It takes two to tango: Understanding the interactions between engineered nanomaterials and the immune system

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Nanotoxicology
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• The immune system defends against pathogens and particles.
• Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are increasingly sophisticated.
• Understanding ENM-immune interactions is vital for safety assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the immune system's recognition mechanisms.
• To explore if ENMs, with or without biomolecular coronas, can be perceived as pathogens.
• To inform the assessment of ENM potential toxicity.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of immune system pattern recognition.
• Analysis of ENM properties and biomolecular corona formation.
• Discussion of immune-competent cell sensing pathways.

Main Results:

• The immune system uses pattern recognition to identify threats.
• Biomolecular coronas alter ENM identity in biological systems.
• ENMs may be recognized by immune cells, potentially triggering responses.

Conclusions:

• ENM-immune cell interactions are complex and context-dependent.
• The formation of biomolecular coronas significantly influences ENM recognition.
• Further research is needed to elucidate ENM sensing by the immune system and its toxicological implications.