Chronic delivery of antibody fragments using immunoisolated cell implants as a passive vaccination tool

Encapsulated Optically Responsive Cell Systems: Toward Smart Implants in Biomedicine

Managing increasingly prevalent chronic diseases will require close continuous monitoring of patients. Cell-based biosensors may be used for implantable diagnostic systems to monitor health status. Cells are indeed natural sensors in the body. Functional cellular systems can be maintained in the body for long-term implantation using cell encapsulation technology. By taking advantage of recent progress in miniaturized optoelectronic systems, the genetic engineering of optically responsive cells may be combined with cell encapsulation to generate smart implantable cell-based sensing systems. In biomedical research, cell-based biosensors may be used to study cell signaling, therapeutic effects, and dosing of bioactive molecules in preclinical models. Today, a wide variety of genetically encoded fluorescent sensors have been developed for real-time imaging of living cells. Here, recent developments in genetically encoded sensors, cell encapsulation, and ultrasmall optical systems are highlighted. The integration of these components in a new generation of biosensors is creating innovative smart in vivo cell-based systems, bringing novel perspectives for biomedical research and ultimately allowing unique health monitoring applications.

Cancer nanoimmunotherapy using advanced pharmaceutical nanotechnology

Immunotherapy is a promising option for cancer treatment that might cure cancer with fewer side effects by primarily activating the host's immune system. However, the effect of traditional immunotherapy is modest, frequently due to tumor escape and resistance of multiple mechanisms. Pharmaceutical nanotechnology, which is also called cancer nanotechnology or nanomedicine, has provided a practical solution to solve the limitations of traditional immunotherapy. This article reviews the latest developments in immunotherapy and nanomedicine, and illustrates how nanocarriers (including micelles, liposomes, polymer-drug conjugates, solid lipid nanoparticles and biodegradable nanoparticles) could be used for the cellular transfer of immune effectors for active and passive nanoimmunotherapy. The fine engineering of nanocarriers based on the unique features of the tumor microenvironment and extra-/intra-cellular conditions of tumor cells can greatly tip the triangle immunobalance among host, tumor and nanoparticulates in favor of antitumor responses, which shows a promising prospect for nanoimmunotherapy.

Encapsulated cellular implants for recombinant protein delivery and therapeutic modulation of the immune system

Ex vivo gene therapy using retrievable encapsulated cellular implants is an effective strategy for the local and/or chronic delivery of therapeutic proteins. In particular, it is considered an innovative approach to modulate the activity of the immune system. Two recently proposed therapeutic schemes using genetically engineered encapsulated cells are discussed here: the chronic administration of monoclonal antibodies for passive immunization against neurodegenerative diseases and the local delivery of a cytokine as an adjuvant for anti-cancer vaccines.

Transgenic expression of β1 antibody in brain neurons impairs age-dependent amyloid deposition in APP23 mice

Heterologous expression of the functional amyloid beta (Aβ) antibody β1 in the central nervous system was engineered to maximize antibody exposure in the brain and assess the effects on Aβ production and accumulation in these conditions. A single open reading frame encoding the heavy and light chains of β1 linked by the mouth and foot virus peptide 2A was expressed in brain neurons of transgenic mice. Two of the resulting BIN66 transgenic lines were crossed with APP23 mice, which develop severe central amyloidosis. Brain concentrations at steady-state 5 times greater than those found after peripheral β1 administration were obtained. Similar brain and plasma β1 concentrations indicated robust antibody efflux from the brain. In preplaque mice, β1 formed a complex with Aβ that caused a modest Aβ increase in brain and plasma. At 11 months of age, β1 expression reduced amyloid by 97% compared with age-matched APP23 mice. Interference of β1 with β-secretase cleavage of amyloid precursor protein was relatively small. Our data suggest that severely impaired amyloid formation was primarily mediated by a complex of β1 with soluble Aβ, which might have prevented Aβ aggregation or favored transport out of the brain.