Treatment immunizations

Interferon alfa was also suspected to be involved in one case of biopsy-proven bronchiolitis obliterans-organizing pneumonia (41). Clinical symptoms of pneumonitis appeared 3-12 weeks after the onset of interferon alfa therapy, and after withdrawal of treatment they usually completely resolved, either spontaneously or after a short course of glucocorticoid treatment. Immune-mediated pulmonary toxicity involving the activation of T cells was considered as a likely mechanism. The uncommon features of bronchiolitis obliterans-organizing pneumonia have been reported in three other patients who received interferon alfa together with ribavirin or cytosine arabino-side (42,43). 

The impact of the immune system in human disease is enormous. Immunological diseases e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes melhtus, and asthma solid tumors and hematologic malignancies) are growing at epidemic proportions that require aggressive and innovative approaches to develop new treatments. Immune system-mediated graft rejection remains a formidable obstacle to widespread use of organ transplantation. 

World Pat. 9529700-Al (1995), B. E. Haynes and T. J. Palker, "New Peptide Corresponding to HIV Sequences Used for Induciug Protective Immunity to HIV and iu the Treatment of e.g. Auto-Immune Disease Infectious Diseases and Tumors" (to Duke University). 

In the treatment of diseases where the metaboUtes are not being deUvered to the system, synthetic metaboUtes or active analogues have been successfully adrninistered. Vitamin metaboUtes have been successfully used for treatment of milk fever ia catde, turkey leg weakness, plaque psoriasis, and osteoporosis and renal osteodystrophy ia humans. Many of these clinical studies are outlined ia References 6, 16, 40, 51, and 141. The vitamin D receptor complex is a member of the gene superfamily of transcriptional activators, and 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D is thus supportive of selective cell differentiation. In addition to mineral homeostasis mediated ia the iatestiae, kidney, and bone, the metaboUte acts on the immune system, P-ceUs of the pancreas (iasulin secretion), cerebellum, and hypothalamus. 

Increasingly, this opportunistic disease occurs in those with a suppressed immune system, especially those with AIDS. The only effective treatment for cryptosporidiosis in AIDS patients who do not respond readily to therapy is spiramycin (48). 

Neopentanoyl chloride has been used in the preparation of AZT (56), which is used in the treatment of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) (see Antiviral agents). 

Erythrocyte Entrapment of Enzymes. Erythrocytes have been used as carriers for therapeutic enzymes in the treatment of inborn errors (249). Exogenous enzymes encapsulated in erythrocytes may be useful both for dehvery of a given enzyme to the site of its intended function and for the degradation of pathologically elevated, diffusible substances in the plasma. In the use of this approach, it is important to determine that the enzyme is completely internalized without adsorption to the erythrocyte membrane. Since exposed protein on the erythrocyte surface may ehcit an immune response following repeated sensitization with enzyme loaded erythrocytes, an immunologic assessment of each potential system in animal models is required prior to human trials (250). 

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