Cancer Immunotherapy Based on Carbon-Quantum-Dot Modified Cancer Cells

Abstract Cancer immunotherapy based on carbon-quantum-dot (CQD) modified cancer cells (CM-cancer) has proven effective. The CQDs non-distinctively modify the conformational structure of proteins by hydrogen bonding between the protein chains and the permeated CQDs via a thermal treatment. CM-cancer vaccines exhibit robust immunogenicity, which can recruit macrophages and dendritic cells to effectively deliver the cancer antigens into lymph nodes to activate CD8+ T cells, and eventually leads to an anti-cancer immune response all over the body. The CM-cancer vaccinations are not only able to inhibit primary tumors, but also clearly eliminate metastatic tumors. Our research demonstrates a promising personalized cancer immunotheraputic technology for potential clinical applications.