Immunopathology: Hypersensitivity Flashcards
What is Immunopathology
- Disease characterized by abnormal or inappropriate immune responses
- Reactions involve coordinated and integrated contribution from both immune and inflammatory responses
- Major conditions include:
- hypersensitivity reactions
- Immunodeficiency
- autoimmunity
Wht are Hypersensitivity reactions?
- Most immune responses to antigens are advantageousto the host
- Some immune responses can cause host injury (hypersensitivity reactions)
- Host injury due to hypersensitivity reactions occurs by several main mechanisms
- Type I
- Type II
- Type III
- Type IV
What is Type I hypersensitivity reaction?
- An immediate response characterized by prominent vasoactive events and the release of inflammatory mediators
- Key features:
- Antigens that induce IgE production
- IgE-mediated mast cell degranulation
- Vascular leakage and eosinophil infiltration
What is the mechanism of Type I hypersensitivity reactions?
- Prior exposure to an antigen stimulates production of antigen-specific IgE
- IgE binds to Fc receptors of mast cells and basophils
- Subsequent antigen exposure results ini crosslinking of IgE and cell degranulation
- Vasoactive mediators are releaed into the surrounding tissues
What are the local manifestations of Type I hypersensitivity reactions to ingested allergens?
- Ingested allergens (food alergies)
- Gastrointestinal sign range from milkd, to severe with bloody diarrhea and vomiting
- ~1/2 of food allergies have skin manifestations
- erythema, pruritis, urticaria
What are the local manifestations of Type I hypersensitivity reactions to inhaled allergens?
- Inhaled allergens (respiratory allergies)
- Responses to most inhaled allergens are manifested in the skin
- Atopic dermatitis:
- lesions range from acute erythema to chronic hyperpigmentation and pyodermas
- Pruritis is a major feature
- Atopic dermatitis:
- Responses to some are manifested in teh respiratory tract
- Nasolacrimal urticaria (hay fever)
- Responses to most inhaled allergens are manifested in the skin
What are the local manifestations of Type I hypersensitivity reactions to cutaneous allergens?
- Cutaneous allergens (skin allergies)
- Most ingested or inhled allergens result in skin responses
- atopic dermatitis
- Locally applied allergens can also result in hypersensitvity dermatitis
- Most ingested or inhled allergens result in skin responses
What are the systemic manifestations of Type I hypersensitivity reactions?
- Anaphylaxis:
- Signs and lesions are usually typical of shock
- Include:
- Respiratory distress and pulmonary failure
- Gastrointestinal dysfunciton and liver failure
What are Type II Hypersensitivity reactions?
- Cytotoxicity induced by reactions against cell membrane antigens
- Key features:
- Antigens that induce IgG or IgM production against cell membrane antigens
- Antibody-mediated activation of complement or leukocytesz results in cell damage
- End result is membrane damage and cell injur
- 2 different mechanisms damage cells:
- Complement-mediated
- Leukocyte-mediated
What is the Cmplement-mediated mechanism of Type II hypersensitivity?
- Antibody binds a cell membrane or basement membrane ntigen
- Classical complement cascade is activated
- Formation of the terminal membrane attack sequence and cell lysis
What is the leukocyte-mediated mechanism of Type II hypersensitivity?
- Antibody binds a cell membrane or basement membrane antigen
- Leukocytes bind ia their Fc receptors
- Leukocyte products damage he membrane
- Lysosomal enzymes
- Oxygen free radicals
What are the manifestation of Type II hypersentitivities against erythrocytes?
- Common targets are circulating cells, epidermis and basement membranes
- Reactions against erythrocytes:
- Transfusion reactions
- Neonatal isoerythrolysis
- Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
- Drug-induced hemolysis
- Infectious agents
- The notable clinical sign in most cases is hemolytic anemia
What are the pathologic features of reaction against erythrocytes?
- Icterus
- Splenomegaly
- Hemosiderosis of various tissues
What are the manifestations of Type II hypersensitivity against Leukocytes?
- Reactions against Leukocyctes
- Neonatoal leukopenia
- Agranulocytosis (acquired leukopenia)
- There may be increased susceptibility to infection
What are the manifestations of Type II hypersensitivity against platelets?
- Reactions against platelets
- Drugs
- Infectious agents
- Autoimmunity
- Thrombocytopenia is the major finding
- Pathologic findings are predominately multiple petechial to ecchymotic hemorrhages
What are the manifestations of Type II hypersensitivity reactions against basement membranes?
- Reactions against basement membranes
- Antibodies are directed against basement membrane components
- Glomerular and epidermal basement membranes are common targets
- Injury can be mediated by complement or leukocytes
- Antibodies are directed against basement membrane components
What are Type III Hypersensitivity Reactions?
- Tissue damage induced by inflammatory responses to immune complexes
- Key Features:
- Appropriate immune complexes
- formed in slight antigen excess
- Complement and leukocyte-induced tissue injury
- Reactions can occur to localized or circulating immune complexes
- Appropriate immune complexes
What are the mechanisms of Type III hypersensitivity reactions?
- 2 different pathways of injury are described, based on the location of the immue complex
- Localized hypersensitivity (Artus reaction)
- Systemic Hypersensitivity (Serum sickness)
What is the Arthus reaction?
- Interstitial antigen and intravascular antibody meet and precipitate within vessel walls
- Complement and leukocytes mediate vessel damage
- There is vascular necrosis, hemorrhage, thrombosis and local tissue damage
What is Serum Sickness?
- Soluble, circulating immune complexes can be deposited within vessels of mutiple tssues
- Complement and leukocyte induce vessel and tissue damage
What are the manifestations of Type III hypersentivity reactions?
- Vasculitis
- Some degree occurs with all Type III reactions
- Commonly affected tissues include:
- Kidney
- Lungs
- Joints
- Eyes
How are Kidneys affected by Type III hypersensitivity reactions?
- Immune complexes can be formed in many diseases, and can be deposited near glomerular basement membranes
- Complement and leukocyte-mediated damage cause glomerulonephritis