Multidirectional Nano-Immunotherapy to Re-educate Host Immunity against Breast Brain Metastases
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
2:04 PM - 2:29 PM EDT
Location: 119 B
Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of brain metastases (BrM), which carry a poor prognosis [1]. Cancer vaccines can induce tumor cell death and prevent metastasis, but their efficacy is hindered by immune escape mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment (TME) [2]. Immune checkpoint blockade is often ineffective against brain tumors [3]. We hypothesized that a dendritic cell-targeted nanovaccine combined with FAK modulation and immune checkpoint blockade can transform the suppressive BrM-immune-stroma network to reactivate anti-tumor immunity.
Learning Objectives:
At the completion of this activity, participants will know
Describe the design and function of Man-NPs in delivering antigens and immune regulators in the TME
Explain the Man-NPs synergy with FAK inhibition and PD-L1 blockade in enhancing anti-tumor immunity.
Analyze immune profiling methods, as FACS and RNA-seq, used to evaluate nano-immunotherapy effects.
Ana Matos – Postdoctoral Researcher, Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Health Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon; Bárbara Carreira – Postdoctoral Researcher, Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Health Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon; Rita Acúrcio Acúrcio – Postdoctoral Researcher, Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Health Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon; Margarida Ferreira – Postdoctoral Researcher, Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Health Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon; Cláudio Ferro – PhD student, Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Health Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon; Ronit Satchi-Fainaro – Full Professor, Physiology and Pharmacology, Tel Aviv University
