Immunosuppressant

Immunosuppressant

An immunosuppressant is a substance that performs immunosuppression of the immune system. They may either be exogenous. as immunosuppressive drugs, or endogenous, as e.g. testosterone. [cite journal | last = Fimmel | fist = S | coauthors = Zouboulis CC |year=2005 |title=Influence of physiological androgen levels on wound healing and immune status in men |journal=Aging Male |volume=8 |pages=166–174 |pmid=16390741 |doi=10.1080/13685530500233847]

After organ transplantation, the body will nearly always reject the new organ(s) due to differences in human leukocyte antigen haplotypes between the donor and recipient. As a result, the immune system detects the new tissue as "hostile", and attempts to remove it by attacking it with recipient leukocytes, resulting in the death of the tissue.

Immunosuppressants are applied as a countermeasure; the side effect is that the body becomes extremely vulnerable to infections and malignancy, much like in an advanced HIV infection.

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • immunosuppressant — An agent that induces immunosuppression ( e.g., cyclosporine, corticosteroids). SYN: immunodepressant, immunodepressor, immunosuppressive (2). * * * im·mu·no·sup·pres·sant sə pres ənt n a chemical agent (as a drug) that suppresses the immune… …   Medical dictionary

  • immunosuppressant — n. a drug, such as azathioprine or cyclophosphamide, that reduces the body s resistance to infection and other foreign bodies by suppressing the immune system. Immunosuppressants are used to maintain the survival of organ and tissue transplants… …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • immunosuppressant —    An agent that acts to suppress the body s natural immune response. This is totally understandable in tissue and organ transplants, and in some dangerous inflammatory conditions, but nearly all anti inflammatory medications are… …   Herbal-medical glossary

  • immunosuppressant — noun or adjective see immunosuppression …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • immunosuppressant — See immunosuppression. * * * …   Universalium

  • immunosuppressant — 1. adjective Capable of immunosuppression, immunosuppressive. 2. noun An immunosuppressive agent. Syn: immunosuppressive, immunosuppressor …   Wiktionary

  • immunosuppressant — im·mu·no·suppressant …   English syllables

  • immunosuppressant — See: immunosuppression …   English dictionary

  • immunosuppressant — /ˌɪmjunoʊsəˈprɛsənt/ (say .imyoohnohsuh presuhnt) adjective 1. suppressing the immune system. –noun 2. anything which acts to suppress the immune system. Also, immunosuppressive …  

  • immunosuppressant — noun a drug that lowers the body s normal immune response • Syn: ↑immunosuppressor, ↑immunosuppressive drug, ↑immunosuppressive, ↑immune suppressant drug • Hypernyms: ↑medicine, ↑medication, ↑medicament …   Useful english dictionary

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