Background Therapeutic tumor vaccine (TTV) that induces tumor-specific immunity has enormous potentials in tumor treatment, but high heterogeneity and poor immunogenicity of tumor seriously impair its clinical efficacy. Herein, a novel NIR responsive tumor vaccine in situ (HA-PDA@IQ/DOX HG) was prepared by integrating hyaluronic acid functionalized polydopamine nanoparticles (HA-PDA NPs) with immune adjuvants (Imiquimod, IQ) and doxorubicin (DOX) into thermal-sensitive hydrogel. Results HA-PDA@IQ NPs with high photothermal conversion efficiency (41.2%) and T1-relaxation efficiency were using HA as stabilizer by the one-pot oxidative polymerization. Then, HA-PDA@IQ loaded DOX via π-π stacking and mixed with thermal-sensitive hydrogel to form the HA-PDA@IQ/DOX HG. The hydrogel-confined delivery mode endowed HA-PDA@IQ/DOX NPs with multiple photothermal ablation performance once injection upon NIR irradiation due to the prolonged retention in tumor site. More importantly, this mode enabled HA-PDA@IQ/DOX NPs to promote the DC maturation, memory T cells in lymphatic node as well as cytotoxic T lymphocytes in spleen. Conclusion Taken together, the HA-PDA@IQ/DOX HG could be served as a theranostic tumor vaccine for complete photothermal ablation to trigger robust antitumor immune responses.

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ObjectiveTo explore the value of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) radiomics of the regional largest short-axis lymph nodes for evaluating lymph node metastasis in patients with rectal cancer.Materials and MethodsOne hundred forty-one patients with rectal cancer (58 in LNM+ group, 83 in LNM- group) who underwent preoperative total abdominal DECT were divided into a training group and testing group (7:3 ratio). After post-processing DECT venous phase images, 120kVp-like images and iodine (water) images were obtained. The highest-risk lymph nodes were identified, and their long-axis and short-axis diameter and DECT quantitative parameters were measured manually by two experienced radiologists who were blind to the postoperative pathological results. Four DECT parameters were analyzed: arterial phase (AP) normalized iodine concentration, AP normalized effective atomic number, the venous phase (VP) normalized iodine concentration, and the venous phase normalized effective atomic number. The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were recorded one week before surgery. Radiomics features of the largest lymph nodes were extracted, standardized, and reduced before modeling. Radomics signatures of 120kVp-like images (Rad-signature120kVp) and iodine map (Rad-signatureImap) were built based on Logistic Regression via Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO).ResultsEight hundred thirty-three features were extracted from 120kVp-like and iodine images, respectively. In testing group, the radiomics features based on 120kVp-like images showed the best diagnostic performance (AUC=0.922) compared to other predictors [CT morphological indicators (short-axis diameter (AUC=0.779, IDI=0.262) and long-axis diameter alone (AUC=0.714, IDI=0.329)), CEA alone (AUC=0.540, IDI=0.414), and normalized DECT parameters alone (AUC=0.504-0.718, IDI=0.290-0.476)](P<0.05 in Delong test). Contrary, DECT iodine map-based radiomic signatures showed similar performance in predicting lymph node metastasis (AUC=0.866). The decision curve showed that the 120kVp-like-based radiomics signature has the highest net income.ConclusionPredictive model based on DECT and the largest short-axis diameter lymph nodes has the highest diagnostic value in predicting lymph node metastasis in patients with rectal cancer.

Aim: Achieving drug-targeting delivery and environment-responsive releasing to realize imaging-guided precise tumor therapy. Materials & methods: Graphene oxide (GO) was used as the drug-delivery system to load indocyanine green (ICG) and doxorubicin (DOX) to form a GO/ICG&DOX nanoplatform, in which GO can quench the fluorescence of ICG and DOX. MnO2 and folate acid-functionalized erythrocyte membrane were further coated into the surface of GO/ICG&DOX to obtain an FA-EM@MnO2-GO/ICG&DOX nanoplatform. Results: The FA-EM@MnO2-GO/ICG&DOX nanoplatform has longer blood circulation time, precise targeting delivery to tumor tissues and catalase-like activity. Both in vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that the FA-EM@MnO2-GO/ICG&DOX nanoplatform has better therapeutic efficacy. Conclusion: The authors successfully fabricated a glutathione-responsive FA-EM@MnO2-GO/ICG&DOX nanoplatform, which can achieve drug-targeting delivery and precise drug release.