Research Spotlight: Innovative Nanovaccine Found to Trigger an Anti-Tumor Response for Rare Cancer
Source: Massachusetts General Hospital, January 2025
How would you summarize your study for a lay audience?
While we think of cutaneous melanoma as a sun-related skin cancer, those that develop on sun-protected sites, such as the palms of the hands, soles of the feet and fingernails are more rare but also more deadly. Moreover, these “acral” melanomas represent the most common types of melanoma diagnosed in patients with darker skin tones. Treating acral melanomas that have spread is extremely difficult as it is resistant to most current therapies. Previous research has revealed that acral melanomas exhibit more genetic alterations in the KIT oncogene compared to the other common forms of melanoma. Using this information, we developed a genetically engineered cell model of acral melanoma using the KIT gene. The advantage of this model is that we can test immune treatments in a mouse with an intact immune system.
To address the therapeutic challenge, we created an innovative hybrid biomimetic nanovaccine, which is designed to fight this type of melanoma by creating a “bionic” cell that has an outer layer of our mouse KIT melanoma wrapped around an inner nanoparticle. This vaccine uses advanced nanotechnology to teach the body’s immune system to recognize and destroy the cancer cells.
How do biomimetic nanovaccines work?
Nanovaccines deliver nanoparticles to enhance the immune system’s ability to recognize and eliminate tumors. Traditional nanovaccines typically use synthetic nanoparticles, but biomimetic nanovaccines (BNVs) mimic natural biological structures. BNVs use natural cell membranes–such as those from tumor cells or immune cells–to coat nanoparticle cores. These hybrid designs help the vaccine interact more effectively with the body’s immune cells.