Coordinator : Pr Jean-Pierre BENOIT

NICHE: Nano-Immuno-CHEmotherapy

The immune system plays a critical role not only during early tumorigenesis but in the response of existing malignancies to therapy as well. The tumor microenvironment determines the alteration of a particular population of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which activates an immunosuppressive program supporting tumor growth and expansion. The manipulation of this immunosuppressive network provides an opportunity to restore immune competence in tumor-bearing hosts. Besides, the stimulation of specific immunogenic cell death (ICD) in cells located both in tumor mass and in tumor-draining lymph nodes, represents a ground-breaking approach to treat aggressive cancers.
Taking advantage of the ability of selecting nanomedicines to localize and accumulate in the sites of interest, i.e. spleen, tumor and lymph nodes, we plan to directly deliver selected anticancer agents and si/micro RNA to MDSCs and neoplastic cells to trigger a tumor-specific immune response.

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