Molecular mechanisms of action of some immunosuppressive drugs

LIBERMAN AC, DRUKER J, REFOJO D, ARZT E.

MEDICINA (BUENOS AIRES)

Año: 2008 vol. 68 p. 455 - 464

0025-7680

A number of natural and synthetic substances are used in the treatment of immunological disorders. The immunosuppressive drugs are widely utilized in clinical treatments of autoimmune disorders, in the prevention of transplant rejection as well as in non-autoimmune diseases such as allergy. The design of immunosuppressive therapies is based on the control of the exacerbated immune response. The pathophysiologic mean of this concept is to modulate the action of mononuclear cells, being T cells the main targets. Immunosuppressive agents have different molecular targets, and an important drawback in their use is that they also inhibit the normal immune system response. Depending on their mode of action, immunosuppressive drugs can be classified in four different groups: antinflammatory drugs of the corticosteroid family, inhibitors of the calcineurin pathway, cytototoxic or antiproliferative drugs and specific antibodies. In this article, we focus on the molecular action of immunosuppressive drugs such as steroids, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, sirolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, leflunomide and specific antibodies, providing data to characterize and improve the use of these agents.