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Immunotoxicity refers to the adverse effects on the structure or functioning of the immune system, or on other systems as a result of immune system dysfunction, caused by exposure to any toxic substance.
Nanofibre lung injury has previously been linked to the leakage of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in frustrated phagocytosis. Here the authors use a nanosensor to demonstrate, map and track the generation of reactive species during the frustrated phagocytosis of model glass nanofibres.
Activation of the complement system by nanoparticles limits nanomedicine. The co-administration of fused complement inhibitors could largely block complement opsonization and unwanted granulocyte/monocyte uptake, as well as reducing side-effects of bolus-injected nanoparticles.
Understanding nanomaterials interactions with complement is important for a number of applications. Here, the authors study the interaction of sub 6 nm dendrimers with complement and show the small dendrimers escape complement activation but do interact with IgM to trigger lectin-pathway complement activation.