Zhao Yaoli, Tian Muzi, Tong Xin, Yang Xiangliang, Gan Lu, Yong Tuying
National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
Essays Biochem. 2025 Mar 28;69(2):EBC20253008. doi: 10.1042/EBC20253008.
The emergence of immunotherapy has led to the clinical approval of several related drugs. However, their efficacy against solid tumors remains limited. As the hub of immune activation, lymph nodes (LNs) play a critical role in tumor immunotherapy by initiating and amplifying immune responses. Nevertheless, the intricate physiological structure and barriers within LNs, combined with the immunosuppressive microenvironment induced by tumor cells, significantly impede the therapeutic efficacy of immunotherapy. Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) have shown great potential in overcoming these challenges by facilitating targeted drug transport to LNs and directly or indirectly activating T cells. This review systematically examines the structural features of LNs, key factors influencing the targeting efficiency of NPs, and current strategies for remodeling the immunosuppressive microenvironment of LNs. Additionally, it discusses future opportunities for optimizing NPs to enhance tumor immunotherapy, addressing challenges in clinical translation and safety evaluation.
免疫疗法的出现已使几种相关药物获得临床批准。然而，它们对实体瘤的疗效仍然有限。作为免疫激活的中心，淋巴结（LNs）通过启动和放大免疫反应在肿瘤免疫治疗中发挥关键作用。然而，淋巴结内复杂的生理结构和屏障，再加上肿瘤细胞诱导的免疫抑制微环境，显著阻碍了免疫治疗的疗效。工程化纳米颗粒（NPs）通过促进靶向药物向淋巴结的转运以及直接或间接激活T细胞，在克服这些挑战方面显示出巨大潜力。本文综述系统地研究了淋巴结的结构特征、影响纳米颗粒靶向效率的关键因素以及当前重塑淋巴结免疫抑制微环境的策略。此外，还讨论了优化纳米颗粒以增强肿瘤免疫治疗的未来机遇，以及临床转化和安全性评估方面的挑战。
