An optically responsive cancer vaccine for inducing robust anti-tumor immunity by apoptotic body carrying nanoadjuvants

An optically responsive cancer vaccine consisting of tumor cell ABs carrying genipin-crosslinked nano-adjuvants was developed to induce robust anti-tumor immunity and serve as a therapeutic and prophylactic vaccine. Genipin offers visualization and controllability of cancer vaccines, thereby avoiding the need to introduce exogenous photosensitive reagents. AB vaccines effectively prevent and treat tumors by triggering a strong systemic immune response, promoting T-cell infiltration, and improving the tumor immune microenvironment. [Display omitted] •Better clinical translation potential of apoptotic bodies vaccine.•Nanoadjuvant loaded apoptotic bodies as cancer vaccine for efficient immune response.•Light triggering multiple functions of vaccine from genipin-crosslinked nanoparticles. A cancer vaccine based on nano-adjuvant fusion represents an effective strategy for anti-tumor immunity. Compared with other cancer vaccine formulations, the ones based on apoptotic bodies not only possess higher load-bearing capacity and biosafety, but also present greater clinical translational potential. In this study, we developed an optically responsive cancer vaccine that induced robust anti-tumor immunity by encapsulating genipin-crosslinked nano-adjuvants in tumor cell apoptotic bodies. The vaccine may potentially be used for prophylactic or therapeutic purposes. As an antigen source and a cargo vehicle, apoptotic bodies can co-deliver antigens and adjuvants simultaneously to antigen-presenting cells to activate T cells. Nano-adjuvants promote the targeted delivery of adjuvants for effective immune responses. Genipin-crosslinked nano-adjuvants enable visual tracking of the tumor vaccine. In addition, the photothermal properties of genipin-crosslinked nano-adjuvants promote lysosomal escape of tumor antigens to enhance cross-presentation. These characteristics enable visualization and controllability of cancer vaccines, thereby avoiding the need for exogenous photosensitive reagents. Apoptotic body-based vaccines can be used to prevent or treat tumors by triggering a strong systemic immune response by promoting T-cell infiltration and improving the tumor immune microenvironment.