Figure 1. Potential direct mechanisms of engineered nanomaterial-induced immunomodulation.

Engineered nanomaterials (ENM) can activate or suppress immune responses through direct interaction with effector immune cells such as macrophages and mast cells leading to their activation and subsequent recruitment of other effector immune cells such as neutrophils. ENMs can also modulate immune responses through direct interaction with antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells, which could affect their function toward an adaptive immune activation or suppression.