The immune system has the double role of maintaining tissue integrity and homeostasis and of protecting the organism from possible dangers, from invading pathogens to environmentally-borne dangerous chemicals. New chemicals recognisable by the immune system are engineered nanomaterials/ nanoparticles, new agents in our environment that are becoming common due to their presence in many products, from constructions and building material (e.g., solar cells, pigments and paints, tilesand masonry materials) to daily products (e.g., food packaging, cosmetics, and cigarettes). Human beings can be accidentally exposed to engineered nanomaterials when these are released from products containing them or during production in workplaces. Furthermore, intentional exposure occurs in medicine, as engineered nanoparticles are used as tools for improving delivery of drugs and vaccines, vaccine adjuvants and contrast agents in therapeutic, preventive and diagnostic strategies. Nanoparticles that come in contact with the immune system after unintentional exposure need to be eliminated from the organism as they represent a potential threat. In this case, however, due to their peculiar characteristics of size, shape, surface charge and persistence, nanoparticles may elicit undesirable reactions and have detrimental effects on the immune system, such as cytotoxicity, inflammation, anaphylaxis, immunosuppression. Conversely, nanomedicines need to escape immune recognition/elimination and must persist in the organism long enough for reaching their target and exerting their beneficial effects. Immune cells and molecules at the body surface (airway and digestive mucosae, skin) are the first that come in contact with nanomaterials upon accidental exposure, while immune effectors in blood are those that more easily come in contact with nanomedical products. Thus, evaluating the interaction of the immune system with nanoparticles/nanomaterials is a topic of key importance both in nanotoxicology and in nanomedicine. Immuno-nanosafety studies consider both accidental exposure to nanoparticles, which may occur by skin contact, ingestion or inhalation (at doses and with a frequency that are not known), and medical exposure, which takes place with a defined administration schedule (route, dose, frequency). Many studies focus on the interaction between the immune system and nanoparticles that, for medical purposes, have been specifically modified to stimulate immunity or to avoid immune recognition, as in the case of vaccine carriers/adjuvants or drug delivery systems, respectively. The aims of this Research Topic is to provide an overview of recent strategies: 1.for assessing the immunosafety of engineered nanomaterials/nanoparticles, in particular in terms of activation of inflammatory responses, such as complement activation and allergic reactions, based on the nanomaterial intrinsic characteristics and on the possible carry-over of bioactive contaminants such as LPS. Production of new nanoparticles taking into account their effects on immune responses, in order to avoid undesirable effects on one hand, and to design particles with desirable effects for medical applications on the other hand; 2.for designing more effective nanomedicines by either avoiding or exploiting their interaction with the immune systems, with particular focus on cancer diagnosis and therapy, and vaccination. This collection of articles gives a comprehensive view of the state-of-the-art of the interaction of nanoparticles with the immune system from the two perspectives of safety and medical use, and aims at providing immunologists with the relevant knowledge for designing improved strategies for immunologically safe nanomaterial applications.

Neurotoxicity of Nanomaterials and Nanomedicine presents an overview of the exciting research in neurotoxicity and nanomaterials. Nanomaterials have been extensively used in medicine, including diagnosis probes, drug carriers, and embedded materials. While some have been approved for clinical use, most nanomaterials are waiting to be transferred from lab to clinic. However, the toxicity is a main barrier that restricts the translation. This comprehensive book includes chapters on the most commonly used individual nanoparticles, with information on the applications, neurotoxicity, and related mechanisms of each, providing the most in-depth and current information available. The book examines the pathways that nanomaterials enter into, and eliminate, from the brain, along with the strategies that could reduce the neurotoxicity of nanomaterials. Providing a background to the subject, detailed information, and ideas for future directions in research, the book is essential for students and researchers in toxicology, and for those in medicine, neurology, pharmacology, pharmaceutical science, and materials science who are researching nanomaterials. - Presents a thorough discussion of the most common nanoparticles in the brain and their neurotoxicology - Includes the most common nanoparticles, their applications, and mechanisms - Provides one of the first books to focus on nanomedicine and neurotoxicity

An essential reference that discusses occupational exposure and the adverse health effects of engineered nanomaterials and highlights current and future biomedical applications of these nanomaterials in relation to nanosafety.

This book is the third volume on this subject and focuses on the recent advances of nanopharmaceuticals in cancer, dental, dermal and drug delivery applications and presents their safety, toxicity and therapeutic efficacy. The book also includes the transport phenomenon of nanomaterials and important pathways for drug delivery applications. It goes on to explain the toxicity of nanoparticles to different physiological systems and methods used to assess this for different organ systems using examples of in vivo systems.

This book covers the latest information related to understanding immune responses to engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Many ENMs used in both the consumer and biomedical fields have been reported to elicit adverse immune responses ranging from innate immune responses such as complement activation to changes in adaptive immunity that influence pathogen responses and promote disease states such as asthma. Interaction of Nanomaterials with the Immune System covers the most up to date information on our understanding of immune responses to ENMs across a wide range of topics including innate immunity, allergic immune responses, adaptive provides the reader with (1) up to date understanding of immune responses to ENMs; (2) current testing methods; and (3) appropriate models including alternative testing strategies for evaluating immunotoxicity of ENMs.

The enormous advances in the immunologic aspects of biotherapeutics and nanomedicines in the past two decades has necessitated an authoritative and comprehensive reference source that can be relied upon by immunologists, biomedical researchers, clinicians, pharmaceutical companies, regulators, venture capitalists, and policy makers alike. This text provides a thorough understanding of immunology, therapeutic potential, clinical applications, adverse reactions, and approaches to overcoming immunotoxicity of biotherapeutics and nanomedicines. It also tackles critical, yet often overlooked topics such as immune aspects of nano-bio interactions, current FDA regulatory guidances, complement activation-related pseudoallergy (CARPA), advances in nanovaccines, and immunogenicity testing of protein therapeutics.