Immunotherapeutics (35) Flashcards
Dr. Phililips
What are immunotherapeutics?
drugs that can be used to modify autoimmune responses for therapeutic benefit
What are the 4 categories of immunotherapeutics?
immunosuppressives - downregulate
promoters of tolerance
immunostimulants - upregulate
immunizations
Glucocorticoids are [immunosuppressants/immunostimulants]
immunosuppressants
When are immunosuppressants used?
when the immune system is over-active or to prevent transplant rejection
How do immunosuppressants function?
modifying gene expression and inducing apoptosis
- down-regulate pro-inflammatory cytokines
Cyclosporine is a [immunosuppressant/immunostimulant]
immunosuppressant
At low levels, glucocorticoids have _______
genomic effects - change gene expression - can upregulate immunosuppressive cytokines or down-regulate inflammatory cytokines
At high levels, glucocorticoids _______
have non-genomic effects due to receptor saturation
enzyme inhibition, membrane changes, calcium changes
Glucocorticoids are dose-[independent/dependent]
dose dependent
and analog dependent
Calcineurin inhibitors are another class of _______
immunosuppressants
What does cyclosporine inhibit?
NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells)
Cyclosporine is a ____ and _____ active inhibitor. It blocks ______
oral
IV
T cell activation and proliferation through blockage of transcription factor activation
What are mTOR inhibitors? They block ______
serine-threonine kinase inhibitors
blocks T-cell proliferation by inhibiting expression of proinflammatory cytokines AND blocking their action
also has anti-cancer effects
Which drug has a 1st generation analog called sirolimus?
mTOR inhibitors
What is mycophenolate?
immunosuppressant
prevents guanosine production (deprived of building blocks)
blocks B and T cell activation and promotes their apoptosis