Cellular adaptive immunology Flashcards
Lectures: -Week 1, day 2, lecture 4: MHC-HLA system -Week 1, day 2, lecture 5: Antigen presentation -Week 1, day 3, lecture 3: Adaptive immune response - Cellular -Week 3, day 3, lecture 3: Developmental aspects - T-cell development
How is the adaptive immune response started?
Presentation of pathogen derived peptides, in the context of an MHC-molecule, to naïve T-cells
In which two ways do pathogen derived peptides reach naïve T-cells in the lymph node?
- Active transport -> immature DC’s pick up pathogen (or pathogen fragments), mature and move through the lymphatic vessels to regional lymph nodes, where they activate T-cells, which further activate the immune response
- Passive transport -> pathogen fragments passively get transported to the lymph nodes via the lymph, where they get picked up by B-cells, which active T-cells. The T-cells then produce cytokines that active the B-cells.
What is the function of MHC-molecules?
Presentation of pathogen epitopes to the (adaptive) immune system
Which class of T-cells is activated by MHC-I?
CD8+ T-cells (cytotoxic T-cells)
Which MHC-I molecules are there?
HLA-A, HLA-B & HLA-C
In which part of the MHC gene locus are MHC-I genes encoded?
Class I region
Which class of T-cells is activated by MHC-II?
CD4+ T-cells (T-helper cells)
Which MHC-II molecules are there?
HLA-DP, HLA-DR & HLA-DQ
In which part of the MHC gene locus are MHC-II genes encoded?
Class II region
How many alleles of MHC-I are present in the MHC gene locus?
1 allele of each HLA-A, HLA-B & HLA-C
How many alleles of MHC-II are present in the MHC gene locus?
2 genes for each of the molecules (HLA-DP, -DR, -DQ): a heavy-chain/α-chain and a light chain/β-chain per chromosome
Where is the MHC gene locus located?
Short arm of chromosome 6
What is the structure of MHC-I? Where is the peptide binding cleft located?
An α-chain consisting of 3 domains, supported by a β-microglobulin
The peptide binding cleft is located between α1 & α2
What is the function of the β-microglobulin of MHC-I?
Stabilization of MHC-I on the cell surface
True or false: the β-microglobulin of MHC-I is encoded by the MHC gene locus
False, β-microglobulin is encoded on chromosome 15
How big are peptides presented by MHC-I? In what way do they lie in the peptide binding cleft?
Peptides are between 8-10 amino acids long
The peptide is fully contained within the peptide binding cleft
What is the structure of MHC-II? Where is the peptide binding cleft located?
One heavy chain = α-chain, consisting of 2 domains
One light chain = β-chain, consisting of 2 domains
The peptide binding cleft is located between the α1 and β1 domains
How big are peptides presented by MHC-II? In what way do they lie in the peptide binding cleft
Peptides are at least 13 and mostly between 13-17 amino acids long
The peptide extends beyond the peptide binding cleft
On what cells is MHC-I expressed?
All nucleated cells
On what cells is MHC-II expressed?
APC’s (DC’s, B-cells and macrophages)
Which part of MHC-II interacts with CD4 on the CD4+ T-cell?
The β-chain
Which part of MHC-I interacts with CD8 on the CD8+ T-cell?
The α-chain
HLA-genes are highly polymorphic. What effect does this have on the characteristics of the HLA-molecules?
Leads to amino acid substitutions in the peptide binding cleft, changing the binding properties of the cleft
Where is polymorphic variation in MHC-II seen?
Rarely in the α-chain, often in the β-chain
Mostly in the peptide binding region (β1-domain) of the β-chain
Where is polymorphic variation in MHC-I seen?
Mostly in the domains that make up the peptide binding cleft -> α1 & α2
What are anchor residues in the context of MHC-molecules?
Specific amino acid residues present at specific sites in the presented peptide that allow it to bind to the MHC-molecule
Which class of MHC has the most strict anchor residues?
MHC-I -> MHC-II is more flexible in its anchor residues
True or false: anchor residues on presented peptides always have to be the same amino acid
False; they have to be of the same class of amino acids, but not strictly the same amino acid
What is the downside of the less strict anchor residue binding of MHC-II when it comes to research?
It makes it more difficult to predict which peptides will bind to MHC-II
What is MHC-/HLA-restriction? What does this mean for the specificity of the TCR?
T-cells only recognize their antigen when they are presented in the context of a particular self-MHC molecule
The TCR is specific for both the antigen presented & the type of MHC bound to the peptide
Expression of HLA-genes is codominant. What does this mean?
Both maternal and paternal alleles are expressed, resulting in the presence of maternal and paternal HLA on cells
Which two mechanisms contribute to the diversity of HLA expressed in an individual?
Polymorphisms in the HLA-genes
Polygeny -> codominant expression of maternal and paternal genes
What is the clinical significance of the existence of different HLA-serotypes (e.g. HLA-B27)
Some serotypes are associated with disease, transplant rejection and drug hypersensitivity
In which ways can the HLA-type be determined? (3)
- Serology -> adding antibodies against specific HLA types to cells, adding complement and detecting lysis of cells
- Flowcytometry
- PCR to type at DNA level
Which three signals do DC’s need to give to T-cells to achieve proper activation?
- Ag-specific activation via MHCII to TCR
- Activation of specific coreceptors
- Cytokines that cause polzarization -> determines the type of Th-response
What are the steps of antigen processing? (3)
- Antigen uptake
- Antigen processing -> generation of peptides from intact protein
- Presentation on surface MHC-molecules
In which ways can a DC take up antigen? (2)
- Direct infection of the DC
- Phagocytosis of extracellular pathogens
Antigens can be processed in different compartments of the DC. In which compartment is which type of pathogen processed?
- Cytosol processes viruses
- Vesicular systems process extracellular bacteria & parasites
Where do peptides presented in MHC-I originate?
Intracellular derived peptides, including self-peptide (in general)
Where do peptides presented in MHC-II originate?
Extracellular derived peptides (in general)
The TCR has to interact with MHC at several occasions in order to produce a functioning, active T-cell. What are they?
- During T-cell development in the thymus
- Activation of naïve T-cells in the lymph nodes
- T-cell effector function in the infected tissue or lymph nodes
What is the vesicle that contains a phagocytized particle called?
Endosome
In the processing of peptides to be loaded onto MHCII, the endosome has to fuse with 2 compartments. What are they and what are their functions?
- Lysosome, allows for breakdown of proteins into peptides
- MIIC = MHC-II containing component, contains MHC-II molecules and proteases required for peptide processing
MHC in the MIIC-component is chaperoned. Which protein functions as chaperone?
The invariant chain
What are the functions of the invariant chain? (3)
- Stabilizes MHC-II
- Prevents self-antigen from being loaded into MHC-II
- Guides MHC-II to MIIC
What happens with the invariant chain when the MIIC fuses with the phagolysosome?
The invariant chain is cut into CLIP = class-II associated invariant chain peptide
What is the function of CLIP? Which protein is involved?
CLIP is be swapped for exogenous peptide by HLA-DM
By which protein is MHCI stabilized?
β-microglobulin
Where are antigens that are due to be loaded in MHCI processed?
Proteasome
Where is MHCI loaded with peptide? How do peptides reach this location?
The ER (where MHCI is produced)
Peptides are transported into the ER by TAP1/TAP2
What is cross presentation? What is its function?
Cross presentation is the presentation of extracellular antigens on MHCI by professional APC’s. This is neccesary to be able to prime CD8+ T-cells
What are the three cross presentation pathways?
- MHCI is present in the endosome/phagolysosome and is loaded with peptides there
- Export of extracellular antigen to the proteasome, via which it ends up in the cytosolic pathway and gets loaded into MHCI in the ER
- Antigen is sent to the proteasome, cleaved and then sent back to the phagosome
How does MHCI end up in the endosome/phagolysosome in the cross presentation pathway?
Likely because MHCI is associated with invariant chains that guide it to the MIIC, which fuses with the endsome
Why is it advantageous for macrophages to activate CD4+ T-cells when they have phagocytized pathogens?
The Th-cells will assist in killing the intravesicular pathogen
Why is it advantageous for B-cells to present antigen to Th-cells and activate them?
The activated T-cell will activate the B-cell and assist it in antibody production (Th2-cells)