Lecture 17 - Antiviral Immunity

Question 1

What are the physical barriers (anatomical and chemical barriers)?

Answer 1

mucus, saliva, tears, stomach acid, skin, scabs, defensins

Question 2

What are interferons?

Answer 2

cytokines that are produced by virus-infected cells in response to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP)

Question 3

The production of which interferon is rapid? How rapid is it?

Answer 3

IFN a/b, within hours

Question 4

What occurs following the interferon binding to interferon receptors?

Answer 4

synthesis of 1000+ cell proteins (interferon stimulated genes)

Question 5

What are the 4 effects of interferon expression?

Answer 5

directly interferes with viral replication | upregulates adaptive immune response genes | induces expression of deleterious gene products | causes physiological changes like fever

Question 6

What is one reason why “flu-like” symptoms are so common?

Answer 6

every viral infection results in interferon production

Question 7

How is viral replication inhibited via interferon activation in virally infected cells?

Answer 7

infected cells synthesize interferons which induce interferon-stimulated genes = inhibits viral replication

Question 8

What are the 7 strategies that viruses use to evade elimination by the host?

Answer 8

rapid mutation | latency | molecular mimicry | produce many soluble viral antigens | inactivate cytokine signals and immune cells | block cellular pathways