Nanotechnology in inflammation: cutting-edge advances in diagnostics, therapeutics and theranostics.

Inflammatory dysregulation is intimately associated with the occurrence and progression of many life-threatening diseases. Accurate detection and timely therapeutic intervention on inflammatory dysregulation are crucial for the effective therapy of inflammation-associated diseases. However, the clinical outcomes of inflammation-involved disorders are still unsatisfactory. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop innovative anti-inflammatory strategies by integrating emerging technological innovations with traditional therapeutics. Biomedical nanotechnology is one of the promising fields that can potentially transform the diagnosis and treatment of inflammation. In this review, we outline recent advances in biomedical nanotechnology for the diagnosis and treatment of inflammation, with special attention paid to nanosensors and nanoprobes for precise diagnosis of inflammation-related diseases, emerging anti-inflammatory nanotherapeutics, as well as nanotheranostics and combined anti-inflammatory applications. Moreover, the prospects and challenges for clinical translation of nanoprobes and anti-inflammatory nanomedicines are highlighted.

Emerging roles of plasmacytoid dendritic cell crosstalk in tumor immunity.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a pioneer cell type that produces type I interferon (IFN-I) and promotes antiviral immune responses. However, they are tolerogenic and, when recruited to the tumor microenvironment (TME), play complex roles that have long been a research focus. The interactions between pDCs and other components of the TME, whether direct or indirect, can either promote or hinder tumor development; consequently, pDCs are an intriguing target for therapeutic intervention. This review provides a comprehensive overview of pDC crosstalk in the TME, including crosstalk with various cell types, biochemical factors, and microorganisms. An in-depth understanding of pDC crosstalk in TME should facilitate the development of novel pDC-based therapeutic methods.