Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Preparation, Characteristics, Toxicity, and Efficacy Evaluation of the Nasal Self-Assembled Nanoemulsion Tumor Vaccine In Vitro and In Vivo
07:33

Preparation, Characteristics, Toxicity, and Efficacy Evaluation of the Nasal Self-Assembled Nanoemulsion Tumor Vaccine In Vitro and In Vivo

Published on: September 28, 2022

Mucinase-engineered cell membrane nanovesicles degrade the glycocalyx shield to potentiate antitumor immunity

Xiaorui Geng1, Silan Liu1,2,3, Yuanwei Pan1

  • 1Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|May 14, 2026
PubMed

Insights

This study introduces fusion nanovesicles (FNVs) that degrade the tumor glycocalyx, enhancing cancer immunotherapy efficacy. These StcE-nCD47-FNVs improve tumor targeting and reduce toxicity for better immune responses.

Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Immunology
  • Nanomedicine

Background:

  • The tumor glycocalyx shields tumors from immunotherapy by masking checkpoint proteins.
  • Bacterial protease StcE degrades the glycocalyx but has toxicity and immunogenicity issues.
  • Existing immunotherapies face challenges due to the protective tumor microenvironment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel biomimetic platform for targeted glycocalyx degradation and enhanced cancer immunotherapy.
  • To overcome the limitations of free StcE by creating a safer and more effective delivery system.
  • To investigate the therapeutic potential of StcE-nCD47-FNVs in preclinical cancer models.

Main Methods:

  • Engineered cell membrane fusion nanovesicles (FNVs) to co-display StcE and CD47 nanobodies (nCD47) using the SpyTag/SpyCatcher system.
  • Characterized the physicochemical properties and mucin-hydrolyzing activity of the resulting StcE-nCD47-FNVs.
  • Evaluated the efficacy of StcE-nCD47-FNVs in murine models of colorectal and breast cancer, assessing tumor growth, metastasis, and immune cell infiltration.

Main Results:

  • StcE-nCD47-FNVs demonstrated potent mucin degradation and enhanced nCD47 binding to tumor cells.
  • The FNV platform exhibited prolonged circulation, improved tumor accumulation, and better biosafety compared to free StcE.
  • Significant suppression of tumor growth and metastasis was observed, accompanied by M1 macrophage polarization and increased CD8+ T cell infiltration.

Conclusions:

  • StcE-nCD47-FNVs represent a safe, robust, and versatile strategy for breaching the tumor glycocalyx.
  • This integrated approach of glycocalyx engineering and vesicle nanotechnology enhances checkpoint blockade immunotherapy.
  • The developed platform holds promise for next-generation cancer immunotherapies by remodeling the tumor microenvironment.
Keywords:
biomaterialscancer immunotherapychemical biologydrug deliveryglycoengineering

More Related Videos

Induction of Invasive Transitional Cell Bladder Carcinoma in Immune Intact Human MUC1 Transgenic Mice: A Model for Immunotherapy Development11:02

Induction of Invasive Transitional Cell Bladder Carcinoma in Immune Intact Human MUC1 Transgenic Mice: A Model for Immunotherapy Development

Published on: October 30, 2013

A "Plug-And-Display" Nanoparticle Vaccine Platform Based on Outer Membrane Vesicles Displaying SARS-CoV-2 Receptor-Binding Domain08:07

A "Plug-And-Display" Nanoparticle Vaccine Platform Based on Outer Membrane Vesicles Displaying SARS-CoV-2 Receptor-Binding Domain

Published on: July 25, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
Glycocalyx and its Functions01:14

Glycocalyx and its Functions

The glycocalyx is a carbohydrate-rich, fuzzy-appearing layer on the outer surface of the cell membrane. It is highly hydrophilic, because of this it attracts large amounts of water to the cell's surface. This aids the cell's interaction with the watery environment and also helps it to obtain substances dissolved in the water. It is also important for cell identification, self/non-self determination, and embryonic development and is used in cell-to-cell attachments to form tissues.
Components of...