Final answer:
To prevent organ rejection after a kidney transplant, immunosuppressive drugs like cyclosporine are used to modulate the immune response. These therapies are essential due to genetic differences between donor's and recipient's tissues but increase the risk of infections and cancer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Therapies that interfere with the immune response are crucial in preventing rejection after a kidney transplant. The recipient's immune system may recognize the donor's tissues as foreign due to differences in MHC (HLA) genes, leading to an immune reaction that can destroy the transplanted organ. To mitigate this, immunosuppressive drugs like cyclosporine are administered to suppress the production of interleukin and reduce T cell activity, essential components of the immune response.
While immunosuppression is necessary to prevent organ rejection, it does come with risks, such as increased susceptibility to infections and a higher chance of developing transplant-related malignancies. This is because immunosuppressive therapy dampens the body's natural defenses not only against transplanted organs but also against infectious agents and cancer cells. Therefore, continuous monitoring and adjustment of these drugs are required to balance the prevention of rejection with the risk of other health issues.