Janus particles as artificial antigen-presenting cells for T cell activation

Here we show that the multifunctionality of Janus particles can be exploited for in vitro T cell activation. We engineer bifunctional Janus particles on which the spatial distribution of two ligands, anti-CD3 and fibronectin, mimics the "bull's eye" protein pattern formed in the membrane junction between a T cell and an antigen-presenting cell. Different levels of T cell activation can be achieved by simply switching the spatial distribution of the two ligands on the surfaces of the "bull's eye" particles. We find that the ligand pattern also affects clustering of intracellular proteins. This study demonstrates that anisotropic particles, such as Janus particles, can be developed as artificial antigen-presenting cells for modulating T cell activation.