In vivo reprogramming of immune cells: Technologies for induction of antigen-specific tolerance

• Published in: Advanced drug delivery reviews Vol. 114; pp. 240 - 255
• Main Authors: Pearson, Ryan M., Casey, Liam M., Hughes, Kevin R., Miller, Stephen D., Shea, Lonnie D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.05.2017
• Subjects: Allergy; Animals; Antigen-Presenting Cells - immunology; Antigens - immunology; Autoimmune disease; Drug delivery; Graft Survival - immunology; Humans; Immune tolerance; Immune Tolerance - immunology; Immunosuppression - methods; Nanoparticle; Regulatory T cells; Transplantation; Allergy; Nanoparticle; Immune tolerance; Autoimmune disease; Transplantation; Drug delivery; Regulatory T cells
• ISSN: 0169-409X; 1872-8294
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2017.04.005

Technologies that induce antigen-specific immune tolerance by mimicking naturally occurring mechanisms have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of many immune-mediated pathologies such as autoimmunity, allograft rejection, and allergy. The immune system intrinsically has central and peripheral tolerance pathways for eliminating or modulating antigen-specific responses, which are being exploited through emerging technologies. Antigen-specific tolerogenic responses have been achieved through the functional reprogramming of antigen-presenting cells or lymphocytes. Alternatively, immune privileged sites have been mimicked using biomaterial scaffolds to locally suppress immune responses and promote long-term allograft survival. This review describes natural mechanisms of peripheral tolerance induction and the various technologies being developed to achieve antigen-specific immune tolerance in vivo. As currently approved therapies are non-specific and carry significant associated risks, these therapies offer significant progress towards replacing systemic immune suppression with antigen-specific therapies to curb aberrant immune responses. [Display omitted]