Advances in immunotherapy using dendritic cells
- Author:
Ammu Kutty Radhakrishnan
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords:
dendritic cells, immunotherapy, anti-tumour
- From:International e-Journal of Science, Medicine and Education
2012;6(supp1):S113-S117
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The immune system is the host natural defence
against cancer. Cancers are caused by progressive growth
of the progeny of a single transformed host cell. The
immune system is generally not able to mount immune
responses to “self-antigens”, due to various mechanisms
of immunological tolerance that are in place. This
means that despite possessing a natural defence against
tumours, many of the cancer patients may not be able
to mount an effective immune response to fight the
tumours. Dendritic cells (DC) are highly specialised
in antigen presenting that can initiate and stimulate
immune responses. These cells have the ability to
stimulate naïve T cell proliferation and perform specific
stimulatory and tolerogenic functions respectively.
When the DC are activated by antigens, these cells
undergoes further maturation and migrate to secondary
lymphoid tissues, present antigen to T cells and finally
induce an immune response. The ability of the DC to
activate naïve and primed T-lymphocytes makes these
cells a good candidate to be explored as a potential
immunotherapeutic agent that can modulate antitumour
immune responses in the affected host.
- Full text:W020150928566180919363.pdf
