Date of Award
1-1-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences
First Advisor
Michael A. Repka
Second Advisor
Chalet Tan
Third Advisor
Seongbong Jo
School
University of Mississippi
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
The immune system plays a crucial role in protecting the body from harmful pathogens and cancer cells and maintaining tissue homeostasis. Immunotherapy has shown significant potential in treating various diseases by harnessing the therapeutic potential of immune responses through the targeting of different immune cells, receptors, and signaling pathways. This dissertation investigated two immune modulators for their immune-enhancing potential.In the first chapter, the components of innate immunity are introduced. In the second chapter, Immulina, a commercially available extract of Arthrospira platensis enriched with Braun-type proteins, was studied for its immunostimulatory effect in mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and macrophages. The results showed that Immulina stimulated the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines at both mRNA and protein levels, indicating its potential as a potent immune activator. In the third chapter, a cationic liposome formulation was designed and optimized for the systemic delivery of a STING agonist, ADU-S100. The impact of key formulation factors on the loading efficiency, serum stability, and STING agonistic activity of ADU-S100 was investigated. Our findings demonstrated that the cationic liposomal formulation of ADU-S100 can potentiate STING activation and promotes dendritic cell maturation.
Recommended Citation
Ji, Nan, "Harness Therapeutic Potential of Immune Responses: Molecular Characterization and Targeted Delivery" (2023). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2523.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/2523