ROS Scavenging Nanozyme Modulates Immunosuppression for Sensitized Cancer Immunotherapy

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), two immunosuppressive myeloid components within the tumor microenvironment (TME), represent fundamental barriers in cancer immunotherapy, whereas current nanomedicines rarely exert dual modulatory roles on these cell types simultaneously. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) not only mediates MDSC-induced immunosuppression but also triggers differentiation and polarization of M2-TAMs. Herein, an ROS scavenging nanozyme, Zr-CeO, with enhanced superoxide dismutase- and catalase-like activities for renal tumor growth inhibition is reported. Mechanistically, intracellular ROS scavenging by Zr-CeO significantly attenuates MDSC immunosuppression via dampening the unfolded protein response, hinders M2-TAM polarization through the ERK and STAT3 pathways, but barely affects neoplastic cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Furthermore, Zr-CeO enhances the antitumor effect of PD-1 inhibition in murine renal and breast tumor models, accompanied with substantially decreased MDSC recruitment and reprogrammed phenotype of TAMs in the tumor mass. Upon cell isolation, reversed immunosuppressive phenotypes of MDSCs and TAMs are identified. In addition, Zr-CeO alone or combination therapy enhances T lymphocyte infiltration and IFN-gamma production within the TME. Collectively, a promising strategy to impair the quantity and function of immunosuppressive myeloid cells and sensitize immunotherapy in both renal and breast cancers is provided.