Golgi Apparatus‐Targeting Immunostimulant for Synergistic Activation of Antitumor Immunity via Pyroptosis Induction and PD‐L1 Degradation

The inherently low immunogenicity and immune evasion properties of breast cancer cells present major obstacles to the effective activation of antitumor immune responses. To overcome these challenges, we develop a Golgi apparatus-targeting immunostimulant (GA-IS) that synergistically enhances antitumor immunity through the induction of pyroptosis and degradation of PD-L1. GA-IS is based on an amphiphilic chimeric peptide (GA-Chip), which consists of a Golgi apparatus-targeting sequence (SDYQRL), a hydrophobic palmitic acid moiety, and the photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). This construct is co-formulated with the PD-L1 degrader dBET57 using DSPE-PEG<sub>2000</sub> to improve stability and systemic delivery. Upon accumulation in tumor cells, GA-IS enables precise drug delivery to the Golgi apparatus and elicits localized photodynamic effects, thereby inducing pyroptotic cell death and robust immunogenic cell death (ICD), ultimately enhancing tumor immunogenicity. Critically, GA-IS also downregulates PD-L1 expression via BRD4 degradation, effectively disrupting immune checkpoint signaling and restoring immune surveillance. As a result, GA-IS elicits a potent systemic immune response capable of suppressing both primary and metastatic breast cancer, while showing minimal systemic toxicity. This Golgi apparatus-targeting immunostimulant represents a promising strategy to reverse immune suppression in breast cancer and advance precision immunotherapy.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Healthcare Materials
Published
2026-02-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202504895
Primary Topic
Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Golgi Apparatus‐Targeting Immunostimulant for Synergistic Activation of Antitumor Immunity via Pyroptosis Induction and PD‐L1 Degradation

Yixin Liu, Hang‐Yu Zhou, Chu‐Yu Huang, Yun Ye et al.
Advanced Healthcare Materials
Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
article

Golgi Apparatus‐Targeting Immunostimulant for Synergistic Activation of Antitumor Immunity via Pyroptosis Induction and PD‐L1 Degradation

Yixin Liu, Hang‐Yu Zhou, Chu‐Yu Huang, Yun Ye, Guangmiao Chen, Rong‐Rong Zheng, Qiu‐Yuan Li, Shi‐Ying Li, Lin‐Ping Zhao, Ling‐Wen Ding, Shui‐Ying Zhang, Li‐Chong Lu
article en

Abstract

The inherently low immunogenicity and immune evasion properties of breast cancer cells present major obstacles to the effective activation of antitumor immune responses. To overcome these challenges, we develop a Golgi apparatus-targeting immunostimulant (GA-IS) that synergistically enhances antitumor immunity through the induction of pyroptosis and degradation of PD-L1. GA-IS is based on an amphiphilic chimeric peptide (GA-Chip), which consists of a Golgi apparatus-targeting sequence (SDYQRL), a hydrophobic palmitic acid moiety, and the photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). This construct is co-formulated with the PD-L1 degrader dBET57 using DSPE-PEG<sub>2000</sub> to improve stability and systemic delivery. Upon accumulation in tumor cells, GA-IS enables precise drug delivery to the Golgi apparatus and elicits localized photodynamic effects, thereby inducing pyroptotic cell death and robust immunogenic cell death (ICD), ultimately enhancing tumor immunogenicity. Critically, GA-IS also downregulates PD-L1 expression via BRD4 degradation, effectively disrupting immune checkpoint signaling and restoring immune surveillance. As a result, GA-IS elicits a potent systemic immune response capable of suppressing both primary and metastatic breast cancer, while showing minimal systemic toxicity. This Golgi apparatus-targeting immunostimulant represents a promising strategy to reverse immune suppression in breast cancer and advance precision immunotherapy.

Advanced Healthcare Materials
National University of Singapore (SG), Zhujiang Hospital (CN), State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease (CN), Guangzhou Medical University (CN)
Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Research Foundation, National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, China Scholarship Council, Medical Research Council, National Medical Research Council, Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 54%
Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
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