How can B-cell deficiencies people benefit from artificial passive immunotherapy?

Answer 1

B-cells are vital for the functioning of the body's immune system. When fully active they produce antibodies, which destroy such things as microbes, 'faulty' cells, and malignant cells. The healthy body produces millions of different B-cells every day. Some diseases (e.g. cancer) cause B-cell deficiency/depletion, or malfunction, or the cells fail to mature to their active state. Another disorder is excessive B-cells, or hyperactive B-cells. In all cases the body's health is seriously compromised, with high risk of being more prone to infections and disease, reducing the quality of life of the patient, and often resulting in serious disability and death. The biochemical processes of B-cells are extremely complicated, and, although much is now known, researchers are far from fully understanding the how it all works, especially as each individual B-cell seems to have a unique role. One example of a B-cell disorder problem is when the body itself is creating anti-bodies which destroy B-cells! These are referred to as 'auto-immune' disorders, where the body is trying to be immune from itself!- with deadly consequences! B-cell immunotherapies seek to address various 'B-cell' disorders. One way is to provide various stimuli that boost production of healthy B-cells. Another way is ensure that there are extra anti-bodies available in the body that the B-cell can use to carry out its normal functions. Some treatments are catalystic in nature, where the body is stimulated to function more healthily. Other treatments may involve the introduction, into the body, of 'foreign substances', such as fragments of anti-bodies produced elsewhere. When substances, especially 'biological' products, from an outside source are put into the body, the body's normal defensive response is to 'attack' the invader. Sometimes the nature and magnitude of these responses themselves pose a health risk to the patient. Many treatments, such a chemotherapy and radiation therapy, work by killing cells. The objective is to kill only unhealthy cells, but, in the process, healthy cells are invariably destroyed. The challenge is to carefully gauge and administer the dose so that, in the allotted time frame, the 'treatment' does not destroy too many healthy cells before the body has had time to recover and produce new healthy cells in sufficient quantities to sustain and improve the body's normal functions, including the functions of the immune system. This why some therapies focus more on 'artifical' and 'passive' methods, thus striving to avoid stretching or compromising the body's own immune system which can be the direct result of 'biological' and 'active' therapies.