Immunosuppressants and Immunostimulants

Question 1

How Acquired Immunity Responses (AIR) occur?

Answer 1

1. Repeated exposure to an antigen
2. release of cytokines (including interleukin 2)
3. Activate T-cells that destruct cells
   OR
4. activate B-cells to produce antibodies

Question 2

Examples of Immunosuppressants

Answer 2

cyclosporine and glucocorticoids

Question 3

MOA of cyclosporine

Answer 3

inhibits a protein known as calcineurin that regulates a gene that controls the production of interleukin 2

Question 4

MOA of glucocorticoids

Answer 4

cortisol receptor agonists and induce leukocyte apoptosis

Question 5

Therapeutic uses for immunosuppressants

Answer 5

used to prevent organ and tissue transplant rejection, cyclosporine also used to treat psoriasis, RA, and chronic dry eyes

Question 6

Pharmacotoxicology of immunosuppressants

Answer 6

secondary infections, lymphoma, htn and hyperglycemia

Question 7

what is “active” immunotherapy?

Answer 7

antigen treatment that is dependent on triggering AIRs

Question 8

“active, selective” immunotherapy is…?

Answer 8

antigen treatment that triggers a response against a specific antigen

Question 9

Vaccines may be directed against what kind of specific pathogens?

Answer 9

1. Whole bacteria
2. Capsular polysaccharides
3. Whole virus
4. Viral antigens
5. mRNA

Question 10

Examples of whole bacteria vaccines

Answer 10

Cholera
Pertussis
TB

Question 11

Example of Capsular Polysaccharide Vaccines

Answer 11

meningitis
pneumococcal pneumonia

Question 12

Example of bacterial toxin vaccines

Answer 12

diphtheria
tetanus

Question 13

Example of whole virus vaccines

Answer 13

influenza
measles
mumps
rubella
polio

Question 14

Example of viral antigen vaccines

Answer 14

proteins
DNA/RNA
Hep B
Covid

Question 15

How does an mRNA vaccine work?

Answer 15

it codes for viral proteins that serve as antigens

Question 16

What is passive immunotherapy?

Answer 16

non-antigen treatment that mimics or enhances an active AIR in a patient (give antibodies from a patient who was already exposed)

Question 17

Examples of “passive, selective” immunotherapy

Answer 17

IV immunoglobulin therapy (IVIg), antivenoms, antibodies (against pathogens, drugs, foreign agents and hormones)

Question 18

Example of a “passive, selective” immunotherapy treatment targeted against hormones

Answer 18

Herceptin

Question 19

what is herceptin

Answer 19

a monoclonal antibody against the human EGF receptor in some mammary gland tumors

Question 20

what is a monoclonal antibody

Answer 20

an antibody made by cloning a single, unique antibody-forming cell (B cell) that produces a single type of antibody.

Question 21

MOA of etanercept

Answer 21

targets TNF-a

Question 22

What is etanercept used for

Answer 22

Rheumatoid arthritis

Question 23

MOA of secukinamab

Answer 23

targets IL-17A

Question 24

therapeutic use for secukinamab

Answer 24

psoriasis

Question 25

MOA of ustekinumab

Answer 25

targets IL-12 and IL-23

Question 26

therapeutic use of ustekinumab

Answer 26

Crohn's and IBD

Question 27

MOA of tocilizumab

Answer 27

Targets IL-6

Question 28

Therapeutic use for tocilizumab

Answer 28

COVID and RA

Question 29

What is "passive, non-selective" immunotherapy?

Answer 29

Treatment with cytokines or growth factors that enhance immune responses against any antigen

Question 30

MOA of Granulocyte Monocyte Colony Stimulating Factor

Answer 30

GM-CSF stimulates bone marrow to produce more eosinophils, monocytes, and neutrophila

Question 31

MOA of G-CSF

Answer 31

selectively stimulates the bone marrow to produce ONLY neutrophils

Question 32

MOA of cytokine treatments

Answer 32

administer interleukin-2 to help treat immunodeficiency disorders

Question 33

What kind of immunotherapy is CAR T-cell therapy?

Answer 33

"Active, selective"

Question 34

how does CAR T-cell therapy work?

Answer 34

blood is drawn from a patient, T-cells are isolated, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) is added onto the t-cells, replicated, and then administered back to the patient; only attacks cancer cells, not healthy cells

Question 35

Examples of checkpoint inhibitors

Answer 35

nivolumab and avelumab

Question 36

MOA of nivolumab

Answer 36

Anti-PD1 medication; blocks the programed death receptor on T-cells

Question 37

MOA of avelumab

Answer 37

anti-PD-L1 medication; blocks the programed death ligand that is present on cancer cells