Immunostimulant
Immunostimulants, also known as immunostimulators, are substances (drugs and nutrients) that stimulate the immune system by inducing activation or increasing activity of any of its components. One notable example is the granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor.
Classification
There are two main categories of immunostimulants:[citation needed]
- Specific immunostimulants provide antigenic specificity in immune response, such as vaccines or any antigen.
- Non-specific immunostimulants act irrespective of antigenic specificity to augment immune response of other antigen or stimulate components of the immune system without antigenic specificity, such as adjuvants and non-specific immunostimulators.
Non-specific
Many endogenous substances are non-specific immunostimulators. For example, female sex hormones are known to stimulate both adaptive[1] and innate immune responses.[2] Some autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus strike women preferentially, and their onset often coincides with puberty. Other hormones appear to regulate the immune system as well, most notably prolactin, growth hormone and vitamin D.[3][4]
Some publications point towards the effect of DCA as an immunostimulant[5][6][7] of the unspecific immune system, activating its main actors, the macrophages. According to these publications, a sufficient amount of DCA in the human body corresponds to a good immune reaction of the unspecific immune system.
See also
General
Endogenous immunostimulants
- Deoxycholic acid, a stimulator of macrophages
Synthetic immunostimulants
- Macrokine, a stimulator of macrophages
- Imiquimod and resiquimod, activate immune cells through the toll-like receptor 7
References
- ^ Wira, CR (2004). "Endocrine regulation of the mucosal immune system in the female reproductive tract". In In: Ogra PL, Mestecky J, Lamm ME, Strober W, McGhee JR, Bienenstock J (eds.) (ed.). Mucosal Immunology. San Francisco: Elsevier. ISBN 0-12-491543-4.
{{cite book}}:|editor=has generic name (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) - ^ Lang, TJ (2004). "Estrogen as an immunomodulator". Clin Immunol. 113: 224–230. doi:10.1016/j.clim.2004.05.011. PMID 15507385.
Moriyama, A (1999). "Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) concentrations in cervical mucus of women with normal menstrual cycle". Molecular Human Reproduction. 5 (7): 656–661. doi:10.1093/molehr/5.7.656. PMID 10381821.{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)
Cutolo, M (2004). "Sex hormones influence on the immune system: basic and clinical aspects in autoimmunity". Lupus. 13: 635–638. doi:10.1191/0961203304lu1094oa. PMID 15485092.{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)
King, AE (2000). "Presence of secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor in human endometrium and first trimester decidua suggests an antibacterial role". Molecular Human Reproduction. 6 (2): 191–196. doi:10.1093/molehr/6.2.191. PMID 10655462.{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Dorshkind, K (2000). "The Roles of Prolactin, Growth Hormone, Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I, and Thyroid Hormones in Lymphocyte Development and Function: Insights from Genetic Models of Hormones and Hormone Receptor Deficiency". Endocrine Reviews. 21 (3): 292–312. doi:10.1210/er.21.3.292. PMID 10857555.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Nagpal, Sunil (2005). "Noncalcemic Actions of Vitamin D Receptor Ligands". Endocrine Reviews. 26 (5): 662–687. doi:10.1210/er.2004-0002. PMID 15798098.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help). - ^ Vlček B., Reif A., Seidlova B.: Evidence of the participation of deoxycholate in cancer immunity, Z.Naturforsch. 26 b, 419-424 (1971)
- ^ Vlček B.: Potentiation of the immune response with DCA (czech), Prakt.Lekar 52, 326-330 (1972)
- ^ Chyle M., Chyle P.: Regulation of the immune response with DCA (czech, engl. summary), Sbornik lek. 84, 212-218 (1982)
External links
- Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology journal
- Immunostimulants at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
- Deoxycholic acid as immunostimulant
Major chemical drug groups – based upon the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System | |
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| gastrointestinal tract / metabolism (A) | |
| blood and blood forming organs (B) | |
| cardiovascular system (C) | |
| skin (D) | |
| genitourinary system (G) | |
| endocrine system (H) | |
| infections and infestations (J, P, QI) | |
| malignant disease (L01–L02) | |
| immune disease (L03–L04) | |
| muscles, bones, and joints (M) | |
| brain and nervous system (N) |
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| respiratory system (R) | |
| sensory organs (S) | |
| other ATC (V) | |
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