Cancer Immunotherapy Using Nanoparticles and the Generation of Functional Dendritic Cells
- 详细技术说明
- Thetechnology includes novel nanoparticles which have a mitochondrial targetingmoiety and a photosensitizer configured to produce a reactive oxygen specieswhen exposed to light of an appropriate wavelength, as well as a method ofusing these particles. Dysfunction of a host’s immune system is one of themajor mechanisms by which tumors evade immune surveillance. Tumors employ strategies to successfullyevade the host immune system, and these strategies may target immune antitumoreffector cells. Dysfunction andapoptosis of these immune antitumor effector cells in the host creates animmune imbalance that cannot be corrected by immunotherapies aimed only atactivation of anti-tumor immune response. Reversal of existing immune dysfunction and normalization of lymphocytehomeostasis in patients with cancer may play an important role in future cancerimmunotherapies.
- *Abstract
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A therapeutictechnology that combines the phototoxic and immune-stimulating ability ofphotodynamic therapy (PDT) with the widespread effectiveness of the immunesystem can be very promising to treat – for instance - metastatic breastcancer. Dr. Shanta Dhar and Donald Harn developed nanoparticles which have amitochondrial targeting moiety and a photosensitizer configured to produce areactive oxygen species when exposed to light of an appropriate wavelength.Cancer cells that have been exposed to nanoparticles and then activated usingthe photosensitizer undergo apoptosis and cause activation of dendritic cells,leading to the production of high levels of IFN-γ and tumor destruction. Thistechnology is suitable for the treatment of cancer through increasing theimmunogenicity of cancerous cells and may be especially relevant to metastaticcancers. Its activity has been successfully demonstrated using breast cancercells. The invention induces IFN-γ production, which is more powerful thanother non-specific stimulants such as IFN-α and interleukin-2. Because the modeof action is through the stimulation of the patient’s own immune system, thisapproach should be far less toxic than traditional cancer chemotherapies.Further dendritic cells can be activated exvivo and IFN-γ produced in bulk quantities and, since the dendritic cellsare produced ex vivo, cultureconditions can be carefully controlled and cell quality checked before anyadministration of cells to a patient. Thus, the technology provides for a therapeutic measure, but also for aplatform for the commercial cell culture based production of IFN-γ.
References and Intellectual Property
PCT Application publication WO2014124425 A1
Sean Marrache, Joshua H. Choi, Smanla Tundup,Dillon Zaver, Donald A. Harn, Shanta Dhar: Immune Stimulating PhotoactiveHybrid Nanoparticles for Metastatic Breast Cancer. IntegrBiol (Camb). 2013 Jan; 5(1):10.1039/c2ib20125a.
- 国家/地区
- 美国
