Modified immune-modulating particles

Abstract

The current invention involves the surprising finding that when carboxylated particles, such as carboxylated polystyrene, PLGA, or diamond particles are administered to subjects, inflammatory immune responses are ameliorated. Additionally, the present invention describes methods of treating inflammatory diseases by administering these same carboxylated particles.

1 - 52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . A method of reducing the duration or severity of an inflammatory immune response in a subject comprising administering to said subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising carboxylated particles, wherein said particles are free from attached peptide or antigenic moieties. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein said carboxylated particles are poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles, polystyrene particles, or diamond particles. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the diameter of the said carboxylated particles is between about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm, between about 0.3 μm to about 5 μm, between about 0.5 μm to about 3 μm, between about 0.5 μm to about 1 μm, or is about 0.5 μm. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the subject has an autoimmune disorder such as multiple sclerosis, scleroderma, type-I diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroiditis, systemic lupus erythmatosis, Reynauud's syndrome, Sjorgen's syndrome, autoimmune uveitis, autoimmune myocarditis, or Crohn's disease, has ischemic reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis, has suffered from a cardiac infarction, is a transplant recipient, has psoriasis or dermatitis, or suffers from an allergic disorder such as eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis or skin hypersensitivity. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein said composition is administered orally, nasally, intravenously, intramuscularly, ocularly, transdermally, or subcutaneously. 
     
     
         58 . A method of treating a viral or bacterial infection in a subject comprising administering to said subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising carboxylated particles, wherein said particles are free from attached peptide or antigenic moieties. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein said carboxylated particles are poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles, polystyrene particles, or diamond particles. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the diameter of the said carboxylated particles is between about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm, between about 0.3 μm to about 5 μm, between about 0.5 μm to about 3 μm, between about 0.5 μm to about 1 μm, or is about 0.5 μm. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the viral infection is selected from the group consisting of a west nile virus infection, a herpes virus infection, a hepatitis virus infection, a flavivirus, an influenza infection, a rhinovirus infection, a retrovirus infection, a papillomavirus infection, a paramyxovirus infection, and a parainfluenza virus infection. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the viral infection infects the central nervous system of said subject or causes viral encephalitis or viral meningitis. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the bacterial infection infects the central nervous system of said subject or causes bacterial encephalitis or bacterial meningitis. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein said composition is administered orally, nasally, intravenously, intramuscularly, ocularly, transdermally, or subcutaneously. 
     
     
         65 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising carboxylated particles, wherein said particles are free from attached antigenic peptide moieties. 
     
     
         66 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 65 , wherein said carboxylated particles are poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles, polystyrene particles, or diamond particles. 
     
     
         67 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 65 , wherein said composition ameliorates an inflammatory immune response in a subject in need thereof. 
     
     
         68 . The composition of  claim 65 , wherein the diameter of the said carboxylated particles is between about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm, between about 0.3 μm to about 5 μm, between about 0.5 μm to about 3 μm, between about 0.5 μm to about 1 μm, or is about 0.5 μm.