Immunostimulatory Drugs and Colony Stimulating Factors

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary mechanism by which immunostimulatory drugs work to combat conditions that suppress the immune system?

Providing a temporary barrier against external pathogens.
Directly attacking pathogens in the body.
Enhancing the immune system's ability to recognize and eliminate threats. (correct)
Suppressing the production of immune cells to prevent autoimmune responses.

Why are colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) administered to patients undergoing myelosuppressive chemotherapy?

To prevent hair loss associated with chemotherapy.
To reduce the side effects of nausea and vomiting.
To counteract the reduction in white blood cell count caused by chemotherapy. (correct)
To directly kill cancer cells.

Which of the following best describes the function of filgrastim?

Inhibiting the maturation of T cells.
Suppressing the activity of natural killer cells.
Enhancing the production, maturation, and release of neutrophils. (correct)
Reducing inflammation in autoimmune disorders.

How do interferons enhance the immune response against viruses and tumor cells?

By activating interferon regulatory factors, leading to increased production of immune-stimulating proteins. (C) Signup and view all the answers

In what way do immunostimulatory drugs potentially aid in cancer treatment?

By enabling the immune system to recognize and target tumor cells for destruction. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) in the context of interferon-based immunotherapy?

To function as transcription factors that enhance the production of immune-stimulating proteins. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which condition are colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) primarily used to treat?

Neutropenia (C) Signup and view all the answers

How do exogenous interleukins like oprelvekin and aldesleukin function as immunostimulatory drugs?

By acting as immune-stimulating chemokines to enhance immune function. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main effect of administering recombinant forms of colony-stimulating factors?

To enhance the production, maturation, and release of white blood cells. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a common mechanism of action for interferons that contributes to their immunostimulatory effects?

Activating transcription factors to increase the production of immune-stimulating proteins. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Immunostimulatory Drugs

Drugs that stimulate the immune system to combat conditions like immune suppression and certain cancers.

Colony-Stimulating Factors

Enhance the production, maturation, and release of white blood cells from bone marrow, boosting the immune system.

Filgrastim

A recombinant human methionyl granulocyte colony-stimulating factor that enhances neutrophil production and function.

Neutropenia

Condition characterized by a low concentration of neutrophils, treatable with colony-stimulating factors.

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Interleukins

Immune-stimulating chemokines used pharmacologically to treat certain cancers and impaired immune function.

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Interferons

Endogenous chemokines that enhance the immune response against viruses and tumor cells, often given exogenously.

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Interferon Regulatory Factors

Transcription factors activated by interferons, increasing the production of immune-stimulating proteins.

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Study Notes

Immunostimulatory drugs treat conditions that suppress the immune system.
These drugs correct unintentional immune system suppression caused by treatments like anti-cancer chemotherapy.
They are also used in the treatment of some immune system-related cancers.
Some immune-stimulating drugs have anti-cancer properties by enabling the immune system to recognize and target tumor cells for apoptosis.
Four main classes of immunostimulatory drugs include: colony-stimulating factors, interleukins, interferons, and vaccines.

Colony Stimulating Factors

These factors enhance the production, maturation, and bone marrow release of various types of white blood cells into the blood.
They are often present endogenously, but recombinant forms are sometimes administered exogenously.
By increasing white blood cell count, these factors stimulate the immune system.
Specific drugs in this class enhance a specific type of white blood cell.
Filgrastim is a recombinant human methionyl granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.
Filgrastim enhances neutrophil progenitor functionality by enhancing production, maturation, and release into the blood.
This class of immunostimulants is used to treat neutropenia.
Neutropenia is a condition characterized by a low concentration of neutrophils.
Neutropenia can be caused by myelosuppressive chemotherapy, AIDS, chronic B12 deficiency, and other situations.

Interleukins

Exogenous interleukins like oprelvekin and aldesleukin are sometimes used pharmacologically.
These drugs are recombinant IL-11 and IL-2, respectively.
Interleukins are immune-stimulating chemokines.
Recombinant interleukins are mainly used in the clinic for some types of cancer where immune function has been impaired.
Cancers that impair immune function, either directly (e.g., multiple myeloma) or indirectly (e.g., via anti-cancer chemotherapy drugs), can be treated with recombinant interleukins.

Interferons

Interferons, like interleukins, are a large family of endogenous chemokines.
They are sometimes given exogenously for some viral infections and cancers to enhance the immune response against viruses and tumor cells.
Interferons primarily act through the interferon receptor on the plasma membrane of most white blood cells.
Activation of interferon regulatory factors occurs following a complex intracellular signaling cascade.
Interferon regulatory factors are transcription factors that increase the protein production of various immune-stimulating proteins such as cytokines.
These factors are essential for the development and maturation of natural killer cells, B cells, and T cells.