Nanotechnology-based manipulation of dendritic cells for enhanced immunotherapy strategies

Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen presenting cells capable of initiating a primary immune response and possess the ability to activate T cells and stimulate the growth and differentiation of B cells. DCs provide a direct connection between innate and adaptive immune response and arise from bone marrow precursors that are present in immature forms in peripheral tissues where they are prepared to capture antigens. DCs migrate from the peripheral tissues to the closest lymph nodes through afferent lymphatic vessels to present the foreign antigens, stimulating T cell activation and initiating a cellular immune response. Moreover, it is known that DCs play an important role in various diseases and conditions where the immune system is involved, particularly in cancer and autoimmune disorders. For this reasons, targeting nanoparticles (NPs) to DCs provides a promising strategy for developing an efficient balanced and protective immune response. NPs can modulate the immune response and might be potentially useful as effective vaccine adjuvants for infectious disease and cancer therapy. The objective of this review is to present the latest advances in nanoparticle delivery methods targeting DCs, the mechanisms of action, potential effects, and therapeutic results of these systems and their future applications, such as improved vaccination strategies, cancer immunotherapy, and immunomodulatory treatments.