Table 3.

Unique features of inorganic NMs can be leveraged to enhance anti-tumor immunity.

Immune Setting	Inorganic NM	Effect	Ref.
Cancer	QDs	Promoted apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cell line	51
	AuNPs	Antigen-decoration delayed, reduced, or inhibited tumor growth in B16F10, B16-OVA and 4T1 cancer models. Efficacy in E.G7-OVA model was dependent on NP size.	111 113 116 118
		Efficacy in B16-OVA cancer model was dependent on adjuvant choice for immune signal coating and injection route	119 120
	poly(propylene sulfide) (PPS) NPs	Antigen and adjuvant delivery delayed EG.7-OVA tumor growth	114
	SWCNTs	Adjuvant attachment improved inhibition of cancer cell migration	115
		Antibody-coating targeted intratumor but not peripheral TREGs	122
		Taken up by monocytes, entered tumor interstitium, and crossed blood vessel walls.	125
		Ablation resulted in strong local and systemic anti-tumor response with memory	131
	AuNRs	Combined irradiation and adjuvant delivery promoted protection from B16F10 tumors	133
	Silica NPs	Codelivery of OVA and CpG reduced B16-OVA tumor growth and suppressed tumor development following rechallenge.	134
		Cationic nature promotes tumor cell death and adjuvant delivery activates anti-tumor immune cell response	135
	Iron oxide NPs	Magnetic targeting of IFN-γ coated NPs destroyed tumors	136
		DCs containing tumor lysates and heat shock protein-coated NPs increased survival in glioma model	138
	Iron oxide-zinc oxide NPs	DCs containing antigen-coated NPs increased survival in CEA cancer model	140