Cytokines and Biopharmaceuticals Quiz

Understanding Cytokines and Their Role in Biopharmaceuticals

• Cytokines are regulatory proteins/glycoproteins that act as chemical communicators between cells, regulating immune and inflammatory function, haematopoiesis, and wound healing.
• Most cytokines act upon or are produced by white blood cells, and can be grouped into six families based on their primary sequence analysis and structure.
• Classical polypeptide hormones are not considered cytokines, but some cytokines like erythropoietin can also be considered true hormones due to their endocrine function.
• Manipulating cytokine activity can have a significant influence on the body's response to medical conditions, with cytokines being the single most important group of biopharmaceuticals.
• Some cytokines like EPO have already been approved for medical use, while others are undergoing clinical or preclinical trials.
• Overproduction of certain cytokines like IL-1, -6, -8, and TNF can cause or exacerbate medical conditions like septic shock and rheumatoid arthritis, with inhibiting their biological activity being a potential therapy.
• Interferons were the first family of cytokines discovered in 1957, with humans producing at least three distinct classes of interferon: IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ.
• Interferons exhibit a wide range of biological functions, including inducing cellular resistance to viral attack, regulating immune function and growth/differentiation of cells, and sustaining early phases of pregnancy in some animals.
• IFN-α and IFN-β are often collectively referred to as type I interferons due to their amino acid identity, receptor binding, and acid stability, while IFN-γ is referred to as type II interferon due to its separate receptor binding and different biological activities.
• Type I interferons have antiviral and anti-proliferative effects, with their anti-tumour effects being due to their ability to increase NK and T-cytotoxic cell activity.
• Different types of type I interferons induce different ranges of responses, with their antiviral to anti-proliferative activity ratio differing from one type to another.
• Interferons have been used in medical treatments like hepatitis C and multiple sclerosis, with ongoing research exploring their potential in cancer treatment and COVID-19.

Overview of Interferons and their Biotechnology

• Type I interferons have antiviral and anti-proliferative effects on various cell types, including some tumor cells.
• Type I interferons can increase natural killer (NK) and T-cytotoxic cell activity, leading to anti-tumor effects.
• Different types of type I interferons have different antiviral to anti-proliferative activity ratios.
• Type II interferon, IFN-γ, has weak antiviral and anti-proliferative activity but can potentiate the effects of type I interferons when co-administered.
• IFN-γ promotes activation, growth, and differentiation of immune and inflammatory response cells, particularly macrophages.
• Interferons were initially identified as potential therapeutics in the late 1950s but were impractical to use due to low levels in the body and species preference.
• The Namalwa cell line became the primary source of interferons for industrial production.
• Interferons were produced in significant quantities by mammalian cell culture in the late 1970s.
• Recombinant DNA technology enabled the production of large quantities of pure interferon containing a single subtype.
• Most interferons currently in medical use are recombinant human products produced by E. coli.
• Clinical studies have shown that interferons can induce regression of tumors in patients with breast cancer, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma.
• Recombinant interferons have been approved for the treatment of various cancer types, with up to 90% of patients experiencing significant regression of the cancer.