Fig 1

(A) Synthesis of Lyc-CDs and Lyc-OVA. (B) Schematic representation of the immune response triggered by Lyc-OVA in vivo."

Fig 2

(a) TEM image of Lyc-CDs. (b) UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectra of Lyc-CDs. (c) FTIR spectrum of Lyc-CDs. (d) XPS spectrum of Lyc-CDs. High-resolution (e) C 1s, (f) N 1s XPS spectra of Lyc-CDs."

Fig 3

(a) TEM images of Lyc-OVA. (b) Size distribution of Lyc-OVA. (c) SDS-PAGE analysis of OVA, L-Arg-CDs, Lyc-CDs, L-Arg-OVA and Lyc-OVA. (d) Molecular docking diagram of rhamnose in LBP and OVA. (e) Zeta potential of OVA, L-Arg-CDs, Lyc-CDs, L-Arg-OVA and Lyc-OVA. (f) OVA release curve of Lyc-OVA in PBS (pH = 7.4, 6.5 and 5.4)"

Fig 4

(a) Cell viability of DC2.4 after treatment with Lyc-CDs and Lyc-OVA for 24 h. (b) CLSTM High Content images of immature DC2.4 treated with Lyc-CDs and Lyc-OVA for 2, 4 and 6 h. (c) CD80+CD86+ in DC2.4 after treatment with PBS, OVA, L-Arg-CDs, Lyc-CDs, L-Arg-OVA, Lyc-OVA and LPS. (d) Immunofluorescence images of CD80 and CD86 expressed by DC2.4 cells after incubation with PBS, OVA, L-Arg-CDs, Lyc-CDs, L-Arg-OVA, Lyc-OVA and LPS. (Blue: DAPI; Green: Cytoskeleton). Expression levels of (e) TNF-α, (f) IFN-γ and (g) IL-6 in DC2.4 after treatment with PBS, OVA, L-Arg-CDs, Lyc-CDs, L-Arg-OVA, Lyc-OVA and LPS. Data are expressed as mean ± SD (significance analysis was performed using a two-way ANOVA or two-tailed t-test. ns: not significant, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ***p < 0.001, n = 4)."

Fig 5

(a) Treatment schedule for B16-OVA tumors in C57BL/6 mice. (b) Pictures of primary tumors. (c) Mean tumor weight of primary tumors. (d) Growth curves of primary tumors (e) Pictures of distal tumors. (f) Mean tumor weight of distal tumors. (g) Growth curves of distal tumors. (h) Curve of mice body weight over time. (i) Tumor Growth Inhibition (TGI) of the primary tumors. (j) TGI of the distal tumors. Data are expressed as mean ± SD (significance analysis was performed using a two-way ANOVA or two-tailed t-test. ns: not significant, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ***p < 0.001, n = 5)."

Fig 6

Percentage of mature DC cells in the (a) LNs, (b) spleens and (c) in the tumors. Percentage of CD4+CD8+ T cells in the (d) LNs, (e) spleens and (f) tumors."

Fig 7

Percentage of (a) MDSCs and (b) Tregs in the tumors. Serum levels of cytokines including (c) TNF-α, (d) IFN-γ and (e) IL-6 in mice. (f) Blood routine analysis of the mice. Data are expressed as mean ± SD (significance analysis was performed using a two-way ANOVA or two-tailed t-test. ns: not significant, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ***p < 0.001, n = 5)."