Cancer Immunology Flashcards
What are tumour infiltrating lymphocytes?
- lymphocytes found within the tumours
- generally a good indicator of prognosis if they are present
What cell, if present in tumours is associated within reduced survival?
- Treg cells
- essentially switch off other T cells that may be fighting
If a patient is immunocompromised, does this increase or decrease the risk of cancer?
- increases the risk of cancer
What is a tumour antigen?
- antigen produced by tumour cells, makes a good marker of a tumour
- T cells can recognise and target this MHC-I as not self peptide antigen
A tumour antigen is an antigen that is produced in tumour cells, making it a good marker of a tumour. There are 2 types of tumour antigens, Tumour-specific antigens (TSA) and Tumour-associated antigens (TAA). What is a TSA?
1 - peptide antigen produced by only cancer cells and presenting on MHC-I complex
2 - peptide antigen produced healthy self only cells presented on MHC-I complex
3 - peptide antigen not unique to just cancer cells presented on MHC-I complex
4 - peptide antigen produced by only cancer cells and presenting on MHC-II complex
1 - peptide antigen produced by only cancer cells and presenting on MHC-I complex
- this can be recognised as bad by the host immune system cytotoxic T and natural killer cells
- NOT PRESENT ON NORMAL NUCLEATED CELLS
A tumour antigen is an antigen that is produced in tumour cells, making it a good marker of a tumour. There are 2 types of tumour antigens, Tumour-specific antigens (TSA) and Tumour-associated antigens (TAA). What is a TAA?
1 - peptide antigen produced by only cancer cells and presenting on MHC-I complex
2 - peptide antigen produced healthy self only cells presented on MHC-I complex
3 - peptide antigen not unique to just cancer cells presented on MHC-I complex
4 - peptide antigen produced by only cancer cells and presenting on MHC-I complex
3 - peptide antigen not unique to just cancer cells presented on MHC-I complex
- could be over expression of genes normally silenced during foetal development
- could be over expression of proteins found in normal cells
- BOTH WILL ALTER THE PEPTIDE PRESENTED ON MHC-1 MOLECULE, BUT DOES NOT MEAN IT IS CANCEROUS
A tumour antigen is an antigen that is produced in tumour cells, making it a good marker of a tumour. There are 2 types of tumour antigens:
1 - Tumour- specific antigens
2 - Tumour-associated antigens
Which 1 of these is more difficult to treat and why?
2 - Tumour-associated antigens
- not specific to tumours
- normal cells will contain them as well
A tumour antigen is an antigen that is produced in tumour cells, making it a good marker of a tumour. There are 2 types of tumour antigens, Tumour- specific antigens (TSA) and Tumour-associated antigens (TAA). Which 2 of the following are TSAs?
1 - viral proteins and tissue differentiating antigens
2 - viral proteins and tumour specific mutated antigens
3 - tumour specific mutated antigens and tissue differentiating antigens
4 - tumour germline (“tumour-testis”) antigens and normal proteins over-expressed by cancer cells
2 - viral proteins and tumour specific mutated antigens
A tumour antigen is an antigen that is produced in tumour cells, making it a good marker of a tumour. There are 2 types of tumour antigens, Tumour- specific antigens (TSA) and Tumour-associated antigens (TAA). Which 2 of the following are TAAs?
1 - viral proteins and tissue differentiating antigens
2 - viral proteins and tumour specific mutated antigens
3 - tumour specific mutated antigens and tissue differentiating antigens
4 - tumour germline (“tumour-testis”) antigens and normal proteins over-expressed by cancer cells
4 - tumour germline (“tumour-testis”) antigens and normal proteins over-expressed by cancer cells
- tissue differentiating antigens is also a TAA
If the immune system is able to detect tumours, is the immune response any different than if it was a bacterial antigen present?
- no
- APC binds antigen, present to B and T cells to activate them
- cytotoxic T ands natural killer cells bind and induce apoptosis of tumour cells
What is the key cell from the innate immune response is key to kill cancer cells?
1 - dendritic cells
2 - B cells
3 - natural killer cells
4 - neutrophils
3 - natural killer cells
- are able to recognise MHC-I alongside CD8 T cells
What key cell from the adaptive immune response is key to kill cancer cells?
1 - dendritic cells
2 - B cells
3 - natural killer cells
4 - cytotoxic T cells
4 - cytotoxic T cells
- alongside natural killer cells they can recognised and bind with MHC-1 molecules
Lots of cells will be present in the micro-enviroment of the tumour. Which of the cells listed here are commonly present?
1 - neutrophils, NK, B, T and macrophages
2 - NK, B, T and macrophages
3 - NK, B, T, eosinophils and macrophages
4 - NK, B, T, basophils and macrophages
2 - NK, B, T and macrophages
Which cytokine is important for stimulating the proliferation of T cells?
1 - IL-1
2 - IL-6
3 - IL-4
4 - IL-2
4 - IL-2
There is a cancer immuno editing theory. This theory has 3 Es, which are:
1 - elimination
2 - equilibrium
3 - escape
What do each of these mean?
1 - elimination = cancer cell are immunogenic, host immunity kills the tumour cells
2 - equilibrium = cancer is dormant/or suppressed by immune system, but remains
3 - escape = cancer cells are less immunogenic and escape the immune system
Tumours are able to evade the immune system in a number of way. One of these is through the MHC-I molecules. What do cancer cells do to the MHC-1 molecule?
1 - modulate it so CD4 and CD8 cells cannot bind
2 - less or no MHC-1 molecules to bind with
3 - modulate MHC-1 molecules to appears absent
4 - modules MHC-II molecule so B cells cannot become activated
2 - less or no MHC-1 molecules to bind with
Tumours are able to evade the immune system in a number of way. One of these is through the antigen present on the MHC-I molecules. What do cancer cells do to the antigen on the MHC-1 molecule?
1 - change the peptide presented on MHC-I so same as self antigens
2 - peptides are changed to carbohydrates so CD8 cannot bind
3 - peptides are changed to lipids so CD8 cannot bind
4 - stop expressing the abnormal antigen (peptide) on their cell surface at all
4 - stop expressing the abnormal antigen (peptide) on their cell surface at all
- cytotoxic T and natural killer cells have nothing to bind with
Tumours are able to evade the immune system in a number of way. One of these is through the production of immunosuppressive factors. Which if the following are commonly produced by the tumours?
1 - transforming growth factor (TGF-β), Il-6. TNF-a
2 - transforming growth factor (TGF-β), creatine kinase
3 - transforming growth factor (TGF-β), lactate dehydrogenase
4 - transforming growth factor (TGF-β), PD-1 ligand (PD-L1)
4 - transforming growth factor (TGF-β), PD-1 ligand (PD-L1)
- can inhibit apoptosis or induce growth of the tumour
- PD-L1 is able to inhibit T cells through PD-1 receptor
What does CAR-T stand for?
- chimeric antigen receptor T cell
- chimera refers to something containing >2 or more cells or parts, (part cancer antigen and part T cell)
CAR-T stand for chimeric antigen receptor T cell. What are CAR-T cells?
1 - T cells that activate B cells to produce antibodies against the cancer cells
2 - T cells that have been genetically altered to target cancer cells
3 - T cells that have been modified whilst in a cancer patient
4 - T cells from another health patient
2 - T cells that have been genetically altered to target cancer cells
CAR-T stand for chimeric antigen receptor T cell. CAR-T cells are T cells that have been genetically altered to target cancer cells. Organise the order below of how T cells can be genetically altered to become CAR-T cells:
- CAR-T cells are introduced back into the body
- T cells are genetically altered so they have new chimeric antigen receptors
- T cells are extracted from the patient
- once back in the body CAR-T cells can identify and kill cancer cells
- new code is added to an inactive virus that infects the T cells
1st = T cells are extracted from the patient 2nd = T cells are genetically altered so they have new chimeric antigen receptors 3rd = new code is added to an inactive virus that infects the T cells 4th = CAR-T cells are introduced back into the body 5th = once back in the body CAR-T cells can identify and kill cancer cells
What are the 3 key parts of a CAR-T cell?
1 - antibody, T cell receptor, transmembrane domain
2 - antigen binding domain, T cell receptor, transmembrane domain
3 - antigen, antibody, transmembrane domain
4 - antigen, T cell, transmembrane domain
2 - antigen binding domain, T cell receptor, transmembrane domain
- T cell receptor binds MHC-1 complex
- transmembrane domain holds antigen binding domain and T cell receptor to the T cell membrane
Which CD molecule is commonly found on cancer cells that CAR-T cells can bind with?
1 - CD20
2 - CD10
3 - CD40
4 - CD19
4 - CD19
What is one of the key limitations of CAR-T therapy that also make it incredibly expensive?
1 - difficult to engineer
2 - difficult to personalise
3 - difficult to identify the antigen on tumour cells
4 - needs to be engineered and individualised to each person
4 - needs to be engineered and individualised to each person
- engineering like this costs a lot of money
What is one of the key limitations of CAR-T therapy related to tumour antigens?
1 - difficult to engineer
2 - difficult to personalise
3 - difficult to identify the antigen on tumour cells
4 - needs to be engineered and individualised to each person
3 - difficult to identify the antigen on tumour cells
- tumours may have multiple antigens
Although CAR-T can be very effective, what is the main side effects of this approach?
- patients are immunocompromised to begin with
- can cause cytokine release storm
