FIGURE 1.

LSECs internalize and cross‐present nanoparticle‐bound peptides on H2‐K^b molecules. (A) Schematic representation of SIINFEKL peptide‐loaded nanoparticle, consisting of a monodisperse iron oxide or quantum dot core of about 7 nm diameter, and an organic polymer coat to which SIINFEKL peptides were covalently conjugated. (B) Representative image of nanoparticle uptake in liver sinusoids (red fluorescent quantum dot core) before t = 0 min and 5‐min post‐tail vein injection, as assessed by intravital microscopy. (C) Immunofluorescence staining of SIINFEKL/H‐2K^b (red, AF546‐labelled secondary antibody) and LYVE‐1 + LSECs (green, AF488‐labelled secondary antibody). Nuclei are stained in blue. (D) Immunofluorescence staining of SIINFEKL/H‐2K^b (red, AF488‐labelled secondary antibody) and CK19 + cholangiocytes (green, AF546‐labelled secondary antibody). Nuclei are stained in blue. (E) Flow cytometric analysis of SIINFEKL cross‐presentation on H‐2K^b molecules by LSECs 2 or 16 h after incubation of LSECs with SIINFEKL‐loaded nanoparticles, or free peptide, or empty nanoparticles as controls. For quantitative analysis, the MFI of SIINFEKL/H‐2K^b ‐APC staining was analysed using the Kruskal–Wallis test. Results are shown as mean ± SEM; **P < 0·01; ***P < 0·001; ****P < 0·0001