Transformable Nanoparticle-Enabled Synergistic Elicitation and Promotion of Immunogenic Cell Death for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Immunotherapy

Although cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an efficient therapy approach for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), it has dismal prognosis and modestly improved survival benefit. Here, a synergistic immunotherapy of TNBC premised on the elicitation and promotion of immunogenic cell death (ICD) response, through a transformable nanoparticle-enabled approach for contemporaneous delivery of cisplatin, adjudin, and WKYMVm is reported. The nanoparticles can sequentially respond to matrix metalloproteinases-2, pH, and glutathione to achieve structural transformation with the advantages of optimal size change, efficient drug delivery, and well-controlled release. Cisplatin and adjudin can synergistically amplify reactive oxygen species (ROS) cascade and eventually increase the formation of hydrogen peroxide and downstream highly toxic ROS like center dot OH, which can elicit ICD response by mechanisms of endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptotic cell death, and autophagy. WKYMVm can further promote anti-TNBC immunity by activation of formyl peptide receptor 1 to build stable interactions between dendritic cells and dying cancer cells. Thus, the nanoparticles achieve significant primary tumor regression and pulmonary metastasis inhibition as well as a remarkable survival benefit, with boosting of the innate and adaptive anti-TNBC immunity.