Balanced macrophage activation hypothesis: A biological model for development of drugs targeted at macrophage functional states

Macrophages play a central role in the immune response and are major target s for chronic infection with viruses such as HIV. Recent studies on macroph age differentiation have shown the existence of classical activation and th e counter-balancing anti-inflammatory alternative activation states. In the 'balanced macrophage activation hypothesis' we propose that macrophage act ivation is a cyclic process that balances these two states to achieve prope r immunologic function. Dysregulation of this cycle would, therefore, be as sociated with various forms of chronic disease. This model has been utilize d in the drug development of WF10, a novel macrophage-targeted drug, curren tly in advanced clinical testing for the treatment of HIV disease. Copyrigh t (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.