Henri Atlan
Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem
Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Paris
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Vaccines Vaccin
In some autoimmune diseases T-cell populations have been identified as responding to self-antigens and acting as effectors in the pathological autoimmunity. In the procedure of T-cell vaccination (TCV), such cells are cultivated, expanded and re-injected as vaccine into the patient after fixation, in order to induce an immune response against them and protect the organism from their pathological activity. Extensive animal experimentation has shown that TCV was effective in treating various models of autoimmune diseases. Clinical trials have produced positive results on multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Some viral infections trigger autoimmune pathological activity which can develop later into an autonomous way in addition to the direct effects of the virus. Results of TCV against the autoimmune component of the physiopathology of HIV infection will be presented. A similar approach could be used in other such virus induced pathologies like hepatitis C induced autoimmunity.
Email: henri.atlan@ehess.fr