Sophia Taylor
Research Mentor: Sayre Tillery
Mentor Department: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Engineering
Author(s): Sophia Taylor, Sayre Tillery, Lonnie Shea
Session: Session 6 (3:00 PM – 3:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 69
Abstract
For many, food allergies are a serious medical condition that present significant challenges to the physical, financial, and social aspects of daily life. A result of the immune system mistakenly identifying a food protein as a threat, allergic reactions range from moderate irritations to potentially fatal anaphylaxis. Despite this prevalence and severity, current treatments often require frequent doses to be taken long-term, creating a barrier for many individuals to receive and keep up with treatment. Because of this, treatments that directly alter the immune system to not attack allergens, such as allergen-encapsulated poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) nanoparticles (NPs) have been investigated. These NPs could be further improved by the addition of a synthetic lipid coating (SLC) with molecules such as phosphatidylserine (PS), which mimics apoptotic cell membranes that have tolerogenic signals. This study investigated allergen-encapsulating SLC NPs that were fabricated through a double-emulsion process using PS, 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC), and cholesterol. Focusing on the characterization and composition of the NPs, this research relied on validating two main aspects: the confirmation of the SLC’s presence on the NP and the further confirmation that the SLC is composed of PS. Processes like transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to visualize the SLC, while processes like flow cytometry were used to confirm the PS composition. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) has also been used to characterize the NPs. These results have shown that a PS SLC can be incorporated onto allergen encapsulated NPs, increasing their tolerogenic signaling. Further in vitro experiments were used to determine the efficacy of the NPs in combatting food allergies, and future research may explore the use of different lipid coatings for higher efficacy. Using NPs to treat food allergies has the potential to revolutionize allergy management by breaking down barriers to health-care for patients and creating long-term tolerance to allergens.
