Cellular membranes of antigen-presenting cells (APC membranes)

The cellular membranes of antigen-presenting cells (APCs), such as dendritic cells, macrophages, and B cells, serve as the primary interface for initiating and regulating adaptive immune responses (Gaudino & Kumar, 2019). These membranes are characterized by the presence of Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules, which present antigenic peptides to T-cell receptors, and a variety of costimulatory and coinhibitory molecules like CD80, CD86, and CD40 (Roche & Furuta, 2015). In the context of disease, APC membranes play a dual role: in cancer, they may lack sufficient costimulatory signals or overexpress inhibitory ligands, leading to immune evasion, while in autoimmune diseases, they may facilitate the overactivation of self-reactive T cells (Vonderheide, 2020). Pharmacological targeting of APC membranes typically involves monoclonal antibodies or fusion proteins that bind to specific surface receptors to either enhance or suppress immune signaling (Moreland et al., 2006). Furthermore, the use of APC-derived membranes to coat synthetic nanoparticles has emerged as a novel biomimetic strategy to improve drug delivery and vaccine efficacy by leveraging the natural homing and signaling capabilities of these cells (Fang et al., 2018).

Other names

Antigen-presenting cell membranesAPC surfaceLeukocyte membranesDendritic cell membranes

Modulation of T-cell activation and immune signaling through the interaction with peptide-MHC complexes and costimulatory or coinhibitory surface molecules.