Abstract
Nanoparticles have tremendous therapeutic potential in the treatment of cancer as they increase drug delivery, attenuate drug toxicity, and protect drugs from rapid clearance. Since Doxil®, the first FDA-approved nanomedicine, several other cancer nanomedicines have been approved and have successfully increased the efficacy over their free drug counterparts. Although their mechanisms of action are well established, their effects towards our immune system, particularly in the tumor microenvironment (TME), still warrant further investigation. Herein, we review the interactions between an approved cancer nanomedicine with TME immunology. We also discuss the challenges that need to be addressed for the full clinical potential of ongoing cancer nanomedicines despite the encouraging preclinical data.
Tumor Immunology
Tumor immunology is the interaction between cells of the immune system with tumor cells which lead to our understanding in the mechanisms of both tumor rejection and tumor progression (). In cancer, tumors may undergo “spontaneous regression” in which a tumor disappears on its own. This phenomenon can be attributed to the active immune system that is triggered by a secondary immune stimulation such as an active infection, which can then initiate an antitumor cell immune response ().
In principle, our immune system protects us against cancer through three primary roles which are 1) elimination of the potentially virus-induced tumor infection, 2) prompt resolution of inflammation that is conducive for tumorigenesis, and 3) identification and elimination of tumor cells based on their expression of tumor-specific antigens (). The third process is called immune surveillance that ideally eliminates all tumors promptly upon identification of their antigen. However, some malignancies appear to escape immune surveillance by either inducing tolerance rather than an active immune response or the immune system eventually is too overwhelmed and hence the tumor progresses (; ).
In immune surveillance, tumor antigens (TAs) play important parts in the development of the tumor microenvironment (TME). They generally fall into two classes, tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and tumor-specific antigens (TSAs), TAs are presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I and II on the surface of tumor cells and trigger immune response in the host (). TAAs are normal proteins or carbohydrates expressed in a way that is abnormal relative to its status in the healthy, fully differentiated cells in the surrounding tissue of origin. For example, they may be expressed in abnormal concentrations and at wrong locations and times. Meanwhile, TSAs are new macromolecules that are unique to the tumor and are not produced by any type of normal cells. Due to their non-self nature, TSAs constitute true immunogens capable of eliciting an immune response. Overall, TAs can be categorized into several types including oncofetal, oncoviral, overexpressed or accumulated, cancer-testis, lineage-restricted, mutated, post-translationally altered, and idiotypic (). Hence, identification of TAAs and TSAs serve as a reliable biomarker for tumor diagnosis as well as a target for the development of cancer vaccines ().
In the TME, there are two possible interactions that might happen. First is the antitumor immunity that works to prevent tumorigenesis in the first place (). In antitumor immunity, both innate and adaptive immune responses are activated by TAs leading to tumor control. In this immunity, leukocytes such as tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) which are mature CD4+ or CD8+ or B cells directly respond to the presence of a tumor cell (). The second interaction is the evasion of antitumor immunity or immune escape as the immune system does not always succeed in controlling tumorigenesis. It is widely accepted that tumor immunoediting is a dynamic process that not only involves antitumor immunity, but shapes the immunogenicity of developing tumors as well. There are three distinct phases of tumor immunoediting which are elimination, equilibrium, and escape (). All three phases of tumor immunoediting are manifested through metabolic and cellular changes, in which the differences influence different types of cancer (; ).
Elimination is a phase where evolving tumors are successfully rejected by the innate and adaptive immune response through various mechanisms (IFNγ, Perforin, TRAIL, IFNα/β, NKG2D) (). Then, some of the tumor cells that are not completely eliminated may enter the equilibrium phase when the immune system controls tumor outgrowth and tumor cells enter a dormant state or continue to evolve over a period of time (). In this phase, the constant interaction of tumor cells with the immune system over a period of time may edit the phenotype of the developing tumor into a less immunogenic state (). Being in this state, the tumor cells are no longer susceptible to immune attack and this is where the tumor cells may escape from immune control and proliferate in an unrestricted manner, leading to clinically apparent tumors (). According to , there are two forms of escape from immune control that are thought to be associated with all TMEs, regardless of which leukocytes respond to the malignancy. First is the abnormal property of the tumor vasculature comprised of capillaries that wind in and out of a tumor mass that hinder leukocyte extravasation into the tumor site. The second form of escape is from the elevated levels of plasma TGFβ that is established to promote malignant transformation of fibroblasts and stimulate angiogenesis within the tumor, termed as immunosuppression.
Development of Approved Nanomedicine
Over the years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US and its equivalent in the EU, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), have certified a number of nanomedicine-based drugs for cancer diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, and many other formulations are currently being evaluated (). Worldwide, nearly 250 formulations based on the nanotechnology platform have been approved for the market or are in various clinical stages for evaluation () (Table 1). The approval process for nanomedicine in humans regulated by the FDA is essentially the same as for any other regulated drug, device, or biologic (). According to the FDA, development of a drug and its approval is categorized into three major phases as outlined in Figure 1. Following discovery of the material, the pre-clinical phase of testing usually involves animal studies to demonstrate the efficacy, safety, and toxicity profile and to identify appropriate dose ranges (). The FDA approval process is time consuming, labor intensive, and rigorous, hence it is estimated that it takes approximately 10–15 years to develop a new medicine (). For nanomedicine, the important aspect regarding its R&D, highlighted by the FDA, is the comprehensive characterization of the nanomaterial considering its efficacy, toxicity, and physiochemical properties (). These findings are compiled into an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for FDA consideration. Upon approval of an IND, clinical trials, which are divided into three phases, are conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of the new nanomedicine. Since 2005, more than 30 new and abbreviated drug applications involving nanomaterials have been approved by the FDA (). This is remarkable for a newly developing field. By comparison, for recombinant proteins and for antibody-based therapeutics, it took almost 2 decades of developments before the first drugs started to make it to the market (). More than 50 drug products containing nanomaterials are FDA approved for clinical use and more than a dozen of them have been approved in the last decade (; ).
TABLE 1
| Type | Nano medicine | Nanomaterial | Active substance | Indication | Approval year | Advantage | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liposome | Doxil/Caelyx | PEGylated liposome | Doxorubicin | Ovarian cancer | 2005 | Improved delivery | , |
| Multiple myeloma | 2008 | Decrease systemic toxicity | |||||
| HIV-related kaposi sarcoma | 1995 | Less cardiotoxic | |||||
| DaunoXome | Liposome | Daunorubicin | HIV-related kaposi sarcoma | 1996 | Improved delivery | ||
| Decrease systemic toxicity | |||||||
| Less cardiotoxic | |||||||
| Myocet | Non-PEGylated liposome | Doxorubicin | Metastatic breast cancer | 2002 | Less cardiotoxic | ||
| Marqibo | Liposome | Vincristine sulfate | ALL | 2012 | Improved delivery | ||
| Decrease systemic toxicity | |||||||
| Mepact | Liposome | Mifamurtide | Bone sarcoma | 2009 | Improve OS | ||
| Onivyde | Liposome | Irinotecan | Pancreatic cancer | 2015 | Reduced AE | ||
| Vyxeos CPX-351 | Liposome | Cytarabine | AML | 2017 | Improve OS | ||
| Daunorubicin | |||||||
| Depocyt | Liposome | Cytarabine | Lymphomatous malignant meningitis | 1999 | Improved delivery | ||
| Decrease systemic toxicity | |||||||
| Inorganic and metallic | NanoTherm | SPION | Aminosilane | Glioblastoma | 2010 | Less invasive ablation therapy | |
| Reduce risk of overtreatment | |||||||
| Protein | Abraxane | Albumin | Paclitaxel | Breast cancer | 2005 | Increased solubility | , |
| NSCLC | 2012 | Reduced IR | |||||
| Pancreatic cancer | 2013 | — | |||||
| Ontak | Recombinant DNA-derived cytotoxic protein | IL-2 and diphtheria toxin | Cutaneous T cell lymphoma | 1999 | Targeted delivery | ||
| Oncaspar | PEGylated protein conjugate | L-asparaginase | Acute lymphoblastic leukemia | 2006 | Improved stability of drug load | ||
| 2016 | |||||||
| Polymer | SMANCS | Polymeric conjugate | Neocarzinostatin | Hepatocellular carcinoma | 1994 | Decrease toxicity | |
| Genexol-PM | Polymeric micelle | Paclitaxel | NSCLC | 2006 | Controlled drug release | ||
| Breast cancer | Targeted delivery | ||||||
| Ovarian cancer | — | ||||||
| Eligard | Polymeric NPs | Leuprolide acetate | Advanced prostate cancer | 2002 | Controlled drug release | ||
| Longer circulation time |
Approved nanomedicine in cancer.
HIV—human immunodeficiency virus, SPION—superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle, NSCLC—non-small cell lung cancer, AML—acute myeloid leukemia, ALL—acute lymphoid leukemia, PEG—polyethylene glycol, AE—adverse event, OS—overall survival, IR—immune response.
FIGURE 1
Effect of Nanomedicine Towards Immune Responses
Previously, most cancer therapies were designed to directly killed/removed tumor cells either by pharmacological agents, surgery, or radiotherapy. Then it moved to targeted therapy when specific drugs with some molecular targets such as selective kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies were developed (
Immunogenicity
Cancer chemotherapy is often immunosuppressive and drug resistance usually occurs after a short period of tumor shrinkage. Certain chemotherapeutic drugs such as doxorubicin have the potential to increase tumor immunogenicity through activation of immunogenic cell death (ICD). ICD is defined as the chronic exposure of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) in the TME, which provide long-lasting antitumor immunity (
Mepact is a liposome conjugated to a synthetic analog of a bacterial cell wall component and is used as an adjuvant in standard chemotherapy. This potent, non-specific immunomodulator mediates the activation of monocytes and macrophages, thus modulating the balance of immune responses such as increased circulating TNF and IL-6 (
TME Normalization
The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex ecosystem with blood vessels, immune cells, fibroblast, extracellular matrix, cytokines, and hormones that promote the growth of cancer. So, the normalization of the TME to a normal tissue environment may inhibit the growth of cancer and improve cancer therapeutics including checkpoint blockers and TNFR agonists. In in vitro studies, nanoparticles such as gold have been demonstrated to facilitate TME normalization, increase blood perfusion, and reduce hypoxia (
Tolerability
Chemotherapy is known to induce several side effects such as myelosuppression, cardiotoxicity, and even skin toxicity which is a dose-limiting factor that often limits drug efficacy. Since chemotherapy suppresses the hematopoietic system and impairs its protective mechanism, neutropenia is one of the serious adverse events associated with the risk of life-threatening infections. Doxil is reported to be much less toxic to the immune system than free doxorubicin with comparable efficacy (
Infusion-Related Reaction
Hypersensitivity upon administration of a variety of drugs is common, including nanomedicine formulation. Doxil is reported to cause hypersensitivity, which is a non IgE-mediated allergy caused by activation of a complement referred to as complement activation-related pseudo allergy (CARPA) (
In conclusion, incorporation of NPs with cancer drugs induce a different effect towards host immune responses compared to free drugs, either intended or spontaneous. Its immunogenicity, normalization of the TME, tolerability, and other infusion-related reactions could be due to NPs’ own physiochemical characteristics or interaction between the drugs (Figure 2).
FIGURE 2

Immune responses of cancer nanomedicine. Combination of nanoparticles with cancer drugs induce a different effect towards immune responses compared to free drugs in terms of (A) Normalization of the tumor microenvironment, (B) Immunogenicity, (C) Hypersensitivity, and (D) Tolerability. (A) Due to permeable vasculature in the tumor microenvironment, nanomedicine is designed with an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect to enhance the effect of the drug. (B) Upon introduction of nanomedicine, immune cells such as antigen-presenting cells (APC) and T cells promote the release of mediators and induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) pathways. (D) Nanomedicine is demonstrated to increase the tolerability of drugs due to targeted release into tumor cells. (C) However, nanomedicine could provoke the immune response to release complements responsible for hypersensitivity reactions. Created with BioRender.com.
Challenges for Clinical Use
Although involvement of NPs in human clinical settings increased a decade ago, extensive research to improve biocompatibility and efficacy of NPs is still needed. Despite several challenges that need to be addressed in the application of NPs as a nanomedicine, its advantages outweigh those challenges, making NPs a highly potential tool (Table 2).
TABLE 2
| Advantages | Challenges |
|---|---|
| • As a non-invasive therapeutic vehicle or agent or device for theranostic application on human diseases | • Less value was given to toxicity and safety of the patients |
| • A smaller size of NPs helps in boosting the theranostic purpose in terms of increasing the drug dissolution rate, saturation solubility, and intracellular uptake of drugs in the human body | • Theranostic NPs can present unexpected toxic effects compared to usefulness |
| • Enhancing bioavailability of drugs at specific sites in the right proportion for a prolonged period of time | • Induction of oxidative stress and formation of free radicals lead to further damage of lipids, proteins, DNA, and other biological components through oxidation |
| • Targeting only the diseased cells without affecting normal healthy cells | • Accumulation, storage, and slow clearance of NPs from the body will lead to toxicity of the organs such as liver and spleen |
Advantages and challenges of nanoparticles to be translated into nanomedicine.
Despite the abundance of encouraging experimental data on NPs for medical purposes, only a few reach clinical use. This statement is supported by Greish et al., who explored more than 20,000 scientific papers published on nanomedicine, and found of these, only 15 nanoparticle-based anti-cancer drugs had reached the market as of 2017. It is clear that the number of publications claiming to have found new, effective, and safe anticancer formulations, compared to the number of compounds that actually reached the clinic, is remarkably small (
Safety is the most important aspect in the development of new drugs. Although the size of nanoparticles represents their strength, for some nanomedicines it has also brought some shortcomings. The small size of NPs cause some of these particles to accumulate in the spleen and liver, which is a major safety concern in patients (
Even when some studies reach clinical validation, logistics issues including mass production, consistency, and reproducibility of complex nanomedicine systems are the main hurdles. Furthermore, the controlled and scale-up manufacture of each component, batch-to-batch reproducibility, and stability of designed nanomedicines are essential for approval by the regulatory authorities (
FIGURE 3

To overcome these issues, several solutions can be proposed. In order to address the biological challenges of nanomedicine in cancer that is a heterogenous disease, thorough designation of nanomedicine and identification of the right animal models and patients in preclinical investigations should be in mind when designing a new drug entity. Good laboratory practice (GLP) is a standard to ensure the safety and quality of new therapeutics during clinical transition by many countries. However, GLP for nanomedicine has not been made available yet, hence it is imperative to formulate GLP for nanomedicine to enhance its success rate in the market (
Conclusion
Despite challenges, the latest technologies and advantages of nanoparticles continue to encourage research communities to develop new, better nanomedicines. It is recognized as a proven strategy to alleviate the side effects of cancer therapies and enhance their efficacies. Nevertheless, development of nanomedicine should always accentuate their interactions with host immune responses, as in cancer, it’s tangibly interlinked between one another. Although there are several aversions to nanomedicine due to the induction of unwanted hypersensitivity, available findings suggested that targeted approach of nanomedicine provides a favorable effect in the immune system, from its immunogenicity and interaction in the TME to its tolerability. With this understanding of the interaction of nanomedicine with the immune system, the future of nanomedicine is promising as long as the shift to improve the clinical impact of nanomedicine moves alongside it.
Statements
Author contributions
SA, RI, WW, and KP wrote this paper. RM, JB, MP, JJ, and JL supervised this work and revised the manuscript. RM acquired funding for this work. All authors contributed to the paper and approved the submitted version.
Funding
This work was supported by Universiti Sains Malaysia Research University Grant (Grant Number: 1001/PPSP/8012294).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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Summary
Keywords
tumor micoenvironment, immunogenicity, hypersensitivity, cytotoxicity, drug development
Citation
Ahmad S, Idris RAM, Wan Hanaffi WN, Perumal K, Boer JC, Plebanski M, Jaafar J, Lim JK and Mohamud R (2021) Cancer Nanomedicine and Immune System—Interactions and Challenges. Front. Nanotechnol. 3:681305. doi: 10.3389/fnano.2021.681305
Received
16 March 2021
Accepted
25 May 2021
Published
09 July 2021
Volume
3 - 2021
Edited by
Zhi Ping (Gordon) Xu, The University of Queensland, Australia
Reviewed by
Bapu Surnar, University of Miami Hospital, United States
Buddolla Viswanath, Dr. Buddolla’s Institute of Life Sciences, India
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© 2021 Ahmad, Idris, Wan Hanaffi, Perumal, Boer, Plebanski, Jaafar, Lim and Mohamud.
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*Correspondence: Rohimah Mohamud, rohimahm@usm.my
This article was submitted to Biomedical Nanotechnology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Nanotechnology
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