Week 3 Immonosuppresants Flashcards
(59 cards)
What are immunosuppressants?
A class of drugs that decrease the activity of the immune system in conditions such as autoimmune diseases, organ transplantation, and malignancies.
What is the general effect of immunosuppressants?
Dampening of the immune response.
What are biologic agents?
Medications derived from living organisms that target particular components of the immune system.
List the primary targets of biologic agents.
- Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)
- Interleukins (ILs)
- B- or T-cell activity
What do calcineurin inhibitors do?
They halt the activity of calcineurin, a phosphatase involved in T-cell activation.
What is the role of corticosteroids?
They interfere with the cell cycle of inflammatory cells and modify the activity of other immune components.
What do mTOR inhibitors do?
They are proliferation signal inhibitors that reduce immune-cell proliferation.
What types of conditions are treated with immunosuppressants?
- Autoimmune conditions
- Organ transplant rejection
- Malignant diseases
What is the mechanism of action of B-cell inhibitors?
They reduce inflammation and decrease immune response by decreasing antibody production, antigen presentation, T-cell activation, and proinflammatory cytokine production.
Name a few B-cell inhibitors.
- Belimumab
- Ocrelizumab
- Rituximab
What is the mechanism of action for IL-1 inhibitors?
They block the IL-1 receptor or inhibit IL-1beta.
List some IL-6 inhibitors.
- Sarilumab
- Tocilizumab
What are tumor necrosis factor inhibitors?
Agents that bind to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and block its interaction with TNF receptors.
What are the adverse effects of TNF inhibitors?
- Infections
- Malignancy
- Heart failure
- Demyelinating disease
What is the mechanism of action of T-cell inhibitors?
They inhibit T-cell activation by blocking the interaction between CD28 on T cells and CD80/CD86 on antigen-presenting cells.
Give examples of calcineurin inhibitors.
- Cyclosporine
- Pimecrolimus
- Tacrolimus
What are the indications for corticosteroids?
- Allergic/respiratory conditions
- Dermatologic conditions
- Endocrinologic conditions
- Gastroenterologic conditions
- Hematologic conditions
- Ophthalmologic conditions
- Rheumatologic conditions
What are some common adverse effects of corticosteroids?
- Cardiovascular issues
- Skin atrophy
- Hyperglycemia
- Adrenal suppression
- Osteoporosis
Fill in the blank: Calcineurin inhibitors target _______.
[calcineurin]
True or False: Corticosteroids can be used for the treatment of uveitis.
True
What is the effect of IL-17 inhibitors?
They target IL-17 to reduce inflammation in conditions like plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
List some adverse effects of mTOR inhibitors.
- Infections
- Nephrotoxicity
- Hyperlipidemia
What is the role of biologic agents in treating autoimmune diseases?
They specifically suppress components or pathways of the immune system.
What is the significance of the nomenclature for biologic agents?
Names indicate their structure and origin, such as ‘-mab’ for monoclonal antibodies.