Jianlan Peng,1 Shiying Li,2 Huihui Ti1,3 

1School of Chinese Materia Medica, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Guangdong Province Precise Medicine and Big Data Engineering Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Huihui Ti; Shiying Li, Email tihuihui@126.com; lisy-sci@gzhmu.edu.cn

Abstract: Low immunogenicity of tumors poses a challenge in the development of effective tumor immunotherapy. However, emerging evidence suggests that certain therapeutic approaches, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and phototherapy, can induce varying degrees of immunogenic cell death (ICD). This ICD phenomenon leads to the release of tumor antigens and the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs), thereby enhancing tumor immunogenicity and promoting immune responses. However, the use of a single conventional ICD inducer often fails to achieve in situ tumor ablation and establish long-term anti-tumor immune responses. Furthermore, the induction of ICD induction varies among different approaches, and the distribution of the therapeutic agent within the body influences the level of ICD and the occurrence of toxic side effects. To address these challenges and further boost tumor immunity, researchers have explored nanosystems as inducers of ICD in combination with tumor immunotherapy. This review examines the mechanisms of ICD and different induction methods, with a specific focus on the relationship between ICD and tumor immunity. The aim is to explore the research advancements utilizing various nanomaterials to enhance the body’s anti-tumor effects by inducing ICD. This paper aims to contribute to the development and clinical application of nanomaterial-based ICD inducers in the field of cancer immunotherapy by providing important theoretical guidance and practical references.

Keywords: tumor immunotherapy, immunogenicity, ICD, DAMPs, nanosystems