Regaining Tolerance to a Self-antigen by the Modified Vaccination Technique

Abstract

Autoimmune diseases are initiated and maintained by complex immunopathological processes in environmental and genetic factor predisposed patients. In certain autoimmune diseases, the etiologies and pathogenesis of the conditions are quite well understood; yet in others, controversy surrounds as to why and how auto-injurious processes start. Clinical and laboratory examinations reasonably well define the state of progression/remission of an autoimmune disease and allow treatment according to observed findings. However, none of the presently employed treatment options are specific. In fact, they are all nonspecific in their actions and have undesirable side effects. Over the years, experiments carried out in animals have shed light on the complex immunopathological processes which contribute to disease development and progression. At least one experimental autoimmune kidney disease-which we shall describe-helps to understand how pathogenic autoimmune responses can be terminated specifically, without side effects. Since the new vaccination method-that we call modified vaccination technique-was successfully implemented in an experimental autoimmune disease model called slowly progressive Heymann nephritis for the termination of pathogenic immune responses by a target antigen-specific treatment modality, we shall highlight its use in providing insight to physicians and autoimmunologists for its future implementation in human autoimmune diseases.

The Modified Vaccination Technique

“…The MVT promises to prevent and with equal effectiveness treat/terminate chronic ailments (such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, acute and chronic infections) by re-directing the immune system’s function specifically (both prophylactically and therapeutically) to achieve (by injections of suitably prepared ICs) [39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,71,72,73]:Down-regulation of pathogenic IgG aab responses in autoimmune diseases, thereby preventing/terminating immune events that attempt to destroy self targets (Figure 2);Up-regulation of pathogenic immune responses against cancer-specific ags to lyse cells (irrespective of their locations (metastatic spread)) (Figure 3); andInitiation of immune responses against agents causing acute/chronic infections (e.g., malaria, Ebola, cholera, influenza, etc. ).…”

“…Furthermore, since the IgM ab is cross-reactive, it will also react with the haptenized nephritogenic ag (that initiated/maintained the autoimmune kidney disease, i.e., the immune complex glomerulonephritis). Furthermore, the self ag that contributed to the disease could also contribute to its termination when presented to the immune system by the MVT [73].…”