Polymeric nanoparticles as immunomodulatory vaccine adjuvants for atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis, defined as the buildup of lipid-rich plaques in arterial walls, is triggered by a low-level immune response to oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL). Current strategies target the hepatic synthesis of LDL and lack the ability to actually treat the cause of the disease, which is the body´s response to the oxLDL. In this study, we have identifiied a new class of nanoparticle- (NP) based vaccine adjuvants capable of modulating the body´s immune response. The degree of NP internalization and its effect on surface expression of several key markers in immune modulation, CD40, CD86, CD80, HLA-DR and HLA-DQ, were evaluated in primary human dendritic cells (DCs). The results suggest that M₁₂PEG, T^L₁₂PEG, T^D₁₂PEG, and T^Meso₁₂PEG were the most successful NP formulations at modulating a non-specific immune response (adjuvant capacity) in dendritic cells. These studies provide a promising strategy for the design and development of amphiphilic NP adjuvants for potential use as an atherosclerosis vaccine.