Polymer-loaded hydrogels serve as depots for lactate and mimic "cold" tumor microenvironments.

ABSTRACT: The burgeoning field of biomaterials for immunotherapy has aided in the understanding of foundational mechanisms of cancer immunology. In particular, implantable biomaterials can be engineered to investigate specific aspects of the tumor microenvironment either singularly or in combination. Of note, the metabolite - lactate, a byproduct of anaerobic glycolysis, is known to reprogram immune cells, resulting in increased tumor survival. An adequate model that can recapitulate intratumoral lactate concentrations does not exist. In this study, we demonstrate that a simple biomaterial platform could be developed as an instructive tool to decipher the effects of lactate in vivo. Briefly, we demonstrate that a peptide hydrogel loaded with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor and poly-

SUBMITTER: Allen R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7606634 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature