XXXX immunotherapy: an immunologist's perspective.

@entity5 @entity4757 @entity2227 @entity1313
Key concepts in @entity1313 immunotherapy are reviewed. "Immunotherapy" can refer to a fully-developed, @entity5 -specific immune response, or to its individual cellular or molecular mediators. The immune response is initiated most efficiently in organized lymphoid tissue. After initiation, antigen-specific T lymphocytes (T cells) survey the tissues--including the brain. If the T cells re-encounter their antigen at a @entity5 site, they can be triggered to carry out their effector functions. T cells can attack @entity5 in many ways, directly and indirectly, through cell-cell contact, secreted factors, and attraction and activation of other cells, endogenous or blood-borne. Recent work expands the list of candidate @entity5 antigens: they are not limited to cell surface proteins and need not be @entity5 -specific. Once identified, @entity5 antigens can be targeted immunologically, or in novel ways. The immune response is under complex regulatory control. Most current work aims to enhance initiation of the response (for example, with @entity5 vaccines), rather than enhancing the effector phase at the @entity5 site. The effector phase includes a rich, interactive set of cells and mediators; some that are not usually stressed are of particular interest against @entity5 in the brain. Within the brain, immune regulation varies from site to site, and local neurochemicals (such as @entity4757 or @entity2227 ) can contribute to local control. Given the complexity of a @entity5 , the brain, and the immune response, animal models are essential, but more emphasis should be given to their limitations and to step-by-step analysis, rather than animal "cures".
