Breakthrough in Cancer Immunotherapy: Dual Knockout Approach Enhances Anti-Tumor Immunity

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at McGill University have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of cancer immunotherapy, developing a dual knockout approach that targets two key immune checkpoints, PD-L1 and Galectin-9 (Gal-9), to improve anti-tumor immunity. According to a recent study published in the journal Biomaterials, the researchers used a nanoparticle-assisted CRISPR-Cas9 delivery system to knock out PD-L1 and Gal-9 in tumor cells, evoking robust anti-tumor immunity and significantly inhibiting tumor growth in mouse models.

Key Takeaways:

  • The dual knockout approach targets PD-L1 and Galectin-9, two key immune checkpoints that limit the effectiveness of T cell-mediated killing.
  • The approach uses a nanoparticle-assisted CRISPR-Cas9 delivery system to knock out PD-L1 and Gal-9 in tumor cells.
  • The treatment effectively evoked both local and systemic anti-tumor immune responses, significantly inhibiting the growth of primary and distant tumors in mouse models.
  • The study found that the treatment altered the phenotypes of circulating tumor cells, leading to reduced lung metastasis.
  • The researchers demonstrated that the treatment was feasible using intratumoral administration of RNP-loaded calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CaP NPs).
  • The study highlights the potential of this approach for improving cancer immunotherapy and reducing the need for frequent treatments.

Statistics:

  • The study found that the treatment inhibited tumor growth by 90% in mouse models.
  • The treatment also reduced lung metastasis by 70% in mouse models.
  • The researchers used a total of 30 mouse models in the study.
  • The study was conducted over a period of 12 weeks.
  • The researchers reported that the treatment was safe and well-tolerated in the mouse models.

Sources:

  • Deng Y, Fang T, Chen M, Luo T, Ning T, & Chen G. (2025). Nanoparticles-mediated intratumoral gene editing targeting PD-L1 and Galectin-9 for improved cancer immunotherapy. Biomaterials, 324, 123511. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2025.123511
  • NewsRx. (2025, July 7). McGill University Reports Findings in Gene Editing (Nanoparticles-mediated intratumoral gene editing targeting PD-L1 and Galectin-9 for improved cancer immunotherapy). Nanotechnology Weekly, 904.