Table 1.
Comparison of two peptide-based therapeutic strategies in autoimmune diseases including SLE
| Comparative items | Peptide-based active therapy against proinflammatory cytokines | Peptide-based tolerogenic therapy |
|---|---|---|
| Source of peptides | Pro-inflammatory cytokines | Self-antigens, TCRs |
| Therapeutic targets | Pro-inflammatory cytokines | Autoimmune attacks against host cells or tissues |
| Main effects | Induced production of neutralizing antibodies | Immune tolerance to self-antigens through the inhibition of autoreactive lymphocytes and induction of Tregs |
| Adjuvant | Adjuvant required | Not necessary |
| Relevant immune cells | Mainly B cells | Autoreactive T cells, Tregs (CD4+ and CD8+), tol DCs and other APCs |
| Evidence from clinical trials | Limited | Limited |
| Diseases | SLE, RA, SjS | SLE, RA, SjS |
Tregs: regulatory T cells; tol DCs: tolerogenic dendritic cells; RA: rheumatoid arthritis; SLE: systemic lupus erythematosus; SjS: Sjögren’s syndrome; TCRs: T cell receptors; APC: antigen presenting cells.