Co-administered internalizing RGD peptide boosts anti-PD-L1 therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has significantly improved the treatment of solid tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, most patients fail to respond. Here, we examined whether co-administration of the tumor-penetrating internalizing (i)RGD peptide, which selectively increases tumor vascular permeability in a neuropilin-1-dependent manner, enhances intratumoral delivery and therapeutic efficacy of αPD-L1 in mouse models of HCC.

Methods

αPD-L1, with or without iRGD, was administered intravenously to mice bearing endogenous HCCs (TGFα/c-myc and diethylnitrosamine [DEN]/carbon tetrachloride [CCl₄] models). Tumor growth was monitored by MRI. Immune cell composition and activation were analyzed by flow cytometry. RNA sequen

SUBMITTER: Klug JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12907498 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature