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This form of therapy is extensively used at the William Hitt Center. It is helpful in most diseases, for the reasons explained below.
Antigen Receptor Vaccination takes advantage of immunologically important proteins (molecules your body uses to control immune reactions) that are extracted from the bloodstream. These proteins (explained below) include antigen receptors, T cell suppressor factors, Interferon gamma, Interleukin 1 and others. The vaccination is administered as an intramuscular injection, and is done once daily or once a week, depending on the disease being treated.
Allergic reactions occur when an antigen (the substance causing the allergy, like cat dander or ragweed) is brought into the body. The antigen triggers an antigen receptor—an antibody-like protein that is designed to let the body know when the antigen shows up. So, a person who is allergic to cats has many antigen receptors ready to go and waiting for exposure to cats. Once the antigen receptor has been triggered, it signals the "B cell" to start production of antibodies and the allergic reaction, while the receptor itself is jettisoned into the circulation.
Injecting these spent antigen receptors back into the patient's muscle and fat tissue has two effects. The first is to cause "T suppressor" cells to be formed, which helps calm down the allergic reaction very quickly. The other effect is the body making antibody to the injected antigen receptors, which over a few weeks of weekly injections will allow antibodies to cover up the antigen receptors on the "B cells" and thereby cause long-term suppression of allergy.
These reactions are run mostly by cells called neutrophils, cells that absorb foreign substances. Other cell types and certain cell hormones can sensitize neutrophils to the point where they become "allergic" to a given substance (like a chemical), causing them to overreact and suffer damage and destruction. The person experiences this neutrophil sensitization as chemical sensitivity.
Antigen Receptor Vaccination suppresses these reactions by turning off neutrophils' own excess reactivity and by suppressing production of the cell hormones responsible for sensitizing the neutrophils.
Antigen Receptor Vaccination is very helpful in viral disease. It works by stimulating the action of interferons, particularly Interferon gamma. Interferons stop viruses from reproducing, and stop virus-infected cells from multiplying. Interleukin 1, another cell hormone involved in antiviral activity, is also stimulated in this process.
These diseases respond very well to Antigen Receptor Vaccination through a combination of the above processes.
Antigen Receptor Vaccination, properly performed, is very safe for patients of any age or condition. It has been used for many years on thousands of patients with no evidence of short- or long-term problems. |
