title: Therapeutic vaccination to block receptor-ligand interactions.
abstract: Many chronic diseases are caused by non-physiological interactions of certain ligands with their receptors. Conventional treatment of these diseases with synthetic drugs or monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is efficient, but problematic due to the non-compliance of patients and the risk of adverse side effects. Novel therapeutic approaches are focusing on strategies of active immunisation aimed at the induction of a humoral immune response directed against the deleterious receptor-ligand interaction. Autoantibody production has been achieved by several vaccine formulations, including conjugates of self-antigens to foreign T helper (Th) cell epitopes, virus-like particles coated with self-antigens, and naked DNA vectors. All of these approaches have the potential to be developed for clinical use if important safety issues, related to the possible long-term presence of self-reactive antibodies in the serum of vaccinated individuals and the risk of undesired T cell responses, can be properly addressed.
authors.affiliation: Cytos Biotechnology AG, Wagistrasse 25, CH-8952 Zürich-Schlieren, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gunther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spohn
authors.forename: Martin F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Bachmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019138:Antibodies, Blocking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D019138:Antibodies, Blocking; D016207:Cytokines; D008024:Ligands; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine; D019444:Vaccines, DNA