Mannosylation Allows for Synergic (CD44/C-Type Lectin) Uptake of Hyaluronic Acid Nanoparticles in Dendritic Cells, but Only upon Correct Ligand Presentation

The selective targeting of dendritic cells (DCs) can lead to more efficacious vaccines. Here, materials have been designed for a synergic DC targeting: interacting with CD44 through the use of hyaluronic acid (HA), and with mannose-binding lectins (typical DC pattern recognition receptors) through HA mannosylation. Negatively charged, HA-displaying nanoparticles are produced via polyelectrolyte complexation of (mannosylated) HA and high- or low- molecular-weight chitosan (CS, 36 and 656 kDa). Using CS36, HA is better exposed and the particles have a higher affinity for HA receptors; this means a higher number of receptors clustered around each particle and, due to the rather limited CD44 availability, an overall lower uptake per cell. Employing Langerhans-like XS106 cells, all particles show negligible toxicity or inflammatory activation. The cellular uptake kinetics are qualitatively similar to other leukocytic models and thus considered to be CD44-dominated; the uptake increases with increasing HA mannosylation and with the use of adjuvants (LPS, mannan) for CS36/HA but not for CS656//HA particles; this indicates that the interactions with mannose-binding receptors requires a correct ligand presentation, and only in that case can they be enhanced by appropriate adjuvants. In summary, mannose-binding receptors can be used to enhance the internalization of HA-based carriers, although this positive synergy depends on the mode of ligand presentation.