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Hello,
This is one of my first posts, and I am relatively new to the site. (or at least newly interested in the board).
It would be great if there was a thread of ideas for alternatives to Rituxan. (both serious RX meds and alternatives)
I think that requirements for an idea would be that the alternatives have to work on the assumption that CFS / Dysautonomia is a form of autoimmune illness that mainly effects the Alpha / Beta and Muscarinic receptors throughout the body and possible effects even more receptors or tissues that have not yet been defined. (OR AT LEAST A SUBSET OF CFS)
The ideas I have heard so far are (updated 12.17.16):
1) High dose IVIG: The theory is this suppresses the bodies own production of antibodies because there is already a high amount of immunoglobulins in the blood. (I dont think this is proven how this works just a guess). Without the offending antibody production the body can then function without these receptor antibodies.
2) Plasma Exchange: The theory is this removes the offending antibodies form the body (along with all other antibodies in the blood stream). Without the offending antibody production the body can then function without these receptor antibodies.
3) Rituxan: The theory is this antibody drug depletes B cells which may be creating or signaling to create the receptor antibodies in question. Without the offending antibody production the body can then function without these receptor antibodies.
4) Peptide (peptidomimetic) Therapy: The theory here is to interrupt the function of these auto antibodies so they no longer have the same impact on the receptors in question. Without the offending antibodies ability to impact their previous targets the body can then function without these receptors being activated or suppressed.
Related Peptide Studies:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25691619
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26446828
5) Cyclophosphamide: The theory is this drug targets B cells which may be creating or signaling to create the receptor antibodies in question. Without the offending antibody production the body can then function without these receptor antibodies.
6) Azathioprine: Suppresses lymphocytes production from bone marrow. T and B cells are particularly affected. When B cells are decreased there may then be less of them to produce or signal to produce the offending antibodies.
7) Steroids: In theory would suppress but not reverse an autoimmune state. There then may be less offending antibodies to the receptors in question.
8) Belimumab: In theory belimumab would suppress but not reverse an autoimmune state. It may have the disadvantage of tending to induce suicide in the B cells that are not doing much anyway - which is what steroids do. It does not work for RA but works for lupus at least in the short term. It is certainly a possible alternative but less easy to predict what it would do.
Are there any other ideas out there on what might help suppress these auto antibodies from being produced at high levels?
This is one of my first posts, and I am relatively new to the site. (or at least newly interested in the board).
It would be great if there was a thread of ideas for alternatives to Rituxan. (both serious RX meds and alternatives)
I think that requirements for an idea would be that the alternatives have to work on the assumption that CFS / Dysautonomia is a form of autoimmune illness that mainly effects the Alpha / Beta and Muscarinic receptors throughout the body and possible effects even more receptors or tissues that have not yet been defined. (OR AT LEAST A SUBSET OF CFS)
The ideas I have heard so far are (updated 12.17.16):
1) High dose IVIG: The theory is this suppresses the bodies own production of antibodies because there is already a high amount of immunoglobulins in the blood. (I dont think this is proven how this works just a guess). Without the offending antibody production the body can then function without these receptor antibodies.
2) Plasma Exchange: The theory is this removes the offending antibodies form the body (along with all other antibodies in the blood stream). Without the offending antibody production the body can then function without these receptor antibodies.
3) Rituxan: The theory is this antibody drug depletes B cells which may be creating or signaling to create the receptor antibodies in question. Without the offending antibody production the body can then function without these receptor antibodies.
4) Peptide (peptidomimetic) Therapy: The theory here is to interrupt the function of these auto antibodies so they no longer have the same impact on the receptors in question. Without the offending antibodies ability to impact their previous targets the body can then function without these receptors being activated or suppressed.
Related Peptide Studies:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25691619
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26446828
5) Cyclophosphamide: The theory is this drug targets B cells which may be creating or signaling to create the receptor antibodies in question. Without the offending antibody production the body can then function without these receptor antibodies.
6) Azathioprine: Suppresses lymphocytes production from bone marrow. T and B cells are particularly affected. When B cells are decreased there may then be less of them to produce or signal to produce the offending antibodies.
7) Steroids: In theory would suppress but not reverse an autoimmune state. There then may be less offending antibodies to the receptors in question.
8) Belimumab: In theory belimumab would suppress but not reverse an autoimmune state. It may have the disadvantage of tending to induce suicide in the B cells that are not doing much anyway - which is what steroids do. It does not work for RA but works for lupus at least in the short term. It is certainly a possible alternative but less easy to predict what it would do.
Are there any other ideas out there on what might help suppress these auto antibodies from being produced at high levels?
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