journal article·2026-07Open access

Switchable Enzyme‐Regulated ECM‐Integrin‐Cholesterol Signaling Orchestrate PD‐L1 Dual Destabilization for Boosting Photo‐Immunotherapy

Wenbo Yin, Yue Wang, Zonghang Liu, Shangjie An, Tao Song, Xiue Jiang

Small· Volume 22· Issue 39

Abstract

ABSTRACT Although PD‐1/PD‐L1 blockade therapy has shown clinical success, its efficacy in solid tumors remains limited by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. The tumor extracellular matrix (ECM), which forms a dense physical barrier and activates integrin‐mediated mechanotransduction to upregulate PD‐L1, while cholesterol‐enriched membrane domains stabilize integrin clustering and PD‐L1 localization, forming a self‐reinforcing ECM‐integrin‐cholesterol signaling network that drives immune evasion. Here, we designed a switchable natural enzyme nanoplatform with dual safety locks, co‐delivering papain and cholesterol synthesis inhibitor simvastatin to disrupt this network at multiple levels. Papain remains inactive during systemic circulation and intracellular trafficking, ensuring biosafety, but is selectively activated by tumor‐released glutathione and boosted by localized photothermal heating to precisely degrade ECM, suppressing integrin signaling and PD‐L1 transcription, while simvastatin‐driven cholesterol depletion amplifies this effect by destabilizing integrin clusters and promoting PD‐L1 degradation. Combined with phototherapy‐induced immunogenic cell death, this strategy remodels ECM, enhances T cell infiltration, overcomes checkpoint blockade resistance, and eradicates advanced tumors (∼500 mm 3 ).
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics · Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers · Cell Adhesion Molecules Research

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

Affiliations

State Key Lab of Electroanalytical Chemistry Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun Jilin China

School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui China

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Recognition and Biosensing Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China

School of Science and Engineering Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Functional Aggregate Materials The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Guangdong China

Funding

National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars · National Natural Science Foundation of China · Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin Municipality

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