Cancer And Autoimmunity

Of the two disciplines in parallel development for two decades, tumor immunology and transplantation immunology, the latter has thrived and has led to some of the most critical discoveries in immunobiology. The former continues to thwart both scientists and clinicians alike. The goal of immunologists in modern day research is to develop a simple and effective means to manipulate cancer in vivo, possibly encompassing several venues: identifying a phenotypic marker and the use of either active or passive immunization; include the use of passive reagents carrying "warheads" to selectively destroy cancer cells; or altering the basic process of cell survival. This excellent multidiscipline-authored volume presents a theme which has not been well described before. The papers include both basic and clinical science and range from sophisticated molecular biology to little more than phenomenology (e.g. the increased association of cancer in some autoimmune diseases and increased presentation of autoimmune phenomena in malignant condition). This, however, is state-of-the-art. This collection of themes will be of use not only to bench scientists, but also to clinicians who treat patients. The book represents progress at the cutting edge of this discipline, and points the way to further developments in the "black box" of immunology.

This volume reviews the current state of research on immune checkpoints and offers novel concepts. It discusses the two most important immune checkpoints: T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1). It shows that antagonistic antibodies against these two molecules are highly effective in the treatment of various cancers and that PD-1 and CTLA-4 have been linked to the suppression of T-cell receptor signaling and co-stimulatory molecules. Further, the volume examines other agents, a number of cells, receptors and signaling molecules, that are also involved in the regulation of T-cell activation and extends the concept of immune checkpoints to “molecules and cells that negatively regulate T-cell activation”. Playing essential roles in immune homeostasis, they could offer new targets for cancer immunotherapy, and for the therapy of autoimmune diseases. Written by internationally respected scientists, this book will appeal to basic scientists, clinicians, drug development researchers, and advanced students alike.

The significance of autoimmune diseases increases day by day. Cancer is an important cause of mortality for which no definitive treatment has yet been found. Cancer can occur for many reasons. Studies have shown that autoimmunity underlies some types of cancer. On the contrary, antitumor immune responses may become cross-reactive with their own tissues, resulting in the development of autoimmunity. Further investigation of the relationship between autoimmunity and cancer will open new horizons for diagnosis and treatment of both groups of disease. This book presents studies of potential mechanisms linking autoimmunity and cancer and the relationship of malignancies with autoimmune disorders.

The cooperation of highly specialized cell types maintains the homeostasis of multicellular organisms. The disturbance of that harmony contributes to the development of several diseases. Most of the cellular functions are executed by proteins, so it is essential to investigate biological processes at the protein level. Antibodies, complex biomolecules with high specificity, are used to recognize our protein of interest in a process known as “immunophenotyping”. One of the routinely used methods to study cellular proteins is flow cytometry, which detects cell surface or intracellular proteins at single-cell resolution. The other most frequent technique is the traditional immunohistochemical investigation of microscopic sections of human tissues. We called authors to publish their latest data studying cancer or autoimmune diseases by immunophenotyping.

This book represents a synergic effort of an international team of specialists in immunology to expand the scientific achievements in the field of lymphocytes. It offers important and specific updated information to researchers, students, teachers, and medical professionals. Moreover, considering the remarkable dynamics of immunology and immunotherapy, this book "Lymphocyte Updates - Cancer, Autoimmunity, and Infection" aims to represent a significant source of concise scientific data and advancement of knowledge in this field. The chapters offer new insights into the latest scientific progress on lymphocyte roles in protective immunity, as well as their involvement in pathogenesis of various disorders.

This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact.

In this eBook, original and review papers on various aspects of endogenous viral elements (EVEs) are included. EVEs are integral parts of the genomes of eukaryotic organisms and are involved in various physiological and pathological processes. The focus of this eBook is on the involvement of EVEs in cancer and autoimmune diseases. Frontiers in Microbiology 3 February 2019 | EVEs, Autoimmunity and Cancer In particular, research on endogenous retroviruses and endogenous bornaviruses is included. The presented data demonstrate that EVEs are fascinating objects that are still worth exploring.

Immunology is the branch of biomedical sciences to study of the immune system physiology both in healthy and diseased states. Some aspects of autoimmunity draws our attention to the fact that it is not always associated with pathology. For instance, autoimmune reactions are highly useful in clearing off the excess, unwanted or aged tissues from the body. Also, generation of autoimmunity occurs after the exposure to the non-self antigen that is structurally similar to the self, aided by the stimulatory molecules like the cytokines. Thus, a narrow margin differentiates immunity from auto-immunity as already discussed. Hence, finding answers for how the physiologic immunity turns to pathologic autoimmunity always remains a question of intense interest. However, this margin could be cut down only if the physiology of the immune system is better understood. The individual chapters included in this book will cover all the possible aspects of immunology and pathologies associated with it. The authors have taken strenuous effort in elaborating the concepts that are lucid and will be of reader's interest.