Chapter 2: Innate Immunity, The First Lines of Defense Flashcards
What is the order of the innate immune system’s defenses?
Anatomic barriers: Skin, mucosa
Complement/antimicrobial proteins: C3, defensins, RegIIIy
Innate immune cells: Macrophages, granulocytes, NK cells, epithelial cells
Adaptive immune response: B cells/antibodies, T cells
What are the three mechanisms by which bacteria can directly damage tissue?
- Exotoxin Production
- Proteins secreted by bacteria
- Endotoxin
- Proteins that are liberated when bacteria dies
- Direct cytopathic effect
What are the three mechanisms by which bacteria can indirectly damage tissue?
- Immune complexes
- Formation of complex can lead to complement activation and inflammation leading to tissue damage
- Anti-host antibodies
- Cell-mediated immunity
- When an immune response is triggered a Helper T cell (CD8+) may kill infected cells
How does infection by a pathogen usually occur?
- Pathogen usually enter the body via mucosa
- Can sometimes enter via epithelium after cut or damage
Outline the general steps of an immune response
- Pathogen must attach, infect, or cross epithelium
- Local immune response tries to eliminate pathogen or stop spread via inflammation (recruiting WBC and effectors)
- If innate immune system cannot eliminate, adaptive immune response will kick in
Describe the features of anatomical barriers and initial chemical defenses.
- Epithelial surfaces are the first barrier held by tight junctions allowing for (Mech, chem, micro)
Mechanical barriers: - Cilia move mucus trapping pathogens
- Airflow pushes mucus away
- Peristalsis also pushes microbes away
Chemical: - Mucus secretion
- Antimicrobial peptides or enzymes
Microbiological: - Normal flora excrete antimicrobial compounds and cause competition
Why is skin important? Explain the layers of epithelium.
- It is the first line of defense and is multilayered
- Stratum corneum: dead layer that sheds periodically
- Stratum spinosum and granulosum: secrete lamellar bodies to form watertight lipid layer which secrete antimicrobial molecules
How are pores, sweat glands, and hair follicles protected from infection?
Sebum (oil) - has antimicrobial compounds
Sweat glands - release antimicrobial compound (Dermcidin)
Commensal microbes
How is the epidermis in the lungs protected? (Bronchial epithelium)
- Goblet cells and mucous glands create mucous layer
- Cilia transport mucus out of lung
- Alveolar cells produce defensins
- Commensal microbes provide their own microbial protection
What is the difference in a normal airway vs the airway of someone with cystic fibrosis?
- Normal airway has watery mucus while a cystic fibrosis patient will have sticky mucus which traps germs
Describe the features of the gut epithelium.
- Mucus layer (colon has two layers)
- Paneth cells secrete antimicrobial molecules
- Commensals (microbiome makes antibiotic proteins)
- Peristalsis moves pathogens trapped in mucus
- Bile salts and digestive enzymes
- Acid and pepsin in stomach
What are two important enzymes that are produced by epithelial cells and phagocytes?
Lysosomes
- Degrade bacterial cell wall by cleaving peptidoglycan layer
Phospholipase A2
- Hydrolyze phospholipids in there cell membrane
What are the two types of antimicrobial peptides and how are they activated?
Membrane targeting peptides
- Amphipathic
- Disrupt plasma membrane by forming pores
Non-membrane targeting proteins
- Inhibit enzymes or other biomolecules
- Bind and sequester nutrients from pathogens
- Activated by proteolysis to release peptide
What are defensins? What are cathelicidins?
- Effective (broad spectrum) against bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses
- α-defensins - produced in neutrophils (primary granule) and Panth cells
- β-defensins - produced in epithelial cells
- Broad spectrum
- Produced by macrophages and neutrophils
- Propeptide is found in secondary granules of neutrophils
What are histatins? What is RegIIIα?
- Effective against yeast
- Promotes wound healing
- Produced in oral cavity
- C-type lectin (carb binding protein)
- Produced in intestines
- Effective against gram-positive bacteria