Anti-CD3 Nanoparticles for Use in Treating Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is the major underlying pathology of cardiovascular disease caused by innate and adaptive immune cells such as T cells. Past studies on single cells demonstrate divergence of activation and subsequent polarization of T cells between asymptomatic and symptomatic cardiovascular patients. This abnormal T cell response can be used as an engineering advantage for the development of a novel therapeutic. Presently, there are no developed delivery systems identified in the context of cardiovascular disease that use directed T cells. Therefore, the project is seeking to engineer a novel therapeutic in which T cells are directly targeted with poly lactic co-glycolic acid (PLGA)- based nanoparticles bounded with an Fab region from anti-CD3 antibodies. Nanoparticles are to be synthesized in lab iteratively to determine optimal conditions. Proof of concept experiments will be conducted to validate T cell uptake. Subsequent experiments will then evaluate the impact of an encapsulated EXH2 inhibitor, Tazemetostat, within anti-CD3 nanoparticles.