Cationic Nanoparticle-Based Cancer Vaccines

Pharmaceutics, vol. 13, pp. 596

Abstract

Cationic nanoparticles have been shown to be surprisingly effective as cancer vaccine vehicles in preclinical and clinical studies. Cationic nanoparticles deliver tumor-associated antigens to dendritic cells and induce immune activation, resulting in strong antigen-specific cellular immune responses, as shown for a wide variety of vaccine candidates. In this review, we discuss the relation between the cationic nature of nanoparticles and the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Multiple types of lipid- and polymer-based cationic nanoparticulate cancer vaccines with various antigen types (e.g., mRNA, DNA, peptides and proteins) and adjuvants are described. Furthermore, we focus on the types of cationic nanoparticles used for T-cell induction, especially in the context of therapeutic cancer vaccination. We discuss different cationic nanoparticulate vaccines, molecular mechanisms of adjuvanticity and biodistribution profiles upon administration via different routes. Finally, we discuss the perspectives of cationic nanoparticulate vaccines for improving immunotherapy of cancer.

Authors 4

1. Jeroen Heuts Aachen Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Centre Division of BioTherapeutics Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research

   Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Centre, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands

   Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands

2. Wim Jiskoot Aachen Division of BioTherapeutics Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands

3. FERRY A. OSSENDORP Aachen Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Centre

   Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Centre, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands

4. Koen van der Maaden corresponding Aachen Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Centre

   Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Centre, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands

   TECO Development GmbH, 53359 Rheinbach, Germany