Immunosuppressive agents in transplantation: Mechanisms of action and current anti-rejection strategies

✍ Scribed by Vijay S. Gorantla; John H. Barker; Jon W. Jones Jr.; Kaustubha Prabhune; Claudio Maldonado; Darla K. Granger

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 133 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0738-1085
• DOI: 10.1002/1098-2752(2000)20:8<420::aid-micr13>3.0.co;2-o

✦ Synopsis

Over the past century, the concept of interfering with the immune response at various sites by blocking the formation, stimulation, proliferation, and differentiation of lymphocytes has led to relentless development of new immunosuppressive drugs. These agents are associated with reduced risk of short-and long-term toxicity and have dramatically improved allograft and patient survival, especially in recipients of solid organ transplants. Current protocols in such patients are nearly all calcineurin-inhibitor based, using cyclosporine or tacrolimus, as part of dual, triple, or sequential therapy. This review focuses on agents currently in clinical use at trans-plant centers in United States. The drugs are described in terms of their basic mechanisms of action, therapeutic uses, clinical studies, and adverse effects. In addition, the efficacy and toxicity of a few promising new therapeutic approaches are examined. Finally, important challenges regarding pharmacological immunosuppression as it relates to solid organ and composite tissue allotransplantation are discussed.