Reshaping tumor immune microenvironment and modulating T cell function based on hierarchical nanotherapeutics for synergistically inhibiting osteosarcoma

T-cell-based immunotherapy shows significant promise for treating osteosarcoma. However, its effectiveness is often limited by the immunosuppressive tumor environment and weakened T-cell activity. In this study, we present a tumor-targeting strategy that aims to reshape the tumor microenvironment and modulate T-cell function using a hierarchical metal-organic framework (MOF). The MOF is armed with PD-L1 antibody (anti-PD-L1) and loaded with C-C motif chemokine ligand 19 (CCL19) and oxaliplatin in separate layers, which enhances the therapeutic efficiency for osteosarcoma. The intricate hierarchical MOFs employed in this research provide a programmable action schedule for the loaded drugs, enabling spatiotemporal control over their release and action. The anti-PD-L1 on the surface of nanoparticles specifically binds to PD-L1 on tumor cells, reinforcing the targeting and recognition capabilities of the materials. Additionally, this targeted approach serves as an immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy, blocking the binding of PD-1 and PD-L1 between T cells and tumor cells. This prevents T-cell exhaustion, thereby restoring their killing ability. Moreover, the initial release of CCL19 from the nanoparticles recruits more T cells into the tumor microenvironment, augmenting the immunotherapy effect. As a result, when oxaliplatin is pH-responsively released from the nanoparticles upon being absorbed by osteosarcoma cells, it exhibits maximum killing ability against the cancer cells. In vivo studies demonstrated that the developed nanosystem exhibited an anti-tumor effect, resulting in a tumor suppression rate exceeding 90 % while causing minimal side effects. This comprehensive approach inhibits tumor growth and metastasis with minimal side effects, demonstrating the positive efficacy of combining immunotherapy and conventional chemotherapy in osteosarcoma treatment. Furthermore, the developed nanoparticles not only have a high drug loading capacity but also prevent mutual interference between different drugs, allowing each drug to exert its optimal effect. This study introduces a promising paradigm for the field of immunochemotherapy and offers potential advancements in the treatment of osteosarcoma.