A melanin-mediated cancer immunotherapy patch

Abstract

Melanin is capable of transforming 99.9% of the absorbed sunlight energy into heat, reducing the risk of skin cancer. We here develop a melanin-mediated cancer immunotherapy strategy through a transdermal microneedle patch. B16F10 whole tumor lysate containing melanin is loaded into polymeric microneedles that allow sustained release of the lysate upon insertion into the skin. In combination with the near-infrared light irradiation, melanin in the patch mediates the generation of heat, which further promotes tumor-antigen uptake by dendritic cells, and leads to enhanced antitumor vaccination. We found that the spatiotemporal photoresponsive immunotherapy increases infiltration of polarized T cells and local cytokine release. These immunological effects increase the survival of mice after tumor challenge and elicited antitumor effects toward established primary tumor and distant tumor. Collectively, melanin generates local heat, boosts T cell activities by transdermal vaccines, and promotes antitumor immune responses.

Codelivery of Anti‐PD‐1 Antibody and Paclitaxel with Matrix Metalloproteinase and pH Dual‐Sensitive Micelles for Enhanced Tumor Chemoimmunotherapy

“…Since melanoma cells secrete melanin which strongly absorbs light at 300–1000 nm to affect fluorescence detection, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to study the in vivo tumor accumulation potential of nanodrug . Manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) instead of paclitaxel was encapsulated to trace the micelle in consideration of its capacity of converting into MRI‐visible divalent manganese ions (Mn 2+ ) in the acidic microenvironment of tumor tissue .…”

Macrophages loaded CpG and GNR-PEI for combination of tumor photothermal therapy and immunotherapy

“…PTT reveals rapid, efficient, and minimally invasive capacities compared with other approaches. Multiple photothermal agents have been successful developed, such as melanin [10], indocyanine green [11], carbon nanotubes [12] and gold nanomaterials [13]. Particularly, gold nanorods (GNR) -based nanoparticles have been extensively investigated in biomedicine due to their unique shape effects [8,14,15].…”

Polymeric microneedles for transdermal protein delivery

“…The needles made of PVA were cross-linked to avoid dissolution in the dermis layer, allowing the entire needle to be completely withdrawn from the skin after drug release. Moreover, a transdermal cancer vaccine patch made of the same crosslinked HA materials has been demonstrated by Ye et al [139]. The MNs consisted of whole tumor lysate from B16F10 melanoma with melanin as well as immunostimulatory agent granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF).…”

“…The content of melanin provided a photosensitizer that promoted immune cells recruitment and activation via localized near-infrared light irradiation and subsequent heat generation. Together, this vaccine induced the antitumor effect in both prophylactic and established B16F10 melanoma tumor models and led to enhanced survival [139]. Factors to be considered during the design of immunotherapeutic MN patches include the incorporation of immune-stimulatory adjuvant, appropriate temporal or spatial control over immune cell activation and co-treatments to overcome the immune evasion.…”