Next Article in Journal
Accumulation and Effect of Silver Nanoparticles Functionalized with Spirulina platensis on Rats
Next Article in Special Issue
Growth-Promoting Gold Nanoparticles Decrease Stress Responses in Arabidopsis Seedlings
Previous Article in Journal
Relationship between the Microstructure and Performance of Graphene/Polyethylene Composites Investigated by Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy
Previous Article in Special Issue
Cross-Species Comparisons of Nanoparticle Interactions with Innate Immune Systems: A Methodological Review
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Review

The Interactions between Nanoparticles and the Innate Immune System from a Nanotechnologist Perspective

1
Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
2
School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China
3
Institute of Protein Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy
4
Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen 518055, China
5
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Napoli, Italy
6
Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (ICN2), CSIC and The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Campus UAB, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
7
Institució Catalana de Recerca I Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(11), 2991; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11112991
Submission received: 16 September 2021 / Revised: 2 November 2021 / Accepted: 3 November 2021 / Published: 6 November 2021

Abstract

The immune system contributes to maintaining the body’s functional integrity through its two main functions: recognizing and destroying foreign external agents (invading microorganisms) and identifying and eliminating senescent cells and damaged or abnormal endogenous entities (such as cellular debris or misfolded/degraded proteins). Accordingly, the immune system can detect molecular and cellular structures with a spatial resolution of a few nm, which allows for detecting molecular patterns expressed in a great variety of pathogens, including viral and bacterial proteins and bacterial nucleic acid sequences. Such patterns are also expressed in abnormal cells. In this context, it is expected that nanostructured materials in the size range of proteins, protein aggregates, and viruses with different molecular coatings can engage in a sophisticated interaction with the immune system. Nanoparticles can be recognized or passed undetected by the immune system. Once detected, they can be tolerated or induce defensive (inflammatory) or anti-inflammatory responses. This paper describes the different modes of interaction between nanoparticles, especially inorganic nanoparticles, and the immune system, especially the innate immune system. This perspective should help to propose a set of selection rules for nanosafety-by-design and medical nanoparticle design.
Keywords: nanoparticles; immune system; innate immunity; inflammation; tolerance nanoparticles; immune system; innate immunity; inflammation; tolerance

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Ernst, L.M.; Casals, E.; Italiani, P.; Boraschi, D.; Puntes, V. The Interactions between Nanoparticles and the Innate Immune System from a Nanotechnologist Perspective. Nanomaterials 2021, 11, 2991. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11112991

AMA Style

Ernst LM, Casals E, Italiani P, Boraschi D, Puntes V. The Interactions between Nanoparticles and the Innate Immune System from a Nanotechnologist Perspective. Nanomaterials. 2021; 11(11):2991. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11112991

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ernst, Lena M., Eudald Casals, Paola Italiani, Diana Boraschi, and Victor Puntes. 2021. "The Interactions between Nanoparticles and the Innate Immune System from a Nanotechnologist Perspective" Nanomaterials 11, no. 11: 2991. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11112991

APA Style

Ernst, L. M., Casals, E., Italiani, P., Boraschi, D., & Puntes, V. (2021). The Interactions between Nanoparticles and the Innate Immune System from a Nanotechnologist Perspective. Nanomaterials, 11(11), 2991. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11112991

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop