The αPD-L1 antibody-based immune checkpoint blockade therapy is still limited by the poor clinical response rate as it is mainly utilized to block surface PD-L1 on tumor cells while ignoring abundant PD-L1 exosomes secreted in the environment, causing tumor immune evasion. Here, we proposed an exosome biogenesis inhibition strategy to suppress tumor exosomes secretion from the source, reducing the inhibitory effect on T cells and enhancing chemo-immunotherapy efficacy. We developed sulfafurazole homodimers (SAS) with disulfide linkages, effectively releasing the drug in response to glutathione (GSH) and inhibiting 4T1 tumor-derived exosomes secretion. Subsequently, gemcitabine (Gem) was encapsulated to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD). Consequently, Gem@SAS inhibited the secretion of tumor exosomes by more than 70%, increased proliferation and granzyme B secretion ability of T cells by more than 2 times, and showed superior efficacy in breast cancer treatment as well as lung metastasis of breast cancer.

Antibiotic resistance is spreading at a faster rate than new antibiotic agents applied for clinical remedies. It is an urgent need to discover potential compounds to combat multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Marine fungi offer a promising avenue for mining antibiotic-like molecules with chemical diversity. To discover structurally novel and antibiotic metabolites, we screened the in-house marine fungus genome library and found a fungus Stephanonectria keithii LZD-10-1 containing a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) cluster with 18 modules to synthesize a new subfamily of peptaibols with effective eradication against MDR pathogens. Targeting isolation of the cultured fungus afforded six new peptaibols, which exhibit the ability to kill MDR bacteria by targeting bacterial membrane phospholipids, especially phosphatidylglycerol (PG), leading to the dysfunction of bacterial membranes. Furthermore, their efficacies against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in both Galleria mellonella and mouse wound infection models were observed. This study underscores the significance of employing genome-guided approaches to identify untapped marine fungi as potential sources for novel antibiotic candidates with unique scaffolds.

Organic anion-transporting polypeptides (OATP) transporter function, which mediates many drugs' liver uptake, was investigated as a molecular determinant of pharmacokinetic variability. Whole-body PET imaging using ¹¹C-glyburide, a metabolically stable OATP probe, was performed in 16 healthy humans. Ten subjects underwent another ¹¹C-glyburide PET acquisition after OATP inhibition using rifampicin. Subjects were sorted according to age and sex: males<30y (24.0 ± 3.2 y, n = 7), males>50y (57.5 ± 5.6 y, n = 4), and females>50y (60.6 ± 2.4 y, n = 5). The blood-to-liver transfer rate (k_uptake) was estimated to describe OATP function. Rifampicin decreased k_uptake (−73 ± 13%, P < 0.001) and liver exposure (−50 ± 10%, P < 0.001) while increasing exposure in blood (+24 ± 24%, P < 0.01), myocardium, spleen, and brain (P < 0.05). No evidence of extra-hepatic rifampicin-inhibitable transport of ¹¹C-glyburide was found. Baseline liver exposure was 42.6 ± 18.4% higher (P < 0.05) in females>50y compared with males>50 y, consistent with higher k_uptake values (P < 0.05), with negligible impact on blood exposure (P < 0.05). In males, neither liver exposure, blood exposure, nor k_uptake were affected by aging (P < 0.05). k_uptake was positively and negatively correlated with liver (P < 0.01, R² = 0.78) and blood (P < 0.01, R² = 0.40) exposures respectively. The impact of OATP function (k_uptake) on liver exposure was 4-fold more pronounced than on blood exposure. OATP function may thus drive important sex-related differences in liver exposure, which were not discernible through conventional blood-based pharmacokinetics.

Cuproptosis, a recently identified form of regulated cell death triggered by excess intracellular copper, has emerged as a promising cytotoxic strategy for cancer therapy. However, the therapeutic efficacy of copper ionophores such as elesclomol (ES) is often hindered by cellular copper homeostasis mechanisms that limit copper influx and cuproptosis induction. To address this challenge, we developed a nanoagent utilizing outer membrane vesicle (OMV) derived from Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk) for co-delivery of antioxidant 1 copper chaperone (Atox1)-targeting siRNA and ES (siAtox1/ES@OMV) to tumors. In vitro, we demonstrated that Atox1 knockdown via siRNA significantly disrupted copper export mechanisms, resulting in elevated intracellular copper levels. Simultaneously, ES facilitated efficient copper influx and mitochondrial transport, leading to Fe–S cluster depletion, increased proteotoxic stress, and robust cuproptosis. In vivo, siAtox1/ES@OMV achieved targeted tumor delivery and induced pronounced cuproptosis. Furthermore, leveraging the immunomodulatory properties of OMVs, siAtox1/ES@OMV promoted T-cell infiltration and the activation of tumor-reactive cytotoxic T cells, enhancing tumor immune responses. The combination of siAtox1/ES-induced cuproptosis and immunogenic cell death synergistically suppressed tumor growth in both subcutaneous breast cancer and orthotopic rectal cancer mouse models. This study highlights the potential of integrating copper homeostasis disruption with a copper ionophore using an immunomodulatory OMV-based vector, offering a promising combinatorial strategy for cancer therapy.

Single-cell analysis of phenotypic plasticity could improve the development of more effective therapeutics. Still, the development of tools to measure single-cell heterogeneity has lagged due to difficulties in manipulating and culturing single cells. Here, we describe a single-cell culture and phenotyping platform that employs a starburst microfluidic network and automatic liquid handling system to capture single cells for long-term culture and multi-dimensional analysis and quantify their clonal properties via their surface biomarker and secreted cytokine/growth factor profiles. Studies performed on this platform found that cells derived from single-cell cultures maintained phenotypic equilibria similar to their parental populations. Single-cell cultures exposed to chemotherapeutic drugs stochastically disrupted this balance to favor stem-like cells. They had enhanced expression of mRNAs and secreted factors associated with cell signaling, survival, and differentiation. This single-cell analysis approach can be extended to analyze more complex phenotypes and screen responses to therapeutic targets.

Obesity usually exacerbates the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (ITME), hindering CD8⁺ T cell infiltration and function, which further represents a significant barrier to the efficacy of immunotherapy. Herein, a multifunctional liposomal system (CR-Lip) for encapsulating celastrol (CEL) was utilized to remodel obesity-related ITME and improve cancer immunotherapy, wherein Ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) was detected interspersed in the phospholipid bilayer and its glycosyl exposed on the surface of the liposome. CR-Lip had a relatively uniform size (116.5 nm), facilitating favorable tumor tissue accumulation through the interaction between Rg3 and glucose transporter 1 overexpressed in obese tumor cells. Upon reaching the tumor region, CR-Lip was found to induce the immunogenic cell death (ICD) of HFD tumor cells. Notably, the level of PHD3 in HFD tumor cells was effectively boosted by CR-Lip to effectively block metabolic reprogramming and increase the availability of major free fatty acids fuel sources. In vivo, experiments studies revealed that the easy-obtained nano platform stimulated enhanced the production of various cytokines in tumor tissues, DC maturation, CD8⁺ T-cell infiltration, and synergistic anticancer therapeutic potency with aPD-1 (tumor inhibition rate = 82.1%) towards obesity-related melanoma. Consequently, this study presented an efficacious approach to tumor immunotherapy in obese mice by encompassing tumor eradication, inducing ICD, and reprogramming metabolism. Furthermore, it offered a unique insight into a valuable attempt at the immunotherapy of obesity-associated related tumors.

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) can potentially induce immunogenic cell death in tumor cells, leading to the release of ATP, and facilitating the initiation of an immune response. Nevertheless, the enzymes CD39 and CD73 can swiftly convert ATP into immunosuppressive adenosine (ADO), resulting in an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). This study introduced a nanomedicine (QD/POM1@NP@M) engineered to reprogram TME by modulating the CD39/CD73/ADO pathway. The nanomedicine encapsulated sonosensitizers silver sulfide quantum dots, and the CD39 inhibitor POM1, while also incorporating homologous tumor cell membranes to enhance targeting capabilities. This integrated approach, on the one hand, stimulates the release of ATP via SDT, thereby initiating the immune response. In addition, it reduced the accumulation of ADO by inhibiting CD39 activity, which ameliorated the immunosuppressive TME. Upon administration, the nanomedicine demonstrated substantial anti-tumor efficacy by facilitating the infiltration of anti-tumor immune cells, while reducing the immunosuppressive cells. This modulation effectively transformed the TME from an immunologically “cold” state to a “hot” state. Furthermore, combined with the checkpoint inhibitor α-PDL1, the nanomedicine augmented systemic anti-tumor immunity and promoted the establishment of long-term immune memory. This study provides an innovative strategy for combining non-invasive SDT and ATP-driven immunotherapy, offering new ideas for future cancer treatment.