Application of microneedles combined with dendritic cell-targeted nanovaccine delivery system in percutaneous immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer.

This work aims at developing a strategy to activate the antigen-presenting cells to enhance the effect of immunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) through the dissolving microneedle patch (DMNP). In present study, mannosylated chitosan (MCS) nanoparticles (NPs) were designed to target dendritic cells (DCs), and the immunotherapy effect was enhanced by the adjuvant Bacillus Calmette-Guerin polysaccharide (BCG-PSN), achieving the purpose of transdermal immunotherapy for TNBC. Vaccination studies with mice demonstrated that MCS NPs effectively induce DCs maturation in the tumor-draining lymph nodes to stimulate strong immune responses in TNBC. Overall, chitosan-based DMNPs with complex adjuvant constituted a new potent transdermal vaccine delivery platform capable of exploiting more DCs in the skin for effective immunization.

Construction and application of microneedle-mediated photothermal therapy and immunotherapy combined anti-tumor drug delivery system.

Conventional treatments for tumors were frequently accompanied by drawbacks and side effects. It might be useful to use the revolutionary microneedle technology which combines photothermal therapy with tumor immunotherapy. In this study, we created a microneedle drug delivery system with mercapto-modified gold nanorods and immune checkpoint blocker anti-PD-1 polypeptide. With good mechanical strength, the microneedle system can efficiently penetrate the skin and deliver drugs. When inserted into human skin, anti-PD-1 peptides and gold nanorods can be released, boosting the capacity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes to destroy tumor cells. Additionally, the elimination of the tumor is aided by the production of heat while being exposed to near-infrared light. This microneedle drug delivery system can enhance the immunological reaction and prolong the survival time of mice. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the system has mild toxic and side effects on normal tissues and can effectively inhibit the growth of tumors, indicating a bright prospect for the treatment of cancers.