Abstract

Highlights

An artificial macrophage with hierarchical nanostructure (BaSO4@ZIF-8/TRF NMΦ) is constructed as an alternative to immunoactive macrophages.

The Zn2+ chemical messenger as an “artificial cytokine” is released from the artificial macrophage to induce tumor anoikis and enhance immunogenicity.

The artificial macrophage can efficiently capture tumor antigens for antigen presentation and T cell activation to fabricate long-term antitumor immunity, successfully mimicking the basic functions of natural immunoactive macrophage.

Artificial cells are constructed from synthetic materials to imitate the biological functions of natural cells. By virtue of nanoengineering techniques, artificial cells with designed biomimetic functions provide alternatives to natural cells, showing vast potential for biomedical applications. Especially in cancer treatment, the deficiency of immunoactive macrophages results in tumor progression and immune resistance. To overcome the limitation, a BaSO4@ZIF-8/transferrin (TRF) nanomacrophage (NMΦ) is herein constructed as an alternative to immunoactive macrophages. Alike to natural immunoactive macrophages, NMΦ is stably retained in tumors through the specific affinity of TRF to tumor cells. Zn2+ as an “artificial cytokine” is then released from the ZIF-8 layer of NMΦ under tumor microenvironment. Similar as proinflammatory cytokines, Zn2+ can trigger cell anoikis to expose tumor antigens, which are selectively captured by the BaSO4 cavities. Therefore, the hierarchical nanostructure of NMΦs allows them to mediate immunogenic death of tumor cells and subsequent antigen capture for T cell activation to fabricate long-term antitumor immunity. As a proof-of-concept, the NMΦ mimics the biological functions of macrophage, including tumor residence, cytokine release, antigen capture and immune activation, which is hopeful to provide a paradigm for the design and biomedical applications of artificial cells.

Details

Title
Artificial Macrophage with Hierarchical Nanostructure for Biomimetic Reconstruction of Antitumor Immunity
Author
Zhao, Henan 1 ; Liu, Renyu 2 ; Wang, Liqiang 3 ; Tang, Feiying 4 ; Chen, Wansong 1 ; Liu, You-Nian 1 

 Central South University, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Changsha, People’s Republic of China (GRID:grid.216417.7) (ISNI:0000 0001 0379 7164) 
 Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, People’s Republic of China (GRID:grid.452223.0) (ISNI:0000 0004 1757 7615) 
 Zhengzhou University, Henan Province Industrial Technology Research Institute of Resources and Materials, School of Material Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China (GRID:grid.207374.5) (ISNI:0000 0001 2189 3846) 
 Xiangtan University, College of Chemical Engineering, Xiangtan, People’s Republic of China (GRID:grid.412982.4) (ISNI:0000 0000 8633 7608) 
Pages
216
Publication year
2023
Publication date
Dec 2023
Publisher
Springer Nature B.V.
ISSN
23116706
e-ISSN
21505551
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2889583041
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2023. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.