title: Dendritic cells: emerging pharmacological targets of immunosuppressive drugs.
abstract: Immunosuppressive drugs have revolutionized organ transplantation and improved the therapeutic management of autoimmune diseases. The development of immunosuppressive drugs and understanding of their action traditionally has been focused on lymphocytes, but recent evidence indicates that these agents interfere with immune responses at the earliest stage, targeting key functions of dendritic cells (DCs). Here, we review our present understanding of how classical and new immunosuppressive agents interfere with DC development and function. This knowledge might provide a rational basis for the selection of immunosuppressive drugs in different clinical settings and for the generation of tolerogenic DCs in the laboratory.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Langhansstr. 7, D-35392 Giessen, Germany. holger.hackstein@immunologie.med.uni-giessen.de
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hackstein
authors.forename: Angus W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Thomson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents