Innate and adaptive immune responses towardY nanomedicines

Since the commercialization of the first liposomes used for drug delivery, Doxil/Caelyx (R) and Myocet (R), tremendous progress has been made in understanding interactions between nanomedicines and biological systems. Fundamental work at the interface of engineering and medicine has allowed nanomedicines to deliver therapeutic small molecules and nucleic acids more efficiently. While nanomedicines are used in oncology for immunotherapy or to deliver combinations of cytotoxics, the clinical successes of gene silencing approaches like patisiran lipid complexes (Onpattro (R)) have paved the way for a variety of therapies beyond cancer. In parallel, the global severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has highlighted the potential of mRNA vaccines to develop immunization strategies at unprecedented speed. To rationally design therapeutic and vaccines, chemists, materials scientists, and drug delivery experts need to better understand how nanotechnologies interact with the immune system. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the innate and adaptative immune systems and emphasizes the intricate mechanisms through which nanomedicines interact with these biological functions. (C) 2021 Chinese Pharmaceutical Association and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

Significant progress has been made in the field of nanomedicine, allowing for more efficient drug delivery and recognition of therapeutic effects through a collaboration of engineering and medicine. Successes in gene silencing methods beyond oncology have paved the way for new therapies. The global pandemic has highlighted the potential of mRNA vaccines, emphasizing the need for rational design of therapies and vaccines in the future.