Nanoparticles are increasingly being used in medicine to deliver drugs and vaccines more precisely to target tissues. However, when nanoparticles are injected, they can activate the complement system, a part of the immune system that recognizes and neutralizes foreign invaders. This can lead to side effects such as shortness of breath, elevated heart rate, fever, hypotension, and, in rare cases, anaphylactic shock. A new study published in Nature Nanotechnology may offer a strategy to mitigate these side effects. The researchers studied the impact of complement inhibitors injected with nanoparticles in animal models. They found that the inhibitors effectively inhibited complement activation by nanoparticles in human serum in vitro and animal models. Specifically, when injected at very low doses, the inhibitors completely and safely blocked the activation of complement by nanoparticles in the animal models used. This research is significant because it provides a new way to understand and prevent the side effects of nanoparticle injections. It also suggests that complement inhibitors could be used to improve the efficacy and tolerability of multiple nanotechnology-based therapeutics and vaccines. The next step is to test the complement inhibitors with multiple nanoparticles and in different disease models to fully understand the potential of this approach. The ultimate goal is to apply this research in a clinical setting to help people receive the benefits of nanoparticles without side effects.
