title: Biological therapy with monoclonal antibodies: a novel treatment approach to autoimmune disease.
abstract: Most autoimmune diseases (ADs) are still associated with high morbidity and mortality despite the use of a wide range of drugs that can delay their progression, control their symptoms, but never bring about a complete cure. This failure has aroused interest in new forms of monoclonal antibody-based experimental immunotherapy (IT), aiming at targeting cellular antigens or cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of ADs. The first part of this review offers a general overview of the molecular mechanisms that mediate the immune response and the molecule regarded as potential IT targets. A critical evaluation will then be made of some forms of IT, with particular emphasis on TNF-alpha and CD20-blocking reagents. Lastly an account will be given of active IT whereby an endogenous response against antigens regarded as the target of passive IT can be induced by anti-idiotype or peptides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology (DIMO), Section of Internal Medicine, University of Bari Medical School, Piazza G. Cesare 11, I-70124, Bari, Italy. m.prete@dimo.uniba.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prete
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perosa
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Favoino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dammacco
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal