8. Autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases 2 Flashcards
What happens in Graves disease?
Excessive production of thyroid hormones
What is Graves disease mediated by? And what does it result in?
Mediated by IgG antibodies that stimulate the TSH receptor. The antibodies bind to the TSH receptor and stimulate it leading to overproduction of thyroid hormones. Negative feedback does NOT override antibody stimulation.
What does the evidence base show about Graves disease?
These antibodies stimulate thyrocytes in vitro. Passive transfer of IgG from patients to rats often produces the same symptoms. Babies born to mothers with Graves’ disease may show transient hyperthyroidism.
What type of hypersensitivity is Graves disease?
Type II hypersensitivity reaction (however, it is stimulatory rather than destructive)
What is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis the most common cause of?
MOST COMMON cause of hypothyroidism in iodine-replete areas
How might Hashimoto’s thyroiditis present?
May present with a goitre - enlarged thyroid infiltrated by T and B cells
What antibodies is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis associated with?
Associated with anti-TPO antibodies. Also associated with the presence of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies
What does the presence of anti-TPO antibodies show?
Their presence correlates with thyroid damage and lymphocyte inflammation. Some have been shown to induce damage to thyrocytes.
What hypersensitivity reactions are involved in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis?
Type II and type IV hypersensitivity reaction
Why don’t we normally measure anti-thyroid antibodies to diagnose hypothyroidism?
We don’t tend to measure anti-thyroid antibodies to diagnose hypothyroidism because these antibodies are present in a lot of normal people who do not have hypothyroidism
What do experiments with non-obese diabetes (NOD) mouse model for T1DM show?
CD8+ T cell infiltration of the pancreas
What is the pathogenesis of T1DM?
CD8+ T cells infiltrate the pancreas. The T cell clones have specificity for islet antigens. The CD8+ lymphocytes bind to peptides presented by MHC Class I molecules on the beta-cells of the pancreas. These autoantigens include GAD and IA2. There are specific antibodies agaisnt these antigens which pre-date the development of disease.
The presence of which antibodies against these antigens will pre-date the development of T1DM?
Anti-islet cell, anti-insulin, anti-GAD, anti-IA2. NOTE: individuals with 3-4 of the above are highly likely to develop T1DM. (IMPORTANT: detection of antibodies does NOT currently play a role in diagnosis)
What occurs in pernicious anaemia?
In pernicious anaemia, patients develop antibodies against intrinsic factor which leads to failure of absorption of vitamin B12
What can vitamin B12 deficiency lead to?
Subacute degeneration of the spinal cord. This involves the posterior and lateral columns
What are neurological features of pernicious anaemia?
Subacute degeneration of the spinal cord. Other neurological features include peripheral neuropathy and optic neuropathy.
What antibodies are useful in the diagnosis of pernicious anaemia?
Antibodies against gastric parietal cells or intrinsic factor are useful in diagnosis
In myasthenia gravis, what does the patient develop antibodies against?
Antibodies against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
What does antibodies against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in myasthenia gravis lead to?
This leads to a failure of depolarisation
What is myasthenia gravis characterised by? And what are common features?
Characterised by fluctuating weakness. Ptosis is a common feature. EMG studies are usually abnormal.
What test is used to confirm diagnosis of myasthenia gravis?
Tensilon test
What is the tensilon test?
Used to diagnose myasthenia gravis. This involves administering a very short-acting anticholinesterase (edrophonium bromide), which will cause a rapid improvement in symptoms
Which antibodies are present in most myasthenia gravis patients?
Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies are present in 75% of patients and so they are useful in diagnosis
What may offspring of mothers with myasthenia gravis experience?
Offspring of affected mothers may experience transient neonatal myasthenia
What type of hypersensitivity reaction is seen in myasthenia gravis?
Type II hypersensitivity reaction
What is Goodpasture’s syndrome also known as?
Also known as anti-glomerular basement membrane disease
What does Goodpasture’s syndrome lead to damage in?
Leads to lung and kidney damage
Describe the appearance of the basement membrane as a result of Goodpasture’s syndrome
The deposition of antibodies along the basement membrane gives a smooth linear appearance
How are antibodies in Goodpasture’s syndrome detected?
They are detected using fluorescein conjugated anti-human immunoglobulin
What genetic predispositions does RA lead to?
HLA DR4 (DRB1 0401, 0404, 0405); HLA DR1 (DRB1 0101); PTPN22; polymorphisms affecting TNF, IL1, IL6 and IL10; PAD2 and PAD4 polymorphisms. Also HLA-DRB1 alleles that code a “shared epitope” (SE) – a five amino acid sequence motif in residues 70–74 of the HLA-DRβ chain.
What is the shared epitope associated with rheumatoid arthritis?
HLA-DRB1 alleles that code a “shared epitope” (SE) – a five amino acid sequence motif in residues 70–74 of the HLA-DRβ chain
What does the shared epitope associated with RA cause?
These alleles may enable binding of HLA to arthritogenic peptides and have been shown to bind to citrullinated peptides with high affinity
What do peptidylarginine deaminases (PAD 2 and 4) do?
These are enzymes that are involved in the deamination of arginine to form citrulline. Polymorphisms in these genes are associated with increased citrullination leading to a high load of citrullinated peptides
What is a key enzyme involved in rheumatoid arthritis?
Peptidylarginine deaminases (PAD 2 and 4). These convert arginine to citrulline and leads to increased citrullination. This generates the protein target of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies. PAD2 and PAD4 are observed in the tissue and fluid of inflamed RA joints; and both enzymes can generate citrullinated autoantigens.
What are environmental factors associated with RA?
Smoking (associated with development of erosive disease due to increased citrullination); gum infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis (only bacterium known to express PAD, thereby promoting citrullination).
What antibodies are involved in RA?
Anti-cyclin citrullinated peptide antibodies; rheumatoid factor
What does anti-cyclin citrullinated peptide bind to?
Bind to peptides in which arginine has been converted to citrulline by PAD
How specific and sensitive are anti-cyclin citrullinated peptide antibodies?
Around 95% specific for rheumatoid arthritis. 60-70% sensitive for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
What is rheumatoid factor directed against?
An antibody directed against the Fc region of human IgG. IgM anti-IgG antibody is the most commonly tested although you can get IgA and IgG variants.
How are B cells involved in rheumatoid arthritis?
Type II response: antibodies bind to citrullinated peptides leading to activation of complement, macrophages and NK cells. Type III: immune complexes form and get deposited; this leads to complement activation.
How are T cells involved in rheumatoid arthritis?
Antigen presenting cells will present peptides to CD4 cells which will then lead to the production of IFN-gamma and IL17. These cytokines act on fibroblasts and macrophages. This, in turn, leads to the productions of: MMPs, IL-1, TNF-alpha.
What happens to the joint in RA?
In rheumatoid arthritis, the synovium becomes very inflamed forming a pannus. This invades the articular cartilage and adjacent bone. There is also an increase in synovial fluid volume
What mechanisms are involved in RA?
- Genetic predispositions: HLA DR4, HLA DR1, PTPN22, TNF/IL1/IL6/IL10.
- Shared epitope (HLA susceptibility alleles share a sequence at position 70-74 of HLA beta chain) which enable binding of HLA to arithrogenic peptides and bind to citrullinated peptides with high affinity.
- Peptidylarginine deaminases (PAD 2 and 4) result in increased citrullination. Smoking (increased citrullination) and gum infection (express PAD).
- Antibodies: anti-cyclin citrullinated peptide antibodies; rheumatoid factor.
- B cell: type II and type II response.
- T cells lead to production of cytokines which lead to production of MMPs, IL-1, TNF-alpha.
What are anti-nuclear antibodies?
These are a group of antibodies that bind to nuclear proteins