immunosuppression

noun

im·​mu·​no·​sup·​pres·​sion ˌi-myə-nō-sə-ˈpre-shən 

i-ˌmyü-nō-

: suppression (as by drugs or disease) of the immune response

Extreme caution must be exercised, however, in recipients of renal transplants because of immunosuppression and the susceptibility to infection.

—Rosalyn Kutcher et al.

Examples of immunosuppression in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Removing the need for life-long toxic immunosuppressive agents in islet transplantation is a common goal among those working toward a cure for T1D through transplantation without immunosuppression. —Sacramento Bee, 24 June 2024

But given that these valves don’t have much blood supply, researchers hope immune cells can’t get to them as easily—meaning recipients won’t need as much immunosuppression. —Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 19 Mar. 2024

The team observed only mild rejection that required intensifying immunosuppression medication to reverse it. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2024

Those patients who were classified as having severe immunosuppression had a malignancy, or had a [bone marrow] transplant. —Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 24 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

immuno- + suppression

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

immunosuppression

noun

im·​mu·​no·​sup·​pres·​sion

ˌim-yə-nō-sə-ˈpresh-ən,

im-ˌyü-nō-

: suppression (as by drugs) of natural immune responses

immunosuppress

-sə-ˈpres

verb

immunosuppressant

-sə-ˈpres-ᵊnt

noun or adjective

immunosuppressive

-sə-ˈpres-iv

adjective

Medical Definition

immunosuppression

noun

im·​mu·​no·​sup·​pres·​sion -sə-ˈpresh-ən 

: suppression (as by drugs or disease) of the immune response

Recurrent infection may develop in some patients despite minimization of their immunosuppression.

—Jay A. Fishman, The New England Journal of Medicine