Neuroblastoma is a severe form of cancer and accounts for 15% of all cancer related deaths among children. However, the current modalities of treating this cancer have limited efficacy and are deficient in preventing recurrence. This can be attributed to the heterogeneous and immunosuppressive nature of the cancer coupled with low neoantigen expression. Researchers at GW developed a novel immunotherapy that has the potential to overcome these obstacles. These researchers propose a Prussian Blue Nanoparticle (PBNP) based photothermal therapy (PTT) in combination with CpG, a toll like receptor 9 agonist. PTT using CpG-PBNPs (CpG-PBNP PTT) will serve as a dual modality treatment where tumor cells will be killed by ablation as well as upregulation of the immune response via local delivery. This approach will target tumor cells, antigen presenting cells, as well as T cells. It may convert a cold tumor to a hot tumor leading to better treatment including long term survival and immune memory.
Prussian blue nanoparticles-based antigenicity and adjuvanticity trigger robust antitumor immune responses against neuroblastoma. Juliana Cano-Mejia, Michelle L. Bookstaver, Elizabeth E. Sweeney, Christopher M. Jewell, and Rohan Fernandes. Biomater Sci. 2019 Apr 23;7(5):1875-1887.