Zhu Tong, Li Yuexin, Wang Yutao, Li Danyang
Panjin Central Hospital, Panjin 124010, China.
Department of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150081, China.
Vaccines (Basel). 2025 Mar 21;13(4):337. doi: 10.3390/vaccines13040337.
Dendritic cells (DCs) act as a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity by presenting antigens to effector immune cells and have shown broad application potential in tumor immunotherapy. However, the clinical translation of DC vaccines encounters significant challenges, such as the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and the sub-optimal DC function and vaccine efficacy in vivo. In this review, our investigation has uncovered the latest developments in DC vaccines and their potential in cancer immunotherapy, with a special emphasis on the integration of nanotechnology. Several types of nanomaterials, including protein cage nanoparticles (NPs), biomimetic NPs, and targeted multifunctional NPs, have been developed to enhance the antigen presentation ability of DCs and their stimulatory effects on T cells. In addition, we have also summarized the synergistic anti-cancer effects of DC vaccines with immune checkpoint inhibitors, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. In addition, recent advances in nanotechnology have made it possible to develop novel biomarkers that can enhance the antigen presentation capacity of DCs and stimulate T cells. These biomarkers not only improve the accuracy and precision of DC vaccine design but also provide new insights into understanding the mechanisms of the DC-mediated immune response. Despite challenges pertaining to technical complexities and individual adaptation in the design and production of DC vaccines, personalized immunotherapy based on DCs is expected to become an important part of cancer treatment with rapid developments in biotechnology and immunology. This review provides new perspectives and potential solutions for the optimal design and application of DC vaccines in cancer therapy.
树突状细胞（DCs）通过向效应免疫细胞呈递抗原，在先天性免疫和适应性免疫之间架起了一座桥梁，并在肿瘤免疫治疗中显示出广泛的应用潜力。然而，DC疫苗的临床转化面临着重大挑战，如免疫抑制性肿瘤微环境（TME）以及体内DC功能和疫苗疗效欠佳等问题。在本综述中，我们的研究揭示了DC疫苗的最新进展及其在癌症免疫治疗中的潜力，特别强调了纳米技术的整合。已经开发出几种类型的纳米材料，包括蛋白笼状纳米颗粒（NPs）、仿生NPs和靶向多功能NPs，以增强DC的抗原呈递能力及其对T细胞的刺激作用。此外，我们还总结了DC疫苗与免疫检查点抑制剂、化疗和放疗的协同抗癌作用。此外，纳米技术的最新进展使得开发能够增强DC抗原呈递能力并刺激T细胞的新型生物标志物成为可能。这些生物标志物不仅提高了DC疫苗设计的准确性和精确性，还为理解DC介导的免疫反应机制提供了新的见解。尽管在DC疫苗的设计和生产中存在技术复杂性和个体适应性等挑战，但随着生物技术和免疫学的快速发展，基于DC的个性化免疫疗法有望成为癌症治疗的重要组成部分。本综述为DC疫苗在癌症治疗中的优化设计和应用提供了新的视角和潜在解决方案。
