Aptamer-Based Logic Computing Reaction on Living Cells to Enable Non-Antibody Immune Checkpoint Blockade Therapy

Precise and lasting immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy with high objective response rate remains a significant challenge in clinical trials. We thus report the development of an aptamer-based logic computing reaction to covalently conjugate immune checkpoint antagonizing aptamers (e.g., aPDL1 aptamer) on the surface of cancer cells, achieving effective and sustained ICB therapy without the need for antibodies. Specifically, azides were metabolically labeled on the cell-surface glycoproteins as “chemical receptors”, enabling cyclooctyne-coupling aPDL1 aptamers to achieve aptamer-based logic computing-mediated azides/cyclooctynes-based bioorthogonal reaction. In stepwise fashion, PDL1 plus azide-bearing glycoproteins are expressed on cells and become multiple inputs in accordance with Boolean logic. Then, if the “AND” conditions of the algorithm are met, cyclooctyne-coupling aptamers are conjugated on the living cell surface, significantly prolonging overall mouse survival by triggering a precise and sustained T cell-mediated antitumor immunotherapy, otherwise not. Our findings indicate that DNA logic computing-mediated cyclooctyne/azide-based bioorthogonal reaction can improve the precision and robustness of ICB therapy, thereby potentially improving the objective response rate.