1. Cytokines
The cytokines used for cancer chemotherapy share some common characteristics. They all have short half-lives, and are not cytotoxic by themselves à they recruit immune cells to do the actual cell kill (which means the immune system has to recognize the tumour cells as foreign). Despite their human origin, when given as antineoplastics, INTERLEUKIN 2, INTERFERON α and TUMOUR NECROSIS FACTOR α can have serious, even fatal, side effects. |
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- don't forget about the points mentioned in the therapeutic proteins lecture!