[Role of monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of immune-mediated kidney disease: an introduction].
The treatment of immune-mediated kidney disease is based on steroids and immunosuppressive drugs that interfere with the immune processes.         These groups of drugs have led to significant treatment results. However, their use is not always associated with an improvement of the clinical picture         and severe side effects are frequent. Recently, a new group of drugs characterized by a more restricted mechanism of action has been proposed, namely         monoclonal antibodies directed against certain cellular components or molecules of inflammation. The anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody Rituximab is the most         widely used in immune-mediated kidney disease, but also others, for example eculizimab (anti C5b-9), have emerged in clinical practice. The aim of this         paper is to explain the rationale behind the use of these drugs starting from the pathogenetic mechanisms of immune-mediated kidney disease, to summarize         their clinical use, and to raise the issue of their safety in clinical practice.
U.O.C. Nefrologia e Dialisi, Ospedale Belcolle, AUSL, Viterbo, Italy. sandro.feriozzi@asl.vt.it
Sandro
S
Feriozzi
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069283:Rituximab
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000069283:Rituximab; C481642:eculizumab