Nano-enabled regulation of DNA damage in tumor cells to enhance neoantigen-based pancreatic cancer immunotherapy

Abstract

Low-expression antigens, especially neoantigens, pose a significant challenge in immunotherapy for low immunogenicity pancreatic cancer. Increasing the tumor mutation burden is crucial to enhance the expression of tumor antigens and improve tumor immunogenicity. However, the incomplete intervention in DNA stability hampers effective elevation of the tumor mutation burden, thus reducing the probability of neoantigen. To address this issue, we have developed a novel nano-regulator that intervenes in the DNA stability of tumor cells, thereby enhancing tumor mutations. This nano-regulator comprises metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) encapsulating DNA damage agent doxorubicin and DNA damage repair inhibitor siRNA-ATR, enabling simultaneous induction of DNA mutations and inhibition of their repair. Importantly, this regulator, named as MOF_DOX&siATR, can modulate the tumor gene expression profile, induce the production of neoantigens of Atp8b1, and enhance the immunogenicity of pancreatic cancer. The characteristics of DNA stability intervention by MOF_DOX&siATR hold promise for augmenting the immune response in low immunogenic tumors, making it a potential nanomedicine for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Keywords: DNA damage; Nano-regulator; Neoantigens; Pancreatic cancer; Tumor mutation burden.