Brainscape Spring Semester - Immuno Exam 3 Flashcards
In T cell development, when RAG-1/2 turns off following the DN stage, will it stay off forever?
No. RAG-1/2 is on during the DN stage while the beta chain is rearranging. It then turns off and the beta chain will never be rearranged again in that cell. RAG-1/2 turns back on during the DP stage for alpha chain rearrangement, after which RAG-1/2 is permanently turned off in that SP T cell
During the DN stage of T cell development, which TCR genes are expressed?
TCR gamma, delta and beta are all expressed. There is a race between beta and gamma/delta to rearrange first. TCR alpha is not expressed until the DP stage
What role do histone modifications play in T cell development?
Histones are methlyated in order to make enhancers less accessible. They can be acetylated in order to activate the enhancer by increasing accessibility due to looser winding
Which type of T cell is more frequently formed: alpha/beta or gamma/delta?
The alpha/beta T cells form more frequently because only the beta chain needs to properly rearrange, wheras the other route requires two rearrangements.
How does signaling occur in pre-T cells?
The pT-alpha chain and beta chain can interact with CD3 and the zeta chain in order to signal across the membrane
Which stage comes first: Pro B-cells or Pre B-cells?
Pro B-cells come first, developing from Late Pro-cells into Large Pre B-cells
How does the location of B cell development differ from that of T cell development?
Unlike T-cells, B cell development continues within the bone marrow and does not leave until the transition from small pre B cell to an immature B cell
What is the goal of positive selection?
To verify that the BCR can recognize self-MHC
What is the goal of negative selection?
To make sure that the strength of the BCR-MHC is not too strong or too weak.
What mechanism allows for the activation and clonal expansion of B cells?
When B cells encounter pathogen-derived antigens, they are activated. They can then travel to the secondary lymph tissue and undergo somatic hypermutation.
What structural component distinguishes different stages of B cell development?
Surface receptors present determine which stage of development the B cell is in.
What surface receptor(s) are present on pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells?
CD34
What surface receptor(s) are present on common lymphoid progenitor cells?
CD7, CD10, CD34, CD45RA
What surface receptor(s) are present on B-cell precursor cells?
CD10 and IL-7Rα
What surface receptor(s) are present on pro-B cells?
None
Describe the rearrangement within the heavy and light chains during B cell development.
The heavy chain rearranges first, with D-J rearrangement during Early pro-B cell stage, and V-DJ rearrangement during late pro-B cell stage. The light chains then undergo V-J rearrangement during the small pre-B cell stage
At what stage is IgM first detectable on the surface of developing B cells?
During the immature B cell stage, *but the pre-Bcell expresses IgM with VpreB and Lambda5 while the light chain is rearranged.
Describe the adhesion molecules present during early pro-B cell stage.
Stromal cell factor of the stromal cell binds to Kit of the pro B cell to generate a proliferative signal. VLA-4, an integrin binds VCAM-1 also.
During late pro-B cell stage, what cytokine serves as a proliferative signal?
IL-7, produced by the bone marrow stromal cell binds to IL-7 receptors on the pro-B cell surface
What is the purpose of allelic exclusion?
This process makes sure that only one type of Ig is expressed on each B cell. Successful heavy chain gene rearrangement of the genetic material from one chromosome results in the shutting down of rearrangement of genetic material from the second chromosome
Describe the B-cell rearrangement during the pro-B cell stage.
Heavy chain D-J rearrangements occur on both homologs (6 rearrangements per homolog). Following a productive D-J rearrangement, V-DJ rearrangement will occur on one homolog. If this results in nonproductive rearrangement, then the other homolog will attempt V-DJ rearrangement. Successful rearrangement on either homolog will allow the cells to progress to pre-B cells. Unsuccessful rearrangemen ton both homologs will signal cells to die by apoptosis.
What are the components of the surrogate light chain in pre-B cell receptors?
VpreB and λ5 genes complex to form a surrogate light chain that interacts with the μ heavy chain
What molecules give B cell receptors signalling capacity?
Igβ and Igα provide the B cell receptors with signaling capacity
What is avidity?
The combined strength of multiple bonds between antibodies and the antigen. The individual bonds are not particularly strong, but the combined effect allows the antigen to be secured preventing it from diffusing away
What are the three signals for allelic exclusion?
1) Inhibit RAG-1/2 2)Degrade existing RAG-1/2 3)Alter chromatin structure
Describe avidity with and without the process of allelic exclusion.
Allelic exclusion allows for high avidity binding due to homogenous B cell receptors. Without allelic exclusion, heterogenous B cell receptors will develop on a cell’s surface, leading to decreased avidity.
Is light chain rearrangement able to occur after the first VJ recombination?
Yes. Successive rearrangements are possible, allowing for the phenomenon of B cell receptor editing.
Describe the allelic exclusion process in the light chain locus.
Rearrangement occurs at one locus at a time. First, the κ locus on one chromosome, then the κ locus on the other. If neither are successful then rearrangement will occur at the λ locus. Without any successful recombination, the cell will undergo apoptosis.
Is it possible to have an IgM with one κ light chain and one λ light chain?
No. IgM’s will always have 2 of the same light chain attached.
How do the first and second checkpoints in B cell development differ?
The first checkpoint selects for functional heavy chains in pre-B-cell receptors. The second checkpoint selects for functional light chains in Immature B cells
What happens to cells that fail to pass either checkpoint during B cell development?
They undergo apoptosis
What are the major growth factor receptors involved with B cell development, and when are they expressed?
Kit expression begins during the stem cell phase and continues through the early pro=B cell stage, ending during the late pro-B cell stage. IL-7 receptor expression begins during the stem cell phase and continues through until the end of the Large pre-B cell stage
Describe the expression pattern of RAG-1 and RAG-2 during B cell development.
It alternates on and off. It is first on from the early pro-B cell stage until the large pre-B cell stage. It is then off until the small pre-B cell stage, and remains on until the mature B cell is formed
What role does Pax-5 play in B cell development?
Pax-5 is a transcription factor that keeps cells in the B cell state. It binds to enhancer sequences in the early pro-B cell stage, loosening chromatin and allowing for increased transcription rate
What happens in patients with Burkitt Lymphoma?
A translocation occurs between the MYC gene on chromosome 8 and an Ig gene on chromosomes 14, 2, or 22. This mutation will prevent MYC from properly controlling cell divisions, leading to cancer
What surface molecule is characteristic of B-1 cells?
CD5
What is required for B cells to leave the bone marrow and proceed into the bloodstream?
B cells must have NO reactivity against self antigen in order to leave the bloodstream. When this occurs, the ratio of IgM:IgD will decrease as more IgD appear on the surface
Do B cells in the bone marrow that recognize self antigen undergo apoptosis?
No. They can first attempt to edit themselves to change their specificity by further rearrangements of the light-chain genes. This process increases the efficiency of B cell development. If the rearrangement fails, then the cell will eventually undergo apoptosis.
What guides B cell migration from the HEV into lymph tissue?
The chemokine gradients of CCL21 and CCL19 attract B cells into the lymph node. Once in the lymph node, chemokine CXCL13 attracts B cells into the primary follicle
What interactions drive the maturation of immature B cells within lymph tissue?
Interactions with follicular dendritic cells via LT from B cell and LT receptor on DC. BAFF from DC can then bind to BAFF receptor on the B cell to trigger B cell maturation
Where does differentiation into plasma cells occur?
Within the germinal centers of secondary lymph tissue
How can Southern blots of serum samples demonstrate the effectiveness of chemotherapy?
In a cancer in which rearrangement occurs in the J chain, you can visualize non-Germ line bands along with the normal Germ line band on a southern blot. Following effective chemotherapy treatment, we would expect the size of these non-Germ line bands to decrease due to suppression of the rearrangement occuring in cancerous cells
What was Jenner’s observation in 1796?
Jenner realized that cowpox and smallpox virus share some of the same surface antigens, so immunizing humans with cowpox virus induces antibody production in humans that are capable of neutralizing the smallpox virus without major risk of infection
What are the features of effective vaccines?
They must be safe, protective, give sustained protection, induce neutralizing antibodies, and induce protective T cells. They also ideally will have a low cost and be easy to administer with few side-effects
What is a toxoid?
An inactivated toxin that can elicit an immune response against the components of the toxin without actually producing the illness associated with the toxin
What are attenuated viruses?
They are live viruses, but weakened by reducing the ability to replicate in human cells. These are not dangerous in healthy people, but can cause problems in individuals that are immunocomprimised.
Describe the process of producing an attenuated virus.
First the pathogenic virus is isolated from a patient and grown in human cultured cells. Then the culture is used to infect and animal, like a monkey. The virus adapts and mutates to grow well in the monkey cells. After several mutations, the virus will no longer be able to grow well in human cells, so it can be used as a vaccine.
What are the three components of the DTaP vaccine?
Diptheria, Tetanus, and Pertusis
What do bacteria involved with the DTaP vaccine all have in common?
They all produce secreted exotoxins
What are A-B toxins?
A common group of bacteral toxins that have multiple subunits. The A component possesses the catalytic activity. The B component binds to receptors of the host cell
Describe the interaction between diptheria toxin and the human host.
It affects host eEF-2, which is important for the translocation of ribosomes between adjacent codons during translation. The cells form a pseudomembrane in the throat following infection of airborne pathogen. Bleeding of underlying tissue often occurs.
Describe the interaction between tetanus toxin and the human host.
Tetanus toxin affects neurons resulting in spastic paralysis. These toxins are obligate anaerobes found in the soil, introduced into the human body via puncture wounds.
Describe the interaction between pertussis toxin and the human host.
Pertusis toxin inhibits the enzyme adenylate cyclase, leading to intracellular accumulation of cAMP. The clinical symptoms of “whooping cough” are due to the release of toxin from the site of colonization.
Why is it advantageous for vaccines to contain whole bacterial extracts rather than toxoids?
Toxoids rely on recognition by B cells. Whole bacterial extracts contain multiple epitopes and non-protein components like cabohydrates and lipids. These components can be recognized by CD1 (carbs) or TLR’s (lipids) in order to illicit strong immune responses.
Describe the structure of the influenza virus.
Influenza is an RNA virus made of 8 strands of -RNA (7 -RNA in type B). This RNA is enclosed in a capsid covered with hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. +RNA is produced from the template -RNA by viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase
What are the three types of influenza virus?
A: responsible for global pandemics, very fatal. B:causes local outbreaks. C:Mild pediatric cases
Which types of influenza exhibit antigenic drift?
Type A and Type B are highly mutagenic. They change the types of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase on the surface
How are strains of influenza named?
Based on the two antigens found on the viral surface: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). The antigen subtypes are numbered, giving rise to influenza strains like H1N1 and H5N1
What are the two different types of administration possible for the influenza vaccine?
(1)A trivalent vaccine (TIV) composed of components of killed viruses made of 3 strains of influenza (2)Live attenuated vaccine (LAIV) made of 2 strains of influenza
Explain why the LAIV method for vaccination is advantageous compared to the TIV method.
During a real influenza infection, a CD8 response will occur via presentation by MHC class I. The TIV will trigger an IgG response, following phagocytosis and presentation through MHC class II. The LAIV administered nasally will trigger a more realistic response.
Which influenza proteins could potentially be vaccinated against that would only require one vaccination in a lifetime?
The internal proteins that are not as mutagenic. These proteins will constantly mount vigorous CD8 responses in healthy individuals