PulseExploreJournal ClubDebatesTrendingResearchersJournals
Instagram
HomeExploreJournal ClubTrending
Synapse
⌘+K
Synapse
February 12, 2026Advanced Materials1 citations

Bioinspired Engineered Virus‐Mimetic Vesicles for Enhanced Cytosolic Delivery of STING Agonists Into Dendritic Cells

View Full Paper
SGShi‐Zhen GengYSYaru ShiJYJie Yang

Key Points

  • The main aim is to improve the cytosolic delivery of STING agonists to dendritic cells using a novel engineered vesicle platform.
  • Developed a dengue virus-mimetic platform for targeted delivery of STING agonists.
  • Compared efficacy with conventional lipid nanoparticles in terms of uptake and activation in dendritic cells.
  • Conducted transcriptomic analysis to understand immune responses elicited by the delivery system.
  • Achieved a 1.9-fold enhancement in uptake by dendritic cells compared to lipid nanoparticles.
  • Reduced non-specific T cell internalization by 14.8-fold in tumor environments.
  • Identified a VLP subtype that improved targeted accumulation in type 1 conventional DCs by 2.3-fold.
  • Increased IFN-β production by 12.8-fold, indicating a strong immune response.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Effective delivery to dendritic cells (DCs) is crucial for the clinical translation of STING agonists, however, current cyclic dinucleotide (CDN) therapies are hindered by inefficient cytosolic delivery and off‐target activation‐induced T cell exhaustion. Here, a high‐fidelity, dengue virus‐mimetic platform (CDN@VLP) is engineered to leverage natural tropism for precise cytosolic release in immature DCs. Compared to conventional lipid nanoparticles, CDN@VLP enhances DC‐specific uptake by 1.9‐fold while reducing non‐specific T cell internalization in tumors by 14.8‐fold, achieving comparable antitumor efficacy at one‐fortieth the dose of free CDN. Systematic screening identifies an optimal VLP subtype that improves targeted accumulation in type 1 conventional DCs (cDC1s)—a subset essential for STING pathway activation—by 2.3‐fold and amplifies durable type I interferon responses, resulting in a 12.8‐fold increase in IFN‐β production. Transcriptomic analysis further reveals that CDN@VLP promotes cDC1 recruitment into tumors by enhancing the secretion of key chemokines (XCL1, CCL4, and CCL5), suggesting an additional mechanism of action. By mimicking viral tropism, the CDN@VLP platform establishes a paradigm for precision STING activation, overcoming the trade‐off between potency and specificity in cDC1‐targeted immunotherapy.

Ask AI
Helpful
Bookmark
Share
View Full Paper

Cite This Study

Geng et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/698d6e2a5be6419ac0d539d6https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202520019
Ask AI
Helpful
Bookmark
Share
View Full Paper

Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Mannosylated STING Agonist Drugamers for Dendritic Cell-Mediated Cancer Immunotherapy2024 · 24 citations
  2. 2Biomimetic delivery of a STING agonist via tumor antigen-primed dendritic cell membrane nanovesicles for bladder cancer immunotherapy2026
  3. 3Functionalized Spiky Microcarriers Orchestrate STING Activation and Durable Antitumor Immunity2026
  4. 4Intravenous delivery of STING agonists using acid-sensitive polycationic polymer-modified lipid nanoparticles for enhanced tumor immunotherapy2024 · 7 citations
  5. 52’,4’‐LNA‐Functionalized 5′‐S‐Phosphorothioester CDNs as STING Agonists2024 · 2 citations