believed ATHEROSCLEROSIS (deposits of atheroscle-
rotic plaque within the walls of the arteries)
caused inflammation, recent research indicates the
reverse is the case: inflammation attracts athero-
sclerotic deposits. Though further research is nec-
essary to substantiate these findings, the result
could be an entirely new perspective and
approach for preventing cardiovascular disease.
Other research focuses on manipulating the
immune system to “turn off” autoimmune disor-
ders such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid
arthritis, conditions that contribute to significant
disability. Cancer research also is looking to the
immune system to treat, cure, and prevent cancer.
MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES (MABS), genetically engi-
neered molecules, can be laced with radioactive
isotopes and targeted to the antigens on the cell
surfaces of cancer cells, selectively killing them
without damaging healthy cells. Researchers also
believe it is possible to “teach” the immune system
to recognize cancer cells and use its own resources
to destroy them. Cancer vaccines are one direction
of such research; molecular manipulation is
another.238 The Immune System and Allergies