Engineered nanoparticles disguised as macrophages for trapping lipopolysaccharide and preventing endotoxemia

Endotoxemia is a severe pathophysiology induced by bacterial endotoxin (also known as lipopolysaccharide, LPS), causing high mortality in clinic due to the life-threatening syndromes, such as sepsis, shock, and multiple organ dysfunction. Removing or neutralizing endotoxin from the circulatory system has been proven to be a potential strategy for the treatment of endotoxemia. However, the selectivity and removal efficiency of existing detoxification approaches are not satisfied. Considering the crucial role of immune cells in LPS recognition and inflammation mediation, we design a disguised nanoparticle using macrophage membranes as bait to specifically capture and deactivate LPS. The in vivo experiment results demonstrate that the nanoparticles markedly weaken the immune response, reduce the inflammatory reaction, and improve the survival rate of endotoxic mice. These deceptive nanoparticles should be broadly applicable for treating a variety of diseases related to LPS, such as metabolic and vascular abnormalities in obesity, and diabetes-related diseases.