A CXCR4/PD-L1 Bispecific Nanobody Engineered for Tumor Microenvironment Retention Mediates Sustained Synergy with Chemotherapy via Remodeling Immunity in TNBC.

Background

The efficacy of chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is limited by intrinsic resistance and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Accumulating evidence reveals a mechanistic connection between programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and c-x-c motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), which dominate stroma barriers, immune escape, and cancer metastasis. Earlier studies have shown that dual suppression of c-x-c motif ligand 12 (CXCL12)/CXCR4 and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 pathways regulates extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pancreatic cancer cells.

Methods

We combined BsNb PX4, a bispecific nanobody targeting PD-L1 and CXCR4, with paclitaxel or gemcitabine in multiple tumor cell lines and human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (hPBMC)-reconstituted xenograft mouse models. Antitumor activity was assessed by CCK-8, flow cytometry, and ELISA, and immune cell infiltration and TME remodeling were examined by immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, cytokine assays, and RNA-seq.

Results

In MDA-MB-231 cells, BsNb PX4 synergistically enhanced paclitaxel-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis via G2/M cycle arrest. This combinatorial strategy profoundly remodeled tumor immunity by expanding CD8+ T cells and depleting Foxp3+ CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), while concurrently restoring T-cell cytotoxicity and skewing the cytokine balance toward an antitumor state, with elevated IFN-γ and reduced TGF-β1. Notably, compared with paclitaxel monotherapy, the combination significantly elevated intratumoral CD8+ T-cell infiltration, decreased Treg abundance, and exerted robust inhibitory effects on tumor growth and metastasis in humanized TNBC xenografts.

Conclusions

These findings reveal that dual blockade of PD-L1 and CXCR4 acts synergistically with chemotherapy by triggering tumor cell apoptotic effects and reversing the immunosuppressive microenvironment, thereby emerging as a promising therapeutic strategy for TNBC.