This book offers a comprehensive review of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying autoimmune disorders, as well as the role of immunotherapy in managing these diseases. The initial chapter introduces the concept of tolerance, the immune system's capacity to distinguish between self and non-self. Further, it explores various factors that can disrupt this balance, leading to a breakdown of tolerance and the onset of autoimmune diseases. The book evaluates current strategies for managing autoimmune diseases, emphasizes their limitations, and introduces immunotherapeutic approaches. Furthermore, it delves into the latest advancements in immunosuppression, vaccine development, and the role of specific immune cells in autoimmune conditions. It discusses the generation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and their therapeutic potential, as well as examines vaccines and myeloid-derived suppressor cells for preventing and treating autoimmune diseases. Additionally, the book addresses a revolutionary approach, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CART) therapy, for treating autoimmune disorders. Towards the end, the book examines the role of the gut microbiome on immune function and autoimmunity. It considers innovative drug delivery strategies as the future of personalized medicine in managing autoimmune diseases. This book is a valuable resource for researchers and students in immunology, microbiology, and pharmaceutical sciences.

Key features

* Explores promising new frontiers in next-generation immunotherapy for autoimmune diseases.

* Reviews the role of factors leading to the loss of immune tolerance and existing autoimmune disease management.

* Examines innovative drug delivery strategies and the therapeutic potential of nutraceuticals against autoimmune diseases.

* Reviews the role and therapeutic potential of gut microbiome in autoimmune disorders.

* Presents the therapeutic potential of Tregs, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in treating autoimmune diseases.

About the Author

Javed Naim Agrewala (born 14 May 1961) is an Indian immunologist, a Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, and former chief scientist and Professor at the Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, known for his immunology research; Agrewala is an elected fellow of all the three major Indian science academies viz. National Academy of Sciences, India, Indian National Science Academy, and Academy of Sciences. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the apex agency of the Government of India for scientific research, awarded him the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, one of the highest Indian science awards, for his contributions to Medical Sciences in 2005. He also receives the National Bioscience Award for Career Development from the Department of Biotechnology.

Dr. Javed N Agrewala's group has pioneered research in the area of 'costimulatory molecules' and 'pathogen regulated receptors' mediated regulation of immune system (J Immunol. 1994; Eur J Immunol. 1994; J Immunol. 1998; J Biol Chem. 2002; J Biol. Chem. 2007; Immunol Rev. 2006; J Infect Dis. 2015; Sci Rep. 2015a, 2015b, Front Immunol. 2016, 2017, 2018). His original discoveries relate to understanding the role of costimulatory molecules in suppressing the growth of B cell lymphomas, which was a revelation in the field of cancer. This study encouraged Biogene Pharma Company to develop therapeutic antibodies against CD80 to treat patients suffering from refractory and relapsed follicular lymphomas (J Clin Oncol. 2005). His group has made seminal contributions in the area of novel vaccination strategies against M. tuberculosis [J Infect Dis. 2004, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015; J Proteome Res. 2008, Trends Mol Medicine 2012; Crit Rev Microbiol. 2011, 2015, 2017, Sci Rep. 2016; Front Microbiol. 2015; Clin Exp Immunol. 2015; J Transl Med 2017; USA Patent 2004, 2016]. Recently, his group has engineered a chimeric vaccine with the help of Prof. David C. Jackson, Melbourne University, Australia, comprising a promiscuous peptide of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and a TLR-2 agonist Pam2Cys. The construct induces enduring memory T cell response and imparts better protection than BCG. The group has initiated a collaborative study with Prof Kim Janda, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA, to develop vaccines against narcotics. His group explores environmental and gut microbes for human welfare. In this connection, they have discovered a novel role of 'Caerulomycin A' [secreted by actinomycetes] as an immunosuppressive agent by restraining the activation of T cells and increasing the survival of allogeneic skin grafts and alleviating the symptoms associated with autoimmune diseases [United States Patent No. 8,114,895: 2012; Autoimmunity 2017; Sci Rep. 2015; J Biol Chem. 2014; PloS One 2014; Transplantation 2014]. The group has in-depth elucidated the mechanism of action involved in the immunosuppression and suggested that Caerulomycin A enhances TGF- -Smad3 protein signaling by suppressing IFN- signal transducer and activating transcription 1 protein signaling to expand Treg. Importantly, this immunosuppressive molecule's technology has been developed and licensed to Nostrum Pharma, USA, for 3 million US dollars. Further, the group has observed that gut microbes can contribute to preventing tuberculosis [Crit Rev Microbiol. 2014, Front Immunol. 2017].

Book Information
ISBN 9781032851952
Author Javed Naim Agrewala
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint CRC Press
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd