Fig. 1: Schematic illustration of tumor microenvironment manipulation by Ausome-mediated, multi-layered modulation. | Nature Communications

Fig. 1: Schematic illustration of tumor microenvironment manipulation by Ausome-mediated, multi-layered modulation.

From: Biosynthesized gold nanoparticles that activate Toll-like receptors and elicit localized light-converting hyperthermia for pleiotropic tumor immunoregulation

Fig. 1

Ausome comprises a bacterial component shell around a gold nanoparticle inner core. After intravenous injection, the diverse microorganism-derived danger signals stimulate a systemic immune response, including pro-inflammatory cytokine release, immune cell activation and expansion. Next, the tumor-accumulated Ausome is exposed to laser irradiation to heat the tumor tissue and generate a mild hyperthermia, which facilitates the intratumoral infiltration of additional effector immune cells by increasing the blood flow, promoting the permeability of blood vessels and upregulating adhesion molecules on vascular endothelial cells. The hyperthermia-induced blood perfusion also enhances the leakage of circulating Ausome into the tumor tissue, which can further enhance the immune reactions in the tumor region. This multi-layered modulation strategy circumvents the overactive immune reactions elicited by the high systemic doses of immunomodulators normally required for effective treatment, and selectively amplifies immune recovery in the tumor region to enhance the potency of immune surveillance of tumor cells.

Back to article page