Multimodal nanoparticles that provide immunomodulation and intracellular drug delivery for infectious diseases

Typically, infectious disease pathogens are intracellular residents that evade the immune system and multiply. Nanomedicines can be designed to manipulate the cellular immune response in addition to intracellular drug delivery. Chitosan shell PLGA core nanoparticles, functionalized with 1,3-β-glucan (Glu-CS-PLGA) were able to modulate the immune response of human alveolar like macrophages, increasing the respiratory burst (ROS/RNS) and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion (TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-12p70). These nanoparticles also increased intracellular concentrations of the drug rifampicin (RIF). The multiple actions of these nanoparticles are anticipated to result in enhanced killing of intracellular pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis in macrophages.68