3. Primary immunodeficiency 1 Flashcards
What are components of the innate immune system
Cells include polymorphonuclear cells, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells and NK cells. Soluble components include complement, acute phase proteins, cytokines and chemokines.
What roles do phagocytes have?
- Express cytokine/chemokine receptors, allows them to home into sites of infection
- Have pattern recognition receptors (e.g. Tol-like receptors) which recognise generic motifs known as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as bacterial sugars, DNA and RNA.
- Fc receptors to allow the detection of immune complexes.
- Phagocytic capacity
- Cells can secrete cytokines and chemokines to regulate the immune response.
Which cells are polymorphonuclear cells and where are they produced and found?
Neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils. Produced in bone marrow and migrate rapidly to the site of injury.
Where are mononuclear cells produced and where are they found?
Monocytes are produced in bone marrow, circulate in blood and migrate to tissues where they differentiate to macrophages.
How much do phagocytes vary between individuals?
Do NOT tend to vary much between individuals
Phagocyte deficiency can be caused by 1. failure to produce neutrophils, 2. defect of phagocyte migration, 3. failure of oxidative killing mechanisms and 4. cytokine deficiency. What are examples of each?
- Reticular dysgenesis, Kostmann Syndrome, cyclic neutropenia
- Leukocyte adhesion deficiency
- Chronic granulomatous disease
- IL12, 1L12 receptor, IFN gamma and IFN gamma receptor deficiency
What is reticular dysgenesis?
- Autosomal recessive severe SCID.
- (Mutation in mitochondrial energy metabolism enzyme adenylate kinates 2 (AK2) - don’t need to memorise these mutations)
- Awful form of SCID
- Pt has no lymphoid or myeloid cells
What is Kostmann syndrome
Autosomal recessive severe congenital neutropenia. (Mutation: HCLS1-associated protein X-1 (HAX1))
What is cyclic neutropenia?
- Autosomal DOMINANT episodic neutropaenia.
- Occurs ever 4-6 weeks
- (Mutation: neutrophil elastase (ELA-2))
Explain how lekocyte adhesion deficiency (defect of phagocyte migration) causes phagocyte deficiency?
- This is caused by a deficiency of CD18 (beta-2 integrin subunit). CD18 can be expressed with other molecules (e.g. CD11a). Together, CD18 and CD11a make up LFA-1
- LFA-1 binds to ICAM-1 on endothelial cells and regulates neutrophil adhesion and transmigration
- If you do NOT have any CD18, you wont express LFA-1 so your neutrophils CANNOT enter the tissues
- During an infection, neutrophils will be mobilised from the bone marrow however they will NOT be able to access the site of infection in the tissues
What are the features of Leukocyte adhesion deficiency?
High neutrophil count in the blood, no pus formation.
What investigation are used for chronic granulomatous disease
TWO Tests:
- Nitroblue Tetrazolium (NBT): Changes from YELLOW to BLUE
- Dihydrorhodamine (DHR): Becomes FLUORESCENT.
Normally, when neutrophils are activated, a respiratory burst takes place and hydrogen peroxide is produced. Both of these tests are looked at the ability of neutrophils to produce hydrogen peroxide and generate oxidative stress.
ABNORMAL/NEGATIVE RESULT in CGD = does not fluoresce and NBT is colourless
Cytokine deficiency - failure to produce what?
IFN gamma, IFN gamma receptor, IL12, IL12 receptor
Phagocyte deficiencies lead to which infections?
- Recurrent infections in skin or mouth. Bacterial - staph aureus, enteric bacteria. Fungal - Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus/flavus.
- Mycobacterial infections (particulary with IL12 deficiency) - mycobacterium tuberculosis, atypical mycobacteria.
How may phagocyte deficiencies be investigated?
Neutrophil count, leukocyte adhesion markers, NBT or DHR test, inspection (pus?)
Recurrent infections with high neutrophil count on FBC but no abscess formation
Leukocyte adhesion deficiency … neutrophils can get into bloodstream but not out
Child with recurrent infections with hepatosplenomegaly and abnormal dihydrorhodamine test (does not fluoresce)
chronic granulomatous disease
Draw complement activation pathway
…
What are the pathways of complement activation
classical, MBL, alternate
Complement deficiency - susceptibility to bacterial infections, especially encapsulated bacteria (NHS)
Neisseria meningitides, haemophilus influenzae, strep pneumoniae
C3 nephritic factors lead to consumption of C3 - true or false?
True
Functional complement tests
CH50 classical pathway and AP50 alternative pathway
C1q deficiency investigation results
CH50 abnormal (low?)
Properidin deficiency investigation results
AP50 abnormal (low)
C9 deficiency investigation results
CH50 and AP50 low/abnormal
SLE investigation results
C4 LOW/abnormal, may have reduction/abnormalities in C3, may have reduction/abnormalities in CH50. Normal AP50
Management of complement deficiencies?
- Vaccination: Boost protection mediated by other arms of the immune system. They should be vaccinated against polysaccharide encapsulated bacteria, e.g. meningovax, pneumovax, Hib vaccines
- Prophylactic antibiotics
- Treat infection aggressively
- Screen family members
Classification of immunodeficiencies - what types are there?
Primary (inherited), secondary (acquired), physiological (expected)
How common is primary immunodeficiency and how many types are there?
Very rare, >100 types
How common is secondary immunodeficiency and briefly, how does it present?
Common, often subtle and involves more than one component of the immune system
Who does physiological immunodeficiency occur in?
Neonates, elderly, pregnancy
Examples of secondary immunodeficiency caused by infection?
HIV, measles virus, mycobacterial infection
Examples of secondary immunodeficiency caused by biochemical disorders?
Malnutrition, specific mineral deficiences (zinc, iron), renal impairment
Examples of secondary immunodeficiency caused by malignancy?
Myeloma, leukaemia, lymphoma
Examples of secondary immunodeficiency caused by drugs?
Corticosteroids, anti-proliferative immunosuppressants, cytotoxic agents
What clinical features, of infections in particular, may suggest immunodeficiency?
- TWO major OR ONE major + recurrent minor infections in one year
- Unusual organisms
- Unusual sites
- Unresponsive to treatment
- Chronic infections
- Early structural damage
What other clinical features, apart from infections, may suggest immunodeficiency?
Family history, young age at presentation, failure to thrive
Give an overview of the response to infection:
- Presence of infection in the tissues will stimulate endothelial activation and the expression of adhesion molecules
- Neutrophils will mobilise from the bone marrow and enter the blood stream
- They will adhere to the endothelium at the site of damage and migrate into the tissue
- Tissue resident macrophages will phagocytose the pathogens
- Macrophages will process the antigens and present them to T cells
- Neutrophils eventually die and form pus
What happens in chronic granulomatous disease?
- Absent respiratory burst - due to deficiency of one of the components of NADPH oxidase and inability to generate oxygen free radicals results in impaired killing.
- Excessive inflammation - persistent neutrophil and macrophage accumulation. Failure to degrade antigens.
- Granuloma formation
- Lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly