Targeting dendritic cells through gold nanoparticles: A review on the cellular uptake and subsequent immunological properties

Mol Immunol. 2017 Nov:91:123-133. doi: 10.1016/j.molimm.2017.09.001. Epub 2017 Sep 9.

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (NPs) have been proposed as a highly potential tool in immunotherapies due to its advantageous properties including customizable size and shapes, surface functionality and biocompatibility. Dendritic cells (DCs), the sentinels of immune response, have been of interest to be manipulated by using gold NPs for targeted delivery of immunotherapeutic agent. Researches done especially in human DCs showed a variation of gold NPs effects on cellular uptake and internalization, DC maturation and subsequent T cells priming as well as cytotoxicity. In this review, we describe the synthesis and physiochemical properties of gold NPs as well as the importance of gold NPs in immunotherapies through their actions on human DCs.

Keywords: Cytokine; Dendritic cells; Gold nanoparticles; Maturation; T cells.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Gold / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Metal Nanoparticles / therapeutic use*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology

Substances

  • Gold