Immunostimulators are substances (drugs and nutrients) that stimulate the immune system by inducing activation or increasing activity of any of its components. An immune system is a collection of mechanisms within an Organism that protects against Disease by identifying and killing Pathogens and Tumor One notable example include granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, commercially available under Leukine name. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, often abbreviated to GM-CSF, is a Protein secreted by Macrophages T cells Mast
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Classification
There are two main categories of immunostimulators:
- Specific immunostimulators are those which provide antigenic specificity in immune response, such as vaccines or any antigen. A vaccine is a biological preparation which is used to establish or improve immunity to a particular disease An antigen (from antibody-generating) or immunogen is a substance that prompts the generation of Antibodies and can cause an immune response
- Non-specific immunostimulators are those which act irrespective of antigenic specificity to augment immune response of other antigen or stimulate components of the immune system without antigenic specificity, such as adjuvants and non-specific immunostimulators. In Immunology, an adjuvant is an agent that may stimulate the Immune system and increase the response to a Vaccine, without having any specific Antigenic
Non-specific
Many endogenous substances are non-specific immunostimulators. For example, female sex hormones are known to stimulate both adaptive[1] and innate immune responses. Sex steroids, also known as gonadal steroids, are Steroid hormones that interact with Vertebrate Androgen or Estrogen receptors An immune system is a collection of mechanisms within an Organism that protects against Disease by identifying and killing Pathogens and Tumor [2] Some autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus strike women preferentially, and their onset often coincides with puberty. Systemic lupus erythematosus ( SLE or lupus,) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can be fatal though with recent medical advances fatalities are becoming Other hormones appear to regulate the immune system as well, most notably prolactin, growth hormone and vitamin D. Prolactin ( PRL) or Luteotropic hormone ( LTH) is a Peptide hormone primarily associated with Lactation. Growth hormone ( GH) is a Peptide hormone that stimulates growth and cell reproduction in humans and other animals Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble Prohormones, the two major forms of which are vitamin D2 (or Ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (or [3][4]
Examples of Immunostimulator drugs
See also
- Antigen
- Co-stimulation
- Immunotherapy
- Immunogenicity
- Immunomodulator
- Macrokine, stimulator of macrophages
- Immunologic adjuvant
References
- ^ Wira, CR; Crane-Godreau M, Grant K (2004). Pimecrolimus is an immunomodulating agent used in the treatment of Atopic dermatitis (eczema Glatiramer Acetate is the generic name for the Drug Copaxone or Copolymer 1, developed by Teva Pharmaceuticals. Levamisole (Ergamisol HCl salt is an Antibiotic belonging to a class of synthetic Imidazothiazole derivatives An antigen (from antibody-generating) or immunogen is a substance that prompts the generation of Antibodies and can cause an immune response During the activation of T cells co-stimulation is often crucial to the development of an effective immune response. Immunotherapy in medicine refers to an array of treatment strategies based upon the concept of modulating the Immune system to achieve a prophylactic and/or Immunogenicity is the ability of a particular substance which is called the Antigen, to provoke an Immune response. An immunomodulator is a drug used for its effect on the Immune system. Tetrachlorodecaoxide (TCDO is a Chlorite containing drug used for the dressing of Wounds, immunomodulation and as Radiation protective agent In Immunology, an adjuvant is an agent that may stimulate the Immune system and increase the response to a Vaccine, without having any specific Antigenic "Endocrine regulation of the mucosal immune system in the female reproductive tract", in In: Ogra PL, Mestecky J, Lamm ME, Strober W, McGhee JR, Bienenstock J (eds. ): Mucosal Immunology. San Francisco: Elsevier. ISBN 0124915434.
- ^ Lang, TJ (2004). "Estrogen as an immunomodulator". Clin Immunol 113: 224–230. doi:. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document. PMID 15507385.
Moriyama, A; Shimoya K, Ogata I et al. (1999). "Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) concentrations in cervical mucus of women with normal menstrual cycle". Molecular Human Reproduction 5: 656–661. doi:. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document. PMID 10381821.
Cutolo, M; Sulli A, Capellino S, Villaggio B, Montagna P, Seriolo B, Straub RH (2004). "Sex hormones influence on the immune system: basic and clinical aspects in autoimmunity". Lupus 13: 635–638. doi:. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document. PMID 15485092.
King, AE; Critchley HOD, Kelly RW (2000). "Presence of secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor in human endometrium and first trimester decidua suggests an antibacterial role". Molecular Human Reproduction 6: 191–196. doi:. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document. PMID 10655462. - ^ Dorshkind, K; Horseman ND (2000). "The Roles of Prolactin, Growth Hormone, Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I, and Thyroid Hormones in Lymphocyte Development and Function: Insights from Genetic Models of Hormones and Hormone Receptor Deficiency". Endocrine Reviews 21: 292–312. doi:. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document. PMID 10857555.
- ^ Nagpal, Sunil; Songqing Naand and Radhakrishnan Rathnachalam (2005). "Noncalcemic Actions of Vitamin D Receptor Ligands". Endocrine Reviews 26 (5): 662–687. doi:. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document. PMID 15798098. .