Autoinflammatory and autoimmune 1 Flashcards
- What is the difference between autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases?
Autoinflammatory – driven by components of the innate immune system
Autoimmune – driven by components of the adaptive immune system
- Which cells are mainly responsible for:
a. Autoinflammatory Diseases
Macrophages and neutrophils (disease is usually localised)
b. Autoimmune Diseases
T and B cells
- Mutations in which pathways are implicated in monogenic autoinflammatory disease?
Innate immune cell function – abnormal signalling via key cytokine pathways involving TNF-alpha or IL-1
- Which gene mutation causes Familial Mediterranean Fever and which protein does this gene encode?
MEFV gene
Encodes pyrin-marenostrin which is a negative regulator of the inflammatory pathway
- Describe how the inflammasome complex functions.
The pathway is activated by toxins, pathogens and urate crystals
These act via cryopyrin and then ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein) to activate procaspase
Activation of procaspase results in the production of NFB, IL1 and apoptosis
Pyrin-maronestrin is a negative regulator of this pathway (ASC)
- What is the inheritance pattern of Familial Mediterranean Fever?
Autosomal recessive
- Which cells contain pyrin-maronestrin?
Neutrophils
- Outline the clinical presentation of Familial Mediterranean Fever.
Periodic fevers lasting 48-96 hours associated with • Abdominal pain (peritonitis) • Chest pain (pleurisy, pericarditis) • Arthritis • Rash
- What is a complication of Familial Mediterranean Fever?
AA amyloidosis (due to chronic elevation of serum amyloid A) This can deposit in the kidneys causing nephrotic syndrome and renal failure
- Outline the treatment of Familial Mediterranean Fever.
Colchicine 500 µg BD (binds to tubulin and disrupt neutrophil migration and chemokine secretion)
2nd line: blocking cytokines
• Anakinra – IL1 receptor blocker
• Etanercept – TNF-alpha blocker
- What are the three types of pathogenesis in monogenic autoimmune diseases?
Abnormality in tolerance
Abnormality in regulatory T cells - IPEX
Abnormality of lymphocyte apoptosis - ALPS
- What does IPEX stand for?
Immune dysregulation polyendocrinopathy enteropathy X-linked syndrome
- What mutation causes IPEX? What is the role of this gene?
FoxP3 – required for the development of Treg cells
A lack of Tregs leads to autoantibody formation
- Which autoimmune conditions are often seen in IPEX?
Enteropathy
Diabetes mellitus
Hypothyroidism
Dermatitis
- What does ALPS stand for?
Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome