Abstract 835: Translational nanotechnology-based cancer vaccine to re-educate host immune response against metastatic cancers
Authors: Carreira Barbara , Acúrcio Rita A. , Pozzi Sabina , Kleiner Ron , Moura Liane I. , Matos Ana I. , vaskovich Daniela , Peres Carina , Fernandes Adelaide , Xapelli Sara , Satchi-Fainaro Ronit , Florindo Helena F. 
Published: April 2023

Sixty percent of melanoma patients present brain metastases, having low response rates to current systemic therapies, which do not prolong survival. New therapeutic options to address this clinical need are urgent. Here, we report the development of a polymeric nanoparticle as a cancer nanovaccine capable of selectively co-targeting toll-like receptor function and PD-L1 expression to improve antigen presentation and subsequent effector immune cell function within brain microenvironment. Mannose-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/poly(lactic acid) (man-PLGA/PLA) nanoparticles (NP) were prepared by a modified double emulsion solvent evaporation method, to deliver combinations of melanoma neoantigens, toll-like receptor ligands and regulators of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. NP physicochemical properties were fully characterized, including size, surface charge and morphology. The amount of melanoma neoantigens and immune regulators entrapped within NP was determined by HPLC. Immature dendritic cells (DC) were used to evaluate the impact of NP on cell viability, and to assess NP uptake kinetics by flow cytometry. NP ability to target and trigger the activation of DC and T cells, was assessed in the lymph nodes and spleen of immunized mice. The NP anti-tumor immune-mediated effect was evaluated in vivo in two primary melanoma-bearing immunocompetent mouse models (B16F10 and B16MO5), and in a melanoma brain metastasis (MBM) mouse model (B16F10), which also included the immune profiling within tumor site by flow cytometry, before and after treatment.NP presented an average diameter of 180 nm, narrow polydispersity index, surface charge close to neutrality, spherical morphology, and high loadings of the neoantigens and immunoregulators. NP did not affect DC viability and were extensively internalized by immature DC. NP were preferentially taken-up in vivo by DC, increasing the expression of activation/maturation markers at DC surface, such as CD80 and CD86. NP elicited antigen-specific T-cell responses, by the significant increase in the expression of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma (TH1-guided response). In vivo combination of NP with anti-PD-L1 induced a potent immune-mediated anti-tumor response in both primary and preclinical models of MBM, overcoming tumor development with an increased overall survival. This combination re-shaped immune and stroma cell populations in primary tumor and MBM microenvironment, which presented a marked infiltration of cytotoxic T cells that correlated with a decreased expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 within the TME. The synergy between our nanovaccine and anti-PD-L1 provide essential insights to devise alternative combinations regiments to improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic melanoma, thus opening new line for this unmet medical need.

Citation Format: Barbara Carreira, Rita A. Acúrcio, Sabina Pozzi, Ron Kleiner, Liane I. Moura, Ana I. Matos, Daniela vaskovich, Carina Peres, Adelaide Fernandes, Sara Xapelli, Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, Helena F. Florindo. Translational nanotechnology-based cancer vaccine to re-educate host immune response against metastatic cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 835.