In situ vaccination with cowpea mosaic virus nanoparticles suppresses metastatic cancer

Nanotechnology has tremendous potential to contribute to cancer immunotherapy. The “in situ vaccination” immunotherapy strategy directly manipulates identified tumours to overcome local tumour-mediated immunosuppression and subsequently stimulates systemic anti-tumour immunity to treat metastases. We show that inhalation of self-assembling virus-like nanoparticles from Cowpea Mosaic Virus (CPMV) reduces established B16F10 lung melanoma and simultaneously generates potent systemic anti-tumour immunity against poorly immunogenic B16F10 in the skin. Full efficacy required Il-12, Ifn-γ, adaptive immunity, and neutrophils. Inhaled CPMV nanoparticles were rapidly taken up by and activated neutrophils in the tumour microenvironment as an important part of the anti-tumour immune response. CPMV also exhibited clear treatment efficacy and systemic anti-tumour immunity in ovarian, colon, and breast tumour models in multiple anatomic locations. CPMV nanoparticles are stable, nontoxic, modifiable with drugs and antigens, and their nanomanufacture is highly scalable. These properties, combined with their inherent immunogenicity and demonstrated efficacy against a poorly immunogenic tumour, make CPMV an attractive and novel immunotherapy against metastatic cancer.