Antirejection drugs

A drawback for stem cell therapy is the problem of cell rejection due to the host s immune system recognizing the cells as foreign. This rejection issue has to be overcome to ensure stem cell therapy is a viable treatment. Recently, French scientists reported on research progress in stem cell transplants for curing children with sickle cell anemia. A mix of antirejection drugs was used to suppress rejection of the new stem cells. 

Refer to Sections 4.6 and 4.7. The vectors for gene therapy are tabulated in Table 4.5. In cell therapy, antirejection drugs are used to suppress the rejection of transplanted cells. 

Many attempts have been made to link monoclonal antibodies specific for antigenic determinants on cancer cells to protein toxins such as ricin (Box 29-A). It is hoped that this may provide an effective way of carrying toxins into cancer cells/ 1 r Therapeutic human monoclonal antibodies are already in use as antirejection drugs for kidney transplantation, for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn disease, and for some types of cancer/... 

Perico, N. Remuzzi, G. 1996. New antirejection drugs. Exp. Opin. Ther. Patents, 6,871-891. 

Recently, French scientists reported on research progress of stem cell transplants for curing children with sickle cell anemia. A mix of antirejection drugs was used to suppress rejection of the new stem cells. 

MP as a possible inhibitor of antibody-forming cells. As a result, its derivative Imuran (azathioprine) has been used as an antirejection drug in kidney transplants. 

Some patients still require arginine or citrul-line supplementation, depending on plasma amino acid profile. Follow-up of liver transplant patients by the metabolic dietitian in collaboration with the transplant dietitian is best. The transplant dietitian can best address issues common to all transplant patients, inclnding possible nutrition-related side effects of antirejection drugs, food safety concerns, and prevention of obesity, which is common in pediatric patients who have nndergone liver transplantation [39]. 

Antibodies that block the interleukin-2 receptor, thus preventing interleukin-2 from activating T lymphocytes, have also been developed.24,62 These antiinterleukin-2 receptor agents, such as basiliximab (Simulect) and daclizumab (Zenapax), may be helpful in reducing the incidence of acute transplant rejection.13 Antibodies seem to be especially useful in the initial (induction) phase of antirejection treatment because these drugs can delay or supplant the use of more toxic immunosuppressants such as the glucocorticoids and calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine and tacrolimus).3,56... 

Like MTX, AZA is a purine analog whose mechanism of action was originally simply cell synthesis disruption (149). While this mechanism may explain the benefit of high-dose AZA in treating acute leukemia, control of T-cell apoptosis may be a more important mechanism for its use as an antirejection and antiinflammatory drug (150). 

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