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journal article·2026-02Open access

Engineering M13 Filamentous Phages to Target Dendritic Cells and Elicit Anti‐Tumour Immunity

Yee Man AuYeung, Zheng Zeng, Luyao Coco Zhou, Jiani Zhan, Zhe Wang, JiaXin Guo, Renhao Li, Yangfan Wu, Choa Mun, Masami Yamamoto, Tetsuya Tsukamoto, Sachiyo Nomura, Jian‐dong Huang

Small· Volume 22· Issue 7
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Abstract

Abstract Filamentous M13 phages are promising self‐adjuvanting nanoparticles for cancer immunotherapy, but their efficacy remains limited by antigen versatility and immune targeting. Here, SCP is developed as an M13 phage‐based vector that conjugates antigens via a SpyCatcher‐SpyTag interface and presents dendritic cell (DC)‐targeting peptides to enhance antigen uptake. SCP activates DCs in vitro, upregulating co‐stimulatory markers and inflammatory gene signatures, which subsequently enhances T cell cytotoxicity. In vivo, SCP can be administered subcutaneously as a vaccine adjuvant or intratumourally as a therapy in multiple murine tumour models. SCP induces robust local inflammation, immunogenic cell death, and in situ tumour antigen release, driving tumour‐specific cytotoxic T cell responses without requiring predefined neoantigens. Beyond promoting immune infiltration, SCP also reduces neovascularization, downregulates immune checkpoints, and elicits durable systemic immunity to prevent recurrence. Overall, SCP offers a scalable, cost‐effective platform for enhancing tumour immunogenicity, bypassing the need for predefined neoantigen selection and exogenous vaccine production.
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Research context

Nanomaterials

OpenAlex topics: Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research · Immunotherapy and Immune Responses · Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

School of Biomedical Sciences and School of Biomedical Engineering Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam 000 Hong Kong SAR

Department of Pathology Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam 000 Hong Kong

Department of Clinical Oncology The University of Hong Kong‐Shenzhen Hospital Shenzhen 518000 China

Department of Pathology Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University Tokyo 180‐8602 Japan

Department of Pathology Graduate School of Medicine Fujita Health University Toyoake 470‐1192 Japan

Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery Graduate School of Medicine The University of Tokyo Tokyo 113‐8654 Japan

Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen 518055 China

Department of Clinical Oncology Shenzhen Key Laboratory for cancer metastasis and personalized therapy The University of Hong Kong‐Shenzhen Hospital Shenzhen 518000 China

Centre for Virology Vaccinology and Therapeutics Hong Kong Science and Technology Park Hong Kong SAR 000 China

Materials Innovation Institute for Life Sciences and Energy (MILES) HKU‐SIRI Shenzhen 518000 P.R. China

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