Potential applications of nanoparticles for tumor microenvironment remodeling to ameliorate cancer immunotherapy

Publication date: Available online 22 August 2019Source: International Journal of PharmaceuticsAuthor(s): Yuzhuo Bai, Yun Wang, Xudong Zhang, Jianhua Fu, Xiuli Xing, Chunlan Wang, Longlan Gao, Yu Liu, Li ShiAbstractIn recent years, researchers have made significant innovations in the field of tumor immunotherapy based on the knowledge of biology, oncology, and immunology. Tumor immunotherapy involves the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR (chimeric antigen receptor)-T cell therapy. As compared with conventional chemotherapy, immunotherapy is a potential approach to induce a more powerful immune response against tumor in the patient suffering from the advanced stage malignancy. Regardless of the developments made, a large number of clinical studies have confirmed that a substantial number of cancer patients still demonstrate non-responsiveness to immunotherapy, mainly due to the immunomodulating interactions of tumor cells with the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (iTME). It leads to immune tolerance of tumors and influences the efficacy of immunotherapy. This immune failure could be attributed to a complex immunosuppressive network comprising stromal and inflammatory cells, vessel system, ECM (extracellular matrix) and the cytokines released in tumor microenvironment (TME). The antitumor immune activity can be enhanced at different stages of tumor development by selective suppression of inhibitory pathways in the TME. This specific task can be achieved by usi...
Source: International Journal of Pharmaceutics - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research