Core Immunology - Immunomodulation and Immunosuppression (13) Flashcards
Immunomodulation
Manipulating the immune system using immunomodulatory drugs
What is the therapeutic effect of immunomodulation?
- Immunopotentiation
- Immunosuppression
- Immunological tolerance
Immunopotentiation
Enhancing immune response by adding another substance, increasing it’s rate/prolonging duration
Mechanisms of immunomodulation
Immunisation, replacement therapy, immune stimulants, immune suppressants, anti-inflammatory agents, allergen immunotherapy/desentisation, adoptive immunotherapy
Biologics - immunomodulators
Medicine products produced using molecular biology techniques - recombinant DNA
Classes of biologics immunomodulators
- Substances nearly identical to body’s own key signalling proteins
- Monoclonal antibodies
- Fusion proteins
Anti-TNF
- Adalimumab (human IgG)
- Infliximab (chimeric mouse-human IgG)
- Etanercept (fusion protein)
- Cetrolizumab (humanised)
Immunopotentiation
Increase immune response by administration of another substance (increasing rate/prolonging duration)
Examples of immunopotentiation
Immunisation, replacement therapies, immune stimulants
Passive immunisation
Transfer of specific, high-titre antibody from donor to recipient, provides immediate but transient protection
Problems with passive immunisation
Risk of transmission of viruses, serum sickness
Types of passive immunisation
Pooled specific human Ig, animal sera (antitoxins and antivenins)
Uses of passive immunisation
Hep B (prophylaxis and treatment), Botulism, VZV (pregnancy), Diphtheria, Snake bites
Active immunisation
To stimulate the development of protective immune response from immunological memory
Active immunisation immunogenic material
Weakened forms of pathogens, killed inactivated pathogens, purified materials (proteins, DNA), adjuvants
Active immunisation problems
Allergy to any vaccine component, limited usefulness in immunocompromised, delay in achieving protection
Replacement therapies - Pooled human Ig
Used in treatment of antibody deficiencies (IV/SC)
Immune stimulation - G-CSF/GM-CSF
Act on bone marrow, to increase production of mature neutrophils
Immune stimulation - IL-2
Stimulates T cell activation (rarely used)
Immune stimulation a-INF
Hep C
Immune stimulation B-INF
MS
Immune stimulation y-INF
Intracellular infections (atypical mycobacteria), chronic granulomatous disease, IL-12 deficiency
Interferon
Increases anti-viral response, occurs naturally, increase protein synthesis > increased resistance (makes you feel flu-like)
Immunosuppression
- Cortiocosteroids
- Cytotoxic agents
- Anti-proliferative/activation agents
- DMARD’s
- Biologic DMARD’s
Corticosteroids action
Decrease neutrophil margination, reduce cytokine production, inhibit phospholipase A2 (reduced arachidonic acid metabolites production), lymphopenia, decreases T cell proliferation and Ig production
Corticosteroid side-effects
- Carb and lipid metabolism (diabetes and hyperlipidaemia)
- Reduced protein synthesis (poor wound healing)
- Osteoporosis
- Glaucoma and cataracts
- Psychiatric complications
Uses of corticosteroids
- AI (connective tissue disorder, vasculitis, RA)
- Inflammatory (Crohn’s, sarcoid, GCA/polymyalgia rheumatica)
- Lymphoma
- Allograft rejection
Antimetabolites
Stop proliferation of T-cells - Azathioprine (AZA), Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)