Genetically Engineered Artificial Exosome-Constructed Hydrogel for Ovarian Cancer Therapy

Owing to the insidious onset of ovarian cancer, most patients are in the advanced stage with extensive peritoneal metastasis when they are diagnosed. Treatment of peritoneal metastasis from advanced ovarian cancer remains a significant challenge. Inspired by the massive macrophages in the peritoneal environment, here, we reported an artificial exosome-based peritoneal-localized hydrogel to domesticate peritoneal macrophages as the therapeutic target for realizing potent ovarian cancer therapy, where artificial exosomes derived from genetically sialic-acid-binding Ig-like lectin 10 (Siglec-10)-engineered M₁-type macrophages were chemically designed as gelator. Upon triggering immunogenicity with X-ray radiation, our hydrogel encapsulating efferocytosis inhibitor MRX-2843 enabled a cascade regulation to orchestrate polarization, efferocytosis, and phagocytosis of peritoneal macrophages for realizing robust phagocytosis of tumor cells and powerful antigen presentation, offering a potent approach for ovarian cancer therapy via bridging the innate effector function of macrophages with their adaptive immune response. Moreover, our hydrogel is also applicable for potent treatment of inherent CD24-overexpressed triple-negative breast cancer, providing an emerging therapeutic regimen for the most lethal malignancies in women.