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Cancers
Special Issues
Biomaterials for Cancer Immunotherapy
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Biomaterials for Cancer Immunotherapy

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 November 2021) | Viewed by 19891

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jayanth Panyam

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Professor and Dean, Temple University School of Pharmacy, 3307 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
Interests: targeted drug delivery; nanoparticles; antibody-drug conjugates; controlled release; chemoprevention; immunotherapy; cancer vaccine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The goal of cancer immunotherapy is to activate the host immune system to recognize and eliminate malignant cells. The term immunotherapy is used broadly to include various vaccine modalities, cytokines, CAR-T cells, NK cell therapies, antibodies that mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, checkpoint inhibitors, oncolytic viruses, and immunomodulators that reverse tumor-induced immunosuppression. Immunotherapy is highly effective in improving therapeutic outcomes in many tumor types, including melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, head and neck cancers, and lung cancers. However, only a subset of patients benefit from it, and even in those patients, resistance can develop. Further, some immunotherapeutic modalities are associated with serious side effects. There is intense interest in further improving the effectiveness of immunotherapy and overcoming resistance.

Biomaterials can improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy by facilitating selective and improved delivery of the active agent to the target cells and tissue. Enhanced activation of antigen-presenting cells by delivering immunostimulants in nanocarriers and improved activity of checkpoint inhibitors following local sustained delivery are some examples. The focus of this Special Issue on “Biomaterials for Cancer Immunotherapy” is to further highlight, through original research articles as well as comprehensive reviews, the use of biomaterials to improve the safety and efficacy of anticancer immunotherapy.

Prof. Dr. Jayanth Panyam
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vaccines
  • immunomodulators
  • antibodies
  • checkpoint inhibitors
  • immunosuppression
  • cell therapy

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 4295 KiB  
Article
Combination of STING and TLR 7/8 Agonists as Vaccine Adjuvants for Cancer Immunotherapy
by Shubhmita Bhatnagar, Vishnu Revuri, Manan Shah, Peter Larson, Zekun Shao, Daohai Yu, Swayam Prabha, Thomas S. Griffith, David Ferguson and Jayanth Panyam
Cancers 2022, 14(24), 6091; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14246091 - 11 Dec 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4479
Abstract
Immunostimulatory adjuvants that potently activate antigen-presenting cells and (in turn) prime cytotoxic T cells are a key component of anticancer vaccines. In this study, we investigated a multi-adjuvant approach combining a TLR 7/8 agonist (522) and a STING agonist (DMXAA) to promote enhanced [...] Read more.
Immunostimulatory adjuvants that potently activate antigen-presenting cells and (in turn) prime cytotoxic T cells are a key component of anticancer vaccines. In this study, we investigated a multi-adjuvant approach combining a TLR 7/8 agonist (522) and a STING agonist (DMXAA) to promote enhanced antigen cross-presentation, stimulate specific antitumor T-cell responses, and provide improved anticancer efficacy. In vitro experiments using bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) confirmed enhanced activation with the 522-DMXAA combination based on both co-stimulatory molecule expression and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. The immunization of mice with vaccines comprising both 522 and DMXAA resulted in greater antitumor efficacy in B16F10 melanoma and MB49 bladder tumor models relative to mono-agonist vaccines. Flow cytometry-based analysis of immune cells from immunized mice revealed the significant activation of antigen-presenting cells, increased numbers of activated and Ag-specific CD8+ T cells in the spleen and lymph nodes, modest NK cell activation, and an overall reduction in CD206+ macrophages. These results were supported by an increase in the levels of IFN-γ and a reduction in IL-10 levels in the sera. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the potential of the TLR7/8 and STING agonist combination as vaccine adjuvants to activate both innate and adaptive immune responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials for Cancer Immunotherapy)
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18 pages, 4932 KiB  
Article
Additive Intralesional Interleukin-2 Improves Progression-Free Survival in a Distinct Subgroup of Melanoma Patients with Prior Progression under Immunotherapy
by David Rafei-Shamsabadi, Saskia Lehr, Max Behrens and Frank Meiss
Cancers 2022, 14(3), 540; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14030540 - 21 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2010
Abstract
A considerable amount of melanoma patients show primary resistance to PD-1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors. We have previously reported a beneficial role of intralesional Interleukin-2 (IL-2) in 9 melanoma patients developing new locoregional metastases under immunotherapy. We have now expanded this retrospective cohort to [...] Read more.
A considerable amount of melanoma patients show primary resistance to PD-1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors. We have previously reported a beneficial role of intralesional Interleukin-2 (IL-2) in 9 melanoma patients developing new locoregional metastases under immunotherapy. We have now expanded this retrospective cohort to 27 patients. Patients were evaluated for their tumor characteristics, treatment response and progression-free and overall survival (PFS/OS). In 16 patients, tumor biopsies before and under IL-2 treatment were evaluated for immune markers. The median follow-up time was 16 (1–59) months from start of IL-2 treatment. Treatment response of locoregional metastases was seen in 74% of all patients and response of distant organ metastases in 37% of stage IV patients, respectively. A prolonged PFS and OS was significantly associated with absence of active distant metastases (p = 0.008), response of locoregional metastases (p = 0.002), increase of absolute eosinophil count (AEC) (p < 0.001) and an influx of CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) (p = 0.003). Additional intralesional treatment with IL-2 in patients with locoregional progression under immunotherapy is a well-tolerated, easily feasible therapeutic option especially in patients lacking active distant metastases. A careful patient selection can lead to an improved PFS and OS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials for Cancer Immunotherapy)
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Review

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32 pages, 2551 KiB  
Review
Systematic Investigation of Biocompatible Cationic Polymeric Nucleic Acid Carriers for Immunotherapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
by Mingsheng Chen, Hao Wang, Hongying Guo, Ying Zhang and Liang Chen
Cancers 2022, 14(1), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14010085 - 24 Dec 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3428
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third-largest cause of cancer death worldwide, while immunotherapy is rapidly being developed to fight HCC with great potential. Nucleic acid drugs are the most important modulators in HCC immunotherapy. To boost the efficacy of therapeutics and amplify the [...] Read more.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third-largest cause of cancer death worldwide, while immunotherapy is rapidly being developed to fight HCC with great potential. Nucleic acid drugs are the most important modulators in HCC immunotherapy. To boost the efficacy of therapeutics and amplify the efficiency of genetic materials, biocompatible polymers are commonly used. However, under the strong need of a summary for current developments of biocompatible polymeric nucleic acid carriers for immunotherapy of HCC, there is rare review article specific to this topic to our best knowledge. In this article, we will discuss the current progress of immunotherapy for HCC, biocompatible cationic polymers (BCPs) as nucleic acid carriers used (or potential) to fight HCC, the roles of biocompatible polymeric carriers for nucleic acid delivery, and nucleic acid delivery by biocompatible polymers for immunotherapy. At the end, we will conclude the review and discuss future perspectives. This article discusses biocompatible polymeric nucleic acid carriers for immunotherapy of HCC from multidiscipline perspectives and provides a new insight in this domain. We believe this review will be interesting to polymer chemists, pharmacists, clinic doctors, and PhD students in related disciplines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials for Cancer Immunotherapy)
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31 pages, 3616 KiB  
Review
Magnetic Nanostructures as Emerging Therapeutic Tools to Boost Anti-Tumour Immunity
by Stefano Persano, Pradip Das and Teresa Pellegrino
Cancers 2021, 13(11), 2735; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13112735 - 31 May 2021
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4445
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has shown remarkable results in various cancer types through a range of immunotherapeutic approaches, including chimeric antigen receptor-T cell (CAR-T) therapy, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), and therapeutic vaccines. Despite the enormous potential of cancer immunotherapy, its application in various clinical settings [...] Read more.
Cancer immunotherapy has shown remarkable results in various cancer types through a range of immunotherapeutic approaches, including chimeric antigen receptor-T cell (CAR-T) therapy, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), and therapeutic vaccines. Despite the enormous potential of cancer immunotherapy, its application in various clinical settings has been limited by immune evasion and immune suppressive mechanisms occurring locally or systemically, low durable response rates, and severe side effects. In the last decades, the rapid advancement of nanotechnology has been aiming at the development of novel synthetic nanocarriers enabling precise and enhanced delivery of immunotherapeutics, while improving drug stability and effectiveness. Magnetic nanostructured formulations are particularly intriguing because of their easy surface functionalization, low cost, and robust manufacturing procedures, together with their suitability for the implementation of magnetically-guided and heat-based therapeutic strategies. Here, we summarize and discuss the unique features of magnetic-based nanostructures, which can be opportunely designed to potentiate classic immunotherapies, such as therapeutic vaccines, ICB, adoptive cell therapy (ACT), and in situ vaccination. Finally, we focus on how multifunctional magnetic delivery systems can facilitate the anti-tumour therapies relying on multiple immunotherapies and/or other therapeutic modalities. Combinatorial magnetic-based therapies are indeed offering the possibility to overcome current challenges in cancer immunotherapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials for Cancer Immunotherapy)
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15 pages, 1567 KiB  
Review
Applications of Melanin and Melanin-Like Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy: A Review of Recent Advances
by Stefania Cuzzubbo and Antoine F. Carpentier
Cancers 2021, 13(6), 1463; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13061463 - 23 Mar 2021
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4552
Abstract
Thanks to the growing knowledge about cancers and their interactions with the immune system, a huge number of therapeutic cancer vaccines have been developed in the past two decades. Despite encouraging results in pre-clinical models, cancer vaccines have not yet achieved significant clinical [...] Read more.
Thanks to the growing knowledge about cancers and their interactions with the immune system, a huge number of therapeutic cancer vaccines have been developed in the past two decades. Despite encouraging results in pre-clinical models, cancer vaccines have not yet achieved significant clinical efficacy. Several factors may contribute to such poor results, including the difficulty of triggering a strong immune response and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Many strategies are currently being explored. Different types of adjuvants have been incorporated into vaccine formulations to improve their efficacy, as cancer antigens are usually poorly immunogenic. Nanoparticle systems are promising tools as they act as carriers for antigens and can be surface-modified so that they specifically target antigen-presenting cells in lymph nodes. Bioinspired nanomaterials are ideal candidates thanks to their biocompatibility. Recently, melanin-based nanoparticles were reported to efficiently localize into draining lymphoid tissues and trigger immune responses against loaded antigens. In addition, by virtue of their photochemical properties, melanin-based nanoparticles can also play an immunomodulatory role to promote anti-cancer responses in the context of photothermal therapy. In this review, we discuss the above-mentioned properties of melanin, and summarize the promising results of the melanin-based cancer vaccines recently reported in preclinical models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials for Cancer Immunotherapy)
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