Complement Deposition on Nanoparticles Can Modulate Immune Responses by Macrophage, B and T Cells

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Nanoparticles are promising drug delivery systems, but their interaction with the immune system poses challenges for nanotherapeutics.
• Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can activate the complement system, leading to increased phagocytic cell uptake and altered inflammatory responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the interaction of complement-activating and non-complement-activating nanomaterials with immune cells.
• To elucidate the role of complement deposition in nanoparticle uptake and immune cell responses.

Main Methods:

• Studied complement-activating CC-CNT and RNA-CNT, and non-complement-activating Au-Ni nanowires.
• Utilized cell lines representing macrophages, B cells, and T cells.
• Employed Real-Time qPCR and multiplex array analyses to assess gene expression.

Main Results:

• Complement deposition enhanced the uptake of CNTs by immune cells expressing complement receptors.
• Complement-activating CNTs modulated cytokine profiles, down-regulating TNF-α and IL-1β, and up-regulating IL-12.
• IL-10 was identified as a key regulator in nanoparticle-immune cell interactions.

Conclusions:

• The complement system recognizes distinct nanoparticle patterns, influencing their processing by antigen-presenting cells.
• Nanoparticle-complement interactions can shape both innate and adaptive immune responses, impacting nanotherapeutic efficacy.