Immunosuppressive therapy

Immunosuppressive therapy reduces immune activity to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, prevent transplant rejection, or limit immune-mediated injury. It includes drugs, antibodies, and other interventions with different targets and risks.

Calcineurin inhibitors: Drugs that inhibit calcineurin signaling and reduce T-cell production of interleukin-2. They suppress T-cell activation by blocking a central signaling step.
Organ transplantation: The surgical transfer of an organ from a donor to a recipient to replace a failing organ. Long-term immunosuppression helps prevent recipient immune cells from damaging a transplanted organ.
Opportunistic infection: An infection caused by organisms that exploit weakened immune defenses. Reduced immune surveillance makes some infections more likely or severe.
Immunomodulation: The alteration of immune activity, which may increase, decrease, or redirect immune responses. Unlike immunosuppression, immune modulation need not reduce overall immune activity.
Glucocorticoids: Steroid hormones and medicines that alter gene expression to reduce inflammation and immune activity. They suppress many inflammatory pathways, but their broad effects cause substantial systemic risks.
Autoimmune disease: A disease in which immune responses target the body's own cells or tissues. Immunosuppressive treatment limits immune attacks that cause tissue injury.
Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder: A range of abnormal lymphoid growths associated with impaired immune control after transplantation. Long-term suppression can weaken control of virus-infected lymphocytes.
Immunostimulant: A substance or treatment that increases or enhances immune activity. It pushes immune function in the opposite direction from suppressive treatment.
Antimetabolites: Medicines that disrupt nucleotide synthesis or use, limiting the proliferation of rapidly dividing cells. They reduce expansion of activated lymphocytes by restricting cell growth.
Rheumatoid arthritis: A chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammatory joint disease and can affect other organs. Disease-modifying immunosuppressants reduce inflammation and help prevent joint damage.

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