A core–shell polymeric–inorganic hybrid nanocomposite system for MRI-visible gene delivery application in cancer immunotherapy

Due to the tumor immune escape mechanism, strategies like the utilization of bispecific antibodies were used to assist immunotherapy. Herein a visible polymer–inorganic hybrid gene vehicle had been prepared to deliver anti-EpCAM/anti-CD3 encoding minicircle DNA into normal cells thus these transfected cells effectively secreted bispecific antibody with bioactivity. In the experiments, this compound system exhibited excellent biocompatibility, high transfection efficiency and ultrasensitive imaging capacity. Furthermore, the transfected cells could be detected under the MR imaging system and the gene product showed an outstanding immune effect. In conclusion, this nanocomposite showed synergistic advantages in gene delivery and non-invasive MR imaging.