Immunity Flashcards
Haptens
Not immunogenic
Can bind to to preformed antibodies (antigenicity +ve)
Hapten + carrier protein ➡️ immunogenicity
Determinants of immunogenicity
- Chemical nature
- Molecular weight (minimum: 5K - 10K Da)
- Foreignness
- Degradability by host (lysosomal) enzymes
Directly proportional to the last 3 factors
Immunogenicity of chemicals
Proteins > polysaccharides > Nucleic acids > lipids
More complex, more immunogenic
Properties of T independent antigen
- B cell can independently form antibodies
- Polyclonal activation
- IgM class mainly- no class switching
- Low affinity antibodies- no affinity maturation
- No memory response
Examples of T independent antigens
- Polysaccharide
- Lipids
- Nucleic acid
- Lipopolysaccharide
- Simple proteins
T dependent antigen properties
- Th cells required for antibody formation by B cell
- Only antigen specific B cells are activated
- IgM ➡️ IgG,A,E - class switching positive
- Affinity increases from low to high: affinity maturation positive
- Memory response positive
Example: complex proteins
Polyvalent immune response
Single antigen containing multiple epitopes against which an adaptive response is generated
Types of epitopes
- Linear/sequential:
Formed by residues right next to each other in the primary structure of antigen
Does not get destroyed on denaturation / digestion - Conformational/ discontinuous:
Formed by residues far apart in primary structure but brought close to form epitopes due to tertiary/quaternary foldings
Gets destroyed on denaturation/digestion
Recognition of types of epitopes by cells
T cells recognise only linear epitopes
B cells recognise both types of epitopes
Special types of antigens
- Heterophile antigens
- Iso antigens
- Super antigens/T cell mitogens (5-20% Th cells instead of <0.0001% gets activated)
Heterophile antigens
Similar antigens which are shared by unrelated species
Eg., Forssman antigen: shared by all prokaryotes and eukaryotes (except rabbit)
Iso antigens
Present only in some members of same species
Eg., blood group antigens, Rh factor, MHC antigens
T cell mitogens/ Super antigens
Small/medium molecular weight proteins which activate large no. of T cells
When a foreign antigen enters the body
- Antigen entry
- Innate immunity fails to control infection
- Dendritic cell phagocytose the foreign antigen
- Processes it in lysosome
- Conjugation of the antigenic peptide
- Presented in groove of MHC-II
- Antigen migrates to lymph node
- Th cell recognises peptide with Vα and Vβ parts
- Immunological synapse is formed then activated
- Stimulates adaptive immunity
Super antigens activates immune system by the mechanism
Does not need processing by APCs
- Direct bond to MHC-II of APC at a site lateral to usual antigen presenting groove
- Need to be recognised just by Vβ part of receptor of Th cell
- 5-20% helper T cells (sharing same Vβ of T cell receptor) are activated, expanded
- Massive cytokine release
Antibodies basics
Tetrameric glycoprotein (not polypeptides) 20-25% of total proteins in blood Class determining domains: CH3/CH4 Antigen binding domains: Vl+Vh
Parts of an antibody in terms of chains
1. 2 identical light (L) chains: κ and λ (60:40 ratio in blood) 2. 2 identical heavy (H) chains: μ, ε, δ, γ(1-4), α(1-2) Class of H chain ➡️ class of antibodies
Properties of H chain of antibody
Molecular weight: 50K-75K Da
446-576 aa with carbohydrates substitutions
The 1st 110 aa from amino terminal ➡️ determine antigen binding ➡️ Vh (variable part)
Due to disulphide bonds each heavy chain gets folded into globular domains
Antibodies classified on the basis of domains
1. Antibodies having CH4: • Domains Vh, CH1, CH2, CH3 and CH4 • IgM, IgE 2. Antibodies not having CH4: • Domains Vh, CH1, CH2 and CH3 • IgA, IgG, IgD
Properties of L chain of antibody
Molecular weight: 25K Da
211-217 with few carbohydrate substitutions
Parts of an antibody based on functionality
- 6 hyper variable loops which finally come in contact with antigens known as CDR (complementarity determining regions) or paratope:
3 in Vl and 3 in Vh - Part not taking part in antigen binding: frame work region
Action of enzymes on antibodies
Papain: 2 Fab + 1 Fc (crystallisable) Pepsin: Cleaves below hinge region •Mercaptoethanol breaks interchain disulphide bonds and forms 2 L chains + 2 H chains