title: Engineered metal based nanoparticles and innate immunity.
abstract: Almost all people in developed countries are exposed to metal nanoparticles (MeNPs) that are used in a large number of applications including medical (for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes). Once inside the body, absorbed by inhalation, contact, ingestion and injection, MeNPs can translocate to tissues and, as any foreign substance, are likely to encounter the innate immunity system that represent a non-specific first line of defense against potential threats to the host. In this review, we will discuss the possible effects of MeNPs on various components of the innate immunity (both specific cells and barriers). Most important is that there are no reports of immune diseases induced by MeNPs exposure: we are operating in a safe area. However, in vitro assays show that MeNPs have some effects on innate immunity, the main being toxicity (both cyto- and genotoxicity) and interference with the activity of various cells through modification of membrane receptors, gene expression and cytokine production. Such effects can have both negative and positive relevant impacts on humans. On the one hand, people exposed to high levels of MeNPs, as workers of industries producing or applying MeNPs, should be monitored for possible health effects. On the other hand, understanding the modality of the effects on immune responses is essential to develop medical applications for MeNPs. Indeed, those MeNPs that are able to stimulate immune cells could be used to develop of new vaccines, promote immunity against tumors and suppress autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Immunotoxicology and Allergy Unit, Ageing Research Center G. d'Annunzio University Foundation, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petrarca
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, G. d'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clemente
authors.affiliation: Immunotoxicology and Allergy Unit, Ageing Research Center G. d'Annunzio University Foundation, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.affiliation: Occupational Medicine, II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pedata
authors.affiliation: Immunotoxicology and Allergy Unit, Ageing Research Center G. d'Annunzio University Foundation, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sabbioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy ; 'Protein Factory', Interuniversity Center of the Politecnico di Milano and University of Insubria, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bernardini
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iavicoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, G. d'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cortese
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qiao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Okayama 7010192 Japan.
authors.forename: Takemi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsuki
authors.affiliation: Immunotoxicology and Allergy Unit, Ageing Research Center G. d'Annunzio University Foundation, Chieti, Italy ; Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, G. d'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paganelli
authors.affiliation: Immunotoxicology and Allergy Unit, Ageing Research Center G. d'Annunzio University Foundation, Chieti, Italy ; Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, G. d'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Gioacchino
keywords: Adjuvant; Barriers; Cell receptors; Cytokines; Immunostimulation; Immunotoxicity