@article {979496,
	title = {Multicomponent Injectable Hydrogels for Antigen-Specific Tolerogenic Immune Modulation},
	journal = {Adv Healthc Mater},
	volume = {6},
	number = {6},
	year = {2017},
	month = {2017 Mar},
	abstract = {Biomaterial scaffolds that enrich and modulate immune cells in situ can form the basis for potent immunotherapies to elicit immunity or re{\"e}stablish tolerance. Here, the authors explore the potential of an injectable, porous hydrogel to induce a regulatory T cell (Treg) response by delivering a peptide antigen to dendritic cells in a noninflammatory context. Two methods are described for delivering the BDC peptide from pore-forming alginate gels in the nonobese diabetic mouse model of type 1 diabetes: encapsulation in poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) microparticles, or direct conjugation to the alginate polymer. While particle-based delivery leads to antigen-specific T cells responses in vivo, PLG particles alter the phenotype of the cells infiltrating the gels. Following gel-based peptide delivery, transient expansion of endogenous antigen-specific T cells is observed in the draining lymph nodes. Antigen-specific T cells accumulate in the gels, and, strikingly, ≈60\% of the antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells in the gels are Tregs. Antigen-specific T cells are also enriched in the pancreatic islets, and administration of peptide-loaded gels does not accelerate diabetes. This work demonstrates that a noninflammatory biomaterial system can generate antigen-specific Tregs in vivo, which may enable the development of new therapies for the treatment of transplant rejection or autoimmune diseases.},
	issn = {2192-2659},
	doi = {10.1002/adhm.201600773},
	author = {Verbeke, Catia S and Gordo, Susana and Schubert, David A and Lewin, Sarah A and Desai, Rajiv M and Dobbins, Jessica and Wucherpfennig, Kai W and Mooney, David J}
}
