> Immunologists,
>> I'm curious about how to prevent the immune system from responding
> to deliberately introduced foreign bodies, but at the same time, not harming
> the organism in any way. e.g. weakening the host's immune system,
> carcinogenic effects, etc. I'm curious about how these techniques can be
> applied to nano-technology. One major problem faced in this field is immune
> response, e.g inflamation, irritations, etc. This can inflict harm both upon
> the organism and the technology. I am especially interested in protein
> coatings that the nano-technology can be encased in to prevent immune
> recognition. Any pointers or help you can give will be most greatly
> appreciated!
> Michael Yamashita
Micahel:
There is a whole body of literature on the use of polyethylene glycol
conjugation to reduce immunogenicity. This technology was developed by
a company called Enzon in New Jersey and is used clinically in some
applications (such as enzyme replacement therapy -- notably ADA
defficiency). I'm not sure what exactly you mean by "nano-technology"
but I hope that provides a start.
--Dom Spinella
