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Ординатура / Хирургия / Библиотека им академика М.И. Перельмана / Книга_5346_Библиотеки_им_академика_М_И_Перельмана

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74 Khushbu Bhatt et al.
disadvantages. The implantation of scaffolds often requires an invasive surgery and cannot be achieved in surgically inaccessible and volume-sensitive locations [49]. Furthermore, their prolonged presence may impair normal physiological tissue or organ function
[49,62]. These shortcomings led to the development of injectable polymeric scaffolds
for immunotherapeutic purposes. Compared to surgical procedures, injectable scaffolds are less invasive and can be utilized in all areas where a needle can reach [49]. This can prevent tissue damage and postoperative surgical wound infection [49]. Additionally, minimal technical expertise is required for injections in comparison to surgical implan­tations [60]. However, a major disadvantage of injectable systems is that when injected as a pregel solution, they must rapidly solidify upon injection, or when injected as a solid, they must either momentary liquify or reversibly collapse to pass through small-bore needles, thus restricting the type of polymers and components that can be incorporated
[49]. Various natural and synthetic polymers such as chitosan, HA, alginate, collagen, gel-
atin, PEG, PLGA, and PNIPAAm can be used to fabricate injectable scaffolds such as conventional hydrogels and cryogels [49,63–65]. In situ-forming hydrogels are injected in a liquid form and subsequently transition to a solid scaffold inside the body via chemical or physical crosslinking mechanisms [66–68]. However, this approach carries certain lim­itations, such as the need to maintain appropriate gelation time and conditions, the potential formation of gel scaffolds with poor mechanical properties, and the inability to protect the encapsulated cargo in adverse biological environments [69]. Moreover, there is potential for the precursor liquid solution to either leak into the surrounding tis­sue or be diluted within the body fluids, leading to gel formation with inadequate physical properties [70–72]. To circumvent these limitations, solid preformed hydrogels such as shear-thinning hydrogels have been developed using physical crosslinking; they liquefy under shear-stress and, once injected, regain their solid gel-like properties [73,74]. How­ever, these hydrogels often possess poor mechanical properties due to the weak nature of physical crosslinking in addition to a quasi-nonporous structure (i.e., mesoporous) and lack of geometrical shape memory [73]. To improve upon this, Bencherif et al. developed injectable cryogel scaffolds possessing shape-memory properties, a macroporous and interconnected network, and enhanced elastic mechanical properties, including a high degree of compressibility allowing straightforward injection through hypodermic needles
[69,75–77]. Since these preformed scaffolds possess viscoelastic properties, they can easily
move and flow, and conform to any accessible space before establishing a durable implant
[78]. Most shape-memory scaffolds can be injected through large needles. However,
injecting them through finer needles remains challenging. Moreover, the use of large needles (<18G) may lead to tissue damage and injury. Overall, both implantable and injectable polymeric scaffolds have their distinct advantages which can be exploited for desired applications accordingly. Furthermore, the ever-changing scope of research is not just limited to implantable or injectable polymeric scaffolds for immunotherapy. Chen et al. employed a sprayable polymeric system. Specifically, they used a
bioresponsive fibrin-based hydrogel that was formed in situ by spraying a thrombin and
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fibrinogen solution containing CaCO
nanoparticles loaded with CD47 antibody [79].
3
When introduced into an acidic TME, which mainly results from the high glycolytic rate of tumor cells, the resulting nanocomposite gel system gradually released CD47 antibody as a targeted therapy against cancer [79].
3. Polymeric scaffolds for DC priming and activation
DCs are professional APCs that function at the interface of the innate and adaptive immune responses. DC-based vaccination strategies have been explored to induce tumor-specific T cells that not only cause tumor regression but also generate a memory response to avoid future relapse. Interestingly, adoptive DC transfer has been shown to induce T-cell responses in vivo [80,81]. However, these approaches are hindered by impaired cell survival and inadequate homing of DCs to the lymph nodes, resulting in low efficacy [82–86]. Moreover, tumor-mediated inhibition induces the transition of adoptively transferred DCs from immunostimulatory to immunosuppressive phenotypes, leading to immune evasion [87]. Therefore, there is a need for alternative strategies for DC transfer to circumvent tumor-induced immunosuppression and promote effective lymphocyte recruitment and activation. Three-dimensional macroporous scaffolds can act as delivery vehicles for adoptive DC transfer to a specific site. Moreover, they can be functionalized with additional cues to promote DC activation, proliferation, and sur­vival, along with their steady release into the local environment (Fig. 1). Hori et al. pro­vided some initial evidence using an injectable alginate-based in situ-gelling hydrogel to deliver activated antigen-loaded DCs [88–90]. In their approach, sacrificial calcium­crosslinked alginate microspheres (i.e., porogens) were mixed with alginate and DCs to obtain a solution that polymerized immediately upon injection in the body, forming a macroporous hydrogel. The authors reported that the delivered DCs recruited endog­enous DCs and T cells at the injection site whereas a subset of injected DCs traveled to the draining lymph node. This strategy facilitated the priming of naı¨ve T cells, which subsequently trafficked into the hydrogel due to the local inflammatory microenviron­ment created by the scaffold [89]. In their subsequent study, the authors incorporated IL-15 superagonist together with activated DCs into the self-gelling alginate scaffold, which enhanced the recruitment of CD8+ T cells. Hydrogel-mediated delivery of peri­tumoral DCs and IL-15 superagonist was more efficacious than free DCs that were directly injected into the tumor, thus highlighting the importance of biomaterials. More­over, unlike bolus injections, the peritumoral injections of hydrogels achieved a 40-fold higher local concentration of IL-15, with lower levels in the systemic circulation. Fur­thermore, this approach limited any potential adverse side effects while accumulating IL-15 in the tumor milieu. Additionally, since the preparation of activated DCs is a
75Polymeric scaffolds for antitumor immune cell priming
76 Khushbu Bhatt et al.
Fig. 1 Schematic illustration of polymeric scaffold-based adoptive transfer of dendritic cells. Large numbers of peripheral blood monocytes are collected from leukapheresis procedures from cancer patients. These monocytes are differentiated into immature DCs ex vivo, using IL-4 and GM-CSF. Sub­sequently, ex vivo differentiated DCs are loaded into the polymeric scaffolds, which are incorporated with DC growth factors, adjuvants, stimulatory cues such as tumor cell lysate or antigenic peptides, and T-cell recruiting factors. This provides an artificial microenvironment that supports DC survival, activa­tion, proliferation, and effector functions. Upon administration of the polymeric scaffold near the tumor, CD8+ T lymphocytes are recruited into the scaffold. Activated antigen-loaded DCs interact with recruited naïve CD8+ T cells and facilitate T-cell priming inside the scaffold. Furthermore, these exog­enous DCs expand within the scaffold and are slowly deployed into the TME. A fraction of injected DCs also travels to the nearby draining lymph nodes, thereby mounting effective local as well as systemic antitumor immune responses.
labor-intensive and costly process, the authors loaded TLR-9 agonist CpG-ODN with IL-15 superagonist in DC-free alginate hydrogels to improve the recruitment and acti­vation of host DCs. The rejection of melanoma tumors with peritumoral alginate gels carrying DCs + IL-15 superagonist was equivalent to a single dose of alginate gels loaded with IL-15 superagonist + CpG and two doses of alginate gels loaded with IL-15 sup­eragonist alone, thus excluding the need for exogenous DCs and simplifying this approach [88]. More recently, Verma et al. utilized biodegradable and macroporous fibrin-based scaffolds to deliver activated DCs in mice. Transferred DCs led to a signif­icant tumor regression of primary and postsurgery residual tumors when compared to the control group (i.e., transferred scaffold-free DCs). Furthermore, 50% of mice with com­plete remission survived a subsequent tumor challenge, suggesting long-lasting antitumor immunity. Interestingly, DC-harboring scaffolds recruited host DCs as well as CD8+
T cells. The CD8+ T cells were found to interact with the exogenous DCs, indicating
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that T-cell priming may have occurred within the scaffold [91]. Taken together, these studies have demonstrated that polymeric matrices can be used as immune cell depots to effectively deliver DCs around tumors, thereby bypassing tumor-associated immuno­suppression for an effective local and systemic antitumor immune response.
In contrast to ex vivo activation and adoptive transfer, DCs can be directly modified in vivo, thus avoiding the need for expensive, time-consuming, and laborious ex vivo manipulation of cells. Macroporous 3-D polymeric scaffolds are excellent tools for in situ recruitment and modulation of immune cells due to their high surface area and spatio­temporal release of immunomodulatory factors. This strategy can generate effective immune responses for cancer treatment. In their seminal work in 2002, Kumamoto et al. designed an innovative approach to modulate endogenous DCs by engineering a polymeric scaffold to release DC-recruiting chemokines and tumor cell lysate. They sub­cutaneously implanted PEVA-based rods encapsulating macrophage inflammatory pro­tein (MIP)-3β. In a second step, the authors coimplanted the rods loaded with tumor cell lysate, artificial antigens such as ovalbumin (OVA), or MHC-I restricted peptides. Approximately 70% of the encapsulated MIP-3β was released in 48 h, leading to the infil­tration of Langerhans cells, a type of skin DCs, into the polymeric matrix. Application of haptens such as dinitrofluorobenzene over the implant site facilitated the maturation and release of Langerhans cells from the epidermis to the local draining lymph nodes. Fur­thermore, the authors reported the efficacy of their in situ vaccine in EG7-OVA tumor, fibrosarcoma, and carcinoma, both prophylactically and therapeutically [92]. In a more advanced approach, Liu et al. engineered a minimally invasive and injectable thermosensitive hydrogel fabricated from monomethoxy PEG-PLGA (mPEG-co­PLGA) copolymer. In the first step, the hydrogel released GM-CSF in a sustained manner to recruit and activate DCs and macrophages at the injection site. In the second step, cancer antigens, encoded in viral and nonviral vectors, were delivered at the injection site to stimulate recruited DCs and facilitate CTL responses. This strategy induced antigen-specific T-cell responses and significantly improved the survival rate of mice in a melanoma model, both prophylactically and therapeutically [93].
Compared with this two-step approach, Mooney and colleagues conceived a simpli­fied one-step strategy by designing various implantable and injectable polymeric scaffolds for the simultaneous delivery of a DC-recruiting factor and tumor antigens. Ali et al. designed a macroporous and biodegradable PLGA-based implantable scaffold encapsu­lating GM-CSF to recruit DCs, CpG oligodinucleotides (CpG-ODN) to provide the danger signal, and tumor cell lysate as a source of tumor antigens. Upon subcutaneous surgical implantation, the PLGA scaffolds enabled sustained release of GM-CSF to recruit DCs in a dose-dependent manner. Polyethyleneimine (PEI)-condensed CpG­ODN recruited plasmacytoid DCs and stimulated their activation and maturation,
77Polymeric scaffolds for antitumor immune cell priming
78 Khushbu Bhatt et al.
thereby promoting their subsequent homing to the draining lymph nodes. Robust antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell responses were observed in a murine melanoma model which led to 90% efficacy in a prophylactic setting and 50% efficacy in a therapeutic set­ting. Notably, these findings highlight the significance of providing a porous scaffold to recruit and train DCs, since bolus administration of the same immunomodulators resulted in lower efficacy [82,94]. Furthermore, the authors established the efficacy of their PLGA-based vaccine in a rat intracranial glioma model and a murine lung carcinoma model, highlighting the broad applicability of this approach [95,96]. In their subsequent studies, Ali et al. demonstrated the versatility of these polymeric matrices to deliver different cytokines and chemokines, such as Flt3L and CCL20, and various immune adjuvants such as poly I:C and MPLA [96,97]. Additionally, they combined their PLGA-based vaccine with intraperitoneal administration of immune checkpoint anti­bodies such as anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 to reinforce cytotoxic T-cell activity and promote tumor rejection in an aggressive murine B16F10 melanoma model [98].Ina different approach, Choi et al. fabricated mesoporous silica-based 3-D scaffolds with strong mechanical properties and a bimodal porous structure. Mechanically enhanced GM-CSF-loaded scaffolds recruited a significantly higher number of myeloid cells and DCs as compared with mechanically weaker scaffolds [99]. More recently, Sinha et al. designed a 3-D alginate-graphene scaffold as a vaccine delivery platform for long-term activation of DCs. Scaffolds integrated with reduced graphene oxide offered a high sur­face area and a hydrophobic surface which facilitated increased loading and a slow and sustained release of GM-CSF and model antigen OVA. These characteristics of the scaf­fold aided the recruitment and activation of DCs for up to 30 days after implantation due to the prolonged availability of encapsulated immunomodulators. Furthermore, the anti­cancer vaccine induced effector CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses as well as memory T cells which suppressed B16-OVA tumors in a prophylactic setting [100]. Overall, implantable macroporous polymeric scaffolds have a unique capability to persist long­term at the implanted location while continuously releasing immune modulators, thereby promoting cellular trafficking into the scaffold. Implantable scaffolds can be engineered to fine-tune the release kinetics of immunomodulatory factors to further control immune cell recruitment and activation. Such robust and durable depots have produced striking results in various preclinical tumor models, and they are currently being evaluated for their potential clinical translation [49]. Despite their ability to stimulate potent anticancer immune responses, implantable polymeric scaffolds are limited in their widespread appli­cation as they require invasive surgical interventions when introduced into the body.
Administration of injectable polymeric matrices is more straightforward and safer
when compared to invasive surgical procedures needed for implantable scaffolds. Inject­able scaffolds can be made from in situ-forming or deformable preformed hydrogels. For instance, Singh et al. reported an in situ-forming biodegradable hydrogel-based delivery system fabricated using dextran vinylsulfone and tetra-thiolated polyethylene glycol. The
scaffold encapsulated DC-attracting chemokines (e.g., CCL20) along with PLGA micro-
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particles which were loaded with short interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting IL-10 and plasmid DNA antigen. Upon injection, the hydrogel-based formulation formed a porous immune-priming niche, that promoted trafficking and programming of DCs, and signif­icantly improved CTL responses over a naked DNA vaccine. Such a multicomponent, injectable system provided a significant survival benefit of up to 2-fold increase in an A20 B-cell lymphoma model [101,102]. Mesoporous silica rods (MSRs) are another type of injectable polymeric scaffold that has been explored for DC programming. Synthetic sil­ica rods have a characteristic wide surface area that can be exploited as a platform for the controlled release of therapeutics, and their ability to form large pores facilitates cellular infiltration [103]. For instance, Kim et al. employed an in situ-forming injectable porous scaffold made from high-aspect-ratio MSRs that substantially enhanced the recruitment of DCs when compared to low-aspect-ratio MSRs. When loaded with GM-CSF, CpG-ODN, and model antigen protein OVA, high-aspect-ratio MSRs exhibited sustained release of the immunomodulators in vitro and prolonged the presentation of OVA antigen in vivo. Unlike bolus vaccine, this injectable scaffold recruited large num­bers of immune cells and induced potent Th1, Th2, and antigen-specific T-cell responses. The induction of robust humoral and cellular immune responses led to a sig­nificant delay in tumor progression in a prophylactic lymphoma model. The MSR scaf­fold itself may also contribute to adjuvant properties, possibly via NLRP3 inflammasome activation induced by the internalization of degraded low-molecular-weight silica debris
[104]. Furthermore, Li et al. explored the surface chemistry of MSRs to modulate
immune cell trafficking and activation, by functionalizing MSRs with PEG. PEG­modified MSRs were shown to enhance DC activation by upregulating activation markers such as CD86 and production of IL-1β in vitro, as well as increased immune cell trafficking in vivo. This suggests that a simple surface modification could have profound implications for immune cell infiltration within the scaffold [105]. More recently, Li et al. designed MSRs by adsorbing PEI on its surface to improve antigen immunogenicity. The authors demonstrated that the model antigen OVA can be adsorbed on MSR­PEI, along with GM-CSF and CpG-ODN. Unlike bare MSR-based scaffold, their approach (i) enhanced the number of recruited DCs, (ii) improved DC activation, anti­gen presentation, and trafficking to the lymph node, and ultimately (iii) induced CTL responses. Their MSR-PEI vaccine was also tested with neoantigens from multiple tumor models and elicited robust antitumor responses [106]. As previously discussed, preformed scaffolds can overcome many limitations of in situ-forming gels. Injectable preformed matrices need to possess shape-memory properties and interconnected macropores to aid cell trafficking. Generally, hydrogels have small pores in the nanometer range that do not facilitate cellular infiltration [46,107]. To improve upon this, Verbeke et al. designed porous alginate-based hydrogel by integrating beads that act as sacrificial porogens to form large pores. This formulation, when incorporated with GM-CSF,
79Polymeric scaffolds for antitumor immune cell priming
80 Khushbu Bhatt et al.
significantly improved cellular infiltration and, in particular, recruited large numbers of immature DCs [108]. In lieu of beads, cryogelation is a technique that utilizes ice crystals as porogens, leading to the formation of an interconnected macroporous network upon melting. This prevents any toxicity from leftover bead components or the use of toxic organic solvents. Similar to the PLGA-based implantable scaffold developed by Ali et al., Bencherif et al. designed an alginate-based cryogel matrix with shape-memory properties for cancer vaccine applications utilizing GM-CSF as a DC recruiting factor, CpG-ODN as an adjuvant, and irradiated melanoma tumor cells as an antigen source. Cell-adhesive RGD peptides were incorporated to promote tumor cell adhesion to the cryogel scaffold. The resulting cryogel exhibited large, interconnected macropores, thereby conferring a more favorable environment for cellular infiltration, along with enhanced mechanical stability, as compared with standard (mesoporous) hydrogels. This vaccine exhibited sustained release of immunomodulators over 30 days. Furthermore, robust long-term prophylactic and therapeutic antitumor immune responses were observed in a murine melanoma tumor model [75,109]. More recently, Shih et al. improved the injectability and mechanical stability of the alginate-based cryogel scaffolds by incorporating combined ionic and covalent crosslinking. These tougher cryogel matrices facilitated injection through a smaller-gauge needle, thereby limiting tissue damage after injection. When used to formulate cancer vaccines, these improved cryogel-based scaffolds prevented tumor growth in 80% of mice in a breast cancer model
[71]. Cryogels can also be designed to serve as a cell-responsive platform. For instance,
Koshy et al. described an injectable, cell-responsive, biodegradable gelatin-based cryogel scaffold encapsulating GM-CSF. Gelatin-based scaffolds inherently possess cell adhesion properties and can be enzymatically degraded by matrix metalloproteinase (MMP). Upon injection, these scaffolds elicited controlled release of GM-CSF that led to the infiltration of immune cells, ultimately leading to MMP-induced cell-mediated degradation of the cryogel [110].
Overall, injectable polymeric scaffolds can be: (i) easily customized based on the bio­logical need, (ii) fine-tuned for controlled delivery of immunomodulators, and (iii) combined with other immunotherapies for synergistic tumor rejection. Additionally, the 3-D porous scaffolds are excellent tools for in situ DC recruitment and programming (Fig. 2), thus supporting their potential use in therapeutic cancer vac­cination. However, the mechanisms by which the polymeric scaffolds encapsulating GM-CSF and CpG-ODN are involved in DC recruitment, activation, and maturation have not been thoroughly explored. More studies are needed to dissect the effect of immunomodulators in conjunction with the polymeric scaffold in exerting antitumor immunity. Furthermore, it is still unclear whether long-term recruitment and activation of DCs is beneficial, and the ideal time frame required for optimal DC recruitment and stimulation needs to be further investigated.
81Polymeric scaffolds for antitumor immune cell priming
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Fig. 2 Schematic illustration of a polymeric scaffold-based cancer vaccine for DC recruitment and programming. Polymeric matrices are loaded with DC-recruiting and activating molecules. Upon
local administration of the scaffold-based vaccine, there is a sustained release of immunomodulators. This results in the recruitment of immature DCs within the scaffold where they are presented with immunostimulatory cues such as tumor cell lysate or antigenic peptides, and adjuvants, leading to their activation followed by antigen processing and presentation. Subsequently, activated antigen­loaded DCs migrate to the draining lymph nodes to prime and trigger T-cell responses. Tumor antigen-specific CTLs then travel via the blood vessels to reach the tumors, infiltrate them, and ulti­mately kill cancer cells. A small fraction of T cells is converted to long-lived memory cells, which protect against tumor recurrence when reencountering the same antigens.
4. Polymeric scaffolds for T-cell activation
While DC-based or DC-targeting cancer vaccines depend on in vivo T-cell responses, adoptive T-cell therapy depends on ex vivo expansion of T cells that are subsequently administered into the patients. This approach of circumventing in vivo T-cell activation offers several benefits such as an environment devoid of immunosup­pression and the ability to engineer T cells to produce immunostimulant cytokines as well
82 Khushbu Bhatt et al.
as express antitumor CARs or TCRs [111]. Adoptive cell therapy, however, requires lymphodepletion and cytokine infusion, as well as generating large numbers (10
11
of functional T cells while preventing activation-induced exhaustion or terminal differ­entiation, which remains challenging [112]. Thus, strategies to generate high T-cell numbers in a short time are highly desirable. Currently, commercially available anti­CD3- and anti-CD28-coated Dynabeads are widely used to activate and expand T cells ex vivo. They act as artificial APCs and provide signal 1 of TCR engagement and signal 2 of costimulation for T-cell activation, and rely on exogenous IL-2 for signal
3. However, these paramagnetic Dynabeads are made with stiff materials and lack ligand flexibility [111,113]. Even though these cultures provide all three canonical signals required for T-cell activation, the context in which they provide these cues largely differs from natural APCs [111,113].
Polymeric scaffolds can provide a fine-tuned 3-D environment to mimic the
physiological activation of T cells in the presence of antigen-presenting cells (Fig. 3). Rio et al. demonstrated that incorporating a 3-D scaffold system during T-cell activation with artificial APCs effectively increased T-cell proliferation when compared to standard 2-D culture. The authors attributed the increase in T-cell proliferation to the natural resemblance of their 3-D structure to the secondary lymphoid organs [114]. More recently, Rio et al. engineered a heparin-functionalized 3-D PEG-based hydrogel scaf­fold to more closely resemble lymph node functions. Heparin was used to dock the che­mokine CCL21, which promotes T-cell proliferation and migration. The 3-D hydrogel scaffolds, loaded with CCL21, resulted in increased CD4+ T-cell proliferation and ele­vated proportions of effector T cells when combined with T cell-stimulating Dynabeads
[115]. Furthermore, Majedi et al. showed that the mechanical stiffness of the microen-
vironment greatly affects T-cell proliferation and function. Three-dimensional porous alginate-based scaffolds were fabricated to mimic the mechanical properties of the lymph nodes. They have shown that stiffer scaffolds promoted T-cell activation, expansion, effector functions, motility, and cell spreading. The authors further demonstrated that T cells formed larger immune synapses with APCs upon encountering antigens in stiffer scaffolds, accounting for their enhanced activation and proliferation [116].
Polymeric scaffolds represent an exquisite platform for ex vivo T-cell activation and
expansion since they can be designed to display a high density of T cell-activating signals and enhanced control over ligand presentation and cytokine release. Furthermore, pro­viding stimulatory cues in a 3-D scaffold more closely emulates the physiological mech­anisms involved in T-cell stimulation. For instance, Fadel et al. reported that polymeric composite scaffolds of carbon nanotubes functionalized with CD28 antibody and SIINFEKL-MHCI complex increased OVA-specific TCR transgenic (OT-I) CD8+ T-cell proliferation by 1.5-fold, compared to commercially available Dynabeads. Another 1.5-fold increase in T-cell expansion was mediated by paracrine delivery of IL-2 from PLGA nanoparticles that were complexed with the carbon nanotubes.
)
83Polymeric scaffolds for antitumor immune cell priming
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Fig. 3 Schematic illustration of polymeric scaffold providing a fine-tuned 3-D microenvironment for ex vivo T-cell expansion. Polymeric matrices are incorporated with T-cell activation cues such
as CD3 and CD28 antibodies, and cytokines to support T-cell survival and proliferation. Upon seeding with naïve T cells, the polymeric scaffold provides the required stimulatory signals in a 3-D microen­vironment along with the paracrine release of proinflammatory cytokines to mimic physiological T-cell stimulation. This leads to enhanced T-cell activation and expansion compared with conventional methods (i.e., Dynabeads). Expanded antigen-specific T cells are simply recovered by mechanical harvesting and are subsequently injected into the patients to mount an effective antitumor response.
The authors attributed this increased proliferation to a clustered antigen presentation by carbon nanotube bundles and IL-2 release. This approach achieved T-cell expansion at therapeutic levels used clinically but with 1000-fold less IL-2 [117]. In a different approach, Delalat et al. designed a 3-D-printed multilayered lattice to present costimulatory cues to a large number of cells simultaneously. The lattices were 3-D printed using a melt electrospinning writing (MEW) technology that facilitated the for­mation of a highly organized polycaprolactone-based fibrous network and was further coated with a functionalized polymer to conjugate CD3 and CD28 antibodies. These functionalized lattices provided enough space for T-cell expansion, facilitated the exchange of nutrients, and enabled repeated transient interactions to boost T-cell