Immune Systems + Vaccines

Question 1

What are Ag

Answer 1

substances that the body sees as foreign + mounts immune response against

Question 2

What are Ab + their types

Answer 2

proteins that bind to Ag + cause immune response

5 types: IgM, IgE, IgG, IgM , IgA

Question 3

Which Ig is most likely to move bw mom and fetus

Answer 3

IgG

Question 4

Which Ig is normally first one involved in initial infections

Answer 4

IgM

Question 5

What are epitopes + their importance for immune responses with Ig

Answer 5

epitopes: specific attachment sites/points on the Ag that the Ig recognizes

1 Ag: can have multiple epitopes

Ig binds to epitope + forms a complex which triggers immune response to get rid of Ag

Question 6

What are the 4 processes that can be triggered by Ig -Ag complexes

Answer 6

1) Precipitation: forms insoluble complex

2) Lysis: binding causes recruitment of complement that results in porin formation on target organism + death

3) Agglutination: when they bind, it causes the Ag to clump together (bunch bind) — target for phagocytosis

4) Neutralizaiton: Ig blocks pathogen activity, can’t do anything now

Question 7

T or F: Vaccines are products that contain purified Ab at set amounts

Answer 7

F- contain purified Ag

Question 8

What is innate immunity

Answer 8

1st line of defense: skin, secretions, microbiota

Cells: N, E, Macros, DC, B

—- non-specific + causes inflammation + fever like responses

activates adaptive

Question 9

What is adaptive immunity

Answer 9

2nd line of defence that is started later on during first into with substance
— has memory component: so allows for quicker activation at later encounters

• includes T and B cells
• specific/targeted

Question 10

Passive Adaptive Immunity

Answer 10

adaptive immunity that you get via Ab transfer from donor to recipient —- gives temporary immunity (no memory)

• can get naturally (mom) or artificially (Ig injection)

Question 11

Active Adaptive Immunity

Answer 11

immunity that you get via exposure to Ag —- causes body to make Ab

— longer lasting immunity

• can get via natural infections or artificially (vaccines)

Question 12

Difference bw Humoral and Cell mediated

Answer 12

Humoral: B cells (made in BM) and make Ab + memory cells

Cell-mediated: includes T cells (made in BM and mature in thymus) —— Th (helper) and Tc (cytotoxic)

Question 13

Differences bw first and second immune responses

Answer 13

first exposure: innate primary + slowly activated humoral —- start making IgM then later IgG

2nd exposure: have memory cells that we made during primary exposure that allow body to response faster to Ag the 2nd time
—- faster IgG production + higher conc

Question 14

Differences bw T dependent and T independent Ag Immune Response

Answer 14

T dependent: need Th to activate B to make Ag
- normally generate memory
- Ag normally proteins

T indpendent: B cells activated but not by Th
- less likely to have memory
- Ag: normally polysaccharides, NA, glycolipids

Question 15

What host factors impact an individuals immune response to a vaccine

Answer 15

Immune history

Age

Microbiota

Obesity

Sex

Pregnancy

Question 16

What are components of immune history that can impact immune response to vaccines

Answer 16

Circulating Ag in body: acquired (mom), from blood transfusion or Ig injection
- may impair how our body reacts to live vaccines

Prior receiving of live vaccines: you can’t give two live vaccines closer than 28 days apart (unless on same day) —— can cause immune interference

Question 17

How does age impact immune response to vaccines

Answer 17

young (< 2): immature immune system + don’t respond much to certain Ag (poly)

Old: decrease immune response (Immunosenescence) + have higher baseline levels of inflammation
- reduce immune response

Question 18

T or F: microbiota impacts our bodies immune response to vaccines because it if its high , our immune system gets confused + overwhelmed

Answer 18

F- don’t really know mech

Question 19

Why might obesity impact immune response to vaccines

Answer 19

not fully sure but think that may be due to low T cell fxn, chronic inflammation or changes in gut microbiome

Question 20

How does Sex impact immune response to vaccines

Answer 20

think E might be involved in Ab production + fxn
—- F have higher Ab levels post immunization

** test: reduce immune response

pregnancy : related to this and how there are changes in E + P levels + changes in cytokine levels

Question 21

Vaccine related factors that impact immune response to vaccines

Answer 21

Type of Ag

Dose of Ag

Vaccine storage + handling

Presence of Adjuvants

Interval bw doses

Question 22

T or F: if the Ag in vaccine is less like the Ag seen in normal disease, we get a stronger immune response

Answer 22

T - if more similar we get a better response

Question 23

Why is interval bw doses important + impact our immune response to vaccines

Answer 23

need minimum interval bw to ensure enough time for body to develop memory (too early —- decrease efficacy)

Question 24

What factors impact the choice of immunization schedule for vaccines

Answer 24

patients age
- Age at which newborns still have maternal Ab
- age that less likely to be effective
- age at which exposure to infectious things more likely + could increase risk of disease

minimal interval requirement bw doses
- actual intervals may differ from this but always longer

RFs : that impact getting disease or severity

Question 25

T or F: if you disrupt any vaccine schedule (aka miss dose or are late), you need to restart the whole schedule

Answer 25

F - interruption of primary doesn’t require restarting series for most vaccines

EXCEPT oral cholera and traveller’s diarrhea vaccine + rabies vaccine

Question 26

T or F: you can’t give too many vaccines at once as you can overload the immune system

Answer 26

F - no such thing

Question 27

Differences in Immunity from Natural infections vs Immunization

Answer 27

Natural: may offer more complete response + last longer (but chance of complications during infection)

Immunization: largely avoid serious complications but may need multiple doses to get immunity