Killer artificial antigen-presenting cells: the synthetic embodiment of a 'guided missile'.
At present, the treatment of T-cell-dependent autoimmune diseases relies exclusively on strategies leading to nonspecific suppression of the immune systems causing a substantial reduced ability to control concomitant infections or malignancies. Furthermore, long-term treatment with most drugs is accompanied by several serious adverse effects and does not consequently result in cure of the primary immunological malfunction. By contrast, antigen-specific immunotherapy offers the potential to achieve the highest therapeutic efficiency in accordance with minimal adverse effects. Therefore, several studies have been performed utilizing antigen-presenting cells specifically engineered to deplete allo- or antigen-specific T cells ('guided missiles'). Many of these strategies take advantage of the Fas/Fas ligand signaling pathway to efficiently induce antigen-presenting cell-mediated apoptosis in targeted T cells. In this article, we discuss the advantages and shortcomings of a novel non-cell-based 'killer artificial antigen-presenting cell' strategy, developed to overcome obstacles related to current cell-based approaches for the treatment of T-cell-mediated autoimmunity.
Schütz
Christian
C
Department of Internal Medicine I, University Medical Center Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93042 Regensburg, Germany. christian.schuetz@klinik.uni-r.de
Oelke
Mathias
M
Schneck
Jonathan P
JP
Mackensen
Andreas
A
Fleck
Martin
M
D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation