Immunopharmacology of Joints and Connective Tissues

by Page; Davies; Dingle

• ISBN13: 9780122063459
• ISBN10: 0122063457
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1994-03-07
• Publisher: Elsevier Science

Summary

The consequences for diseases involving the immune system such as AIDS, and chronic inflammatory diseases such as bronchial asthma, rheumatoid athritis, and atherosclerosis, now account for a considerable economic burden to governments worldwide. In response there has been an enormous research effort investigating the basic mechanisms underlying such diseases, and a tremendous drive to identify novel therapeutic applications for their preventions and treatment. Though a plethora of immunological studies have been published in recent years, little has been written about the implications of such research for drug development. As a consequence, this area has not gained the prominence of other new fields such as molecular pharmacology or neuropharmacology, and a focal information source for many pharmacologists interested in diseases of the immune system remains unpublished. The Handbook of Immunopharmacology series provides such a source through the commissioning of a comprehensive collection of volumes on all aspects immunopharmacology. Editors have been sought after for each volume who are not only active in their respective areas of expertise, but who also have distinctly pharmacological bias to their research. The series follows three main themes, each represented by volumes on individual component topics. The first covers each of the major cell types and classes of inflammatory responses that can affect them ("Systems"). The third covers different classes of diseases as well as those under development ("Drugs").

Table of Contents

Contributors

Series Preface

Preface

Introduction

The Background to Autoimmunity

Immunological Tolerance and its Implications for Autoimmunity

Peptide Blockade and Antigen-specific Modulation of Autoimmune Disease

Monoclonal Antibody Therapy of Experimental Arthritis - Comparison with Cyclosparin A for Elucidating Cellular and Molecular Disease Mechanisms

Anti-CD4 and Other Antibodies to Cell Surface Antigens for Therapy

Are Imbalances in Cytokine Function of Importance in the Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Naturally Occuring Inhibitors of Cytokines

Soluble Immunopeptides in Inflammatory Arthritis

Inflammatory Reactions in Arthritis

Connective Tissue Destruction in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Therapeutic Potential of Selective Metalloproteinase Inhibitors

Lysosomal Cysteine Endopeptidases in the Degradation of Cartilage and Bone

Glossary

Key to Illustrations

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.