Artificial intelligence-designing drug-loaded bacterial outer membrane vesicles for in vitro activation of dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a critical role in both innate and adaptive immunity, particularly in regulating antitumor immune responses. However, immunosuppressive cytokines in the tumor microenvironment and lipid peroxidation imbalance within DCs limit their ability to activate tumor-specific T cells effectively. To address this, we developed a novel biomimetic nanodrug delivery platform using artificial intelligence (AI). This platform encapsulates curcumin nanoparticles in bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) to enhance DCs function through a dual approach: targeted drug delivery and immune activation. In vitro experiments demonstrated that curcumin reduced lipid peroxidation stress in DCs by modulating the IRE1α-XBP1 signaling pathway, thereby restoring their antigen-presenting function. Additionally, OMVs not only acted as efficient drug carriers but also as immune activators, promoting DCs maturation and enhancing tumor-specific immune responses. This study presents a promising strategy for improving antitumor immunotherapy and offers new insights into the application of AI in drug delivery systems.