immunodeficiency syndromes (immunopathology IV) - lecture notes - julia Flashcards
what are some examples of primary immunodeficiency syndromes? (8)
- x-linked agammaglobulinemia (bruton’s)
- common variable immunodeficiency
- isolated IgA deficiency
- hyper-IgM syndrome
- DiGeorge syndrome
- Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCIDS)
- WIskott-Aldrich syndrome
- complement deficiencies
what are some examples of a secondary immunodeficiency syndrome? (2)
- AIDS
- chemo
what is the difference between a primary and a secondary immunodeficiency syndrome?
- primary is congenital
- secondary is acquired
what are the categories of primary immunodeficiency syndromes (the different possible genetic causes)? (3)
- x-linked
- autosomal
- dominant
- recessive - molecular basis unknown
which primary immunodeficiency syndromes are x-linked? (4)
- x-linked agammaglobulinemia (bruton’s)
- hyper-IgM syndrome
- severe combined immunodeficiency (SCIDS)
- Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
which primary immunodeficiency syndromes are autosomal? which are dominant and which are recessive? (3 total)
- dominant:
- C1 inhibitor deficiency (hereditary angioedema_
- recessive:
- DiGeorge Syndrome
- SCIDS
for which primary immunodeficiency syndromes is the molecular basis unknown?
- Isolated IgA deficiency
- common variable immunodeficiency
describe the pathways of the normal immune system (which components are humoral and which are cellular, etc.)

which autoimmune disorders are b-cell deficiencies?
- x-linked agammaglobulinemia (bruton’s)
- common variable immunodeficiency
- isolated IgA deficiency
- hyper-IgM syndrome
what causes x-linked agammaglobulinemia?
- failure of B-cell precursors to develop into mature B cells
- due to genetic mutation in bruton tyrosin kinase (Btk) gene on X chromosome
- results in no plasma cells, no antibodies

what is the function of the bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk) gene?
- codes for a tyrosine kinase that’s required for signal transduction that’s necessary for Ig light-chain rearrangement and B-cell maturation
in what population would you expect to see x-linked agammaglobulinemia? when? how is it treated?
- seen almost entirely in males
- manifests around 6 months of age because this is when the maternal antibodies are depleated
- treat by replacing Ig via IV
what clinical presentation would you see in a patient with x-linked agammaglobulinemia?
- recurrent bacterial infections of the respiratory tract
- acute pharyngitis
- sinusitis
- otitis
- bronchitis
- pneumonia
- due to bacteria normally opsonized by antibodies
- haemophilus influenzae
- streptococcus pneumoniae
- staphylococcus aureus
- may also have enteroviral encephalitis due to enteroviruses that come in through the GI tract and are normally neutrolized by antibodies
- echovirus
- poliovirus
- coxsackievirus
- severe intestinal giardiasis due to parasite normally resisted by IgA
- giardia lamblia
what would the immune cell composition be in a patient with x-linked agammaglobulinemia? (ie what cells will you see and which ones won’t you see)
- decreased to absent B-cells in circulation
- decreased serum immunoglobulin
- normal marrow b-cell precursors
- normal t-cell mediated reactions
need flow cytometry to tell whether cells are b cells or t cells
what are the characteristics of common variable immunodeficiency? what causes it?
- hypogammaglobulinemia
- normal number of B cells but unable to differentiate into plasma cells

how would you differentiate common variable immunodeficiency from bruton’s?
- presentation will be similar but genders will be equally affected
- onset will be later in childhood or adolescence
what is the significance of the word “variable” in common variable immunodeficiency?
- refers to the heterogenous manifestation of the disease
- can include:
- recurrent infections
- chronic lung disease
- autoimmune disorder
- GI disease
- hightened susceptibility to lymphoma
in what population (and in what frequency) does isolaged IgA deficiency occur? what is the consequence of the disease (both in terms of labs and infections)?
- occurs in 1/1600 individuals of european descent
- patients will have low levels of serum and secretory IgA because the problem is in the production of IgA
- patients have increased risk for respiratory and GI disorders

what causes hyper-IgM syndrome?
- due to defect in ability of helper T-cells to deliver activating signals to B cells
- will have lots of IgM antibodies but not the other antibody types
- most due to X-linked mutation in gene encoding CD40L that’s required for class switching

how would you treat humoral immunodeficiency syndromes?
- immunoglobulin replacement therapy via IV
- 100 to 400 mg/kg of body weight every 3-4 weeks
- adjust the dose to prevent serious infection adn to achieve a rate of infection that is comparable to the general population
what are some T-cell deficiencies?
- DiGeorge Syndrome (thymic hypoplasia)
- SCID
- WIskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS)
what causes DiGeorge syndrome? what is the conseqence?
- deletion of 22q11
- results in failure of development of 3rd and 4th pharyngeal pouches
- results in loss of T-cell mediated immunity
- overall results in tetany (muscle contraction), congenital heart defects

what types of infections would you expect to see in association with T-cell defects?
- bacteria
- bacterial sepsis
- viruses
- CMV
- EBV
- severe varicella
- chronic respiratory and intestinal infection
- fungi and parasites
- candida
- pneumocystis jiroveci
all of these are diseases that require cell-cell mediated clearance
what causes severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)? (what cells are absent - not what’s genetically responsible)
- patients will have lymphopenia
- severe or absent T cells
- frequently low/absent B cells
- hypogammaglobulinemia
- patients won’t be making any antibodies/gamma globulins
