Cytokines and Biopharmaceuticals Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What are cytokines?

Regulatory proteins/glycoproteins that act as chemical communicators between cells (correct)

Small molecules that regulate gene expression

Enzymes that break down proteins

Hormones that regulate metabolism

Which type of cells do most cytokines act upon or are produced by?

Red blood cells

Platelets

White blood cells (correct)

Nerve cells

What is the primary function of interferons?

Regulating immune function and growth/differentiation of cells

All of the above

Inducing cellular resistance to viral attack (correct)

Sustaining early phases of pregnancy in some animals

Which of the following is NOT a family of cytokines?

Monokines Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between type I and type II interferons?

Type I interferons bind to a different receptor than type II interferons Signup and view all the answers

Which cytokines can cause or exacerbate medical conditions like septic shock and rheumatoid arthritis?

IL-6 and -8 Signup and view all the answers

What is the potential therapy for medical conditions caused by overproduction of certain cytokines?

Inhibiting cytokine activity Signup and view all the answers

Which type of cytokines can also be considered true hormones?

EPO Signup and view all the answers

Which family of cytokines were the first to be discovered?

Interferons Signup and view all the answers

Which cytokines can cause or exacerbate medical conditions like septic shock and rheumatoid arthritis when overproduced?

IL-1, -6, -8, and TNF Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of type I interferons?

Inducing cellular resistance to viral attack Signup and view all the answers

Which type of interferon is referred to as type II interferon?

IFN-γ Signup and view all the answers

Which of these medical conditions have interferons been used in treatments for?

Hepatitis C and multiple sclerosis Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of manipulating cytokine activity in medical conditions?

It is the single most important group of biopharmaceuticals Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of interferons for industrial production?

Namalwa cell line Signup and view all the answers

Which type of interferon has weak antiviral and anti-proliferative activity but can potentiate the effects of type I interferons when co-administered?

IFN-γ Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of type I interferons?

Increase natural killer (NK) and T-cytotoxic cell activity Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary method of producing most interferons currently in medical use?

Recombinant DNA technology Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of IFN-γ?

Promote activation, growth, and differentiation of immune and inflammatory response cells Signup and view all the answers

What was the initial problem with using interferons as therapeutics in the late 1950s?

Low levels in the body Signup and view all the answers

What have clinical studies shown about the effectiveness of interferons in cancer treatment?

Significant regression in some cancer types Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

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.

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Description

Test your knowledge on cytokines and their role in biopharmaceuticals with this informative quiz. Learn about the different families of cytokines, their functions, and how manipulating their activity can influence medical conditions. Discover how interferons were the first cytokines discovered and their various biological functions. See how cytokines like EPO have already been approved for medical use and how inhibiting overproduction of certain cytokines can be a potential therapy. Take the quiz now to enhance your understanding of cytokines and