Chapter 2 Vaccine Immunology Flashcards
Describe overall how vaccines induce protection against disease.
They induce effector mechanisms capable of rapidly controlling replicating pathogens or inactivating their toxic components.
Name three (3) effector mechanisms induced by vaccines.
- Production of antibodies by B-cells
- Cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells
- CD4+ helper T-cells (Th cells)
Name five (5) types of helper T-cells.
- Th1 cells
- Th2 cells
- Th17 cells
- Tfh cells
- Treg cells
What type of antigen elicits a T-independent immune response?
Capsular polysaccharides.
What is the hallmark of a T-dependent antibody response?
Induction of higher affinity antibodies and immune memory.
Define adjuvant.
Any agent that increases the stimulation of the immune system through enhanced antigen presentation and/or costimulation signals.
What is the most common adjuvant used in today’s vaccines?
Aluminum salts.
Define antibody affinity.
Strength of the binding interaction between the antibody and a specific epitope at the surface of an antigen.
Define antibody avidity.
Sum of the epitope-specific affinities of an antibody for a given antigen.
What is the main processes underlying affinity maturation in B cells?
Somatic hypermutation and affinity-based selection.
Define antigen-presenting cell.
Any cell that :
- Captures antigens by endocytosis or phagocytosis
- Process them into small peptides
- Display them at their surface through MHC molecules
- Provide costimulation signals that synergistically activates T-cells
Name three (3) antigen-presenting cells.
- B cells
- Macrophages
- Dendritic cells (only ones capable of activating naïve T cells)
What three (3) main cytokines are secreted by Th1 cells?
- IL-2
- IFN-gamma
- TNF-beta
What cells of the immune system are supported by Th1 cells?
- Cytotoxic T cells
- Macrophages
What five (5) main cytokines are secreted by Th2 cells?
- IL-4
- IL-5
- IL-6
- IL-10
- IL-13
What cells of the immune system are supported by Th2 cells?
B lymphocytes.