The application of nanotechnology in enhancing immunotherapy for cancer treatment: current effects and perspective

Abstract

Cancer immunotherapy is emerging as a promising treatment modality that suppresses and eliminates tumors by re-activating and maintaining the tumor-immune cycle, and further enhancing the body's anti-tumor immune response. Despite the impressive therapeutic potential of immunotherapy approaches such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and tumor vaccines in pre-clinical and clinical applications, the effective response is limited by insufficient accumulation in tumor tissues and severe side-effects. Recent years have witnessed the rise of nanotechnology as a solution to improve these technical weaknesses due to its inherent biophysical properties and multifunctional modifying potential. In this review, we summarized and discussed the current status of nanoparticle-enhanced cancer immunotherapy strategies, including intensified delivery of tumor vaccines and immune adjuvants, immune checkpoint inhibitor vehicles, targeting capacity to tumor-draining lymph nodes and immune cells, triggered releasing and regulating specific tumor microenvironments, and adoptive cell therapy enhancement effects.