Immunotherapy treatments evolve through studies in innate immunity (weather report)
No commentsBy Davis Morris
In the past decade, enormous advances have taken place in our understanding of the immune system, which has revolutionised immunotherapy treatment. Focus has switched from fighting disease by studying antibody reactions to known pathogens; today, there is far more interest in natural immunity that which has evolved naturally.
Traditionally, research was focussed on the B and T cell response to specific pathogens - in other words, the development of antibodies through acquired immunity. This specific adaptive response to infectious diseases is well understood by most people. Where much current interest lies is in innate immunity.
Innate immunity is generally non-specific. When the body is targeted by a foreign body or other factor a broad-spectrum response is initiated, involving many proteins. Studying these proteins is of great benefit in studying non-infectious diseases such as cancer, and non-pathogen related inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis.
To take one example, research into non-pathogenic versus pathogenic SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus) shows release of interferon type l (IFN-1) in pathogenic cells. Initially, it was thought differences in cell signalling between toll-like receptors (TLR) 7 and TLR-9 was the cause. However, it is now thought IFN-1 release occurs independently of this.
Antibody suppliers, like us at Novus Biologicals, provide a range of immunoglobulins targeted at proteins expressed in the SIV response. This is not restricted to TLR-7 and 9. Other proteins, such as the co-receptor CXCR6, are also involved.
Why are these products important in human research? Well, SIV is closely related to human HIV. Therefore, study of SIV-infected primates contributes tremendously to the development of anti-HIV and AIDS treatments. The TLR family, meanwhile, is used in numerous immunoassays involving the cellular immune response. At least 10 publications have cited TLR targeting as a tool in cancer therapy. Studies using the TLR-7 antibody resulted in the release of Imiquimod, a drug used in the treatment of basal cell carcinomas.
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