Nanoparticle compositions for generation of regulatory T cells and treatment of autoimmune diseases and other chronic inflammatory conditions

1. A method comprising administering a composition comprising a nanoparticle to a subject in need thereof, wherein said nanoparticle comprises

a) a micelle comprising an amphiphilic polymer rendering the nanoparticle water-soluble, and

b) a peptide comprising at least one T cell epitope associated with the outside of the micelle, and

wherein the composition generates regulatory T cells specific to said at least one T cell epitope in said subject.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the micelle does not comprise a solid core.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein micelle coats a solid hydrophobic core.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the core comprises a traceable inorganic material selected from the group comprising iron oxide, CdSe/CdS/ZnS, silver and gold.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the diameter of the core is 5 to 30 nm.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a synthetic polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene), poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-tetradecene) and polyisoprene-block polyethyleneoxide block copolymer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle is negatively charged.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the peptide is covalently linked to the micelle or non-covalently associated.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises a solid core comprising iron oxide having a diameter of about 9 to about 12 nm, which is encapsulated by a coating of poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene) to which a peptide comprising a T cell epitope is covalently linked.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles are suitable for transferring the peptide to liver sinusoidal endothelial cells of said subject in vivo.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is suitable for inducing generation of regulatory T cells specific for the at least one epitope via presentation of said epitope by liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and/or Kupffer cells of said subject.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles are formulated for administration to said subject having a disease wherein suppression of a specific immune response is beneficial.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said disease is an autoimmune disease, or an allergy or a disease wherein inflammation is excessive, chronic or adverse.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the disease is selected from the group consisting of multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, degeneration after trauma or stroke, graft versus host disease, transplant rejection, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), asthma and allergy.

15. A method of generating regulatory T cells, comprising isolating regulatory T cells from a sample taken from a subject, wherein said subject has been administered a nanoparticle comprising:

a) a micelle comprising an amphiphilic polymer rendering the nanoparticle water-soluble, and

b) a peptide comprising at least one T cell epitope associated with the outside of the micelle.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

administering to said subject said nanoparticle; and

taking said sample comprising T cells from said subject, prior to said isolating.

17. The method of claim 3 , wherein the diameter of the core is 9 to 12 nm.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene).

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the peptide consists of 9 to 60 amino acids.