Adaptive Immunity Flashcards
Inflammation vs adaptive immunity
inflammation: relatively rapid, nonspecific, short-lived (first responder)
adaptive immunity: slower acting, specific, very long-lived (long-term security)
Protective response to active infectious agents
neutralize or destroy pathogenic microorganisms (e.g., Ab response against viral infections)
Vaccination against infectious agents
induce safe and protective immune response (e.g., recommended childhood vaccines)
Diagnosis of infectious agents
measure circulating Ag from infectious agents or ab (e.g., Dx of Hep B ifxn)
Therapy for infectious agents
Passive Tx with Ab to treat or prevent infection (e.g., admin of Ab against hep A)
Protection against active cancer
Prevent tumor growth or spread (e.g., immune surveillance to prevent early cancers)
Vaccination against cancers
Prevent cancer growth or spread (e.g., vaccination w/cancer antigens)
Diagnosis of cancer
measure circulating antigen (e.g., circulating PSA for Dx of prostate cancer)
Therapy for cancer
Immunotherapy (e.g., Tx of cancer w/Abs against cancer Ags)
Protection against active dz d/t environmental substances
Prevent entrance into body (e.g., secretory IgA limits systemic exposure to potential allergens)
Vaccination against environmental substances
No clear example
Dx of environmental subtance dz
Measure circulating Ag or Ab (e.g., Dx of allergy by measuring circulating IgE)
Therapy for Dz d/t environmental substances
Immunotherapy (e.g., administration of Ag for desensitization of individuals w/severe allergies)
Protection against active self-antigens
Immune system tolerance to self-antigens, which may be altered by an infectious agent leading to autoimmune dz
Vaccination and self-antigens
Some cases of vaccination after tolerance to self-antigens leading to autoimmune dz
Dx of dz d/t self-antigens
Measure circulating Ab against self-antigen for Dx of autoimmune dz
Therapy for dz d/t self-ag
No clear example
Serum proteins and blood cells involved in adaptive immune response (general)
Proteins: Immunoglobulins/antibodies
Blood cells: lymphocytes
3 groups of cells must cooperate to make an immune response
APCs w/subpopulation of T cells that facilitate immune responses (Th cells) and immunocompetent **B or T Cells **resulting in differentiation of B cells into active Ab producing cells (plasma cells) and T cells into effector cells (e.g., T-cytotoxic cells)
Generation of clonal diversity (general)
- lymphoid stem cells from bone marrow migrate to central lymphoid organs (thymus or regions of bone marrow), where they undergo a series of cellular division and differentiation stages resulting in either immunocompetent T cells from thymus or immunocompetent B cells from bone marrow (driven by hormones)
- all necessary receptor specificities produced!
- in fetus - begins in liver, not bone marrow. Most done as fetus, some as adult
immunocompetent B and T cells: what are they, where do they go
cells that have gone through clonal diversity in lymphoid organs
Still naive - have never encountered a foreign antigen
Enter circulation and migrate to secondary lymphoid organs where they take residence in B and T cell rich areas
Central lymphoid organs
Thymus and bone marrow
secondary lymphoid organs
e.g., spleen, lymph nodes
Clonal diversity & selection
Clonal selection: how initiated, what happens (general)
- initiated by exposure to foreign antigen
- immunocompetent B and T cells already in secondary lymphoid organs
- Ag usually processed by APCs for presentation to Th cells
- Intercellular cooperation among APCs, Th cells, and immunocompetent B and T cells results in second stage of cellular proliferation and differentiation
Clonal selection: how many cells?
Small population of B and T cells - b/c Ag has “selected” those w/compatible Ag receptors
Result of clonal selection
- active cellular immunity or humoral immunity, or both
- Ag selects those lymphocyes w/compatible receptors, expands their population, causes differntiation into Ab secreting plasma cells, or mature T cells
Who mediates cellular immunity?
- “Effector” T cells that can
- kill targets (cytotoxic T cells) or
- regulate the immune response (T-regulatory cells)
- memory cells (memory T cells) that can respond more quickly to a 2nd challenge w/same Ag
Who mediates humoral immunity?
population of
- soluble proteins (Abs) produced by plasma cells and
- memory B cells that can produce more Ab rapidly to second challeng w/same Ag
Result of Ab binding to antigen on infectious agent
direct inactivation of microorganism OR activation of variety of inflammatory mediators (e.g. complement, phagocytes)
Domain of antibodies - which organisms
Primarily bacteria and viruses
Tc Cells - what and who target
cytotoxic T cells - attack and kill targets directly
Target cells infected by variety of viruses and cancerous cells
Active acquired immunity/active immunity
produced by individual either after natural exposure to an antigen or after immunization
long-lived
Passive acquired immunity/passive immunity
not involve host’s immune response at all - occurs when preformed Abs or T lymphocytes are transferred from donor to recipient
e.g., maternal Abs across placenta, immunotherapy, preformed immunoglobulins post-exposure in unvaccinated
short-lived b/c donor stuff destroyed
CD
Cluster of differentiation
label for very large family of proteins found on surface of many cells. Many have alternative names.
CD1: location and function
location: APCs
function: presents lipid Ags
CD4: location and function
location: Th cells
function: Binds to MHC class II as co-receptor w/the TCR
CD8: location and function
Location: Tc cells
Function: binds to MHC Class I as co-receptor w/TCR
CD28: location and function
Location: T cells
Function: adhesion molecule that binds to CD80 to provide co-stimulatory signal for Tc cells
CD80 (B7-1): location and function
Location: APCs
Function: Adhesion molecule that binds to CD28 to provide a co-stimulatory signal
Antigen
molecule that can react w/antibodies or antigen receptors on B or T cells. Can be immunogenic, i.e., cause an immune response (production of Abs or functional T cells)
Epitope
portion of Ag configured for recognition & binding. Aka antigenic determinant
paratope
“antigen binding site” on Ab or lymphocyte that matches epitope
how many Abs against a molecule?
Depends on number of epitopes - usually a mixture of specific Abs
What influences immunogenic degree of Ag?
- being foreign
- size
- chemical complexity
- quantity
Central tolerance
in which lymphocytes w/receptors against self-Ags are eliminated
Peripheral tolerance
in which immune system actively prevents recognition of self-Ags by lymphocytes or Abs
who may regulate response to self-ags?
T-regulatory cells, (Treg cells)
(some pathogens mimic self-Ags in order to survive)
haptens
Antigens that are too small to make an immune response, but can be immunogenic if combined w/larger carrier molecules
e.g., PCN & poison ivy - must bind to large molecular weight proteins in blood or skin
allergens
Ags that induce allergic response
Molecules that directly recognize Ags
3 molecules: Circulating Ab and Ag receptors on surface of B lymphocytes (B-cell receptor or BCR) and T lymphocytes (TCR)
Antibody
serum glycoprotein produced by plasma cells in response to a challenge by an immunogen
Classes of immunoglobulins
Five:
IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, IgD
IgG
- most abundant
- account for most protective activity against infection
Maternal Ab
Maternal IgG in blood of fetus/newborn
subclasses of IgG
IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4
IgA subclasses
IgA1, IgA2
where is IgA1 found?
mostly in blood
Where is IgA2 found?
Mostly in normal body secretions (predominant class in secretions)
IgA & secretory piece
IgA2
They are dimers anchored through a J chain and “secretory piece”
Secretory piece is attached to IgAs inside mucosal epithelial cells - may protect IgA2 against degradation by enzymes in secretions
IgM: characteristics
largest immunoglobulin
usually a pentamer stabilized by J (joining) chain
FIRST Ab produced during initial/primary response to Ag
IgD
limited info
low concentrations in blood
primarily on surface of developing B lymphocytes, function as one type of B cell Ag receptor
IgE
- least concentrated of any immunoglobulin class in circulation
- apparently very specialized functions:
- mediator of many common allergic responses
- defense against parasitic infections
Who are the Ag binding molecules?
soluble antibody & cell surface receptors
Ab molecule makeup
2 identical heavy chains and two identical light chains connected by interchain disulfide bonds (- between bonds in figure)
Ab heavy chain
divided into three regions w/relatively constant amino acid sequences (CH1, CH2, CH3) and a region w/a variable AA sequence (VH)
Ab light chains
Each light chain is divided into a constant region (CL) and a variable region (VL).
The hinge region (Hi) provides flexibility in some classes of Ab.
W/in each VL are three highly variable complementary determining regions (CDR1, CDR2, CDR3) separated by relatively constant framework regions (FRs)
3 important portions of Ab molecule revealed by limited digestion w/enzyme papain
Fc and 2 identical Fab fragments
Both Fab fragments bind Ag
What happens to structure when andibodies fold?
CDRs are placed in proximity to form the antigen binding site
Structure of Antigen receptor on surface of B cells (BCR complex)
monomeric Ab w/a structure similar to that of circulating Ab.
Additional hydrophobic transmembrane region (TM) anchors molecule to cell surface
Igalpha & Igbeta
Molecules on active BCR complex that are responsible for intracellular signaling after the receptor has bound antigen
T cell receptor (TCR) structure
- alpha chain and beta chain joined by a disulfide bond.
- Each chain consists of a constant region (Calpha and Cbeta) and a variable region (Valpha and Vbeta)
- variable regions contain CDRs and FRs in a structure similar to Ab
Active TCR associated w/several moleucules responsible for intracellular signaling
- CD3 (complex of gamma, epsilon, and delta subunits)
- Complex of two zeta molecules attached to a cytoplasmic protein kinase (ZAP70) that is critical to intracellular signalling
Fab
“Antigen binding fragment”
part of Ab that binds to Ag
confers specificity toward Ag
Fc
- “crystalline fragment”
- part of Ab. Crystallizes when separated from Fabs.
- responsible for 1) biologic functions of Ags, 2) activation of complement cascade, 3) opsonization by binding to Fc receptors on surface of cells of innate immune system
How is Antibody class determined?
By which heavy chain is used:
- IgG - gamma
- IgM - mu
- IgA - alpha
- IgE - epsilon
- IgD - delta