The Impact of Nanoparticles on the Immune System: A Gray Zone of Nanomedicine

Abstract

Since the early days marking the first use of nanomedicine in the early 80s, there has been a meaningful change in the scientific field involving the Fabrication, characterization, and application of nanomaterials to treat many diseases, including cancers and genetic disorders. As unique and attractive properties of this novel class of materials unraveled, significant advances and discoveries were made over time. Addressing several challenges posed by conventional therapy, which were the only available treatment option for ailing patients, nanomedicine provided enhanced benefits, including reduced dosing, improved pharmacokinetics, and superior targeting efficiency. Several such formulations have successfully made their way to clinics and have shown promise in prolonging terminally ill patient populations’ survival rates. However, the complex immune system and its various components, including various proteins and surface receptors, have made nanomaterials’ journey from benchtop to the bedside a treacherous one. The innate and adaptive immune system interactions with nanomaterials are still under investigation and full of mysteries. This review highlights the various aspects of therapeutic nanocarriers and their current understanding of their immune systems’ interactions. The Impact of Nanoparticles on the Immune System: A Gray Zone of Nanomedicine Priyanka Ray1, Noor Haideri2, Inamul Haque2, Omar Mohammed2, Saborni Chakraborty2, Snigdha Banerjee2,3#, Mohiuddin Quadir1#, Amanda E. Brinker4,5, and Sushanta K. Banerjee2,3* 1Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 2Cancer Research Unit, VA Medical Center, Kansas City, MO 3Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 4Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 5Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation, University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS