Immunology Flashcards
What are some causes of secondary immune deficiency?
- Infections - HIV, measles
- Drugs - immunosuppressants, anti-cancer drugs, corticosteroids
- Malignancy - lymphoma, leukaemia, myeloma, metastasis
- Biochemical and nutritional disorders - malnutrition, T1DM, T2DM, renal insufficiency/dialysis
What is a granuloma?
An organised collection of activated macrophages and lymphocytes
What is the underlying pathology/immunology of a granuloma?
- Non-specific inflammatory response
- Results in activation of T lymphocytes and macrophages
- Failure of removal of the stimulus results in persistent production of activated cytokines
- End result is organised collection of persistently activated cells
What are some of the differential diagnoses for a lung granuloma?
Sarcoidosis, TB, leprosy, silicosis, chronic stage of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, foreign bodies
How can antibody deficiencies present?
- Recurrent bacterial infections e.g. recurrent URTI and LRTI
- Antibody mediated autoimmune diseases e.g. thrombocytopenia, autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
Common variable immune deficiency (CVID) is a primary antibody deficiency, what are the features of CVID?
- Low IgG, IgA and IgM
- Recurrent bacterial infections esp respiratory
- Often associated with autoimmune disease
What is another example of a common primary antibody deficiency?
- Selective IgA deficiency
- 2/3rds are symptomatic
- 1/3rd have recurrent RT infections
What are some secondary causes of recurrent bacterial infections and hypogammaglobulinaemia?
- Protein loss - nephrotic syndrome
- Failure of protein synthesis - lymphoproliferative disease e.g. CLL
In basic terms, what is complement?
Protein constantly secreted by the liver to act as a sticky coat for intruders in order to turbo-boost immediate immune defence
What does complement deficiency result in?
Predisposes to bacterial infection especially meningitis
What is the function of natural killer cells?
- Kill cells that lack MHC
- Natural means that they have no need for antigen specificity
- No long term memory
- NK cells are an innate immunity feature that eliminate cancer cells
What can NK cell defects result in?
Predispose to recurrent VZV, HSV, CMV, HPV
What receptors are involved in innate recognition of invaders and what do these respond to?
- Toll like receptors are expressed on phagocytes and dendrities as built in burglar alarm for microbes
- Respond to PAMPs (pathogen-associated molecular patterns)
What happens as a result of TLR activation?
Pro-inflammatory cytokines and type 1 interferon secretion
What can TLR dysfunction cause and what can be used to remedy this?
- Dysfunction can lead to immunodeficiency (too little) or autoimmunity (too much)
- TLR-activators are used to boost immunity (anti-skin cancer creams e.g. imiquimod)