Bottini M., Bottini N., Sacchetti C., Rapini N., Rosato N., Magrini A., Bottini M., Bottini N.
Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute, US
Keywords: carbon nanotubes, delivery system, regulatory T cell, siRNA, targeting
Due to their ability to suppress the activity of autoreactive cells, “natural” CD4+ CD25high FoxP3+ T cells (Treg) are important drug targets for autoimmune diseases and malignancies. Immunological studies are revealing a growing subset of genes, which are able to affect Treg function and could be targeted for novel therapies. However one major obstacle to the development of Treg-targeted therapies is the lack of approaches able to ensure selective delivery of drugs into these cells. Herein we reported our results about the fabrication of a nanosystem based on PEG-modified carbon nanotubes (PNTs) and aimed at targeting Treg residing in specific tissues. PNTs conjugated with monoclonal antobodies against Treg-enriched markers were able to reach the nucleus of Treg residing in the spleen of healthy mice or in a disease-associated microenvironment (B16 melanoma or arthritic joints) following systemic administration. Moreover, Treg-targeted PNTs were able to deliver siRNA specifically into Treg in vivo. Our data demonstrated that PNT-based nanosystems could open new avenues for the prevention/therapy of autoimmune diseases and malignancies based on the Treg-specific tuning of molecular pathways.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 3, Nanotechnology 2013: Bio Sensors, Instruments, Medical, Environment and Energy (Volume 3)
Published: May 12, 2013
Pages: 300 - 303
Industry sectors: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | Medical & Biotech
Topics: Biomaterials, Materials for Drug & Gene Delivery
ISBN: 978-1-4822-0586-2