Immunomodulatory and immunoregulatory nanomedicines for autoimmunity

Autoimmune diseases, caused by cellularly and molecularly complex immune responses against self-antigens, are largely treated with broad-acting, non-disease-specific anti-inflammatory drugs. These compounds can attenuate autoimmune inflammation, but tend to impair normal immunity against infection and cancer, cannot restore normal immune homeostasis and are not curative. Nanoparticle (NP)- and microparticle (MP)-based delivery of immunotherapeutic agents affords a unique opportunity to not only increase the specificity and potency of broad-acting immunomodulators, but also to elicit the formation of organ-specific immunoregulatory cell networks capable of inducing bystander immunoregulation. Here, we review the various NP/MP-based strategies that have so far been tested in models of experimental and/or spontaneous autoimmunity, with a focus on mechanisms of action.