Immuno Flashcards
Name three constitutive barriers to infection
Skin
- packed keratinised cells
- low pH, low oxygen tension
- sebaceous glands; oil repels water and organisms
Mucosal surfaces
- mucous physical barrier with lysozymes
- cilia traps pathogens and helps remove
Commensal bacteria
- compete with naughty organisms
- produce fatty acids inhibit other pathogens
Which cells assist in the innate immune system and how?
Polymorphonuclear cells/granulocytes
- neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils
- release enzymes, histamine, detect immune complexes
Monocytes and macrophages
- circular in blood and migrate to tissues to differentiate to macrophages
- present antigens to T cells
Natural killer cells
- cause lysis of naught cells, cytotoxic; kill ‘altered self’
Dendritic cells
- peripheral tissue, detect immune complexes, express cytokines
By which mechanisms does the innate immune system work?
Phagocyte recruitment
- macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells all attracted to chemokines released in inflammatory process
Recognising microorganism
- toll-like receptors and mannose receptors to help body trigger immune complexes
Endocytosis
- OPSONIN bridges pathogen and phagocyte receptor to allow for eating
Phagolysosome
- pathogen killed in phagosome which fuses with lysosome, cheeky
Oxidative vs non-oxidative killing
Oxidative
- NADPH oxidase converts oxygen to ROS
- Myeloperoxidase catalyses production of hydrocholorous acid, effective oxidant and anti-microbial
Non-oxidative
- relase of lysozyme, lactoferrin in phagolysosome
- enzymes in granules
- broad coverage of bacteria and fungi
Main components of the adaptive immune system
Humoral immunity
- B cells and antibodies
Cellular immunity
- T cells (CD4 + CD8)
Soluble components
- cytokines and chemokines
Which T cells recognise which HLA class?
CD4+ T cells = HLA II (4x2 = 8)
CD8+ T cells = HLA I (8x1 = 8)
Compare CD4+ and CD8+ T cells
CD4+
- recognise peptides HLA II
- trigger expression of cytokines
- develop full B cell response
CD8+
- recognise peptides HLA I
- kill cells directly via perforin and granzymes, Fas ligand
- secretes cytokines
How are B cells activated?
B cell receptor Ig binds to antigen
Some mature to plasma cells secreting IgM
Others require CD4+ to trigger rapid proliferation
Undergo complex genetic rearrangements, switching to IgG, IgA or IgE
Further differentiation for plasma cells to produce IgG, IgA, IgE antibody and long-lived memory cells
What interaction is needed for CD4+ cells to help B cell differentiation?
CD4+ T cells primed by dendritic cells
CD40L:CD40 interaction between T and B cells
Complement involved in classical pathway
Antibody-antigen immune complex exposes binding site for C1 (acquired immune response)
Triggers activation of cascade; C2, C4
Major amplification step -> C3
Complement involved in mannose binding pathway
Activated by direct binding to mannose binding lectin on cell surface
Stimulates classical pathway via C2 and C4 only
Leads to major amplification step via C3 activation
Doesn’t need acquired immune response
Complement involved in alternative pathway
Direct trigger of C3 to bacterial cell wall components
Involves factors B, I, P
i. e. lipopolysaccharide of gram negative bacteria
i. e. teichoic acid of gram positive bacteria
Doesn’t need acquired immune system
What does C3 convertase do in the complement cascade?
Triggers formation of membrane attack complex via C5-9
This punches holes in bacterial membranes
Role of cytokines and examples
Small protein messengers with immunomodulatory function
Autocrine or paracrine dependent action
E.g.
IL-2, 6, 10, 12
TNF-alpha
TGF-beta
Role of chemokines and examples
Chemotactic cytokines (attractive) thus directly recruits/hones in leukocytes in inflammatory response
E.g.
CCL19, 21 ligands for CCR7 (direct dendritic cells to lymph nodes)
IL-8, RANTES, MIP-1 alpha and beta
How is HIV transmitted?
Sexual contact
Infected blood
Mother-to-child (vertical: breastfeeding, in utero, intra partum)
Pathogenesis of HIV
RNA retrovirus targets CD4+ T helper cells
Replicates via reverse transcriptase to convert RNA into DNA to go into host cell’s gene
CD4 molecule receptor for HIV and virus binds on other CD4+ cells
Leads to selective loss of CD4+ T cells in immune system
Which receptors do HIV bind onto on CD4+ T cells?
gp120 = initial binding gp41 = conformational change
Which coreceptors do HIV bind onto on macrophages?
CCR5
CXCR4
= both chemokine co-receptors
Which protein leads to intrastructural support for HIV?
Gag protein
What is the innate response to HIV?
Non-specific activation of macrophages, NK cells and complement
Stimulation of dendritic cells vita TLR
Release of cytokines and chemokines
What is the adaptive response to HIV?
Neutralising antibodies: anti-gp120, anti-gp41
Non-neutralising antibodies: anti-p24 gag IgG
CD8+ T cells release chemokines: MIP-1a, MIP-1b, RANTES which block co-receptors
What is the median time it takes to develop AIDS?
Typical progressors: 8-10 years
Rapid progressors: 2-3 years
Long term non progressors: stable and no sx after 10-15 years
Screening test for HIV
anti-HIV ab via ELISA
Confirmation test for HIV
Detect ab via Western Blot after 10 weeks incubation period
= patient needs to be seroconverted; start making abs
What is monitored after diagnosis?
Viral load via PCR to detect viral RNA
CD4 count via FACS/flow cytometry to assess course of disease
Resistance testing to antiretrovirals
How is resistance to antiretrovirals tested?
Phenotypic
- viral replication measured in cell cultures under selective pressure of increasing concentrations of antiretroviral drugs compared to wild-type
Genotypic
- mutations determined by direct sequencing of amplified HIV genome
Which drugs affect which part of the HIV life cycle?
- Attachment/entry
=> attachment inhibitors
=> fusion inhibitors - Reverse transcription and DNA synthesis
=> reverse transcriptase inhibitors
=> NRTI, NNRTI, NrTRI - Integration to host DNA
=> integrase inhibitors - Viral transcription
- Viral protein synthesis
- Assembly and budding
=> protease inhibitors
Tx plan for HIV
Commence tx immediately after diagnosis
HAART = 2NRTIs + PI (or NNRTI)
- control viral replication
- increase CD4 T cell count
- improve host defence
Pregnancy
- zidovudine at antepartum IV
- PO to newborn for 6/52 to reduce transmission
What are the limitations of HAART?
Cannot eradicate latent HIV-1 Fails to restore HIV-specific T-cell responses Toxicities High pill burden Adherence Threat of drug resistance Quality of life affected High costs
Name a fusion inhibitor for HIV and its side effects
Enfuvirtide
= local reactions to injections
= hypersensitivity in 0.1-1%
Name an attachment inhibitor for HIV
Maraviroc
Name some NRTIs for HIV
Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors = zidovudine = didanosine = stavudine = abacavir = emtricitabine = epzicom = zalcitabine
Side effects of NRTIs for HIV
Fever Headache GI upset Peripheral neuropathy (zalcitabine, stavudine) BMS (zidovudine) Mitochondrial toxicity (stavudine) Hypersensitivity (abacavir)
Name a nucleotide RTI for HIV and its side effects
Tenofovir
= bone and renal toxicity
Name non-RTIs for HIV and their respective side effects
Nevirapine: hepatitis and rash
Delavirdine: rash
Efavirenz: CNS effects
Name integration inhibitors for HIV
Raltegravir
Elvitegravir
Name some protease inhibitors for HIV
Indinavir Nelfinavir Ritonavir Fosamprenavir Lopinavir Atazanavir
Name side effects of protease inhibitors for HIV
Hyperlipidaemia
Fat redistribution
Type II DM
Where are central and effector memory cells found?
Central
=> lymph nodes, tonsils
=> found in high endothelial venules (HEVs)
Effector
=> liver, lungs, gut
Which T cell activation markers are vital for central memory cells?
CCR7+ and CD62L high
=> low in effector memory cells
What do central and effector memory cells produce?
Central
=> IL-2
Effector
=> perforin, IFN-gamma
T cell memory summary
CD45 RO = memory T cells
CD45 RA = naive T cells
CD4 and CD8 remain for long time after infection and proliferate at low rate
Exposure to subsequent antigen -> rapid proliferation
B cell memory summary
B memory cells differentiate into long-lived plasma cells
These cells produce quicker response, more abs, higher affinity abs, more IgG and better abs when B cells exposed to subsequent antigens
What do CD4+ Th1 cells do?
Cell-mediated; help CD8 and macrophages
Produce IL-2, IFN-gamma, TNF
What do CD4+ Th2 cells do?
Humoral response; helper T cells
Produce Il-4, IL-5, IL-6
What do CD4+ Th17 cells do?
Help neutrophil recruitment
Produce IL-17, IL-21, IL-22
What passive vaccine do we give for hep A and measles?
Human normal Ig = HNIG
What passive vaccine do we give for hep B?
Hep B immunoglobulin = HBIG
What passive vaccine do we give for rabies?
Human rabies immunoglobulin = HRIG
What passive vaccine do we give for varicella?
Varicella zoster immunglobulin = VZIG
Which monoclonal antibody do we give for RSV?
Paviluzimab
How do passive vaccines work?
Give immunoglobulins to assist with immune response, only lasts for 3 weeks
How do you do the mantoux test?
Inject 0.1ml of 5 tuberculin (purified protein derivative) units intradermally
Examiner arm 48-72 hours later
What does a +ve mantoux result mean?
+ve = swelling at injection site at least 10mm in diameter
Implies previous exposure to tuberculin protein either previous TB exposure or previous BCG exposure
What different mechanisms of phagocyte deficiencies are there?
- Failure to produce neutrophils
- reticular dysgenesis (production), Kostmann syndrome & cyclic neutropenia (maturation) - Defect of phagocyte migration
- leukocyte adhesion deficiency - Failure of oxidative killing mechanisms
- chronic granulomatous disease - Cytokine deficiency
- IL12, IL12-receptor, IFN-gamma, IFN-gamma receptor deficiency
What is leukocyte adhesion deficiency characterised by?
This is a phagocyte deficiency that results in:
- Very high neutrophil counts in blood
- Absence of pus formation
- Delayed umbilical cord separation
What mutations results in the following?
a) reticular dysgenesis
b) Kostmann syndrome
c) cyclic neutropenia
a) autosomal recessive, mitochondrial metabolism enzyme adenylate kinase 2 (AK2)
b) autosomal recessive, HCLS1-associated protein X-1 (HAX1)
c) autosomal dominant, neutrophil elastase (ELA-2)
What ix are done for chronic granulomatous disease?
Nitro-blue tetrazolium test (NBT)
Dihydrorhodamine (DHR) flow cytometry test
Both negative in affected pts as deficient in NADPH oxidase needed to form free radical to give +ve result
What is chronic granulomatous disease characterised by?
Absent respiratory burst
Excessive inflammation
Granuloma formation
Lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly
Susceptible to bacteria, especially catalase +ve, and PLACESS
What are the PLACESS pathogens?
Pseudomonas Listeria Aspergillus Candida E. Coli Staph aureus Serratia
Tx for chronic granulomatous disease
Interferon gamma
Recurrent infections with NO neutrophils on FBC
Kostmann Syndrom
Recurrent infections with high neutrophils but no abscesses
Leukocyte Adhesion Deficienc
Recurrent infections with hepatosplenomegaly and abnormal DHR test (does not fluoresce)
Chronic granulomatous disease (CDG)
Infection with atypical mycobacterium, but normal FBC
IFN-g Receptor Deficiency
Severe chicken pox, disseminated CMV infection
Classical NK Cell Deficiency (recurrent viral infections common)
Severe childhood-onset SLE with normal levels of C3 and C4
C1q deficiency
Membranoproliferative nephritis and abnormal fat distribution
C3 deficiency with nephritic factor
Meningococcus meningitis with FHx of sibling dying of the same condition aged 6
C7 deficiency
Recurrent infections when neutropenic following chemotherapy but previously well
MBL deficiency
Characteristics of complement deficiencies
Increased susceptibility to bacterial infections, specially encapsulated bacterial infections (NHS)
- Neisseria meningitis
- Streptococcus pneumonia
- Haemophilus influenza
Why do deficiencies of early classical complement pathway components result in SLE?
Complement deficiency results in a deposition of immune complexes due to ineffective promotion of phagocyte-mediated clearance of apoptotic/necrotic cells
This stimulates local inflammation in skin, joints, and kidneys -> SLE
Which early classical pathways are described in SLE?
C1q, C1r, C1s, C2, C4
C2 most common with almost all C2 patients having SLE
What is MBL deficiency associated with?
Increased infection in immunocompromised patients:
- premature infants
- chemotherapy
- HIV infection
- antibody deficiency
How are complement deficiencies diagnosed?
CH50 test
- classical pathway test
AP50 test
- alternate pathway test
C3 +
C4 +
CH50 -
AP50 +
Which complement deficiency?
C1q deficiency
C3 +
C4 +
CH50 +
AP50 -
Which complement deficiency?
Factor B deficiency
C3 +
C4 +
CH50 -
AP50 -
Which complement deficiency?
C9 deficiency
C3 +/-
C4 -
CH50 +/-
AP50 +
Which complement deficiency?
SLE
Mx of complement deficiencies
Vaccinations
Prophylactic abx
Treat infection aggressively
Screen family members (risk of meningococcal septicaemia)
Classical NK deficiency
Absence of NK cells within peripheral blood
Abnormalities described in GATA2 or MCM4 genes in subtypes 1 and