Open Access

REVIEW

Impact of nanoparticles on immune cells and their potential applications in cancer immunotherapy

by JYOTHI B. NAIR^1,2, ANU MARY JOSEPH³, SANOOP P.⁴, MANU M. JOSEPH^5,*

1 Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, Jena, 07745, Germany
2 Serah Zines LLP, Sreeragam, Naduvannor P.O. Kozhikkode, Kerala, 673614, India
3 Department of Chemistry, Newman College, Thodupuzha, Kerala, 685585, India
4 Department of Chemistry, Madanapalle Institute of Technology & Science (MITS), Madanapalle, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, 517325, India
5 Department of Life Sciences, CHRIST University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560029, India

* Corresponding Author: MANU M. JOSEPH. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Genetic Biomarkers of Cancer: Insights into Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms)

BIOCELL 2024, 48(11), 1579-1602. https://doi.org/10.32604/biocell.2024.054879

Received 10 June 2024; Accepted 03 September 2024; Issue published 07 November 2024

Abstract

Nanoparticles represent a heterogeneous collection of materials, whether natural or synthetic, with dimensions aligning in the nanoscale. Because of their intense manifestation with the immune system, they can be harvested for numerous bio-medical and biotechnological advancements mainly in cancer treatment. This review article aims to scrutinize various types of nanoparticles that interact differently with immune cells like macrophages, dendritic cells, T lymphocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells. It also underscores the importance of knowing how nanoparticles influence immune cell functions, such as the production of cytokines and the presentation of antigens which are crucial for effective cancer immunotherapy. Hence overviews of bio-molecular mechanisms are provided. Nanoparticles can improve antigen presentation, boost T-cell responses, and overcome the immunosuppressive tumor environment. The regulatory mechanisms, signaling pathways, and nanoparticle characteristics are also presented for a comprehensive understanding. We review the nanotechnology platform options and challenges in nanoparticles-based immunotherapy, from an immunotherapy perspective including precise targeting, immune modulation, and potential toxicity, as well as personalized approaches based on individual patient and tumor characteristics. The development of emerging multifunctional nanoparticles and theranostic nanoparticles will provide new solutions for the precision and efficiency of cancer therapies in next-generation practice.

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Keywords

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