One way to control drug delivery to specific locations is to
affiliate the drug with cell type which traverses to that category so it can be
carried along like the drugs are in a ‘backpack.’ This is particularly powerful
for immune system treatment as immune cells provide for many opportunities of
attachment based on signals and typically travel to sites of inflammation.
Recently, researchers at Harvard University and Wyss Institute used PLGA-Maleimide
(Cat# AI153) from PolySciTech division of Akina, Inc. (www.polyscitech.com) to create particles
which surface adhere to monocytes and carry interleukin-4 and dexamethasone as
immunomodulators. This research holds promise to provide treatment for Multiple
sclerosis. Read more: Kapate, Neha, Michael Dunne, Ninad Kumbhojkar, Supriya
Prakash, Lily Li-Wen Wang, Amanda Graveline, Kyung Soo Park et al. "A
backpack-based myeloid cell therapy for multiple sclerosis." Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences 120, no. 17 (2023): e2221535120. https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2221535120
“Significance: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a currently
incurable autoimmune disease with a complex disease pathology. Despite the key
role of myeloid cells in the pathophysiology of MS, current treatments do not
specifically target myeloid cells or directly make their use for modulating the
disease. We propose that immunomodulatory monocytes, upon intravenous
injection, can infiltrate into inflamed central nervous system and have the
potential to mitigate disease progression. We control monocyte phenotype
through cell surface–adhered particles (“backpacks”) loaded with interleukin-4
and dexamethasone. Treatment with backpack-laden monocytes elicited local and
systemic immunomodulatory effects, culminating in improved motor functions in
experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice. The results reported here
demonstrate the possibility of myeloid cells as a therapy and drug target in
MS. Abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an incurable autoimmune disease and is
currently treated by systemic immunosuppressants with off-target side effects.
Although aberrant myeloid function is often observed in MS plaques in the
central nervous system (CNS), the role of myeloid cells in therapeutic
intervention is currently overlooked. Here, we developed a myeloid cell-based
strategy to reduce the disease burden in experimental autoimmune
encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of progressive MS. We developed
monocyte-adhered microparticles (“backpacks”) for activating myeloid cell
phenotype to an anti-inflammatory state through localized interleukin-4 and
dexamethasone signals. We demonstrate that backpack-laden monocytes infiltrated
into the inflamed CNS and modulated both the local and systemic immune
responses. Within the CNS, backpack-carrying monocytes regulated both the
infiltrating and tissue-resident myeloid cell compartments in the spinal cord
for functions related to antigen presentation and reactive species production.
Treatment with backpack-monocytes also decreased the level of systemic
pro-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, backpack-laden monocytes induced
modulatory effects on TH1 and TH17 populations in the spinal cord and blood,
demonstrating cross talk between the myeloid and lymphoid arms of disease.
Backpack-carrying monocytes conferred therapeutic benefit in EAE mice, as
quantified by improved motor function. The use of backpack-laden monocytes
offers an antigen-free, biomaterial-based approach to precisely tune cell
phenotype in vivo, demonstrating the utility of myeloid cells as a therapeutic modality
and target.”
Video: https://youtu.be/OnndlGtOfKY
Akina Inc. is now hiring both Staff Scientist and Laboratory
Intern. See more here: http://akinainc.com/employment.php
Bulk, empty bottles from pandemic-era hand-sanitizer
manufacturing and other excess inventory items are available for purchase from
Akina, Inc. See more here: https://akinainc.com/polyscitech/YardSale/
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