Recent advances in nanotechnology for programmed death ligand 1-targeted cancer theranostics

Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) checkpoint inhibitor-based immunotherapy has provided a unique and potent weapon against cancer in clinical practice. The likelihood of achieving beneficial effects from PD-L1/PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy is clinically assessed by detecting PD-L1 expression through invasive tissue biopsies. However, PD-L1 expression is susceptible to tumor heterogeneity and dynamic response to ICB therapy. Moreover, currently, anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy still faces challenges of the low targeting efficiency of antibody drugs and the risk of immune-associated adverse events. To overcome these issues, advanced nanotechnology has been developed for the purpose of quantitative, non-invasive, and dynamic analyses of PD-L1, and to enhance the efficiency of ICB therapy. In this review, we first introduce the nanoprobe-assisted in vitro/in vivo modalities for the selective and sensitive analysis of PD-L1 during the diagnostic and therapeutic process. On the other hand, the feasibility of fabricating diverse functional nanocarriers as smart delivery systems for precisely targeted delivery of PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors and combined therapies is highlighted. Finally, the current challenges are discussed and future perspectives for PD-L1-targeted cancer theranostics in preclinical research and clinical settings are proposed.