Immunotherapy: Open Access
Open Access

Different Types of Therapies Involved in Immunotherapy

Sujin Hyung^{* *}Correspondence: Sujin Hyung, Department of Immunology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, Email:

Author info »

Description

The treatment of disease by immune system activation or suppression is known as immunotherapy or biological therapy. Immunotherapies that lower or suppress the immune response are referred to as suppression immunotherapies, whereas immunotherapies that activate or amplify the immunological response are referred to as activation immunotherapies. The potential of immunotherapy to treat different types of cancer is the target of preliminary research. For some malignancies, cellbased immunotherapies are effective. Targeting abnormal antigens expressed on the surface of tumour cells, immune effector cells such as lymphocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and cytotoxic T lymphocytes cooperate to protect the body from cancer. Immunization against COVID-19 is mainly mediated by an immunomodulatory T-cell response.

Monoclonal antibodies and immune checkpoint inhibitors

The immune system produces antibodies when it recognizes a risk. Proteins called antibodies bind to antigens to fight infection. Antigens are chemicals that activate your body's immunological reaction. Monoclonal antibodies are produced to enhance or replace the body's native antibodies. In several ways, monoclonal antibodies can aid in the fight against cancer. They can be utilized, for instance, to prevent abnormal proteins in cancer cells.

This is also regarded as a sort of targeted therapy, which is a method of treating cancer with drugs that target specific genes, proteins, or tissue environment that supports the growth and survival of the tumour. Other monoclonal antibodies function by inhibiting or preventing immunological checkpoints to enhance immune system. The body employs immunological checkpoints to automatically terminate immune responses and stop the immune system from attacking healthy cells. These checkpoints can be activated by cancer cells from the immune system. Through the use of checkpoint inhibitors, cancer cells effectively suppress the immune system. These inhibitors frequently disrupt the PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 pathways as checkpoints.

Non-specific immunotherapies

Cancer cells are destroyed by non-specific immunotherapies, often known as non-specific immunomodulation drugs. Nonspecific immunotherapies are available in a variety of forms and perform differently.

Cytokines: A component of the immune system is cytokines. They are proteins that connect with one another in order to stimulate the immune system. Two different kinds of cytokines are used in the treatment of cancer.

Interferon: Immune system produces these proteins to alert body that a pathogen is present. To assist immune system in fighting cancer, interferon can be produced in a laboratory. They may also inhibit the development of cancer cells. Interferon alpha is the most prevalent form of interferon used in the treatment of cancer. There are many different forms of cancer that can be treated with interferon. Flu-like symptoms, an increased risk of infection, skin rashes, and hair thinning are possible side effects of interferon therapy.

Interleukins: Proteins called interleukins are used as transmitters by cells. They also activate an immunological response. For particular, melanoma and kidney cancer can be treated using laboratory-produced Interleukin-2 (IL-2) or aldesleukin (Proleukin). IL-2 therapy frequently causes weight gain and low blood pressure as side effects. Additionally, some patients experience flu-like symptoms.

Oncolytic virus therapy

Oncolytic virus therapy, often known as virus therapy, employs modified viruses developed in the laboratory to kill cancer cells. The virus is injected into the tumour in a genetically altered form. The virus replicates itself when it gets within the cancer cells. The cancer cells consequently burst and fade away. When a cell dies, it produces proteins that cause immune system to begin targeting any cancer cells in body that have the same proteins. Healthy cells are not invaded by the virus.

T-cell therapy

T-cells are immune cells that fight infection in T-cell therapy. Tcells are extracted out of the patient's blood during T-cell treatment. The cells are then given specific proteins, known as receptors. These T cells can identify cancer cells due to the receptor. The body absorbs the modified T-cells immediately. When they enter, they identify and eliminate cancer cells. Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is the term used to describe this type of treatment. Fever, confusion, low blood pressure, and, in rare cases, seizures are some of the side effects.