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Sandys O, Stokkers PCF, Te Velde AA. DAMP-ing IBD: Extinguish the Fire and Prevent Smoldering. Dig Dis Sci 2024:10.1007/s10620-024-08523-5. [PMID: 38963463 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-024-08523-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
In inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), the most promising therapies targeting cytokines or immune cell trafficking demonstrate around 40% efficacy. As IBD is a multifactorial inflammation of the intestinal tract, a single-target approach is unlikely to solve this problem, necessitating an alternative strategy that addresses its variability. One approach often overlooked by the pharmaceutically driven therapeutic options is to address the impact of environmental factors. This is somewhat surprising considering that IBD is increasingly viewed as a condition heavily influenced by such factors, including diet, stress, and environmental pollution-often referred to as the "Western lifestyle". In IBD, intestinal responses result from a complex interplay among the genetic background of the patient, molecules, cells, and the local inflammatory microenvironment where danger- and microbe-associated molecular patterns (D/MAMPs) provide an adjuvant-rich environment. Through activating DAMP receptors, this array of pro-inflammatory factors can stimulate, for example, the NLRP3 inflammasome-a major amplifier of the inflammatory response in IBD, and various immune cells via non-specific bystander activation of myeloid cells (e.g., macrophages) and lymphocytes (e.g., tissue-resident memory T cells). Current single-target biological treatment approaches can dampen the immune response, but without reducing exposure to environmental factors of IBD, e.g., by changing diet (reducing ultra-processed foods), the adjuvant-rich landscape is never resolved and continues to drive intestinal mucosal dysregulation. Thus, such treatment approaches are not enough to put out the inflammatory fire. The resultant smoldering, low-grade inflammation diminishes physiological resilience of the intestinal (micro)environment, perpetuating the state of chronic disease. Therefore, our hypothesis posits that successful interventions for IBD must address the complexity of the disease by simultaneously targeting all modifiable aspects: innate immunity cytokines and microbiota, adaptive immunity cells and cytokines, and factors that relate to the (micro)environment. Thus the disease can be comprehensively treated across the nano-, meso-, and microscales, rather than with a focus on single targets. A broader perspective on IBD treatment that also includes options to adapt the DAMPing (micro)environment is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Sandys
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, AmsterdamUMC, AGEM, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter C F Stokkers
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, OLVG West, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anje A Te Velde
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, AmsterdamUMC, AGEM, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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2
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Purcell RA, Theisen RM, Arnold KB, Chung AW, Selva KJ. Polyfunctional antibodies: a path towards precision vaccines for vulnerable populations. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1183727. [PMID: 37600816 PMCID: PMC10433199 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1183727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccine efficacy determined within the controlled environment of a clinical trial is usually substantially greater than real-world vaccine effectiveness. Typically, this results from reduced protection of immunologically vulnerable populations, such as children, elderly individuals and people with chronic comorbidities. Consequently, these high-risk groups are frequently recommended tailored immunisation schedules to boost responses. In addition, diverse groups of healthy adults may also be variably protected by the same vaccine regimen. Current population-based vaccination strategies that consider basic clinical parameters offer a glimpse into what may be achievable if more nuanced aspects of the immune response are considered in vaccine design. To date, vaccine development has been largely empirical. However, next-generation approaches require more rational strategies. We foresee a generation of precision vaccines that consider the mechanistic basis of vaccine response variations associated with both immunogenetic and baseline health differences. Recent efforts have highlighted the importance of balanced and diverse extra-neutralising antibody functions for vaccine-induced protection. However, in immunologically vulnerable populations, significant modulation of polyfunctional antibody responses that mediate both neutralisation and effector functions has been observed. Here, we review the current understanding of key genetic and inflammatory modulators of antibody polyfunctionality that affect vaccination outcomes and consider how this knowledge may be harnessed to tailor vaccine design for improved public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth A. Purcell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Robert M. Theisen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kelly B. Arnold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Amy W. Chung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kevin J. Selva
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Tkacheva ON, Klimenko NS, Kashtanova DA, Tyakht AV, Maytesyan LV, Akopyan AA, Koshechkin SI, Strazhesko ID. Gut Microbiome in Post-COVID-19 Patients Is Linked to Immune and Cardiovascular Health Status but Not COVID-19 Severity. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11041036. [PMID: 37110459 PMCID: PMC10144658 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11041036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The composition of the gut microbiome stores the imprints of prior infections and other impacts. COVID-19 can cause changes in inflammatory status that persist for a considerable time after infection ends. As the gut microbiome is closely associated with immunity and inflammation, the infection severity might be linked to its community structure dynamics. Using 16S rRNA sequencing of stool samples, we investigated the microbiome three months after the end of the disease/infection or SARS-CoV-2 contact in 178 post-COVID-19 patients and those who contacted SARS-CoV-2 but were not infected. The cohort included 3 groups: asymptomatic subjects (n = 48), subjects who contacted COVID-19 patients with no further infection (n = 46), and severe patients (n = 86). Using a novel compositional statistical algorithm (nearest balance) and the concept of bacterial co-occurrence clusters (coops), we compared microbiome compositions between the groups as well as with multiple categories of clinical parameters including: immunity, cardiovascular parameters and markers of endothelial dysfunction, and blood metabolites. Although a number of clinical indicators varied drastically across the three groups, no differences in microbiome features were identified between them at this follow-up point. However, there were multiple associations between the microbiome features and clinical data. Among the immunity parameters, the relative lymphocyte number was linked to a balance including 14 genera. Cardiovascular parameters were associated with up to four bacterial cooperatives. Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 was linked to a balance including ten genera and one cooperative. Among the blood biochemistry parameters, calcium was the only parameter associated with the microbiome via a balance of 16 genera. Our results suggest comparable recovery of the gut community structure in the post-COVID-19 period, independently of severity or infection status. The multiple identified associations of clinical analysis data with the microbiome provide hypotheses about the participation of specific taxa in regulating immunity and homeostasis of cardiovascular and other body systems in health, as well as their disruption in SARS-CoV-2 infections and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga N Tkacheva
- The "Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology" of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 16 1st Leonova Str., 129226 Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalia S Klimenko
- Atlas Biomed Group-Knomx LLC, Tintagel House, 92 Albert Embankment, Lambeth, London SE1 7TY, UK
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilova Str., 119334 Moscow, Russia
| | - Daria A Kashtanova
- The "Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology" of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 16 1st Leonova Str., 129226 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander V Tyakht
- Atlas Biomed Group-Knomx LLC, Tintagel House, 92 Albert Embankment, Lambeth, London SE1 7TY, UK
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilova Str., 119334 Moscow, Russia
| | - Lilit V Maytesyan
- The "Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology" of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 16 1st Leonova Str., 129226 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna A Akopyan
- The "Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology" of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 16 1st Leonova Str., 129226 Moscow, Russia
| | - Stanislav I Koshechkin
- Atlas Biomed Group-Knomx LLC, Tintagel House, 92 Albert Embankment, Lambeth, London SE1 7TY, UK
| | - Irina D Strazhesko
- The "Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology" of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 16 1st Leonova Str., 129226 Moscow, Russia
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Exploration of the induced cytokine responses in European Lyme neuroborreliosis: A longitudinal cohort study. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102057. [PMID: 36330962 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is a prevalent tick-borne disease in Europe caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. Slightly suppressed induced Th1- and Th17-responses are seen at diagnosis. The induced immune response following antibiotic therapy is unknown. We hypothesized that the immune responses normalize after completing antibiotic treatment. An observational longitudinal cohort study investigating the induced immune response in adult patients with LNB at diagnosis, three and six months after treatment. Whole blood was added to three TruCulture® (Myriad RBM, Austin, USA) tubes each containing one stimulation. An additional TruCulture® tube was without stimulation representing the in vivo activation of blood immune cells. Nine cytokines were measured using Luminex (LX200, R&D Systems, BIO-Teche LTD). Changes in immune response were analyzed with linear mixed model including follow-up as categorical fixed effect. A total of 21 patients with 55 samples were included. All had clinical improvement, but 5/21 patients reported residual symptoms after six months. The non-induced release of IL-17A and IL-1β increased significantly from diagnosis to six month follow-up. Six months after treatment only IFN-α and TNF-α were below the reference range. Minor variations in the induced immune responses were seen during the study period. Th1- and Th17-responses continued to be low with low IFN-γ, IL-12p40, and IL-17A in multiple stimulations. Overall little dynamic was observed. The changes in the cytokine responses are most likely not linked to LNB pathogenesis and our results do not support the implementation of TruCulture® in the diagnostics or follow-up of LNB.
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Mauracher AA, Henrickson SE. Leveraging Systems Immunology to Optimize Diagnosis and Treatment of Inborn Errors of Immunity. FRONTIERS IN SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2022; 2:910243. [PMID: 37670772 PMCID: PMC10477056 DOI: 10.3389/fsysb.2022.910243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are monogenic disorders that can cause diverse symptoms, including recurrent infections, autoimmunity and malignancy. While many factors have contributed, the increased availability of next-generation sequencing has been central in the remarkable increase in identification of novel monogenic IEI over the past years. Throughout this phase of disease discovery, it has also become evident that a given gene variant does not always yield a consistent phenotype, while variants in seemingly disparate genes can lead to similar clinical presentations. Thus, it is increasingly clear that the clinical phenotype of an IEI patient is not defined by genetics alone, but is also impacted by a myriad of factors. Accordingly, we need methods to amplify our current diagnostic algorithms to better understand mechanisms underlying the variability in our patients and to optimize treatment. In this review, we will explore how systems immunology can contribute to optimizing both diagnosis and treatment of IEI patients by focusing on identifying and quantifying key dysregulated pathways. To improve mechanistic understanding in IEI we must deeply evaluate our rare IEI patients using multimodal strategies, allowing both the quantification of altered immune cell subsets and their functional evaluation. By studying representative controls and patients, we can identify causative pathways underlying immune cell dysfunction and move towards functional diagnosis. Attaining this deeper understanding of IEI will require a stepwise strategy. First, we need to broadly apply these methods to IEI patients to identify patterns of dysfunction. Next, using multimodal data analysis, we can identify key dysregulated pathways. Then, we must develop a core group of simple, effective functional tests that target those pathways to increase efficiency of initial diagnostic investigations, provide evidence for therapeutic selection and contribute to the mechanistic evaluation of genetic results. This core group of simple, effective functional tests, targeting key pathways, can then be equitably provided to our rare patients. Systems biology is thus poised to reframe IEI diagnosis and therapy, fostering research today that will provide streamlined diagnosis and treatment choices for our rare and complex patients in the future, as well as providing a better understanding of basic immunology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea A. Mauracher
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Sarah E. Henrickson
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Loft JA, Møller DL, Thudium RF, Knudsen JD, Ostrowski SR, Andersen ÅB, Nielsen SD. The Induced Immune Response in Patients With Infectious Spondylodiscitis: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study. Front Immunol 2022; 13:858934. [PMID: 35360000 PMCID: PMC8963848 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.858934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Infectious spondylodiscitis is a rare infection of the intervertebral disc and the adjacent vertebral bodies that often disseminates and requires long-term antibiotic therapy. Immunologic profiling of patients with infectious spondylodiscitis could allow for a personalized medicine strategy. We aimed to examine the induced immune response in patients with infectious spondylodiscitis during and after antibiotic therapy. Furthermore, we explored potential differences in the induced immune response depending on the causative pathogen and the dissemination of the disease. Methods This was a prospective observational cohort study that enrolled patients with infectious spondylodiscitis between February 2018 and August 2020. A blood sample was collected at baseline, after four to six weeks of antibiotic therapy (during antibiotic therapy), and three to seven months after end of antibiotic therapy (post-infection). The induced immune response was assessed using the standardized functional immune assay TruCulture®. We used a panel of three immune cell stimuli (lipopolysaccharide, Resiquimod and polyinosinic:polycytodylic acid) and an unstimulated control. For each stimulus, the induced immune response was assessed by measuring the released concentration of Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-17A, Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in pg/mL. Results In total, 49 patients with infectious spondylodiscitis were included. The induced immune responses were generally lower than references at baseline, but the cytokine release increased in patients after treatment with antibiotic therapy. Post-infection, most of the released cytokine concentrations were within the reference range. No significant differences in the induced immune responses based on stratification according to the causative pathogen or dissemination of disease were found. Conclusion We found lower induced immune responses in patients with infectious spondylodiscitis at baseline. However, post-infection, the immune function normalized, indicating that an underlying immune deficiency is not a prominent factor for spondylodiscitis. We did not find evidence to support the use of induced immune responses as a tool for prediction of the causative pathogen or disease dissemination, and other methods should be explored to guide optimal treatment of patients with infectious spondylodiscitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefine Amalie Loft
- Viro-Immunology Research Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dina Leth Møller
- Viro-Immunology Research Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rebekka Faber Thudium
- Viro-Immunology Research Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jenny Dahl Knudsen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sisse Rye Ostrowski
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Åse Bengård Andersen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Susanne Dam Nielsen
- Viro-Immunology Research Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Transplantation, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Susanne Dam Nielsen,
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Reid C, Beynon C, Kennedy E, O'Farrelly C, Meade KG. Bovine innate immune phenotyping via a standardized whole blood stimulation assay. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17227. [PMID: 34446770 PMCID: PMC8390753 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96493-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cattle vary in their susceptibility to infection and immunopathology, but our ability to measure and longitudinally profile immune response variation is limited by the lack of standardized immune phenotyping assays for high-throughput analysis. Here we report longitudinal innate immune response profiles in cattle using a low-blood volume, whole blood stimulation system—the ImmunoChek (IChek) assay. By minimizing cell manipulation, our standardized system minimizes the potential for artefactual results and enables repeatable temporal comparative analysis in cattle. IChek successfully captured biological variation in innate cytokine (IL-1β and IL-6) and chemokine (IL-8) responses to 24-hr stimulation with either Gram-negative (LPS), Gram-positive (PamCSK4) bacterial or viral (R848) pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) across a 4-month time window. Significant and repeatable patterns of inter-individual variation in cytokine and chemokine responses, as well as consistent high innate immune responder individuals were identified at both baseline and induced levels. Correlation coefficients between immune response read-outs (IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8) varied according to PAMP. Strong significant positive correlations were observed between circulating monocytes and IL-6 levels for null and induced responses (0.49–0.61) and between neutrophils and cytokine responses to R848 (0.38–0.47). The standardized assay facilitates high-throughput bovine innate immune response profiling to identify phenotypes associated with disease susceptibility and responses to vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cian Reid
- Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Grange, Co Meath, Ireland.,School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Charlotte Beynon
- Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Grange, Co Meath, Ireland.,School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Emer Kennedy
- Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
| | - Cliona O'Farrelly
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.,School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Kieran G Meade
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. .,Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. .,Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
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Afonin KA, Dobrovolskaia MA, Church G, Bathe M. Opportunities, Barriers, and a Strategy for Overcoming Translational Challenges to Therapeutic Nucleic Acid Nanotechnology. ACS NANO 2020; 14:9221-9227. [PMID: 32706238 PMCID: PMC7731581 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c04753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Recent clinical successes using therapeutic nucleic acids (TNAs) have accelerated the transition of nucleic acid nanotechnology toward therapeutic applications. Significant progress in the development, production, and characterization of nucleic acid nanomaterials and nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs), as well as abundant proof-of-concept data, are paving the way toward biomedical applications of these materials. This recent progress has catalyzed the development of new strategies for biosensing, imaging, drug delivery, and immunotherapies with previously unrecognized opportunities and identified some barriers that may impede the broader clinical translation of NANP technologies. A recent workshop sponsored by the Kavli Foundation and the Materials Research Society discussed the future directions and current challenges for the development of therapeutic nucleic acid nanotechnology. Herein, we communicate discussions on the opportunities, barriers, and strategies for realizing the clinical grand challenge of TNA nanotechnology, with a focus on ways to overcome barriers to advance NANPs to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Marina A Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Lab, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - George Church
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Harvard Graduate Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Mark Bathe
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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Dobrovolskaia MA. Nucleic Acid Nanoparticles at a Crossroads of Vaccines and Immunotherapies. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24244620. [PMID: 31861154 PMCID: PMC6943637 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24244620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccines and immunotherapies involve a variety of technologies and act through different mechanisms to achieve a common goal, which is to optimize the immune response against an antigen. The antigen could be a molecule expressed on a pathogen (e.g., a disease-causing bacterium, a virus or another microorganism), abnormal or damaged host cells (e.g., cancer cells), environmental agent (e.g., nicotine from a tobacco smoke), or an allergen (e.g., pollen or food protein). Immunogenic vaccines and therapies optimize the immune response to improve the eradication of the pathogen or damaged cells. In contrast, tolerogenic vaccines and therapies retrain or blunt the immune response to antigens, which are recognized by the immune system as harmful to the host. To optimize the immune response to either improve the immunogenicity or induce tolerance, researchers employ different routes of administration, antigen-delivery systems, and adjuvants. Nanocarriers and adjuvants are of particular interest to the fields of vaccines and immunotherapy as they allow for targeted delivery of the antigens and direct the immune response against these antigens in desirable direction (i.e., to either enhance immunogenicity or induce tolerance). Recently, nanoparticles gained particular attention as antigen carriers and adjuvants. This review focuses on a particular subclass of nanoparticles, which are made of nucleic acids, so-called nucleic acid nanoparticles or NANPs. Immunological properties of these novel materials and considerations for their clinical translation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina A Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Lab, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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