Immunosuppressives Flashcards
What are the three chemical types of immunosuppressives?
- Glucocorticoids
- Antibiotics
- Antibodies and fusion proteins
What are the two glucocorticoids we need to know? What are they used for?
- Dexamethasone
- Prednisone
- Treatment of cancers that express the requisite receptors
What are the two antibiotic immunosuppresives? What are they used for?
- Cyclosporine
- Tacrolimus
- Used to prevent rejection following bone marrow transplantation
What are other antibiotics that function as mTOR inhibitors?
Everlolimus, Temsirolimus
What are the five antibodies and fusion proteins? What are they used for?
- Alemtuzumab
- Denileukin Diftitux
- Ibritumomab
- Rituximab
- Tositumomab
- Used for special leukemia and lymphomas because they target unique CDs
What is the mechanism of action for glucocorticoids?
- Naturally occurring compound is cortisol
- Interfere with the concentration, distribution and function of leukocytes
- –Inc. neutrophils, dec. T & B lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils
- –End result is decrease in cytokine release, including DECREASES IN IL-2 and TNF-alpha
- Decreases size of lymph nodes and spleen
How are glucocorticoids used in cancer chemotherapy?
-Given at higher doses, using a “pulse” regimen (in comparison to their use with inflammatory disease like asthma, arthritis, lupus, etc.)
What specific type of cancer are glucocorticoids used for?
Those that express the requisite receptors (e.g. prednisone-sensitive lymphomas)
What dosing is given for cancer cells?
Chemotherapy
-High dose, “pulse”
What dosing is given to suppress a normal immune system?
Immuno-suppression
-Low dose, continuous
What are triggers from cell division and what type of cell division is there for cancer cells and for the normal immune system?
Cancer cells - Unstimulated, Random Cell Division
Normal Immune System - Cell division is triggered by a specific antigen and cell division is synchronized
What are immunosuppressive antibiotics used for?
- Prevent rejection following bone marrow transplant
2. Angiogenesis inhibitors
What immunosuppressive antibiotics prevent rejection of bone marrow transplants?
Cyclosporine, Tacrolimus
What immunosuppressive antibiotics act as angiogenesis inhibitors?
Everolimus, Temsirolimus
What two pathways involved in cell proliferation are these immunosuppressive antibiotics involved in?
- NFAT-mediated regulation of interleukin synthesis
2. mTOR regulation of cell growth and angiogenesis