ABSTRACT
The objective of this chapter is to review the immunotoxicology of protein therapeutics which includes hypersensitivity as well as effects on both specific and nonspecific immune responses. In general, this review will include any efficacious or toxicological changes in immune parameters listed in a journal article. This was done to stress that the immunomod ulatory effects of cyokines must be considered for an individual patient within the context of a particular study. As an example, augmentation of the immune response by IL-2 may be beneficial in a cancer patient but may produce deleterious side effects if the patient has a concomitant autoimmune or inflammatory disease that may also be augmented by this cytokine.
