Mechanisms of action of antithymocyte globulin: old dogs with new tricks!

Abstract

Understanding the mechanisms underlying immunological tolerance is the key to successful transplantation. Recent findings demonstrate that polyclonal antibodies such as the antithymocyte globulins preparations can provide wide spectrum immunomodulation, suggesting that their use in the immunosuppression therapeutic armamentarium may help in reducing the incidence of organ rejection and improving patients’ outcome after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Keywords:

• Polyclonal antibodies
• T cell depletion
• regulatory T cells
• dendritic cells
• transplantation
• immunosuppression