Immune cell delivery platforms for tumor therapy: From empirical approaches to AI-integrated frameworks

The heterogeneity and immunosuppressive characteristics of the tumor microenvironment present significant challenges to traditional treatment strategies, including inadequate targeting and variable drug resistance. In recent years, immune cell-based delivery systems have emerged, leveraging the innate homing capabilities of immune cells alongside advanced engineering techniques to offer novel approaches for precise targeting and the enhancement of anti-tumor immune responses. However, the rational design and optimization of such complex biological systems remain empirically driven and resource-intensive. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform this landscape by providing a data-driven, predictive framework. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in immune cell delivery systems, including macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, and T cells, highlighting how they enhance therapeutic efficacy through targeted delivery, immune activation, and microenvironment remodeling. Furthermore, we critically discussed how AI-integrated approaches are beginning to overcome empirical bottlenecks by enabling rational design, precise target identification, and predictive delivery assessment. While persistent challenges in various aspects, the continued convergence of immunology, nanotechnology, and computational science stands as a vital research direction to accelerate the development of next-generation immune cell delivery platforms.