Interaction of Viral Capsid-Derived Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) with the Innate Immune System

Abstract

Virus-like particles (VLPs) derived from viral nucleocapsids are an important class of nanoparticles. The structure, uniformity, stability, and function of these VLPs have attracted scientists in utilizing them as a unique tool in various applications in biomedical fields. Their interaction with the innate immune system is of major importance for the adaptive immune response they induce. The innate immune cells and molecules recognize and interact with VLPs on the basis of two major characteristics: size and surface geometry. This review discusses the interaction of viral capsid-derived VLPs with the innate immune system.

Keywords

• virus-like particle (VLP)
• innate immune system
• adaptive immune system
• Toll-like receptor (TLR)