An epicutaneous therapeutic pollen-allergen extract delivery system in an allergic rhinitis mouse model: based on allergen loading on DC-specific aptamers conjugated nanogolds

Safoora Pordel; Navideh Haghnavaz; MohammadAli Rezaee; Saeideh Sadat Shobeiri; Bahareh Ansari; Mohammadreza Dashti; Malihe Moghadam; Motahare Khorrami; Mojtaba Sankian

doi:10.1007/s12026-023-09445-6

An epicutaneous therapeutic pollen-allergen extract delivery system in an allergic rhinitis mouse model: based on allergen loading on DC-specific aptamers conjugated nanogolds

Immunol Res. 2023 Dec 13. doi: 10.1007/s12026-023-09445-6. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Safoora Pordel¹, Navideh Haghnavaz¹, MohammadAli Rezaee^{1

2}, Saeideh Sadat Shobeiri¹, Bahareh Ansari¹, Mohammadreza Dashti¹, Malihe Moghadam¹, Motahare Khorrami¹, Mojtaba Sankian³

Affiliations

¹ Immunology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
² Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedical, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
³ Immunology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. sankianm@mums.ac.ir.

PMID: 38091227
DOI: 10.1007/s12026-023-09445-6

Abstract

Background: Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have previously been suggested as appropriate carriers for allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT). In this study, we assessed efficacy of GNPs and dendritic cells (DC)-specific aptamer-modified GNPs (Apts-GNP) for epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) in the case of pollen allergen extracts containing a variety of allergenic and non-allergenic components.

Methods: BALB/c mice were sensitized to the total protein extract of Platanus orientalis pollen and epicutaneously treated in different groups either with free P. orientalis total pollen extract, naked GNPs, total extract loaded GNPs, and total extract loaded Apts-GNPs with and without skin-penetrating peptides (SPPs). Then, the specific IgE level (sIgE), total IgE concentration (tIgE) in the serum sample, IL-4, IL-17a, IFN-γ, and IL-10 cytokine concentrations in re-stimulated splenocytes with the total extract and mixture of recombinant allergens, nasopharyngeal lavage fluid (NALF) analysis, and histopathological analysis of lung tissue were evaluated.

Results: This study indicated the total extract-loaded GNPs, especially Pla. ext (50 μg)-GNPs, significantly decreased sIgE, tIgE, IL-17a, and IL-4 concentrations, immune cells and eosinophils infiltration in NALF, and increased IL-10 and IFN-γ concentrations compared with the PBS-treated group. In addition, the histopathological analysis of lung tissue showed a significant decrease in allergic inflammation and histopathological damage. The DC-targeted group revealed the most significant improvement in allergic-related immune factors with no histopathological damage compared with the same dose without aptamer.

Conclusion: Loading total protein extract on the GNPs and the Apt-modified GNPs could be an effective approach to improve EPIT efficacy in a pollen-induced allergic mouse model.

Keywords: Allergic rhinitis; Aptamer; Epicutaneous immunotherapy; Gold nanoparticles; Pollen allergy; Skin penetrating peptide.