhancing treatment efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Immunology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T cell therapies, and cancer vaccines, shows success but faces limitations.
- Key challenges in immunotherapy include severe side effects, tumor microenvironment dysfunction, and low immune response rates.
- Nano metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs) possess precise structures, narrow size distributions, and tunable properties, making them suitable for addressing these limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current research on nano metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs) in cancer immunotherapy.
- To explore the potential of nMOFs in overcoming the existing bottlenecks of immunotherapy.
- To discuss the combination of nMOFs with other therapeutic strategies.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of state-of-the-art research on nMOFs for immunotherapy.
- Analysis of nMOF applications in vaccine delivery and tumor microenvironment modulation.
- Discussion of the design flexibility and inherent immune efficacy of nMOFs.
Main Results:
- nMOFs demonstrate potential in temporospatial delivery and possess inherent immune efficacy.
- nMOFs are primarily customized for cancer vaccine delivery and modulation of the tumor microenvironment.
- The unique composition and chemical interaction flexibility of nMOFs allow for diverse immunotherapy designs.
Conclusions:
- nMOFs represent a promising platform for advancing cancer immunotherapy by addressing critical challenges.
- The application of nMOFs in vaccine delivery and tumor microenvironment modulation shows significant potential.
- Further research into nMOFs holds prospects for developing more effective and safer cancer immunotherapies.
