Host Defenses And Immunomodulation To Intracellular Pathogens

This conference was held under the sponsorship of the Eastern Pennsylvania Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, as one in a continuing series of Basic Science Symposia. The untiring volunteer effects of the members of the Symposium Committee are deeply appreciated. The Bureau of Laboratories of the Pennsylvania Department of Health was a cosponsor and generously provided staff and secretarial services to handle the difficult task of registration. The Department of Microbiology and of Microbiology and Immunology at the five medical schools in Philadelphia -- Temple University School of Medicine, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University, Hahnemann University and the University of Pennsylvania -- were academic cosponsors, and the support of the Chairpersons and the faculties are gratefully acknowledged.

The subject matter of this volume was the basis for a confer ence held in Philadelphia in June, 1981, and is an important one in the contemporary area of how the host interacts with micro organisms. In conception, it grew out of a graduate course entitled, "The Infectious Process," which has been taught in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Temple University School of Medicine during the past twelve years. This course has explored the broad areas of mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis and host resistance by in-depth consideration of selected models of experimental infection and immunity, as well as the clinical literature. It is noteworthy that there is no adequate text for this material, as the subject matter naturally crosses a wide spectrum of traditional disciplinary lines, encompassing topics as diverse as the mechanisms of action of bacterial toxins, the role of complement and antibody in phagocytosis, and the importance of cross-reacting bacterial polysaccharide antigens in vaccine development. A major portion of the course has always considered "cellular immunity" as it applies to host defenses to intracellular pathogens. It is in this area that the necessity for amalgamation of information from different disciplines is most evident, for one must be intimately concerned with the interactions between the microbe and the phagocyte, both before and after specific immune recognition.

It is almost axiomatic that an explosive increase in knowledge and interest concerning host immune defense mechanisms and the immune response system in general is occurring. Many new developments are evident at the interphase between the areas of immunology, infectious diseases, and host defenses to microorganisms. It is now widely rec ognized that a functioning host immune defense system consists of a variety of lymphoid cells. These include effector and affector cells consisting of both Band T cells and their progeny. Mononuclear phago cytes which are widely distributed throughout the body are also intimately involved in these processes. These cells are involved not only in the clearance of particulate matter including bacteria, viruses and fungi, but also presumably in host defense against neo plasia. Among the many triumphs of the biological revolution over the past decade or so is the rapidly developing understanding of how these cells and their products, including antibody, lymphokines, monokines, etc. , function and interact. It is now recognized that although the immune defense system is involved in defense against infectious agents, it is also now be coming quite clear that many infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, as well as their products, can interact with the immune response system. For example, it has been long recognized that many of the "adjuvants" which enhance the immune responses in nonspecific ways are derived from microorganisms. Microbial products have marked effects on the immume response system.

Dr. Jose Luis Subiza is the founder and CEO of Inmunotek SL. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.

Principles of Immunopharmacology provides a unique source of essential knowledge on the immune response, its diagnosis and its modification by drugs and chemicals. The 4th edition of this internationally recognized textbook has been revised to include recent developments, but continues the established format, dealing with four related fields in a single volume, thus obviating the need to refer to several different textbooks. The first section of the book, providing a basic introduction to immunology and its relevance for human disease, has been updated to accommodate new immunological concepts, particularly the role of epigenetics and the latest understanding of cancer immunology. The second section on immunodiagnostics offers a topical description of widely used molecular techniques and a new chapter on imaging techniques. This is followed by a systematic coverage of drugs affecting the immune system, including natural products. This third section contains 15 updated chapters, covering classical immunopharmacological topics such as anti-asthmatic, anti-rheumatic and immunosuppressive drugs, but also deals with antibiotics, plant-derived and dietary agents, with new chapters on monoclonal antibodies, immunotherapy in sepsis and infection, drugs for soft-tissue autoimmunity and cell therapy. The book concludes with a chapter on immunotoxicology and drug safety tests. Aids to the reader include a two-column format, glossaries of technical terms and appendix reference tables. The emphasis on illustrations is maintained from the first three editions. The book is a valuable single reference for undergraduate and graduate medical and biomedical students, postgraduate chemistry and pharmacy students, researchers in chemistry, biochemistry and the pharmaceutical industry and researchers lacking basic immunological knowledge, who want to understand the actions of drugs on the immune system.

The Janeway's Immunobiology CD-ROM, Immunobiology Interactive, is included with each book, and can be purchased separately. It contains animations and videos with voiceover narration, as well as the figures from the text for presentation purposes.