Immunotherapy Failure


WHY DO PAST IMMUNOTHERAPIES FAIL IN THE CLINIC?


STIMULATION OF THE WRONG IMMUNE RESPONSE

An efficient defense against invading pathogenic microorganisms is achieved through coordination of a complex network of immune cells that circulate in the blood (white blood cells).  The T-helper cells (CD4) are the regulators of this network.  The most important helper cells being TH1 (promote cellular immunity) and TH2 (promote humoral immunity) cells.  TH2 cells collaborate with B-cells for the production of antibodies, and direct immune elimination of parasitic and bacterial infestations. TH1 cells collaborate with killer T-cells (CTL) to direct the immune elimination of cancers and viral infected cells.  TH1 and TH2 cells are counter regulatory in that TH1 cells can turnoff a TH2-directed immune response and TH2 cells can turn off a TH1-directed immune response.

The CORRECT immune response to elimate cancer is a TH1 response.  The WRONG immune response is a TH2 response.  Most human tumors have the ability to deviate the immune response to a TH2 response as a way to survive.

th1

Balance=Health

The immune system in healthy individuals is kept in a carefully regulated balance.  If there is an invasion of bacteria, a temporary imbalance in favor of Th2 cells results in antibody production and elimination of the threat.  In the case of a viral infection or cancer cell formation, a temporary Th1 imbalance leads to elimination of the diseased cells by various types of killer cells. After the threat is eliminated the system resets into the normal state of healthy balance.
th2

Th1 imbalance=Autoimmune Disease

Patients with autoimmune diseases where the cells of the immune system aberrantly attack normal tissues, such as in diseases like type I diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, have immune systems that are imbalanced in favor of Th1 cells.  This imbalance fuels a continuous immune cell attack on normal tissues.

th3

Th2 imbalance=cancer

Patients with cancer or chronic viral infections have immune systems imbalanced in favor of Th2 cells.  Immunotherapy methods which simply stimulate the immune systems of these patients serve to enhance the Th2 arm and thus fail to cure the disease and in many cases make the disease worse by enhancing the Th2 imbalance.

th4

Immune Modulation Corrects Imbalances

In order for an immunotherapy to be effective against diseases such as cancer, it must not simply stimulate the immune system.  Rather, it must modulate the immune system.  Under conditions of “danger” as occurs in Bone Marrow Transpplant and the Mirror Effect™, the immune system is programmed to disable Th2 responses and enhance and create new Th1 responses.