New Perspectives in Immunotherapy: Dendritic Cell Training for Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections

Abstract

Specific allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only treatment option currently available that has a disease-modifying effect which persists after treatment is stopped. Recent advancements involve using adjuvants with glycoconjugated allergens derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to enhance AIT by improving allergen immunogenicity and directing immune responses towards Th1 or regulatory profiles. Novel studies have also demonstrated that these glycoconjugates induce long-lasting epigenetic changes in dendritic cells (DCs), initiating a trained immunity effect that extends protection against subsequent microbial exposures in a process referred to as trained immunity. This process not only broadens the immune response to target antigens but also provides an enhanced response to subsequent microbial challenges, representing a significant breakthrough in the treatment of recurrent or multiple infections. Moreover, respiratory tract infections, among the most frequent causes of illness worldwide, often rely on antibiotics for management, despite many being of viral origin. The rampant abuse of antibiotics has led to an unstoppable growth in multidrug resistance, underscoring the urgent need for new strategies to provide an effective and safe alternative for managing recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs).