Tincer G.Bayyurt, B.Arıca, Y.M.Gürsel İ.2016-02-082016-02-0820151301109Xhttp://hdl.handle.net/11693/23025Objectives: Chitosan is a widely used vaccine or anti-cancer delivery vehicle. In this study, we investigated the immunomodulatory effect of chitosan/pIC nanocomplexes on mouse immune cells. Materials and methods: Proliferative and cytotoxic features of chitosan were tested via CCK-8 assay on RAW 264. 7. IL-1β production was assessed via ELISA from PEC supernatants. TNF-α, and NO induction from chitosan treated RAW cells detected by ELISA and Griess assay, respectively. mRNA message levels of TLRs and cytokines on macrophages in response to chitosan/pIC nanocomplex treatments were evaluated by RT-PCR. Results: Results revealed that chitosan is non-toxic to cells, however, proliferative capacities of macrophages were reduced by chitosan administration. Mouse PECs treated with chitosan, led to NLRP3 dependent inflammasome activation as evidenced by dose-dependent IL-1β secretion. Chitosan/pIC nanocomplexes did not improve immunostimulatory action of pIC on RAW cells, since TNF-α and NO productions remained unaltered. Expression levels of several TLRs, CXCL-16 and IFN-α messages from mouse splenocytes were down regulated in response to chitosan/pIC nanocomplex treatment. Conclusion: Our results revealed that chitosan is an anti-proliferative and inflammasome triggering macromolecule on immune cells. Utilization of chitosan as a carrier system is of concern for immunotherapeutic applications. © 2015 Turkish Journal of Immunology.EnglishBiomaterialChitosanDouble-stranded ribonucleic acidInnate immunityPolysaccharideToll like receptoralpha interferonchitosancryopyrinCXCL16 chemokinegamma interferon inducible protein 10inflammasomeinterleukin 1betamacrophage inflammatory protein 3alphanitric oxidepolyinosinic polycytidylic acidpolysaccharidetoll like receptortoll like receptor 1toll like receptor 2toll like receptor 3toll like receptor 4toll like receptor 6toll like receptor 7toll like receptor 9tumor necrosis factor alphaanimal cellArticlecell proliferationcontrolled studycytokine productioncytokine releasecytotoxicitydown regulationgene expressionimmunomodulationmousenonhumanprotein expressionprotein inductionArticle10.5606/tji.2015.329