Bioinspired and Biomimetic Nanotherapies for the Treatment of Infectious Diseases

Abstract

There are still great challenges for the effective treatment of infectious diseases, although considerable achievement has been made by using antiviral and antimicrobial agents varying from small-molecule drugs, peptides/proteins, to nucleic acids. The nanomedicine approach is emerging as a new strategy capable of overcoming disadvantages of molecular therapeutics and amplifying their anti-infective activities, by localized delivery to infection sites, reducing off-target effects, and/or attenuating resistance development. Nanotechnology, in combination with bioinspired and biomimetic approaches, affords additional functions to nanoparticles derived from synthetic materials. Herein, we aim to provide a state-of-the-art review on recent progress in biomimetic and bioengineered nanotherapies for the treatment of infectious disease. Different biomimetic nanoparticles, derived from viruses, bacteria, and mammalian cells, are first described, with respect to their construction and biophysicochemical properties. Then, the applications of diverse biomimetic nanoparticles in anti-infective therapy are introduced, either by their intrinsic activity or by loading and site-specifically delivering various molecular drugs. Bioinspired and biomimetic nanovaccines for prevention and/or therapy of infectious diseases are also highlighted. At the end, major translation issues and future directions of this field are discussed.

Microbicidal Dispersions and Coatings from Hybrid Nanoparticles of Poly (Methyl Methacrylate), Poly (Diallyl Dimethyl Ammonium) Chloride, Lipids, and Surfactants

“…In addition, colloidal NPs of biodegradable chitosan, lignin or dextran [5,6] or biocompatible poly (methacrylate)-and poly (acrylate)-based copolymers can be loaded with antibacterial agents [7]. The other class of hybrid nanomaterials encompasses the biomimetic antimicrobial NPs and coatings obtained from the assembly of polymers, surfactants, or lipids [8,9] or from the use of virus-like, bacteria-like, or biological structure-like nanomaterials carrying antimicrobials [10].…”

Functional Recognition by CD8+ T Cells of Epitopes with Amino Acid Variations Outside Known MHC Anchor or T Cell Receptor Recognition Residues

“…T cell responses were assessed by IFN-γ ELISpot assay as described previously [ 10 , 11 ]. Ninety-six well multiscreen plates (MSIP, Merck Millipore, Burlington, MA, USA) were coated with 5 ug/mL anti-mouse IFN-γ (AN18, MABTech, Nacka Strand, Sweden), 100 uL/well in PBS, and incubated overnight at 4 °C.…”

“…Peptides can be simply mixed with the nanoparticle, incorporated into the nanoparticle, presented on the surface of the nanoparticle or covalently bound to the surface of the nanoparticle. Utilizing nanoparticles to induce potent immune responses is a growing field, especially for peptide-based vaccines [ 11 , 12 ]. Inorganic polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) in the viral size range (40–50 nm) are inert and induce both antibodies and CD8+ T cells to peptide antigens [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”

Nanotechnology-based antiviral therapeutics

“…These systems hold considerable promise as they enable cellular entry, escape endolysosomal entrapment, and achieve targeted delivery [240]. It is proposed that the risk of potential immunogenicity of such systems can be addressed by incorporating PEG and other targeting moieties in a bilipid layer of virosomes [241]. Kanekiyo et al genetically fused influenza HA protein with naturally occurring protein ferritin.…”