Ex vivo-loaded white blood cells (WBC)
can transfer
cargo to pathological foci in the central nervous system (CNS). Here
we tested affinity ligand driven in vivo loading
of WBC in order to bypass the need for ex vivo WBC
manipulation. We used a mouse model of acute brain inflammation caused
by local injection of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). We
intravenously injected nanoparticles targeted to intercellular adhesion
molecule 1 (anti-ICAM/NP). We found that (A) at 2 h, >20% of anti-ICAM/NP
were localized to the lungs; (B) of the anti-ICAM/NP in the lungs
>90% were associated with leukocytes; (C) at 6 and 22 h, anti-ICAM/NP
pulmonary uptake decreased; (D) anti-ICAM/NP uptake in brain increased
up to 5-fold in this time interval, concomitantly with migration of
WBCs into the injured brain. Intravital microscopy confirmed transport
of anti-ICAM/NP beyond the blood–brain barrier and flow cytometry
demonstrated complete association of NP with WBC in the brain (98%).
Dexamethasone-loaded anti-ICAM/liposomes abrogated brain edema in
this model and promoted anti-inflammatory M2 polarization of macrophages
in the brain. In vivo targeted loading of WBC in
the intravascular pool may provide advantages of coopting WBC predisposed
to natural rapid mobilization from the lungs to the brain, connected
directly via conduit vessels.