Immunotherapy has been established as a successful method for cancer treatment. The combination of immunotherapy with nanotechnology is likely to be the next step towards personalized modern medicine.<br/>Dendritic cells (DCs) play an essential role in the induction of an antigen specific immune response. Due to their ability to modulate and initiate the immune system, DCs present one of the key targets in immunotherapy. DCs fragment foreign cell structures and upon that interact with B- and T-lymphocytes. Therefore, DCs contribute to antibody production as well as to T-cell tolerance in a preliminary manner.<br/>The DC-SIGN receptor, that is specific for DCs and highly abundant on their cell surface, belongs to the C-type lectin superfamily. The receptor has a carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD), that consists of four binding domains. Hence, it was emphasized that binding activity of potential carbohydrate-ligands, when presented in a multivalent manner, could largely increase biological efficacy, if more than one domain is addressed.<br/>Herein a nanocarrier-system consisting of HES (hydroxylethyl starch) nanocapsules, with covalently attached glycodendrons, as potential DC SIGN binders, on the nanocapsule’s surface is presented. These nanocarriers are prepared in an inverse miniemulsion process and are further functionalized by introduction of dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO) groups for copper-free click chemistry. Flow cytometry and laser scanning microscopy experiments showed increased binding and receptor-mediated uptake mechanisms of these surface modified HES nanocapsules by human dendritic cells.

Glycodendron modified HES nanocapsules for targeting of dendritic cells

2019 Spring National Meeting

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