Xiang Li

Bio: Xiang Li is an academic researcher from University of Science and Technology of China. The author has contributed to research in topics: Prodrug & Tumor microenvironment. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 2 publications receiving 1 citations.

Polymersome Nanoreactor-Mediated Combination Chemodynamic-Immunotherapy via ROS Production and Enhanced STING Activation

Abstract: Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) activation by STING agonists has been recognized as one of important immunotherapy strategies. However, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment always hinders the therapeutic efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Herein, ferrocene-containing polymersome nanoreactors are engineered by co-loading glucose oxidase (GOD) and STING agonist, symmetry-linked amidobenzimidazole (DiABZI), for enhanced STING activation and combination chemodynamic-immunotherapy. After intravenous injection, the polymersomes can accumulate in tumor tissues. The tumor acidity-triggered polymersome membrane permeability allows the entrance of tumoral glucose and oxygen for H2O2 production by GOD, which is further transformed into hydroxyl radicals (•OH) under the catalysis of ferrocene moieties. Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) based on •OH can induce efficient cellular apoptosis and release of fragmented DNA and tumor-associated antigens to promote endogenous STING activation and reverse immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Simultaneously, pH-responsive release of DiABZI activates STING pathway to elicit antitumor immune responses. Therefore, DiABZI and CDT synergistically enhance the antitumor immunity via combination chemodynamic-immunotherapy. The primary tumors are completely ablated and the growth of distant tumors that are established after treatment is also suppressed efficiently. The polymersome nanoreactor-mediated chemodynamic-immunotherapy represents a promising treatment strategy toward primary solid and metastatic tumors.

Understanding the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) for effective therapy

Abstract: The clinical successes in immunotherapy have been both astounding and at the same time unsatisfactory. Countless patients with varied tumor types have seen pronounced clinical response with immunotherapeutic intervention; however, many more patients have experienced minimal or no clinical benefit when provided the same treatment. As technology has advanced, so has the understanding of the complexity and diversity of the immune context of the tumor microenvironment and its influence on response to therapy. It has been possible to identify different subclasses of immune environment that have an influence on tumor initiation and response and therapy; by parsing the unique classes and subclasses of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) that exist within a patient's tumor, the ability to predict and guide immunotherapeutic responsiveness will improve, and new therapeutic targets will be revealed.