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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:dateCreated
2004-2-18
pubmed:abstractText
Dendritic cells (DCs) are "professional" antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that are uniquely capable of activating and instructing a naive immune system to mount a specific cellular and humoral response. Recognition of this crucial function makes the development of technologies for DC-based immuno-therapies a priority for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases. The most immediate impact of this emerging technology will be in the treatment of cancer and the development of third generation vaccines to protect against viral and intracellular pathogens. In addition to elicitation of immune responses, DCs also function to maintain tolerance to "self." Once the biological basis for this important function is understood, future applications of DC-based immuotherapies may be developed to ameliorate autoimmune diseases or enhance acceptance of transplanted organs. The feasibility of "engineering" the function of DCs has been realized by recent advances in ex vivo methodologies that allow selective DC propagation, antigen loading, and genetic modification in vitro for subsequent therapeutic transfer into the host. Ultimately, the ability to genetically modify these cells will allow us to design DC-mediated interventions that will direct predictable control of either immune activation or tolerance in vivo.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
1064-3745
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
246
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
139-54
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-4-21
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2004
pubmed:articleTitle
Adenovirus-mediated gene delivery to dendritic cells.
pubmed:affiliation
Departments of Dermatology, Cell Biology, and Pathology, and the Gene Therapy Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article