Innovations in lymph node targeting nanocarriers

Jihoon Kim; Paul A Archer; Susan N Thomas

doi:10.1016/j.smim.2021.101534

Innovations in lymph node targeting nanocarriers

Semin Immunol. 2021 Aug:56:101534. doi: 10.1016/j.smim.2021.101534. Epub 2021 Nov 24.

Authors

Jihoon Kim¹, Paul A Archer², Susan N Thomas³

Affiliations

¹ Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, 315 Ferst Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA; George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 315 Ferst Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
² Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, 315 Ferst Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA; School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
³ Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, 315 Ferst Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA; George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 315 Ferst Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA; Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA; Emory University, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365-C Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. Electronic address: susan.thomas@gatech.edu.

Abstract

Lymph nodes are secondary lymphoid tissues in the body that facilitate the co-mingling of immune cells to enable and regulate the adaptive immune response. They are also tissues implicated in a variety of diseases, including but not limited to malignancy. The ability to access lymph nodes is thus attractive for a variety of therapeutic and diagnostic applications. As nanotechnologies are now well established for their potential in translational biomedical applications, their high relevance to applications that involve lymph nodes is highlighted. Herein, established paradigms of nanocarrier design to enable delivery to lymph nodes are discussed, considering the unique lymph node tissue structure as well as lymphatic system physiology. The influence of delivery mechanism on how nanocarrier systems distribute to different compartments and cells that reside within lymph nodes is also elaborated. Finally, current advanced nanoparticle technologies that have been developed to enable lymph node delivery are discussed.

Keywords: Controlled release; Lymph node drug delivery; Nanoparticle; Nanotechnology; Targeted delivery.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Adaptive Immunity
Drug Delivery Systems*
Humans
Lymph Nodes
Nanoparticles* / chemistry
Nanoparticles* / therapeutic use
Nanotechnology

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding