Immunomodulators in Autoimmunity and Viral Infections

Abstract

Immunologically-based therapies are steadily moving from the laboratory to clinical practice. In that regard, the elevated levels of “immunocytokine” gene expression, including, tumor necrosis factor-α, various interleukins, cytotoxic T-cell antigen-4, B-cell activating factor, and others, are characteristic of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, psoriatic arthritis and system lupus erythematosus and, some cancers as well. Treatment of these autoimmune diseases with first-line Immunologically-based therapies can ameliorate the pathology associated with autoimmunity and cancer and, can also inhibit transplant rejection. Importantly, drugs containing immunomodulatory activity are now also known to have significant and effective anti-viral activity which may result from their role in reducing the impact of “immunocytokines” on viral infectivity and disease progression. Although vaccine development continues to alter the landscape of virally-associated diseases, immunomodulation has become a useful paradigm for reducing the pathology associated with viral infection(s) going forward.