title: Alpha-alumina nanoparticles induce efficient autophagy-dependent cross-presentation and potent antitumour response.
abstract: Therapeutic cancer vaccination is an attractive strategy because it induces T cells of the immune system to recognize and kill tumour cells in cancer patients. However, it remains difficult to generate large numbers of T cells that can recognize the antigens on cancer cells using conventional vaccine carrier systems. Here we show that α-Al(2)O(3) nanoparticles can act as an antigen carrier to reduce the amount of antigen required to activate T cells in vitro and in vivo. We found that α-Al(2)O(3) nanoparticles delivered antigens to autophagosomes in dendritic cells, which then presented the antigens to T cells through autophagy. Immunization of mice with α-Al(2)O(3) nanoparticles that are conjugated to either a model tumour antigen or autophagosomes derived from tumour cells resulted in tumour regression. These results suggest that α-Al(2)O(3) nanoparticles may be a promising adjuvant in the development of therapeutic cancer vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yuhuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.forename: Hong-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045142:Cross-Priming / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D004337:Drug Carriers; D000537:Aluminum Oxide