Citation: Qingwen Xu, Zhigang Xie, Min Zheng. Construction of pH-responsive Lycium barbarum-derived carbon dots nanovaccines for enhanced anti-tumor immunotherapy[J]. Acta Physico-Chimica Sinica, ;2026, 42(6): 100203. doi: 10.1016/j.actphy.2025.100203 shu

Construction of pH-responsive Lycium barbarum-derived carbon dots nanovaccines for enhanced anti-tumor immunotherapy

Qingwen Xu ¹ ,
Zhigang Xie ^2,, ,
Min Zheng ^1,,

1.
College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Advanced Institute of Materials Science, Changchun University of Technology, Changchun 130012, Jilin Province, China;
2.
Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, Jilin Province, China

Corresponding author: Zhigang Xie, Min Zheng,
Received Date: 1 September 2025
Revised Date: 19 October 2025
Accepted Date: 19 October 2025

Immunotherapy has become a key focus in cancer treatment, and cancer nanovaccines have made significant progress as a representative approach in this field. However, some issues such as low immunogenicity, inefficient antigen delivery, and poor immune responses have limited the advancement of immunotherapy. To address these limitations, this study developed a pH-responsive nanovaccine (Lyc-OVA) based on Lycium barbarum-derived carbon dots (Lyc-CDs) synthesized via a green hydrothermal method. Owing to retained Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP, 18.43% total sugar content), Lyc-CDs demonstrated superior loading efficiency (48.40%) and pH-responsive release (80% OVA released within 24 h at pH 5.4) of OVA. Molecular docking simulations identified hydrogen bonding and π-cation interactions between LBP monosaccharides (rhamnose/galactose) and OVA. Lyc-OVA promoted dendritic cell maturation (32.87% CD80⁺CD86⁺ cells, comparable to LPS) and cytokine secretion (TNF-α: 13.10 pg mL^-1; IFN-γ: 17.78 pg mL^-1; IL-6: 3.74 pg mL^-1). In a bilateral B16-OVA melanoma model, Lyc-OVA suppressed primary/distal tumor growth (80.36%/82.16% inhibition rates) by activating CD4⁺CD8⁺T cells, reducing immunosuppressive Treg/MDSC populations, and reshaping the tumor immune microenvironment. This work highlights the multifunctional role of natural polysaccharides in nanovaccine and provides an effective strategy for tumor immunotherapy.
- Lycium barbarum,
- Carbon dots,
- Nanovaccines,
- Tumor microenvironment,
- Tumor immunotherapy
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