ABSTRACT
To track the azabisphosphonate groups (ABP) dendrimer in culture with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated analog of the molecule had been synthesized. At least two subpopulations of human immune cells are targeted by the ABP dendrimer, namely monocytes and natural killer (NK) cells, paving the way to different biomedical applications. The ABP dendrimer promotes the amplification of human NK cells in cultures of PBMCs. the ABP dendrimer induced an anti-inflammatory activation of monocytes. Among over-expressed genes, mannose receptor (MRC1), immunomodulatory cytokines, IL-1 receptor antagonist, metalloproteases, CD23 antigen, and thioredoxine revealed an anti-inflammatory phenotype of human monocytes activated by the ABP dendrimer. These results were confirmed by quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) studies on mRNAs, which are the most indicative of anti-inflammatory activation. The ABP dendrimer could also modulate the proinflammatory activation of human dendritic cells (DC).
