Affinity therapy

Since 1961, when the affinity labeling was introduced into re rch practice, a lot of different affinity labels have been applied The phenomenon of mutual affinity of certain proteins to the other definite compounds has been successfully applied in affinity cytochemistry affinity chromatography and affinity therapy... 

Rihova B, Kopeckova P, Strohalm J, Rossmann P, Vetvicka V, Kopecek J. Antibody directed affinity therapy applied to the immune system in vivo effectiveness and limited toxicity of daunomycin conjugates to HPMA copolymers and targeting antibody. Clin Immunol Immunopathol 1988 46 100-114. 

K41al, J., Drobnik, J., Rypacek, F. Affinity chromatography and affinity therapy, in Affinity Chromatography and Related Techniques (eds.) Gribnau, T. C. J., Visser, J., Nivard, R. J. F., p. 365, Amsterdam, London, New York, Elsevier Sci. Publ. Comp. 1982... 

Our own body, however, disposes of a perfect biological system for affinity therapy - the immune response. It is fascinating to observe what happens to a tumour cell attacked by a lymphocyte. Obviously, cell death caused by lymphocyte contact is ultimately due to a destruction of the cell membrane. 

Development of Resistance. One of the principal disadvantages of sulfonamide therapy is the emergence of dmg-resistant strains of bacteria. Resistance develops by several mechanisms overproduction of PABA (38) altered permeabiUty of the organisms to sulfonamides (39) and reduced affinity of dihydropteroate synthetase for sulfonamides while the affinity for PABA is retained (40). Sulfonamides also show cross-resistance to other sulfonamides but not to other antibacterials. In plasmodia, resistance may occur by means of a bypass mechanism in which the organisms can use preformed foHc acid (41). 

Low affinity use-dependent NMDA recqrtor antagonists meet the criteria for safe administration into patients. Drugs like amantadine and memantine have modest effects on Parkinson s disease and are used as initial therapy or as adjunct to l-DOPA. Their adverse effects include dizziness, lethargy and sleep disturbance. 

Amphotericin B, is a polyene antibiotic, used in the therapy of systemic fungal infections. Its mode of action exploits differences in membrane composition between the pathogen and the human host. Ergosterol, the predominant sterol of fungi, plants, and some protozoan parasites, interacts with Amphotericin B, resulting in an increased ion permeability of the membrane. Humans contain cholesterol, which has a low affinity for amphotericin B. 

Basiliximab and daclizumab are considered monoclonal antibodies. Daclizumab is a humanized antibody that is approximately 10% murine and 90% human, whereas basiliximab is a chimeric antibody that is approximately 30% murine and 70% human.9,11 These agents bind with high affinity to the IL-2 receptor, where they act as CD25 receptor antagonists. These receptors are present on almost all activated T cells. Their role in induction therapy involves inhibiting IL-2-mediated activation of lymphocytes, which is an important step for the clonal expansion of T cells. 

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