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Strategies for the development of metalloimmunotherapies

Nature Biomedical Engineering volume 8, pages 1073–1091 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Metal ions play crucial roles in the regulation of immune pathways. In fact, metallodrugs have a long record of accomplishment as effective treatments for a wide range of diseases. Here we argue that the modulation of interactions of metal ions with molecules and cells involved in the immune system forms the basis of a new class of immunotherapies. By examining how metal ions modulate the innate and adaptive immune systems, as well as host–microbiota interactions, we discuss strategies for the development of such metalloimmunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and other immune-related diseases.

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Fig. 1: Immune processes involving metal ions.
Fig. 2: Metalloimmunotherapies.
Fig. 3: Precision metalloimmunotherapy.
Fig. 4: Future research directions in metalloimmunotherapy.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (through grants R01DE030691, R01DE031951, R01DK125087, R01CA271799, R01NS122536, R01DE026728, R44CA281497, U01CA210152 and P30CA046592).

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Author notes

  1. Xiaoqi Sun

    Present address: Editas Medicine, Cambridge, MA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Xiaoqi Sun, Xingwu Zhou, Xiaoyue Shi, Xinran An & James J. Moon

  2. Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Xiaoqi Sun, Xingwu Zhou, Xiaoyue Shi, Omar A. Abed, Xinran An & James J. Moon

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Omar A. Abed & James J. Moon

  4. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Yu Leo Lei

  5. Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Yu Leo Lei

  6. Department of Translational Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Yu Leo Lei

  7. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    James J. Moon

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Contributions

X. Sun, X.Z. and J.J.M. discussed the content, researched the data and wrote the paper. X. Shi, O.A.A., X.A. and Y.L.L. contributed to the discussion. All authors reviewed and edited the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xiaoqi Sun or James J. Moon.

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X. Sun is an employee and shareholder of Editas Medicine. Y.L.L. is a co-founder of Saros Therapeutics and serves on its scientific advisory board. J.J.M. declares financial interests in EVOQ Therapeutics and Saros Therapeutics as a board member, paid consultant and equity holder, and as a recipient of research funding. The University of Michigan also has financial interest in EVOQ Therapeutics.

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Sun, X., Zhou, X., Shi, X. et al. Strategies for the development of metalloimmunotherapies. Nat. Biomed. Eng 8, 1073–1091 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41551-024-01221-7

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