Autoimmune diseases

Question 1

1. Which of the following is a non-organ-specific (systemic) autoimmune disease?

A Myasthenia gravis

B Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

C Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

D Pernicious anemia

E Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus

Answer 1

B Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

Question 2

2. Which of the following antibodies is of most use for the diagnosis of pernicious anemia?

A Anti-parietal cell

B Anti-thyroid peroxidase

C Anti-nuclear

D Anti-IgG Fc

E Anti-TSH receptor

Answer 2

A Anti-parietal cell

Question 3

3. Which of the following antibodies are useful for the diagnosis of Sjögren’s syndrome?

A Anti-cardiolipin

B Anti-neutrophil cytoplasm (ANCA)

C Anti-SS-A(Ro), anti-SS-B(La)

D Anti-21-hydroxylase

E Anti-glomerular basement membrane

Answer 3

C Anti-SS-A(Ro), anti-SS-B(La)

Question 4

4. Which of the following models is an example of a spontaneous organ-specific autoimmune disease?

A (NZB × W)F1

B MRL-lpr/lpr

C Experimental autoallergic encephalomyelitis

D Thyroiditis induced by early thymectomy and irradiation

E Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse

Answer 4

E Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse

Question 5

5. The high concordance rate for monozygotic vs dizygotic twins in type 1 diabetes indicates:

A A strong environmental element

B A strong genetic element

C A major influence of sex

D The influence of HLA

E That microbial infection cannot be involved

Answer 5

B A strong genetic element

Question 6

6. The undue tendency for closely linked genes on a chromosome to remain associated rather than undergo genetic randomization, is termed:

A Tandem duplication

B Meiotic cross-over

C Relative risk

D Linkage disequilibrium

E Gene conversion

Answer 6

D Linkage disequilibrium

Question 7

7. What is HLA-DR2 a risk factor for?

A Multiple sclerosis

B Type I diabetes

C Ankylosing spondylitis

D Rheumatoid arthritis

E Myasthenia gravis

Answer 7

A Multiple sclerosis

Question 8

8. The antiphospholipid syndrome is associated with:

A Infertility

B Severe anemia

C Wegener’s granulomatosis

D Raised platelet levels

E Recurrent fetal loss

Answer 8

E Recurrent fetal loss

Question 9

9. Neonatal myasthenia gravis is thought to be caused by:

A An inherited genetic defect

B Transplacental transfer of maternal IgG against the TSH receptor

C Overactivity of regulatory T-cells

D Transplacental transfer of maternal IgG against the acetylcholine receptor

E Maternal T-cells transferred across the placenta

Answer 9

D Transplacental transfer of maternal IgG against the acetylcholine receptor

Question 10

10. In celiac disease there is T-cell sensitivity to:

A Vitamin B12

B Gluten

C β-adrenergic receptors

D Gastric H+-K+ dependent ATPase

E Myelin basic protein (MBP)

Answer 10

B Gluten

Question 11

11. Glomerulonephritis associated with pulmonary hemorrhage is referred to as:

A Pemphigus vulgaris

B Goodpasture’s syndrome

C Systemic lupus erythematosus

D Lambert–Eaton syndrome

E Post-streptococcal glomerular nephritis

Answer 11

B Goodpasture’s syndrome

Question 12

12. In rheumatoid arthritis the non-lymphoid synovial tissue shows aberrant expression of:

A Immunoglobulin genes

B T-cell receptor genes

C MHC class I

D MHC class II

E MHC class III

Answer 12

D MHC class II

Question 13

13. IgG in patients with rheumatoid arthritis has abnormal:

A Glycosylation

B Disufide bonds

C Light chain sequence

D Hinge regions

E Valency

Answer 13

A Glycosylation

Question 14

14. The inflammatory infiltrate in autoimmune thyroiditis comprises mostly:

A Phagocytic cells

B Polymorphonuclear leukocytes

C Lymphocytes

D Mast cells

E Eosinophils

Answer 14

C Lymphocytes

Question 15

15. A therapeutic approach in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is to:

A Stimulate TNF production

B Inhibit TNF activity

C Reduce TGFβ secretion

D Administer silver salts

E Use prostaglandin

Answer 15

B Inhibit TNF activity

Question 16

16. Immune defenses in the gut have evolved mechanisms that restrict the activation of:

A Th1 cells

B Th2 cells

C B-cells

D Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes

E Mast cells

Answer 16

A Th1 cells

Question 17

17. In rheumatoid arthritis, the outgrowth of synovial lining cells that produces erosions in the underlying cartilage and bone is called:

A Opsonin

B Proteoglycan

C Pannus

D The Arthus reaction

E Frustrated phagocytosis

Answer 17

C Pannus

Question 18

18. What is the single best defining feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)?

A A type III hypersensitivity

B An autoimmune disease

C A disease that often affects the skin

D A disease that often affects the kidneys

E A disease in which anti-DNA autoantibodies are present

Answer 18

E A disease in which anti-DNA autoantibodies are present

Question 19

19. What is the single best description of type 1 diabetes?

A Results in hyperglycemia

B Is characterized by the production of autoantibodies

C Involves a T-cell infiltration into an endocrine gland

D Involves lymphocyte recognition of glutamic acid decarboxylase

E Occurs at a higher frequency in genetically susceptible individuals

Answer 19

D Involves lymphocyte recognition of glutamic acid decarboxylase

Question 20

20. Which of the following is the autoimmune condition with the single most profound genetic association?

A Graves’ disease

B Type 1 diabetes

C Ankylosing spondylitis

D Rheumatoid arthritis

E IPEX (immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked) syndrome

Answer 20

E IPEX (immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked) syndrome