Growth factors pharmacological aspects

There are several mechanisms whereby antidepressants can modify intracellular events that occur proximal to the posts)maptic receptor sites. Most attention has been paid to the actions of antidepressants on those pathways that are controlled by receptor-coupled second messengers (such as cyclic AMP, inositol triphosphate, nitric oxide and calcium binding). However, it is also possible that chronic antidepressant treatment may affect those pathways that involve receptor interactions with protein tyrosine kinases, by increasing specific growth factor synthesis or by regulating the activity of proinflammatory cytokines. These pathways are particularly important because they control many aspects of neuronal function that ultimately underlie the ability of the brain to adapt and respond to pharmacological and environmental stimuli. One mechanism whereby antidepressants could increase the s)mthesis of trophic factors is... 

Several proteins that stimulate subsets of lymphocytes involved in various aspects of the immune response are now produced by recombinant DNA techniques. The pharmacology of these lymphokines as potential anticancer agents is being investigated. Interleukin (IL) 2, originally described as a T-cell growth factor, induces the production of cytotoxic lymphocytes (lymphokine-activated killer cells, or LAK cells). IL-2 produces remissions in 10 to 20% of patients with melanoma or renal cell carcinoma when infused at high doses either alone or with lymphocytes that were previously harvested from the patient and incubated with IL-2 in vitro. 

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