Autoimmune therapies targeting costimulation and emerging trends in multivalent therapeutics

Ther Deliv. 2011 Jul;2(7):873-89. doi: 10.4155/tde.11.60.

Abstract

Proteins participating in immunological signaling have emerged as important targets for controlling the immune response. A multitude of receptor-ligand pairs that regulate signaling pathways of the immune response have been identified. In the complex milieu of immune signaling, therapeutic agents targeting mediators of cellular signaling often either activate an inflammatory immune response or induce tolerance. This review is primarily focused on therapeutics that inhibit the inflammatory immune response by targeting membrane-bound proteins regulating costimulation or mediating immune-cell adhesion. Many of these signals participate in larger, organized structures such as the immunological synapse. Receptor clustering and arrangement into organized structures is also reviewed and emerging trends implicating a potential role for multivalent therapeutics is posited.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autoimmune Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
  • Cell Adhesion / immunology
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance
  • Immunological Synapses / metabolism
  • Inflammation / immunology*
  • Proteins / immunology*
  • Signal Transduction / immunology

Substances

  • Proteins