ABSTRACT
Immune system modulators are agents that alter the activity of an individual's immune response, either up or down, until the desired immunity level is reached. Typical targets for such modulators include the major components of the immune response (T and B lymphocytes) as well as cellular products (including cytokines and chemokines). The goal is to selectively “fine-tune” the function of the various parts of the immune system to promote better health in the patient. Depending on the clinical scenario, immunomodulation may entail either immunosuppression or immunopotentiation. In this chapter, we discuss the pharmacological approach to immunomodulation, including the traditional immunosuppressive drugs, immunosuppressive polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, and cytokine modifiers. A discussion of the undesirable adverse effects of prolonged immunosuppression is included, followed by a section about immunopotentiating agents, their applications and side effects. The chapter closes with a brief discussion of cancer immunotherapy.
