Nanomedicine and Spleen-Targeting Strategies for Precision Immunomodulation: Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
Chiwoo Oh, Ho Sun Jung, Ki Duk Park, J. Awad, Dawei Jiang, David J. Dowling, Hyung‐Jun Im
Abstract
The spleen, which is the largest lymphoid organ, contains various immune cells and plays a crucial role in immunological responses. Because nanoparticles have a natural characteristic of being taken up by reticuloendothelial system (RES) organs, including the spleen, various spleen-targeting nanomedicine strategies have been developed for immunomodulatory therapies. Herein, we review the biological role of the spleen as part of the immune system, types of spleen-targeting nanoparticles, considerations for engineering both current and innovative spleen-targeting strategies, and their therapeutic potential in various diseases, including tumors and autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, we discuss the importance of systems immunology based approaches, including spatial transcriptomics, in achieving a comprehensive understanding of spleen-targeting strategies using nanomedicine.