03/06d Host-Pathogen Interactions & Vaccines Flashcards
What are the five general features of immune responses to microbes, and microbe responses to the immune system?
1) Always involve innate and adaptive immunity
2) Distinct and specialized responses to different types of microbes for maximum effectiveness
3) Microbes evade or resist effector mechanisms
4) Many microbes can establish latent infections, that the immune system can control but does not eliminate
5) Tissue injury and disease can be caused by the host response rather than the microbe itself
For what types of things are immune responses specialized to fight? Name five
Extracellular bacteria Intracellular bacteria Viruses Fungi Parasites
What are the innate and adaptive responses to extracellular bacteria?
Innate - activation of complement, phagocytes, and inflammation
Adaptive - humoral (antibodies block infection, opsonize microbes, and neutralize toxins) and CD4 helper T cells (enhance phagocytic and microbicidal activities of macrophages and neutrophils, and stimulate antibody production)
What types of effector T cells are stimulated by extracellular bacteria? What are their responses?
Th1 and Th17 cells
Th17 responses - IL-17 induces production of cytokines, which recruit neutrophils and monocytes
Th1 responses - IFN activates macrophages to destroy phagocytosed microbes and induces opsonization and complement-binding
What are four immune pathologies associated with extracellular bacterial infection?
Excessive inflammation
Abscess formation
Septic shock
Toxic shock
How does your immune system cause excessive inflammation?
Result of reactions of neutrophils and macrophages
Local production of ROS and lysosomal enzymes can kill bacteria AND damage tissue
What is an abscess? How is it formed?
An abscess is the creation of a new anatomical space for the purpose of containing a bacterial infection
Neutrophils accumulate (pus), but are not sufficient to eliminate the infection
NOT penetrated by antibiotics - require surgical drainage
How is an empyema different from an abscess?
An empyema is the accumulation of pus in a preexisting anatomical space, rather than the formation of a new anatomical space
What is septic shock? What causes it?
Consequence of disseminated infection by certain bacteria (many have LPS)
Caused by widespread release of cytokines (TNF, IL-6, IL-1) by activated macrophages
Results in circulatory collapse and intravascular coagulation
Treatment - ICU, antibiotics
What is toxic shock? What causes it?
Caused by Staph and Strep infections which produce toxins that are superantigens - activate many T cells and cause cytokine storm
Disseminated infection is not required
Associated with anything that predisposes to Staph and Strep infections (surgery, childbirth, skin wounds)
How do extracellular bacteria evade the immune system? List six ways
1) Resist phagocytosis (polysaccharide-rich capsule) and complement (sialic acid residues)
2) Catalase - scavenges ROS
3) Antigenic variation - extensive mutation of dominant epitopes to evade detection
4) Molecular mimicry - if bacterial antigens resemble self proteins, the immune response may be weak, or may be directed at self
5) Coagulase and clumping factor cause fibrin to clot and deposit on cell surfaces
6) Proteins produced by Staph and Strep bind up Ig
What are the innate responses to intracellular bacteria?
Expression of NK cell-activating ligands on infected cells
Activated NK cells kill infected cells
Stimulation of dendritic cells and macrophages to produce IL-12 and IL-15
Innate response often fails to eradicate the microbe
What are the adaptive responses to intracellular bacteria?
Th1 cells produce IFN
IFN activates macrophages to destroy phagocytosed microbes and induces opsonization and complement binding
Th1 cells also activate macrophages through CD40L
Macrophages produce IL-12, which stimulates NK cells
If the macrophages fail to eliminate the infection, CD8 cytotoxic T cells kill the infected cells
How do intracellular bacteria evade the immune system?
Able to survive inside cells - hide from antibodies and complement
Stimulate inappropriate T cell polarization - Th2 cells inhibit Th1 cells, thus preventing the destruction of intracellular bacteria
What is the major immune pathology associated with intracellular bacteria?
Granulomas
What are the innate responses to virus infection?
PRRs recognize viral PAMPs
Immediate response - production of Type I Interferon, which induces an antiviral state in adjacent uninfected cells
PAMPs also induce NK cell activating receptors - NK cells kill virus-infected cells
What are the humoral adaptive responses to virus infection?
Antibody production - neutralizing antibodies block virus binding and entry, which can prevent both initial infection and spread
Effective against viruses only during their extracellular stage
Major determinant of immunity to most viruses
IgA - important for neutralizing viruses at mucous membranes (respiratory and GI tracts)