Inflammation Flashcards
Inflammation Process
- Recognition of injurious agent by sentinel cells (macrophage / dendritic / mast).
- Recruitment of leukocytes and plasma proteins.
- Removal of injurious agent by phagocytes, vasodilation and increased vascular permeability.
- Regulation of response.
- Repair (return to normal state or fibrous scar formed).
Acute Inflammation:
Major cell involved in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Neutrophils.
Inflammation (Acute and Chronic):
Major cell / molecule involved in Asthma
Eosinophils.
IgE antibodies.
Acute Inflammation:
Major cell / molecule involved in Glomerulonephritis
Antibodies.
Complement.
Neutrophils.
Monocytes.
Acute Inflammation:
Major cell / molecule involved in Septic Shock
Cytokines.
Chronic Inflammation:
Major cell / molecule involved in Arthritis
Lymphocytes.
Macrophages.
?antibodies.
Chronic Inflammation:
Major cell / molecule involved in Atherosclerosis
Lymphocytes.
Macrophages.
Chronic Inflammation:
Major cell / molecule involved in Pulmonary fibrosis
Macrophages.
Fibroblasts.
Acute Inflammation
- Fast onset (minutes - hours).
- Main cells involved: neutrophils.
- Usually mild and self-limiting tissue injury.
- Prominant local and systemic signs.
Chronic Inflammation
- Slow onset (days).
- Main cells involved: monocytes / macrophages, lymphocytes.
- Severe and progressive tissue injury.
- Few local and systemic signs.
Blood Vessel Changes and Role in Acute Inflammation
Changes:
* Changes in vascular flow.
* Increased vascular permeability.
Role:
* Maximise movement of plasma proteins and leukocytes out of circulation to area of injury / infection (Exudation).
Exudate
- Extravascular fluid.
- High protein concentration.
- High cellular debris.
- Indicates increased vascular permeability –> inflammatory process.
- Cloudy appearance due to WBC
- Specific gravity > 1.02.
Transudate
- Extracellular fluid.
- Low protein concentration.
- Little to no cellular debris.
- Low specific gravity.
- Protein = mostly albumin.
- Indicates osmotic or hydrostatic imbalance WITHOUT increased vascular permeability.^
- Translucent and straw-coloured appearance. NB. EXCEPTION: peritoneal effusion due to lymphatic blockage (Chylous effusion) which appears milky from presence of lipids.
^NB: Normal hydrostatic pressure = 32mm Hg (arterial capillary end) and 12mm Hg (venous capillary end).
Mean colloid osmotic pressure = 25 mm Hg.
Acute Inflammation:
Blood Vessel Changes:
- What are the changes in vascular flow, what mediates it, and why does it occur
Vasodilation.^
- Main mediator = histamine.
- Action: Affects arterioles –> new capillary bed formed –> increased blood flow –> heat and erythema –> increased permeability of vessels –> exudation –> slow blood flow in vessels and increased viscosity (stasis) –> accumulation of neutrophils (leukocyte recruitment).
^ Earliest manifestation.
Acute Inflammation:
Blood Vessel Changes:
- Vascular permeability
Increased.
2 mechanisms-
Contraction of endothelial cells:
- Chemically mediated.
- Mediators: histamine, bradykinin, leukotrienes.
- Rapid.
- Short-lived (minutes).
Endothelial damage:
- Causes: direct damage (e.g. thermal burns), induced by microbial toxins, neutrophil adherance.
- Rapid.
- May be long-lived (hours to days).
Acute Inflammation:
Lymphatic System Changes
- Increased lymph flow to assist with drainage of excess fluid, cell debris, leukocytes and microbes.
- Proliferation of vessels to handle increased load.
- Secondary inflammation of lymph vessels (lymphangitis^) or lymph nodes (lymphadenitis).
^ Red streaks near skin wound = lymphangitis from bacterial infection.
Leukocyte Recruitment to Acute Inflammation Sites:
-Why, key cells, process
- Role: eliminate offending agent.
- Key cells: Neutrophils, macrophages.
- Multiple mediators e.g. adhesion molecules, chemokines.
Process:
1. Margination, rolling and adhesion to endothelium.
2. Migration across endothelium and vessel wall.
3. Migration towards site of injury via chemotactic stimulus.
Acute Inflammation:
Leukocyte Recruitment:
- Margination, rolling and adhesion
Margination = leukocyte redistribution to periphery of vessels due to vasodilation and stasis.
Rolling = recognition of and binding to adhesion molecules (selectins) slowing movement of leukocytes.
Adhesion = slowing of movement allows binding to adhesion molecules (integrins) which firmly binds leukocyte to endothelium.
Acute Inflammation:
Leukocyte Recruitment:
-Selectins - activated by, types, bind to
Activated by cytokines (e.g.TNF, IL-1, chemokines) from tissue macrophages, mast cells and endothelial cells which have encountered microbes or dead tissues.
3 types:
1. L-selectin (on leukocytes).
2. E-selectin (on endothelium).
3. P-selectin (on platelets and endothelium).
Bind to^:
1. Sialyl-Lewis X and other ligands on endothelium.
2. Sialyl-Lewis X on leukocytes.
3. Sialyl-Lewis X on leukocytes.
^Bind with low affinity and fast “off-rate” –> easily disrupted by blood flow –> “rolling” (bind > detach > bind)
Acute Inflammation:
Leukocyte Recruitment:
- Integrins - where are they found, types, ligands, and mediator’s.
Found on leukocytes.
Activated by chemokines produced at injury site.
Types:
1. VLA-4 (beta 1 integrin)
2. LFA-1 (beta 2 integrin).
3. MAC-1 (beta 2 integrin).
4. alpha 4 beta 7.
Ligands^ expressed on endothelium:
1. Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1).
2. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), ICAM-2.
3. ICAM-1, ICAM-2.
4. VCAM-1, MAdCAM-1 (gut endothelium).
^Ligands activated by TNF and IL-1.
Acute Inflammation:
Leukocyte Recruitment:
- Migration across endothelium
Transmigration process = Diapedesis.
Intercellular junction adhesion molecules^ involved = CD31.
NB. CD31 is AKA PECAM-1 (platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule).
^NB.: leukocyte adhesion molecules deficiencies –> increased susceptibility to bacterial infections.
Acute Inflammation:
Leukocyte Recruitment:
- Migration to injury site
Process = chemotaxis = movement along a chemical gradient.
Chemical gradient produced by endogenous and exogenous chemoattractants.
Endogenous chemoattractants:
* Cytokines (e.g IL-8).
* Complement system (e.g. C3a, C5a).
* Arachidonic acid metabolites (e.g. leukotriene B4 [LTB4]).
Exogenous chemoattractants:
* Bacterial products (e.g. peptides, lipids).
How:
1. Chemoattractants bind leukocytes at transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors.
2. Activation of second messengers within leukocyte.
3. Polymerisation of actin at leading edge and localisation of myosin filaments at the back of cell.
4. Extension of filopodia by actin.
5. Pulling of cell in direction of filopodia.
Acute Inflammation:
Leukocyte recruitment:
Exceptions to normal leukocyte infiltrate
- Pseudomonas infections - neutrophils continuously recruited for days.
- Viral infections - lymphocytes usually first cell.
- Hypersensitivity reactions - lymphocytes, macrophages, plasma cells.
- Helminth infections - eosinophils.
- Allergic reactions - eosinophils.
Normal infiltrate = neutrophils (6-24 hours) followed by monocytes (24-48 hours).
What is the main receptor neutrophils bind to to activate pathogen destruction?
Toll like receptors.
How do neutrophils digest pathogens
Through:
- ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species).
- Reactive Nitrogen species (derived from nitric oxide)^.
- Lysosomal enzymes.
^NB. More common in macrophages than neutrophils.
What are the causes of Chronic Inflammation?
- Persistant infection by difficult to eradicate microbes (e.g. TB).
- Immune-mediated inflammatory disease (e.g. Bronchial asthma, Rheumatoid arthritis, MS, IBD).
- Prolonged exposure to potentially toxic agents (e.g. silicosis, atherosclerosis).
- Repetitive acute inflammation or persistent injury (e.g. Chronic cholecystitis, chronic peptic ulcer).
Cells in chronic inflammation
Mononuclear cells:
- Macrophages.
- Lymphocytes.
- Plasma cells.
Other:
- Eosinophils (seen in immune reactions and parasitic infections).
- Mast cells.
- Neutrophils (seen in chronic bacterial infections e.g. osteomyelitis)
Which type of inflammation is expected to be observed in a patient with sarcoidosis?
Granulomatous inflammation
What is a Granuloma and why does it form?
What it is:
- Central core of caseous necrosis (NB. ONLY seen in granulomas associated with certain infectious organisms e.g. TB and called tubercles).
- Aggregation of activated macrophages (epithelioid^).
- Collar of mononuclear leucocytes (plasma cells and lymphocytes).
- Some macrophages may fuse, forming multinucleate giant cells (Langhans-type giant cells).
Why it forms:
- Cellular attempt to contain an offending agent that is difficult to eradicate.^^
^Macrophages which develop abundant cytoplasm and resemble epithelial cells.
^^This form of granuloma = immune granuloma.
What is the first stage of wound healing?
Haemostasis.
What are the steps of wound healing
- Haemostasis (< 1 week post injury).
- Inflammation (< 1 week post injury).
- Proliferation / Re-epithelialisation (1 - 2 weeks post injury).
- Remodelling (2 - 3 weeks post injury).
- Maturation (months post injury).
Diseases causing transudate
- Congestive heart failure.
- Nephrotic syndrome.
- PE.
- Hypoalbuminaemia.
What are Neutrophil extracellular traps, what do they consist of, what produces them, and what is their function?
What it is:
* Extracellular fibrillar networks of neutrophil clear material.
* Viscous net.
Consist of:
- Nuclear chromatin (including histones and associated DNA).^
- Granule proteins (antimicrobial peptides and enzymes).
Produced by:
- Neutrophils in response to infectious pathogens (bacteria, fungi) and inflammatory mediators (chemokines, cytokines, complement, ROS).
Function:
- Concentrate antimicrobial substances at sites of infection.
- Trap microbes.
- Helps to prevent microbe spread.
^Source of nuclear antigens in systemic autoimmune diseases such as Lupus (reaction against self DNA and nucleoproteins).
Which pathway regulates the sprouting and branching of new vessels in inflammation and healing?
NOTCH pathway
Which factor triggers the alternate pathway in a patient with GNB pneumonia?
Lipopolysaccharide.
Neutrophil inability to phagocytose and kill organisms is due to which problem?
Diminished opsonisation.
What does a deficiency of integrins and selectins cause in neutrophils in inflammation?
Prevents rolling (selectins) and adhesion (integrins) of neutrophils along, and to, the blood vessel wall.
What does a microtubular protein defect cause in neutrophils in inflammation?
Prevents movement of neutrophils through the blood vessel wall.
Which cell causes osteophyte formation in osteoarthritis?
Chondrocytes.
What pathological abnormality would be expected in inflammation of serosal surfaces of the heart and detected by the presence of a friction rub?
Fibrinous exudate.
Protein-rich exudate with fibrin strands and inflammatory cells.
What causes the tissue destruction that accompanies abscess formation in acute inflammation?
Cerebral abscess appears as an enhancing ring like lesion
- Release of lysosomal enzymes from neutrophils.
- Aided by release of reactive oxygen species.
What causes vasodilation in inflammation?
- Histamine.
- Prostaglandins.
- NO.
What causes vascular permeability in inflammation?
- Histamine.
- Serotonin.
- C3a and C5a.
- Bradykinin.
- Leukotrienes.
- PAF.
- Substance P.
What causes Chemotaxis in inflammation?
- TNF.
- IL-1.
- Chemokines.
- C3a and C5a.
- Leukotrienes.
- Bacterial products.
What causes fever in inflammation?
- IL-1.
- TNF.
- Prostaglandins.
What causes pain in inflammation?
- Prostaglandins.
- Bradykinin.
- Substance P.
What causes tissue damage in inflammation?
- Lysosomal enzymes of leukocytes.
- ROS.
- Nitric oxide.
Acute inflammation:
Leukocyte activation:
- What do G-protein coupled receptors on leukocytes recognise?
- Bacterial products.
- Chemokines.
- Lipid mediators.
Acute inflammation:
Leukocyte activation:
- What is the cellular response and outcome of binding to G-protein coupled receptors?
Cellular response:
- Cytoskeleton changes.
- Signal transduction.
Outcome:
- Increased integrin activity –> adhesion to endothelium.
- Chemotaxis –> migration into tissue.
Acute inflammation:
Leukocyte activation:
- What does microbe binding to TLR on leukocytes cause?
- Production of mediators (e.g. arachidonic acid metabolites, cytokines) –> amplification of inflammation.
- Production of ROS and lysosomal enzymes –> killing of microbe.
Chronic Inflammation:
-What are Classically Activated macrophages (M1) and what are they triggered by
What they are:
- Macrophages with microbicidal activity.
- Causes inflammation.
Triggered by:
- Microbial products (e.g. Toll like receptor ligands, IFN-gamma).