TDLN via administration of Adj-NPs in the i.l. limb induced CD11c cell maturation within the TDLN, TARGETING THE TUMOR-DRAINING LYMPH NODE WITH ADJUVANT NANOPARTICLES FOR CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY

Introduction: Immunotherapy-based approaches for cancer treatment are of increasing clinical interest. Principles of drug delivery and the emerging field of material design for immunomodulation might hold significant promise for novel approaches in cancer immunotherapy since biomaterials engineering strategies enable enhanced delivery of immune modulatory agents to tissues and cells of the immune system 1. One tissue of significant clinical interest in a cancer setting is the tumor-draining lymph node (TDLN), which participates in cancer progression by enabling both metastatic dissemination as well as tumor-induced immune escape. Hence, the TDLN represents a novel target for drug delivery schemes for cancer immunotherapy. We hypothesize that targeted delivery of adjuvants (Adjs) to the TDLN using a biomaterials-based approach might promote antitumor immunity and hinder tumor growth.