New vaccination technology for endogenous antigen-derived ailments.

Neither autoimmune disorders nor cancer can be prevented with treatment modalities that are currently available. These diseases are generally treated with immunosuppressive agents and cytotoxic drugs, both of which can cause numerous side effects. However, scientific evidence now exists to suggest that such endogenous antigen-derived ailments can be controlled and even terminated by immunological approaches. Both autoimmune disorders and cancer can progress into chronic, irreversible conditions because of the abnormal presentation of endogenous antigens to the cells of the immune system. By appropriate regulation of the autoimmune system, both types of ailments could be curable. This feature review describes various autoimmune events that may occur both to the benefit and the detriment of the host, and highlights a new vaccination technique against slowly progressive Heymann nephritis. This modified vaccination technique holds promise in the prevention and cure of autoimmune system-related disorders. The vaccination has been employed both against endogenous antigen-induced diseases (autoimmune disorders and cancer) and against exogenous antigens. In each study performed to date, the technique has been demonstrated to induce specific, predetermined immune response outcomes.