Luminescent Nanoparticles for Controlled Localized Release of Immunomodulatory Agents

Project Member(s): Xu, X., McClements, L.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International (JDRF Innovation Grant)
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International (JDRF Innovation Grant)

Start year: 2020

Summary: The critical question to be addressed is how to maintain long-term the function of encapsulated insulin-producing cells placed in a scaffold and implanted subcutaneously in diabetic allografted recipients. Currently, in our hands, it is possible to achieve reasonable function for up to 90 days, without administering immunomodulatory molecules to the recipient. However, thereafter blood glucose levels start to increase as the desirable host reaction to the scaffolds starts to involve the microcapsules and inhibit the inflow of nutrients and exit of insulin. The proposed new approach is to load immuno-modulatory molecules to core-shell luminescent nanoparticles inserted in alginate microcapsules, that when exposed to infrared light will result in start releasing of the molecules at low power and stop releasing at high power, thereby inhibiting the host reaction to the microcapsules. This should maintain the functional capacity of the encapsulated insulin-producing cells. Its use would be restricted to subcutaneous (s/c) transplants where light waves could reach the implant.

Publications:

Huang, Y, Du, Z, Bao, G, Fang, G, Cappadona, M, McClements, L, Tuch, BE, Lu, H & Xu, X 2023, 'Smart Drug-Delivery System of Upconversion Nanoparticles Coated with Mesoporous Silica for Controlled Release', Pharmaceutics, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 89-89.
View/Download from: Publisher's site

Rennie, C, Huang, Y, Siwakoti, P, Du, Z, Padula, M, Bao, G, Tuch, BE, Xu, X & McClements, L 2023, 'In vitroevaluation of a hybrid drug-delivery nanosystem for fibrosis prevention in cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes', Nanomedicine, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 53-66.
View/Download from: Publisher's site

FOR Codes: Medical biochemistry and metabolomics, Nanotechnology, Diabetes, Clinical health

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.