Dual STING activation and CD47/SIRPα blockade via chitooligosaccharide-based nanoparticles to amplify antitumor immunity

The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway represents a promising target for cancer immunotherapy, but traditional small-molecule agonists suffer from poor pharmacokinetics and systemic toxicity. To address this, we engineered chitooligosaccharide (COS)-dendritic polycarbonate (DPC) nanoparticles (CD NPs) as polymeric STING agonists with enhanced stability and tumor retention. Compared with free COS, CD NPs induced ∼5–7-fold higher Ifnb1 and Cxcl10 expression, robustly activated TBK1/IRF3 phosphorylation, and strengthened STING signaling in macrophages and tumor cells. In vivo, CD NPs selectively accumulated in tumors, increased M1 macrophages and dendritic cell maturation, reduced myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and promoted CD8+ T-cell infiltration, thereby reshaping the tumor microenvironment into a pro-inflammatory state. To further counter immune evasion, we encapsulated the CD47/SIRPα inhibitor RRX-001 into reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive carriers, yielding RRX@RCD. This dual-modality platform blocked the “don't eat me” signal while amplifying STING signaling, markedly enhancing tumor cell phagocytosis and interferon production. In CT26 tumor-bearing mice, RRX@RCD achieved superior tumor regression, doubled median survival. Overall, RRX@RCD synchronizes innate and adaptive immune activation, offering a safe and potent nanomedicine strategy for durable antitumor immunity.