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Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Screening Bioactive Nanoparticles in Phagocytic Immune Cells for Inhibitors of Toll-like Receptor Signaling
Published on: July 26, 2017
Controlled release of antigen and Toll-like receptor ligands from PLGA nanoparticles enhances immunogenicity
Luis J Cruz1,2, Paul J Tacken1, Christina Eich1
1Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Insititute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Postbox 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Aim:
Dendritic cells rapidly capture nanoparticles and induce a potent cellular immune response. It is yet unknown whether the immunological response induced by slow release of encapsulated versus soluble antigen and adjuvant is superior.
Materials & Methods:
The kinetics of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) PLGA nanoparticles antigen release was studied by the DQ-bovine serum albumin (BSA) self-quenching antigen model. The immunological response induced was evaluated by means of dendritic cell activation/maturation markers, cytokine production and their ability to drive antigen-specific T-cell proliferation.
Results & Conclusion:
PLGA-encapsulated antigen and adjuvant showed an enhanced T-cell response when compared with soluble vaccine components by increasing antigenicity and adjuvanticity. Although the kinetic profile followed the same pattern, encapsulation increased strength and duration of the response.

