Autoimmunity

Question 1

What are immunologically privileged sites? Which are they?

Answer 1

Areas/organs with limited aciess of lymphocytes; Brain, cornea, anterior chamber of eye, testis, pregnant uterus

Question 2

What protects immunologically privileged sites in case of lymphocytic penetration?

Answer 2

High concentrations of TGFb and IL-10 suppress the immune response

Question 3

What are the general classifications of autoimmune diseases? Based on what?

Answer 3

Types II, III, and IV- due to analogy with tissue damaging effects of hypersensitivity rxns

Question 4

Why are their no Type I autoimmune disease?

Answer 4

No AI disease is mediated through IgE

Question 5

What are type II autoimmune diseases?

Answer 5

Caused by auto-antibodies directed against components of cell surfaces, proteins, or matrix antigens

Question 6

What are type III autoimmune diseases?

Answer 6

Immune complex mediated diseases caused by antibodies that react to soluble antigen forming soluble immune complexes that deposit on tissue

Question 7

What are type IV autoimmune diseases?

Answer 7

Caused by effector T cells

Question 8

What are the three mechanisms by which RBC can be destroyed by AI hemolytic anemia?

Answer 8

1) complete activation of classical complement pathway with MAC formation and lysis of RBC; 2) RBCs coated with antibody and C3b which are cleared through CR1 receptors in the spleen; 3) RBCs coated with antibody and C3b which are cleared through Fc receptors on the spleen

Question 9

What is immune thrombocytopenia?

Answer 9

Autoantibodies against structural components of platelets

Question 10

What is Rheumatoid Factor?

Answer 10

Usually an IgM autoantibody against Fc portion of IgG

Question 11

Why are endocrine glands particularly prone to AI disease?

Answer 11

They are well vascularized (easy access for immune cells) and they express unique tissue specific proteins that serve as targets

Question 12

True or False: The cause of an autoimmune disease can sometimes be revealed by the transfer of the disease by immune effectors

Answer 12

True

Question 13

What is Infliximab?

Answer 13

A chimeric anti-TNFa MOAb

Question 14

What is Rituximab?

Answer 14

An anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody

Question 15

Which cytokines’ productions do JAK inhibitors stop?

Answer 15

IL-2,4,15, and 21

Question 16

What condition results from rare mutation in FoxP3?

Answer 16

Immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, an X-linked syndrome (IPEX)

Question 17

What is the dominant genetic factor affecting susceptibility to many autoimmune diseases?

Answer 17

HLA

Question 18

What types of cells more commonly initiate most AI diseases?

Answer 18

CD4+ T cells

Question 19

True or False: Non-infectious environmental factors can influence the course of an autoimmune disease?

Answer 19

True

Question 20

What is molecular mimicry?

Answer 20

The production of antibodies (or T cells) that act against a pathogen but also to self because of the high degree of antigenic similarity

Question 21

What is epitope spreading?

Answer 21

The process by which an immune response initially targets epitopes in one part of an antigenic molecule but then progresses to other non-cross reactive epitopes on the same antigen