Fig. 1: Schematic overview of the study.
From: Polymersomes with splenic avidity target red pulp myeloid cells for cancer immunotherapy
a, Polymersomes consist of biodegradable PEG-PDLLA block copolymers assembled into bilayered vesicles. Polymersome topology can be precisely controlled to form spheres and tubes of different sizes (SmS and LgS denote small and large spheres and SmT and LgT denote small and large tubes, respectively). Furthermore, polymersomes are labelled with radionuclides (89Zr), fluorescent dyes (BODIPY) or stable isotopes (157Gd). b, Polymersome in vivo biodistribution was assessed by PET/CT imaging in B16F10 melanoma-bearing C57BL/6 mice upon polymersome administration intravenously (i.v.) via lateral tail vein injection or subcutaneously (s.c.) via footpad injection. Using flow and mass cytometry, we studied polymersome uptake by specific immune cells, including the different splenic compartments, that is, white pulp, red pulp and the marginal zone. c, We loaded polymersomes with β-glucan, applied either as a monotherapy or in combination with anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibition. d, To study the clinical potential of our nanotherapeutic, we evaluated the biodistribution and biocompatibility of the large spherical β-glucan-polymersomes in NHPs by PET/CT imaging. DC, dendritic cell; MΦ, macrophage; Mo, monocyte. Schematic illustrations of mice, spleens, lymph nodes, syringes, cells, antibodies and NHPs were created with BioRender.com.
