Work

Balancing Antigen Loading on Gold Nanoparticles: Implications for Future Cancer Vaccine Strategies

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Mucin 1 (MUC1) is a promising antigen for cancer vaccine development, but its low immunogenicity poses a major challenge. In this study, we have investigated the effect of varying the surface density of an artificial MUC1 glycopeptide on gold nanoparticles by co-loading them with an ovalbumin-derived peptide. Our results show that reducing the density of the MUC1 antigen on the nanoparticles does not affect the elicited immune response, as high IgG antibody levels were observed in the immunized mice, which were comparable to those obtained with higher antigen loading. These antibodies effectively reacted with natural MUC1 expressed on breast cancer cells, promoted antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and specifically recognized cancer tissue in immunohistochemical assays. This work could form the basis for the development of AuNP-based multicomponent vaccines that will allow the incorporation of additional immunostimulatory or complementary antigens in the future without compromising the efficacy of the MUC1 antigen.

Source: Chemistry - A European Journal

DOI: 10.1002/chem.202501286

Authors: Mattia Ghirardello, Ana Guerreiro, Carmen Bretón, Ismael Compañón, Julio Zabalza, Vincenzo Mangini, Jesús M. Peregrina, Gonçalo J. L. Bernardes, Francisco Corzana

Institutions: Universidad de La Rioja, University of Lisbon, Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine, Italian Institute of Technology, Center for Biomolecular Nanotechnologies, National Research Council, Institute of Crystallography, University of Cambridge

Language: English

Topic: Immunotherapy and Immune Responses

Subfield: Immunology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,640

Funders: European Commission, Fundación Científica Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Universidad de La Rioja, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Spanish National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation

Awards: G127372830, G1405623047, Mapeamento de glicoARN utilizando estratégias de “click chemistry” e sequenciação, G2178362416, G235794714, G2898584851, G304367898, G3221229786, G3423097773, Synthetically-defined glycoconjugate vaccine candidates against Influenza, G5517276558, G5632764778, G5878074400, Directing the immune response through designed nanomaterials, G7434936867, G7624827785, International Fellowship Programme for Talent Attraction to the Campus of International Excellence Campus Iberus

OpenAlex ID: W4410923456

FWCI: 1.203

Cites: 39

Cited by: 4

Related to: 10