Leukocyte Membrane-coated Nanoparticle (WBC-NP) Engineering Technology

To efficiently deliver drugs in an efficacious manner, the drugs must evade phagocytic uptake by monocytic cells such as macrophages, and target the site of interest and bypass any endothelial barriers to reach this target tissue. Creative Biolabs utilizes leukocyte membrane (WBC)-coated nanoparticle (NP) to overcome these challenges. Based on our advanced technology and abundant experience, we offer high-quality customized services covering the entire WBC-NPs development process to best suit your technical, program, and budget requirements.

Application of Leukocyte Membrane-Coated Nanoparticle (WBC-NP)

WBC-NPs are ideal agents well-suited to the photodynamic therapy (PDT) approach, improving the biocompatibility and targeting of active photosensitization/ photothermal compounds in vivo. At the same time, WBC-NPs have commonly been proposed for cancer drug delivery. One such rationale is that leukocytes can target sites of inflammation, which has long been linked to some cancers and tumor vasculature remodeling.

• Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)

In a study, scientists found that when the natural killer cells (NK)-NPs were injected into mice and then irradiated with an appropriate light source, they observed NK membrane-mediated killing of cells in a manner consistent with responses for human NK cell membranes. In another study, they found that the NK-NPs were, in combination with PDT, able to eliminate primary tumors through a synergistic mechanism.

• Drug Delivery

Scientists found that using macrophage membranes to generate WBC-NPs containing the anti-cancer agent emtansine in pH-sensitive liposomes was able to enhance drug delivery to tumor metastatic sites nearly 2 times.

Fig.1 The mechanism of tumor apoptosis and necrosis caused by PTT/PDT/combined therapy based on nanoparticles was explained scientifically.

Our WBC-NP Technology

WBCs have unique properties which enable site-specific targeting, especially their interactions with tumors or vascular abnormalities. Therefore, their membrane can carry exceptional utility in membrane-coated nanoparticle engineering. In our company, the synthesis of WBC-NP consists of several steps:

(1) WBC membrane extraction: The process of cell membrane extraction includes membrane lysis and membrane purification, both of which must be as gentle as possible.

(2) Production of the inner nanoparticulate core: Inner core nanocarriers are important in generating WBC-NPs, as they are the payloads ultimately delivered to targeted tissues. We have various type of materials for cell membrane encapsulation that has been widely explored and applied.

(3) Fusion of core NPs and WBC membrane: After obtaining the WBC membrane and the inner core nanocarrier, these two materials must be fused so that the membrane can cover the surface of the core, yielding cell membrane biomimetic NPs. We usually provide three fusion methods in use: membrane extrusion, ultrasonic fusion, or electroporation. Now, a novel microfluidic electroporation approach has been also utilized for membrane-coated NP generation.

In the field of WBC-NP engineering, Creative Biolabs not only provides best-in-class standardized services but also offers a range of solutions to carefully adapt to each project's specifications. Our professional team is also willing to share long-standing experiences about WBC-NP engineering technology with global customers. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us for closer communication to learn how we can be involved in your project.

Reference

1. Hou, Y. J.; et al. Pathological Mechanism of Photodynamic Therapy and Photothermal Therapy Based on Nanoparticles. International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2020, 15: 6827-6838.