Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Autoimmune Diseases

Disruption of immune regulation and tolerance often leads to pathological autoimmune diseases. Here at Creative Biolabs, we aim to provide theoretical assistance to help you understand potential immune checkpoint mechanisms and offer novel targets for more effective interventions in autoimmune diseases.

Fig 1. Immune checkpoint pathways.¹

Immune Checkpoint Disease Intervention

Autoimmune diseases encompass a family of nearly a hundred chronic diseases caused by the overactivation of the immune system. Excessive co-stimulation or insufficient co-inhibition can induce abnormal activation and proliferation of self-reactive cells, resulting in autoimmune diseases.

With the discovery of more immune checkpoint receptors and ligands, these crucial endogenous immune molecules have provided an attractive and promising approach for effective interventions in autoimmune diseases.

• Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

SLE is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects multiple organs. Traditional intervention methods have shown effectiveness in certain patients, while immune checkpoint inhibition strategies have been proven to significantly reduce the severity of the disease in animal studies.

Immune Checkpoints

• Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

RA is a chronic, long-term autoimmune disease that primarily affects joints, characterized by joint capsule thickening, significant pain, stiffness, and physical disability. Immune checkpoint molecules that have been directly associated with the pathological process of RA include:

Immune Checkpoints

• Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc)

SSc is an autoimmune disease characterized by vascular abnormalities, inflammation, and fibrosis. Various studies have indicated that co-stimulation and co-inhibition signals in T cells directly contribute to the pathogenesis of SSc.

Immune Checkpoints

• Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)

JIA is the most common type of arthritis in children, characterized by joint stiffness, pain, and swelling. The accumulation of various inflammatory cells and a high proportion of activated T cells within the synovial joints are considered crucial for the onset of JIA.

Immune Checkpoints

• Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Sjogren's Syndrome (SS)

SS is a chronic autoimmune rheumatic disease that affects connective tissues, with its serological symptoms mainly manifested by B-cell activation, autoantibody production, and loss of immune tolerance.

Immune Checkpoints

• Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic skin inflammatory disease characterized by immune cell infiltration and abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes. The role of immune checkpoints in this disease has been poorly evaluated; however, studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors as a therapeutic approach.

Immune Checkpoints

• Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)

T1D represents the dispersal of T-cell-mediated islet-reactive lymphocytes, leading to little or no insulin production. Clinical trials have shown that immune checkpoint inhibition can effectively prevent or slow down autoimmune destruction of β-cells and prolong endogenous insulin production.

Immune Checkpoints

• Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

MS is a disease caused by the immune system attacking the central nervous system. Pathological studies have shown that self-reactive CD4⁺ T cells and related cytokines play a central role in the inflammatory process of MS lesions.

Immune Checkpoints

Fig 2. Autoimmune diseases with immune checkpoints.¹

Research Status

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been successfully applied in cancer immunotherapy. The use of blocking stimulatory immune checkpoints or activating inhibitory immune checkpoints through reverse strategies has been proven to be an effective approach for interventions in autoimmune diseases, slowing down pathological progression.

• CTLA-4-Ig has been shown to slow down disease progression in rheumatoid arthritis patients who do not respond to csDMARD or TNF-α inhibitors.
• Anti-LAG-3 chimeric monoclonal antibodies demonstrated appropriate pharmacological activity in psoriasis patients.
• Dual CD28/ICOS antagonists that block two crucial co-stimulatory pathways can be used for SLE interventions.
• Targeting CD40L with protein can reduce autoantibodies and improve disease activity in RA.

Unleashing Our Solutions

At Creative Biolabs, we pride ourselves on providing an all-encompassing service that goes beyond theoretical support. We are dedicated to offering a wide range of services to ensure your success in tackling autoimmune diseases. Our commitment to excellence and our comprehensive approach set us apart as a distinguished partner.

With our expertise and advanced technologies, we offer tailored solutions that address the specific needs of each client. From innovative assay development to state-of-the-art in vivo models, our skilled team of experts will guide you through every step of your research journey. Contact us today to experience the power of our comprehensive service ecosystem.

• Custom Immune Checkpoint Protein Development
• Antibody Development for Immune Checkpoints
• Immune Checkpoint Targeted Peptide Development
• Immune Checkpoint Targeted Small Molecule Drug Development
• Immune Checkpoint Assays
• Preclinical Research for Immune Checkpoint Targeting Drugs

Reference

1. Huang, Zhu, et al. "Immune checkpoint molecules. Possible future therapeutic implications in autoimmune diseases." Journal of Autoimmunity. 10 (2019): 1016.

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