Antibacterial Responses Flashcards
What is an infection?
Interaction between pathogen and host
What are the key steps in infection?
Entry of pathogen, invasion and colonisation of host tissue, evasion of immunity and tissue damage
Why can some bacteria not be cleared by immune system?
bacteria establishes latent or persistent infection
What is the first line of defense?
Innate / barriers
What are the 3 categories of innate first line of defense? + examples of each
Mechanical - flow of fluid (mucus, cilia)
Chemical - (sebum, acidity, lysozymes) + AMPs (defensins)
Microbiological - (normal flora)
What do defensins do?
Released into extracellular environment and kill microbes by penetrating microbial membranes and disrupting their integrity
Why is microbiota important apart from innate / barrier function?
Protect against unwanted immune response
What types of defensins are there?
alpha defesin and beta defensin
Which cell secrete alpha defensins?
Neutrophils and paneth cells
Which cells secrete beta defensins?
Broad range of epithelial cells esp in resp tract, skin and urogenital tract
What happens if initial barriers are crossed by pathogens?
Complement activation by microbial cell wall components
Complement is the PRR
When is the alternative pathway activated?
- specific PAMPs on bacteria cell walls (lipopolysaccharides)
Complement (PRR) recongises LPS in peptidoglycan to activate the pathway
When is the lectin pathway activated?
Complement (PRR) recognises mannose on surface of bacteria
When is the classical complement pathway activated?
Activated by antibodies and antigen binding
What is the indirect effect of complement pathways?
1) Induce inflammation, recruit inflammatory cells
2) Enhance phagocytosis via opsonisation
What is the direct effect of activated complement pathway?
Complement mediated cytolysis
Complement forms complex (polymersiation of complement) and punches holes in bacteria for lysis
Which type of microbes do complements usually work against?
Extracellular bacteria