Work

Biomimetic vesicles engineered from modified tumour cells act as personalized vaccines for post-surgical cancer immunotherapy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Surgical resection remains the primary treatment for most solid tumours, yet metastatic tumour cells remaining after surgery substantially contribute to cancer-related mortality and recurrence. Here we identify syntaxin 11 as a key regulator that enhances the expression of MHC I and co-stimulatory molecules CD80/CD86 on tumour cell membranes, enabling cancer cells to acquire dendritic-cell-like features. By overexpressing syntaxin 11 in autologous tumour cells obtained from surgical resections, we generated MHC I high /CD80 high /CD86 high dendritic-cell-like cells. Utilizing the cell membranes of these modified cells, we engineered artificial dendritic-cell-like cell-derived vesicles as a personalized autologous nanovaccine for the immunotherapy of postoperative metastatic cancer. This nanovaccine substantially improves antigen delivery to lymphoid organs and enhances antigen presentation efficiency through tumour self-presentation, thereby disrupting traditional vaccine development paradigms. Our work provides a promising avenue for developing effective metastatic cancer immunotherapies and offers hope for personalized postoperative immunotherapy.

Source: Nature Nanotechnology

DOI: 10.1038/s41565-025-02113-w