A STING-activating biomimetic mineralized nanovaccine triggers robust anti-tumor immunity

Tumor nanovaccines have attracted great interest recently, due to a variety of advantages including high stability, efficient antigen packing and delivery, and the capacity to elicit sustained anti-tumor immune responses. Despite these advantages, existing nanovaccines are constrained by intricate manufacturing procedures and high production costs, prompting a need to develop simpler and more cost-effective solutions. In this study, we introduce a novel STING-activating tumor nanovaccine, designated OVA/Tp@Mn-DNA. The preparation of OVA/Tp@Mn-DNA nanovaccine is a straightforward process involving the self-assembly of Mn²⁺ and DNA molecules into nanospheres, which are then crosslinked with both antigenic peptides and antigen-presenting cells (APC)-targeting peptides. Our findings reveal that the OVA/Tp@Mn-DNA nanovaccine facilitates the delivery of antigens to APCs, activates STING signaling pathway effectively and triggering robust cellular immune responses. Results from xenograft mouse tumor model demonstrate a remarkable therapeutic potential of OVA/Tp@Mn-DNA in combating tumors. Collectively, our work presents a new strategy offering OVA/Tp@Mn-DNA as an uncomplicated and economical nanovaccine for potent tumor immunotherapy.