[Immunosuppression - tough ally in torrid time]

Abstract

Immunosuppression is a condition characterized by weakened or inhibited immune response. It occurred both in humoral and cellular response. This is related to the variable levels of deficiency for each antibody class (IgG, IgM, IgA) and a decrease in the number and function of immune cells, mainly T cells which results in the inhibition of cytokine production, signaling transduction and clonal expansion. Immunosuppressive therapy is used in many fields of medicine, such as transplantology, oncology, autoimmune disorders. Immunosuppression can be induced in several ways, by the surgical resection of the organs of the immune system, physical methods using X-rays or chemical methods using pharmacological agents. The most common way to induce immunosuppression is the administration of immunosuppressive drugs, amongst others: glucocorticoids, cytostatic drugs, immunophilin-binding agents, monoclonal antibodies. Unfortunately, the desired therapeutic effects of immunosuppression may be accompanied by a number of side effects associated with both impaired immunity (susceptibility to infections, including those caused by opportunistic microorganisms), toxic effects on the tissues (nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity), or with a direct impact on the processes of malignancy. This harmful influence can be limited by the modification of the existing drugs, looking for new ones or developing new methods for the controlled kinetics of releasing the immunosuppressive pharmaceuticals. The personalization of immunosuppressant treatment according to genetic/genomic characteristics of individual patient represents the quite innovative look into the issue of immunosuppression.