,Something different today; let's talk about Immuno Oncology!
So, here we go!
Immuno Oncology
What is it?
Immuno oncology is the use of the immune system by stimulation or giving compounds to combat cancer.
How does it work?
There are two types of immunotherapy:
Active Immunotherapy
Passive Immunotherapy
Active Immunotherapy
Active Immunotherapy targets Tumour Associated Antigens which are found on the surface of cancer cells, by directing the immune system.
Passive Immunotherapy
Active Immunotherapy uses lymphocytes (a subtype of white blood cell), monoclonal antibodies (the fusion of a cell (I.e spleen cell from a mouse) with a cancer cell to form a hybridoma) and cytokines (small proteins)
The history of immunotherapy
Let's take a step back a second, and investigate how immunotherapy first began...
Edward Jenner who was alive during the 18th Century, was also alive during the time that smallpox was widespread.
herschelmuseum.org.uk
Jenner noticed that milkmaids who were subject to cowpox did not get smallpox afterwards. So, he took the puss from blisters on the hands of the milkmaids and injected them into a boy. For a short time, the boy got sick, but afterwards... the boy became immune to both cowpox and smallpox.
Jenner had created the first vaccine.
Assessing our methods
Active Immunotherapy
Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines
www.lungevity.org
Presents T-Cells (A type of lymphocyte) and B-Cells (Lymphocytes that specifically produce antibodies) to a TAA
Adverse effects: may produce T-Cells that attack normal tissue Cytokines
Tampers with the "lifestyle" of lymphocytes Adverse effects: the cytokines may cause the lymphocytes to work on normal tissue
Passive Immunotherapy
Monoclonal Antibodies
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org
When monoclonal antibodies are injected into the body, they target the TAA. Then, they perform four different things:
Identify the tumour for destruction
Affect the signalling of immune receptors
Cause the promotion of immune receptor degradation
Bring anti-cancer cells to the tumour cells
Adverse effects: some non-malignant cells may be affected in the process by autoimmune responses
Cell Therapies
cellbiomedgroup.com
T-cells are genetically modified and injected into the patient where they promote an immune response
Adverse effects: it may target normal cells if they have the same target antigens
Mediators of T-cell activation
Builds up the autoimmne response by promoting activation of T-cells
Adverse effects: Could affect the way the immune system works, promoting t-cells to target normal tissue Hope you've learnt lots from this post!
- Geeker
Today, we'll answer some very important questions:
What is the Zika Virus?
How is it spread?
What are the symptoms?
Are there vaccines available?
www.thehairsociety.org
The word "Zika" comes comes from the "Zika Forest in Uganda" where in 1947, it was first isolated!
"Zika virus is related to dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and West Nile viruses" [Jgid.org]
http://www.frostillustrated.com
So, how is it spread?
It's actually spread by daytime Aedes Mosquitoes!
https://upload.wikimedia.org
Expanding on what I previously said, it was first documented to be found in Uganda - on monkeys, but then, in 1960 the first human case was found in Nigeria!
www.storybench.org
It can also be transferred from:
Sexually active men to their partners
Pregnant women to the foetus
Through blood transfusion
Did you know:
Zika replicates in the mosquito's midgut epithelial cells and then its
salivary gland cells.
After 5–10 days, ZIKV can be found in the
mosquito’s saliva, which can then infect humans.
If the mosquito’s
saliva is inoculated into human skin, the virus can infect epidermal
keratinocytes, skin fibroblasts in the skin and the Langerhans cells.
Flaviviruses generally replicate in the cytoplasm, but Zika antigens have been found in infected cell nuclei.[Microbiology Research]
Symptoms?
If you can't read that, it says: fever, pale, skin rash, muscle pain, arthralgia, headache, diarrhoea, and red eyes!
Here's an example of the Zika Virus Rash:
It's also known to cause microcephaly:
"A baby with microcephaly (left) compared to a baby with a typical head size" - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcephaly
Vaccines?
As of March 2016, 18 companies and institutions internationally were developing vaccines against Zika, but none had yet reached clinical trials.[WHO Report]
But, within the rest of the flaviviridae family, there are several vaccines availible. Have you ever been vaccinated for yellow fever? That's one of them!
It's been reported that WHO experts believe priority should be placed on "pregnant women and those of childbearing age"[WHO Report]
So, here's a summary and some information on how to prevent it!
St John Ambulance's "How to Treat Allergic Reactions" Video!
Here's the transcript for the video, if you can't watch it:
An allergy is the body’s unexpected reaction
to something it comes into contact with, called
an allergen.
Source: www.nutritics.com/
Allergens include plant pollen, insect stings,
animal hair, fruit, nuts, shellfish and drugs.
A severe allergic reaction can develop within
just a few seconds and can be fatal if not
treated quickly.
The person may carry medication in the form of an auto-injector, a pre-filled pen filled
with adrenalin or epinephrine and this can help reduce the body’s allergic reaction.
Source: www.team-consulting.com
If you think somebody maybe having a severe allergic reaction, there are six key things
to look for - puffy eyes, difficulty in breathing, blotchy skin, swelling of the tongue and throat,
anxiety and signs of shock.
Source: www.nhs.co.uk
When you call for an ambulance, make sure
you tell them that you think the person is suffering a severe allergic reaction and what
could have triggered it.
Help the casualty down into a comfortable
position, sitting forward slightly will help with their breathing. Help them to find their
auto-injector and get them to use it.
You may have to do that for them.
Read the instructions on the pen and follow them.
For this one, take off the cap, hold it about 10 centimetres away from the outer thigh,
and gently stab it into the thigh.
Hold it there for 10 seconds.
After 10 seconds gently
remove the pen and massage the area for 10 seconds.
If the casualty becomes unconscious, perform a primary survey and treat for an unconscious
casualty.
Source: www.sja.org.uk
Remember, for a severe allergic reaction,
call for an ambulance, help them to take their
medication if they have any, and if they become
unconscious, check their breathing.
