Dendritic cells (DC) are known as the most important antigen-presenting cell (APC) since they are the only known cell able to prime naive T lymphocytes (TL), triggering and directing the immune response. To modulate the immune response, many options have been developed through the times: different types of vaccines, and immune therapies with drug or pre-treated immune cells. One of the most promising options is gene therapy of the immune system (IS), including DNA vaccines, which are able to generate an immune response after cell transfection. Another promising alternative in immune therapy is the targeting of various cargoes into specific cells of the IS, by vehicularizing them in nanocarriers or targeting molecules.
The PI & collaborators have developed a nano-vaccine platform that targets antigens and/or nucleic acids to dendritic cells in a “species non specific” fashion. The researchers have tested this platform in vitro in dendritic cells from human, mice, cattle and fish with positive outcomes thus far, and have tested the platform as a nano-vaccine formulation against Brucella ovis carrying antigen (mice and rams) and BoHV-1 carrying plasmid DNA encoding for BoHV-1 truncated gD (mice and cattle), with strong outcomes.
The researchers now have plans to test the platform against SARS-CoV-2.
The purpose of this invention is the regulation of the immune system by manipulating DC upon specific targeting nano vehicles containing different cargoes such as DNA, tRNA, siRNA, viral particles, peptides, hydrophilic or hydrophobic drugs. By transfecting DC or delivering antigen directly to DC cytoplasm, it is possible to process the de novo synthesized or uptake proteins as an endogenous antigen, and the resulting peptides presented under the MHC I context, priming CD8*T lymphocytes and generating specific cytotoxic immune responses. These responses are desirable against some intracellular pathogens such as certain viruses and cancer.
Benefits
- Can be used for specific DC targeting with nano vehicles carrying cargoes such as DNA, siRNA, proteins, peptides
- High percentage of specific binding
- New structure with an open ring with free loose end
Applications
- COVID vaccine
- Treatment of:
- Infectious disease
- Cancer
- Autoimmune disease
- Transplant rejection
Inventors
- Vladimir Torchilin, Tatiana Levchenko, Juan Pappalardo, Stefano Salmaso, Micaela Toniutti
Tech ID
- INV-1151
- Man 1-2 Man-PEGylated Derivative as a Tool for in vitro and in vivo Dendritic Cell Targeting