Dual mRNA nanoparticles strategy for enhanced pancreatic cancer treatment and β-elemene combination therapy

Q Qianru Zhu (Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University) C Chuao Yu (Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University) Y Yiquan Chen (Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of The Second Affliated Hospital, Zhejiang University) W Wei Luo M Meng Li J Jianhua Zou F Fan Xiao (Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of The Second Affliated Hospital, Zhejiang University) S Soohwan An (Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital) Q Qimanguli Saiding (Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital) W Wei Tao (Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital) N Na Kong (College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Liangzhu Laboratory) T Tian Xie

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is notoriously immune-resistant, limiting the clinical efficacy of single-agent immune modulators and thereby necessitating the exploration of multimodal immunotherapy combinations. Traditional approaches combining conventional immune checkpoint inhibitors with neoantigen vaccines have shown some promise in treating PDAC but are often compromised by intratumoral T lymphocyte exhaustion and systemic toxicity. Hence, novel approaches are needed to address these challenges. Herein, we demonstrate that mRNA polymeric nanoparticles encoding anti-PD-1 antibodies in situ at the tumor site enhance the therapeutic efficacy of neoantigen-based mRNA vaccine for PDAC. This mRNA-based, in situ anti-PD-1 antibody production strategy also protects tumor-infiltrating T cells from PD-1 inhibition, potentially reducing the toxicities induced by systemic checkpoint inhibition. Our study may provide an innovative dual mRNA nanoparticle strategy for effective tumor neoantigen immunotherapy, as well as an mRNA cancer combination therapy strategy with other clinically approved drugs (e.g., β-elemene).

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 122, Issue 11
Published March 18, 2025
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (12)

Q

Qianru Zhu

Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University

C

Chuao Yu

Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University

Y

Yiquan Chen

Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of The Second Affliated Hospital, Zhejiang University

W

Wei Luo

M

Meng Li

J

Jianhua Zou

F

Fan Xiao

Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of The Second Affliated Hospital, Zhejiang University

S

Soohwan An

Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Q

Qimanguli Saiding

Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

W

Wei Tao

Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

N

Na Kong

College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Liangzhu Laboratory

T

Tian Xie