Immunomodulation mechanisms

Stulnig, T.M., Immunomodulation by polyunsaturated fatty acids Mechanisms and effects, Int Arch Allergy Immunol, 132, 310, 2003. 

Thomas PG. Carter MR. Atochina 0. et al Maturation of dendritic cell 2 phenotype by a helminth glycan uses a toll-like receptor 4-dependent mechanism. J Immunol 2003 171 5837-5841. Goodridge HS. Marshall FA. Else KJ. et al Immunomodulation via novel use of TLR4 by the filarial nematode phos-phorylcholine-containing secreted product. ES-62. J Immunol 2005 174 284-293. 

Mechanism of Action An immunomodulator that inhibits release of cytokine, an enzyme that produces an inflammatory reaction. Therapeutic Effect Produces anti-inflammatory activity. 

Mechanism of Action An immunomodulator whose exact mechanism is unknown. Has sedative, anti-inflammatory, and immunosuppressive activity, which may be due to selective inhibition of the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Therapeutic Effect Improves muscle wasting in HIV patients reduces local and systemic effects of leprosy. 

Imiquimod (Aldara) is an immunomodulator approved for the treatment of external genital and perianal warts in adults, actinic keratoses on the face and scalp, and biopsy-proven primary basal cell carcinomas on the trunk, neck, and extremities. The mechanism of its action is thought to be related to imiquimod s ability to stimulate peripheral mononuclear cells to release interferon- and to stimulate macrophages to produce interleukins-1, -6, and -8, and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-k). 

Even a cursory review of the pertinent literature leaves the reader in little doubt that cestodes can subvert host immune responses by mechanisms that vary from membrane fluidity (i.e. membrane turnover) (Taylor et al., 1997) to active immunomodulation thatfavours development of immunosuppressive/immunoregula-tory cells (Dai and Gottstein, 1999) and/or an immune-suppressed environment. In this respect the cestode is no different than other helminth parasites. However, the data are fragmented, often quite vague and confused by the specificity of the host-parasite interaction. Therefore we have opted to provide the reader with tabulated data on some of the main findings illustrating cestode manipulation of their... 

Maier, S.F., Fleshner, M., and Watkins, L.R. 1998. Neural, endocrine, and immune mechanisms of stress-induced immunomodulation. In New Frontiers in Stress Research Modulation of Brain Function, Levy A, Grauer E, Ben-Nathan D, and de Kloet E. R. (Ed.). Chur, Switzerland, Harwood Academic, pp. 117-126. 

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