In Vitro Assessment of Dendritic Cell Activation and Phenotypic Response to Gold Nanoparticle Treatments

Abstract

Dendritic Cells (DCs) have shown great potential in a variety of immunotherapeutic applications due to their key role in both the innate and adaptive immune response. This study aims to observe the activation and phenotypic changes within the cell population following treatment with a variety of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). AuNPs are currently being used as drug delivery vehicles, regulators and suppressors of the host immune response. They have easily modified surface chemistry and display high biocompatibility. Developing mechanisms to specifically manipulate DCs utilizing biomaterials will allow for a number of immunotherapeutic approaches to become available to patients suffering from autoimmune diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and cancer. Following treatment with numerous AuNP treatments varying in surface coating and concentration cells should demonstrate no abnormal death or patterns within the cell cycle and should also exhibit elevation in surface markers correlating to tolerization.