Trained immunity refers to a hyperresponsive functional state of the innate immune system, which is induced by certain stimuli, such as infections or vaccination. Trained immunity plays a key part in a variety of diseases, including cancer and inflammation, and is regulated through epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming of haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in the bone marrow, giving rise to hyperactive myeloid cells. Nanomaterials inherently interact with phagocytic myeloid cells and are thus ideal platforms with which to regulate trained immunity. In this Review, we discuss the key pathways of trained immunity and investigate nanomedicine strategies to therapeutically regulate trained immunity. Nanomedicine can be applied not only to induce trained immunity to treat cancer or to enhance resistance to infections, but also to manage hyperinflammation and maladaptive trained immunity in a variety of clinical scenarios. We conclude with an outlook to future possibilities and some remaining challenges for nanomedicine approaches in trained immunity regulation.

DNA has emerged as an attractive medium for archival data storage due to its durability and high information density. Scalable parallel random access to information is a desirable property of any storage system. For DNA-based storage systems, however, this still needs to be robustly established. Here we report on a thermoconfined polymerase chain reaction, which enables multiplexed, repeated random access to compartmentalized DNA files. The strategy is based on localizing biotin-functionalized oligonucleotides inside thermoresponsive, semipermeable microcapsules. At low temperatures, microcapsules are permeable to enzymes, primers and amplified products, whereas at high temperatures, membrane collapse prevents molecular crosstalk during amplification. Our data show that the platform outperforms non-compartmentalized DNA storage compared with repeated random access and reduces amplification bias tenfold during multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Using fluorescent sorting, we also demonstrate sample pooling and data retrieval by microcapsule barcoding. Therefore, the thermoresponsive microcapsule technology offers a scalable, sequence-agnostic approach for repeated random access to archival DNA files.

Cytokines have pivotal roles in immunity, making them attractive as therapeutics for a variety of immune-related disorders. However, the widespread clinical use of cytokines has been limited by their short blood half-lives and severe side effects caused by low specificity and unfavourable biodistribution. Innovations in bioengineering have aided in advancing our knowledge of cytokine biology and yielded new technologies for cytokine engineering. In this Review, we discuss how the development of bioanalytical methods, such as sequencing and high-resolution imaging combined with genetic techniques, have facilitated a better understanding of cytokine biology. We then present an overview of therapeutics arising from cytokine re-engineering, targeting and delivery, mRNA therapeutics and cell therapy. We also highlight the application of these strategies to adjust the immunological imbalance in different immune-mediated disorders, including cancer, infection and autoimmune diseases. Finally, we look ahead to the hurdles that must be overcome before cytokine therapeutics can live up to their full potential.

Platelet transfusions are a frequently administered therapy for especially hemato-oncological patients with thrombocytopenia. Next to their primary function in hemostasis, currently there is increased attention for the capacity of platelets to affect the function of various cells of the immune system. Here, we investigate the capacity of platelets to immuno-modulate monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDC) as well as primary dendritic cells and effects on subsequent T cell responses. Platelets significantly inhibited pro-inflammatory (IL-12, IL-6, TNFα) and increased anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokine production of moDCs primed with toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent and TLR-independent stimuli. Transwell assays and ultracentrifugation revealed that a soluble factor secreted by platelets, but not microvesicles, inhibited DC activation. Interestingly, platelet-derived soluble mediators also inhibited cytokine production by human ex vivo stimulated myeloid CD1c+ conventional DC2. Moreover, platelets and platelet-derived soluble mediators inhibited T cell priming and T helper differentiation toward an IFNγ+ Th1 phenotype by moDCs. Overall, these results show that platelets are able to inhibit the pro-inflammatory properties of DCs, and may even induce an anti-inflammatory DC phenotype, with decreased T cell priming capacity by the DC. The results of this study provide more insight in the potential role of platelets in immune modulation, especially in the context of platelet transfusions.

In the slipstream of targeting the adaptive immune system, innate immunotherapy strategies are being developed. In this context, technologies based on natural carrier vehicles that inherently interact with the innate immune system, are increasingly being considered. Immunoregulatory nanotherapeutics based on natural apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) are discussed here. This protein is a helical, amphipathic macromolecule and the main constituent of high-density lipoprotein. In that capacity, apoA1 interacts specifically with innate immune cells, such as monocytes and macrophages, to collect and transport lipophilic molecules throughout the body. Exactly these unique features make apoA1 a compelling elementary constituent of biocompatible self-assembled nanotherapeutics. Such apoA1-based nanotherapeutics (A1-nanotherapeutics) can be engineered and functionalized to induce or mitigate an innate immune response or to orchestrate an adaptive immune response through antigen delivery to dendritic cells. The authors first discuss apoA1's properties and how these can be exploited to generate libraries of A1-nanotherapeutics using advanced manufacturing approaches such as microfluidics or continuous flow methods. Using high-throughput in vitro screening methods and in vivo imaging to identify promising formulations are then recommend. Finally, three distinct immunotherapy strategies are proposed to effectively treat a variety of diseases-including cancer, infection, and cardiovascular disease-and promote allograft survival in transplantation.

Immunoparalysis is a compensatory and persistent anti-inflammatory response to trauma, sepsis or another serious insult, which increases the risk of opportunistic infections, morbidity and mortality. Here, we show that in cultured primary human monocytes, interleukin-4 (IL4) inhibits acute inflammation, while simultaneously inducing a long-lasting innate immune memory named trained immunity. To take advantage of this paradoxical IL4 feature in vivo, we developed a fusion protein of apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) and IL4, which integrates into a lipid nanoparticle. In mice and non-human primates, an intravenously injected apoA1-IL4-embedding nanoparticle targets myeloid-cell-rich haematopoietic organs, in particular, the spleen and bone marrow. We subsequently demonstrate that IL4 nanotherapy resolved immunoparalysis in mice with lipopolysaccharide-induced hyperinflammation, as well as in ex vivo human sepsis models and in experimental endotoxemia. Our findings support the translational development of nanoparticle formulations of apoA1-IL4 for the treatment of patients with sepsis at risk of immunoparalysis-induced complications.

Owing to its longevity and extremely high information density, DNA has emerged as an attractive medium for archival data storage. Scalable parallel random access of information is a desirable property of any storage system. For DNA-based storage systems, however, this yet has to be robustly established. Here we develop thermoconfined PCR, a novel method that enables multiplexed, repeated random access of compartmentalized DNA files. Our strategy is based on stable localization of biotin-functionalized oligonucleotides inside microcapsules with temperature-dependent membrane permeability. At low temperatures, microcapsules are permeable to enzymes, primers, and amplified products, while at high temperatures membrane collapse prevents molecular crosstalk during amplification. We demonstrate that our platform outperforms non-compartmentalized DNA storage with respect to repeated random access and reducing amplification bias during multiplex PCR. Using fluorescent sorting, we additionally demonstrate sample pooling and data retrieval by barcoding of microcapsules. Our thermoresponsive microcapsule technology offers a scalable, sequence-agnostic approach for repeated random access of archival DNA files.

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