The impact of recent advances in immunology and XXXX therapy on nuclear medicine.

@entity1 @entity5 @entity565 @entity792 @entity1431 @entity1030 @entity1199 @entity166 @entity309
The explosive expansion of knowledge in immunology in recent decades has already affected the research and practice of nuclear medicine in several ways. New hematopoietic cells have been isolated and their functions discovered, including hematopoietic stem cells and dendritic cells (DCs). Many new humeral factors have been found that have potent effects on cells, including cytokines, growth factors, and specialized proteins. Radiolabeled compounds are needed to follow the pharmacodynamics of the humeral factors and to follow the migration of mobile cells in animals and @entity1 . In this article, only DCs, cytokines, and growth factors used clinically are discussed. DCs are essential for defense against @entity166 . Autologous DCs cultured for a week and pulsed with @entity5 antigens have already proved highly immunogenic compared with other methods for activating cytotoxic T cells, and preliminary studies suggest that DCs are more potent for @entity5 cell killing than monoclonal antibodies. DCs, unfortunately, also play an important role in causing certain @entity1 diseases. In allograft transplants, residual donor DCs are responsible for the cellular rejection; if they could be eliminated, rejection could be prevented. These cells are also detrimental in @entity309 , other @entity792 , @entity565 , and @entity1030 . Cytokines such as @entity1199 and such growth factors as granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, administered to @entity1 with @entity5 to alleviate the @entity1431 of chemotherapy agents, frequently alter the tissue distribution of radiopharmaceuticals; these alterations may be confused with disease.
