Immunosuppressants Flashcards
What causes redness (rubor) in inflammation?
Increase in local blood flow cause by vasodilatation triggered by inflammatory mediators
What causes swelling (tumor) in inflammation?
Increase in vascular permeability causing proteins and fluid to leak from the vasculature
What is the triple response of Lewis?
- Flush
- Flare
- Wheal
What causes flush following a noxious stimulus?
Local release of vasodilator substances, such as histamine, from cells disturbed by the stimulus
Causes dilatation of capillaries
What causes flare following a noxious stimulus?
Neurogenic inflammation causes reddening to spread by axon reflex
AP sent antidromically along collateral branches causes release of vasodilatory substances, which cause vasodilatation of surrounding arterioles
What causes wheal following a noxious stimulus?
Histamine causes increased vascular permeability leading to localised swelling
Which receptors mediate the inflammatory effects of histamine?
H1 receptors
What is orthodromic propagation of an action potential?
From sensory nerve to spinal cord
What is antidromic propagation of an action potential?
Along collateral branches
Give two inflammatory substances that collateral nerve branches might secrete?
- Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)
2. Substance P
What are the actions of CGRP?
Directly causes vasodilatation
What are the actions of substance P?
- Directly causes vasodilatation
2. Potent activator of mast cell degranulation
What is the effect of mast cell degranulation?
Local production of histamine
Causes vasodilatation and increased vascular permeability
What is dermatographic urticaria?
Triple response is exaggerated
Largely idiopathic
How is dermatographic urticaria treated?
- H1-receptor antagonists
2. Omalizumab
What causes inflammation?
- Noxious stimuli
- Bacterial/viral/fungal infection
- Autoimmune reactions
How do pathogens cause inflammation?
- Release of toxins
- Lysis of host cells, liberating inflammatory factors
- Activation of innate and adaptive immune systems
Which inflammatory factors may be liberated by pathogen lysis of host cells?
ATP
Which pathogen secretes alpha-haemolysin?
Uropathogenic E. coli
What is the effect of alpha-haemolysin?
Induces calcium oscillations in cells
Causes synthesis of IL-6 and IL-8 (pro-inflammatory cytokines)
What kind of receptors are toll-like receptors (TLRs)?
Receptor tyrosine kinase
Where is TLR4 expressed?
Plasma membrane
What does TLR4 detect?
Lipopolysaccharide
What does TLR8 detect?
ssRNA
What is the effect of TLR activation?
Initiates production of pro-inflammatory mediators
What are some of the pro-inflammatory mediators produced following TLR activation?
- Prostaglandins
- Histamine
- TNFα
- IL-1
What is the role of TNFα and IL-1 in inflammation?
- Induce production of further cytokines
- Increase vascular permeability
- Cause expression of adhesion molecules on the endothelium of post-capillary venules
What is the function of cell adhesion molecules?
Leukocytes adhere to them, enabling them to migrate out of the vascular system and into tissues so that they may attack pathogens
What process guides leukocyte migration?
- Pathogen-generated chemotaxins
2. Host chemokines induced by pathogen
What does exudate contain?
Components of:
- Complement system
- Coagulation system
- Fibrinolytic system
- Kinin system
How is factor XII activated?
Upon contacting negatively-charged substances such as collagen
What is the role of factor XIIa?
Production of:
- Plasmin
- Thrombin
- Bradykinin
What are the roles of plasmin and thrombin in complement?
Hydrolyse C3 to C3a and C3b
What is the role of C3a?
Stimulates mast cells
What is the role of C3b?
- Attaches to pathogens aiding their destruction by white blood cells
- Cleaves C5 to C5a and C5b
What is the role of C5a?
- Activates mast cells
- Chemoattractive for white blood cells
- Activates white blood cells
How is the membrane attack complex formed?
One subunit each of C5b, C6, C7 and C8
12-1 subunits of C9
What is the role of the membrane attack complex?
Attaches to bacterial membranes and forms a pore
Induces lysis
Where do cells involved in inflammation leave the bloodstream?
Venules
not arterioles
Which white blood cells are the first to reach the site of injury?
Neutrophils
What are selectins?
Adhesion molecules
What causes neutrophils to be tethered to and captured by the endothelium?
Interaction between endothelium P-selectin and neutrophil-expressed ligands, such as P-selectin glycoprotein 1
What interactions does firm arrest and adhesion of neutrophils involve?
Between neutrophil expressed integrins such as lymphocyte-associated antigen 1 and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 expressed by the endothelium
How long does transmigration across endothelium and basement membrane take?
~15 minutes
What does transmigration of neutrophils require?
- Integrins
2. Adhesion molecules such as platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1
What are the two routes of neutrophil transmigration?
- Paracellularly
2. Transcellularly
What is fMLF?
Bacteria derived
Attracts neutrophils to bacterial invader
How do neutrophils eliminate pathogens?
- Phagocytosis
- Degranulation
- NETs
What molecules might a neutrophil secrete to kill pathogens?
- ROS
2. Antibacterial proteins
What antibacterial proteins might a neutrophil secrete to kill pathogens?
- Cathepsin
- Lysozyme
- Defensins
What is neutrophil degranulation?
Release of antibacterial proteins into extracellular fluid
What are NETs?
Neutrophil extracellular traps
Composed of core DNA element alongside enzymes that immobilise pathogens
Prevents spread and facilitates phagocytosis
What receptors do mast cells have?
- TLRs
- C3a
- C5a
- IgE
What does stimulation of mast cell receptors cause?
Release of:
- Histamines
- Heparin
- Leukotrienes
- NGF
- Preformed packets of cytokines
What is histamine formed from?
Histidine by histidine decarboxylase
Where is histamine found at the cellular level?
- Mast cells
- Basophils
- Enterchromaffin-like cells in gut
- Histaminergic neurons in brain
How is histamine packaged in mast cells and basophils?
In acidic granules with nigh molecular weight heparin called macroheparin
How is histamine released from mast cells?
Granules exocytosed following increased levels of intracellular calcium
How do C3a and C5a induce degranulation?
Gi-coupled receptors
βγ subunits activate PLCβ
Induces intracellular calcium release via IP3
How does substance P induce degranulation?
Via Mas-related gene X2 receptors
Gq coupled
PLCβ/IP3 mediated calcium release
How does IgE induce degranulation?
Allergen-induced cross-linking of IgE with its receptor FcεRI induces phosphorylation of adaptor protein linker for activation of T cells
Causes activation of PLCγ/IP3 mediated calcium release
What are the four histamine receptors?
- H1
- H2
- H3
- H4
How does the H1 receptor mediate its effects?
Gq/11-coupled
PLCβ
IP3 + DAG/PKC
What is H1 receptor important in?
- Inflammation
- Smooth muscle contraction in ileum, uterus and bronchioles
- Blood vessel dilatation
- Triple response
How does the H2 receptor mediate its effects?
Gs-coupled
Increased AC
Increased cAMP/PKA
What is the H2 receptor important in?
- Gastric acid secretion
2. Increased heart rate
How does the H3 receptor mediate its effects?
Gi-coupled
Decreased AC
Decreased cAMP/PKA
What is the H3 receptor important in?
Inhibitory autoreceptor in CNS
How does the H4 receptor mediate its effects?
Gi-coupled
Decreased AC
Decreased cAMP/PKA
What is the H4 receptor important in?
- Chemotaxis
2. Cytokine release
Which two enzymes metabolise histamine?
- Histaminase
2. Histamine N-methyltransferase
How does histaminase metabolise histamine?
Oxidatively deaminates histamine
Produces imidazole acetaldehyde
How does histamine N-methyltransferase metabolise histamine?
Catalyses transfer of methyl group onto nitrogen of imidazole ring
Produces NT-methylhistamine
What are the pathophysiological roles of histamine?
- Allergy
- Anaphylaxis
- Driver of symptoms of mastocytosis
What is mastocytosis?
Too many mast cells present leading to an excessive allergic-type attack
What causes mastocytosis?
Gain of function mutation in receptor tyrosine kinase c-kit/CD117
Causes enhanced mast cell proliferation and survival
Which drugs may be used to treat pathology associated with histamine?
- Sodium cromoglycate
- Salbutamol
- Salmeterol
- Theophylline
- Omalizumab
What are anti-histamines?
H1-receptor antagonists
What is the main treatment of anaphylactic shock?
Adrenaline injection
Administered intramuscularly or intravenously
Counteracts systemic vasodilatation and reduced tissue perfusion
Relieves bronchospasm
When is imatinib efficacious in treating mastocytosis?
In patients without D816V c-Kit mutation
What are H2-receptor antagonists used for?
Reduce gastric acid secretion
What is the pH at the mucosal surface of the stomach?
pH 6-7
What is the effect of gastrin on histamine release?
It enhances it by acting on CCK2 receptors
What are the treatments for peptic ulcers?
- H2-receptor antagonists
- Proton pump inhibitors
- Antacids
- Cholinergic blockade and vagotomy
- Eradication of H. pylori infection
- Stopping NSAID use
How do NSAIDs contribute to gastric ulcers?
Inhibit prostaglandin synthesis
PGE2 acts on ECL cells to inhibit gastric acid secretion and increase mucin and bicarbonate secretion
How is bradykinin formed?
Action of kallikrein upon kininogens
Factor XIIa converts plasma pre-kallikrein to kallikrein
Kallikrein clips HMW-kininogen to bradykinin
What is another term for Factor XII?
Hageman factor
What does kallikrein cleave LMW-kininogen to?
Kallidin
In tissues
How is bradykinin inactivated?
Kininase I removes C terminal arginine to form des-Arg-bradykinin
Kininase II removes two C terminal amino acids
What is another term for kininase II?
Angiotensin-converting enzyme
What is des-Arg-bradykinin?
Product of bradykinin breakdown by kininase I
Agonist at bradykinin B1 receptors
What kind of receptors are the bradykinin receptors?
Gq-coupled GPCR
When are B1 receptors most active?
Upregulated during inflammation
By actions of IL-1 and inflammatory cytokines
When are B2 receptors most active?
Constitutively expressed
Potently activated by bradykinin and kallidin
What is the result of bradykinin receptor activation in the endothelium?
Increase in [Ca2+]
Activates cytosolic phospholipase A2
Increases PGI2 production and eNOS
Causes vasodilatation
Activates nociceptors and drives pain
How does bradykinin induce nociceptor activation?
Activation of Gq GPCRs
Activation of PKC
Phosphorylates numerous ion channels involved in pain
What is the role of C1-esterase inhibitor?
Inhibits kallikrein
What is hereditary angiooedema?
Mutation in gene encoding C1-esterase inhibitor
Excessive levels of bradykinin
Sufferers experience periods of severe and painful swelling
What are the four main groups of cytokines?
- Interleukins
- Cytokines
- Colony-stimulating factors
- Interferons
What are the key pro-inflammatory interleukins?
- Il-1
2. TNFα
What are the pro-inflammatory interleukins released by?
Macrophages
What is the role of the pro-inflammatory interleukins?
- Induce expression of further cytokines
- Promote proliferation and maturation of other immune cells
- Cause fever (IL-1 only)
What are the key anti-inflammatory interleukins?
- IL-10
2. IL-1ra
What is the role of anti-inflammatory interleukins?
- Inhibit expression of cytokines
2. Inhibit some T cell responses
Give three examples of chemokines
- CCL3
- CXC
- CX3C
What is the role of CCL3?
Induces mast cell degranulation
Acts at CCR1 receptors
What kind of receptors are chemokine receptors?
GPCR
What is the role of IFNα and IFNβ?
Anti-viral activity
What is the role of IFNγ?
Induces TH1 responses