title: Gene therapeutic approaches to induction and maintenance of tolerance.
abstract: Tolerance induction would be an ideal way to treat autoimmune diseases, especially if achievable in primed individuals. Moreover, specific tolerance would preclude the need for immunosuppressive treatment with its side effects. In this review, we will revisit the historical concepts of tolerance, and introduce a novel approach to tolerance via gene therapy. Our model system is based on the tolerogenicity of IgG carriers and B-cell antigen presentation. Results with this model demonstrate that it is simple and effective even in primed recipients, and has proven efficacy in three autoimmune models. We discuss the mechanisms of tolerance with fusion IgG's and analyze how our model of gene therapy approached can be utilized to fit in the future treatment of autoimmune conditions.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Immunology, American Red Cross, Jerome Holland Laboratory, Rockville, MD 20855, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Amine
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tonnetti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fleischman
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D017635:Clonal Anergy; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017634:Self Tolerance; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins