Hypersensitivity And Autoimmune Disease Flashcards
What is autoimmune disease?
A failure/ break-down of autoimmune system but that maintains tolerance to self tissues.
What is atopy?
Predisposition to developing allergies
Some people have higher levels of serum IgE (associated with type 1) than normal - more likely to have an allergy (atopic individuals)
What causes auto immune disease?
We don’t know!
Potentially:
Abnormal selection/ lack of control of lymphocytes (B and T cells)
Examples of autoimmune diseases?
Arthritis
MS (multiple sclerosis)
Type 1 diabetes
Mortality/ morbidity of autoimmune diseases?
Low mortality
High morbidity
What are hypersensitivity responses?
4 categories: 1, 11, 111, 1V
Type 1: IgE
Type 2: IgG
Type 3: IgG
Harmful immune responses that may produce tissue injury and cause serious disease.
Type 1 hypersensitivity
?/
What is Graves’ disease?
Type 5,
Stimulates thyroid hormones - no inflammatory response
Over-stimulating of thyroid hormones.
What is immunological tolerance?
State of unresponsiveness to specific antigen
Prevents adaptive responses that are damaging
Can be exploited by microbes and tumours.
Genetic contribution vs environmental contribution to autoimmune diseases?
Both contribute.
If one identical twin has disease, 35- 50% chance the other will.
If one non-identical twins has disease, only 5-6% that the other will develop it.
What is organ-specific autoimmune disease?
When specific autoantigens are only present in specific organ or tissue
What is non- organ specific autoimmune disease?
When specific autoantigens are specific in many tissues/ organs
What are autoantigens
Self antigens
What are autoimmune diseases characterised by?
Tissue or organ damage mediated through abnormal immunological mechanisms directed against autoantigens
