Multi-functionalized carbon nanomaterials have attracted interest owing to their excellent synergic properties, such as plasmon resonance energy transfer and surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Particularly, nanoparticle (NP)-decorated graphene (GRP) has been applied in various fields. In this study, silver NP (AgNP)- and magnetic iron oxide NP (IONP)-decorated GRP were prepared and utilized as biosensing platforms. In this case, AgNPs and GRP exhibit plasmonic properties, whereas IONPs exhibit magnetic properties; therefore, this hybrid nanomaterial could function as a magnetoplasmonic substrate for the magnetofluoro-immunosensing (MFI) system. Conversely, exosomes were recently considered high-potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of diseases. However, exosome diagnostic use requires complex isolation and purification methods. Nevertheless, we successfully detected a prostate-cancer-cell-derived exosome (PC-exosome) from non-purified exosomes in a culture media sample using Ag/IO-GRP and dye-tetraspanin antibodies (Ab). First, the anti-prostate-specific antigen was immobilized on the Ag/IO-GRP and it could isolate the PC-exosome from the sample via an external magnetic force. Dye-tetraspanin Ab was added to the sample to induce the sandwich structure. Based on the number of exosomes, the fluorescence intensity from the dye varied and the system exhibited highly sensitive and selective performance. Consequently, these hybrid materials exhibited excellent potential for biosensing platforms.

Background Cancer immunotherapy, which activates the immune system of the human body to fight cancer cells, is a new paradigm for cancer treatment that follows first-generation chemotherapeutics and second-generation cancer-targeting agents. Cancer patients who respond to immuno-oncology drugs can experience continuous anticancer effects because cancer immunotherapy uses the memory and adaptiveness of the human immune system. Immunotherapeutics such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, immune cell therapies, anticancer vaccines, and antibody-drug conjugates are changing the present cancer treatment landscape owing to their anticancer efficacy and improvement in the survival rate of cancer patients. However, the clinical use of cancer immunotherapy has limitations, such as variation in the therapeutic response rate between patients and side effects including cytokine storm syndrome and immunosuppressive barriers. Area covered In this review, we describe cancer immunotherapy related to the tumor immune microenvironment and discuss the achievements and scope of nano-immunotherapy for cancer treatment. Expert opinion Tumors have complex characteristics, and immune cell types are diverse. The recent exploration for overcoming the limitations of cancer immunotherapy has paved the way towards the use of nanoparticles for the delivery of immunotherapeutics and/or anticancer agents near the tumor tissue, as well as for immuno-bioimaging.