Mucosal Immunity Flashcards
What are the different immune compartments included in mucosal immunity
peripheral lymph nodes and spleen
peritoneum
skin
MALT
What is the role of peripheral lymph nodes and spleen in mucosal immunity?
adaptive immune response to foreign Ag in blood or lymph
How do lymphocytes know where to go?
they have compartment specific homing receptors
How do we maintain a homeostatic relationship with microbiota?
minimize direct contact between intestinal bacteria and epithelial cells
keep penetrant bacteria in intestinal sites (limit exposure to systemic immune compartment)
What is the barrier that minimizes direct contact between intestinal bacteria and epithelial cells?
Mucin + 1 layer of epithelial cells
What are the mucosal tissues of the body?
lachrymal gland
salivary gland
mammary gland
kidney
urogenital tract (uterus, bladder, vagina)
conjunctiva
GI tract (oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, intestine)
respiratory tract (sinus, trachea, lung)
What are the different MALTs?
GI tract (GALT)
respiratory tract (BALT)
nasal mucosa (NALT)
salivary glands
lacrimal glands
mammary glands
genitourinary glands
Where are mucosal lymphoid tissues found?
under the epithelial cells
What is the main Ig in mucosal lymphoid tissue?
IgA
70-80% of Ig producing cells are located where, and what type of cell are they predominantly?
mucosal areas, most of them are IgA plasma cells
What cells of the mucosal immune system are found in the epithelial compartment?
IEL (alpha-E:beta7 integrins) and dendritic cells
What cells of the mucosal immune system are found in the lamina propria compartment?
lots of different kinds of cells including cells expressing alpha4:beta7 integrins
What does alpha4:beta7 do?
addressin that tells the cell to go to the gut
What do M cells do?
antigens entering the digestive tract are taken up by specialized mucosal cells called M cells via phagocytosis and endocytosis
M cells internalize the Ag and transport it across the epithelium in vesicles where it can be taken up by APCs
How are M cells formed?
formed in mucosal epithelium in response to signals from lymphocytes
What is Ag capture?
Ag can be taken up by a DC that has a dendrite extending through the epithelial tight junction into the lumen
What is the third step of the induction process?
Ag are then presented to lymphocytes (in the intestine this occurs in Peyer’s patches)
Do M cells have villi/microvilli?
No –> they take up Ag
Where are M cells found?
Tonsils, Adenoids, PP
What is FcRn-dependent transport?
if an Ag is already coated in Ab, cells can recognize he Fc receptor and transport it
What is apoptosis-dependent transfer?
If a M cell is killed, the pathogens can invade and be taken up
What are the ways that Ag can be taken up?
nonspecific M cell transfer
FcRn-dependent transfer
Apoptosis-dependent transfer
Ag capture
How are T cells directed to PP, and where are they coming from?
T lymphocytes enter PP from the blood vessels, directed by the homing receptors CCR7 and L-selectin
After T cells in PP encounter Ag presented by dendritic cells, where do they go?
Activated T cells drain via the mesenteric lymph nodes to the thoracic duct, and return to the gut via the blood stream
Where do activated T cells in the bloodstream go, and how are they homed?
Activated T cells will express alpha4-beta7 integrin and CCR9 and will home to the lamina propria and intestinal epithelium of the small intestine
What do gut homing effector T cells bind on the blood vessel epithelium?
alpha4:beta7 and L-selectin bind MAdCAM-1 on the blood vessel endothelium, which allows the cell to extravasate into the lamina propria
What do gut epithelial cells express to help home T cells, and what do they bind on the T cells?
gut epithelial cells express chemokines specific for gut homing T cells
CCL25 on small intestine epithelium binds CCR9 on T cells
CCL28 on large intestine epithelium binds CCR10 on T cells
E-cadherin on gut epithelium (both) binds alphaE:beta7 on T cells