(PM3A) Autoimmunity

Question 1

What are some types of corticosteroid receptors?

Answer 1

(1) Glucocorticoid

(2) Mineralcorticoid

Question 2

Put dexamethasone, cortisone, and prednisone in order of potency. With (1) being most potent and (3) the least potent.

Answer 2

(1) Dexamethasone
(2) Prednisone
(3) Cortisone

Question 3

What is an autoantigen?

Answer 3

Disease specific antigen

Causes autoimmune disorder

Question 4

How can autoimmunity be classified?

Answer 4

By effector mechanisms

Question 5

What is an example of an organ specific autoimmune disease?

Answer 5

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Question 6

What is an example of a systemic autoimmune disease?

Answer 6

SLE
Systemic lupus erythematosus

Rheumatoid arthritis

Question 7

What is Goodpasture’s syndrome?

Answer 7

Organ specific autoimmune disease

Question 8

Name an example of an acute autoimmune disease.

Answer 8

Scleroderma/ type 1 diabetes mellitus

Question 9

In which autoimmune disease are myelin proteins present as the autoantigen?

Answer 9

Multiple sclerosis

Question 10

In which autoimmune disease are pancreatic islet cells present as the autoantigen?

Answer 10

Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Question 11

In which autoimmune disease are IgG (antibody) present as the autoantigen?

Answer 11

Rheumatoid arthritis

Question 12

In which autoimmune disease are cell nucleus proteins present as the autoantigen?

Answer 12

Systemic lupus erythematosus

SLE

Question 13

What are the purposes of autoimmune disease treatment?

Answer 13

(1) Block lymphocyte activity
(2) Block inflammation
(3) Treat/ manage symptoms

Question 14

Which classes of immunosuppressant drugs block adaptive immune priming?

Answer 14

Do this by blocking signals/ killing lymphocytes

(1) Calcineurin inhibitors
(2) Proliferation blockers
(3) Monoclonal antibodies

Question 15

Which classes of immunosuppressant drugs block inflammatory signals?

Answer 15

(1) Anti-histamines
(2) Glucocorticoids
(3) Biopharmaceuticals

Question 16

Which classes of immunosuppressant drugs provide symptomatic relief from immunopathology?

Answer 16

(1) Analgesics – block pain
(2) Insulin –symptomatic relief
(3) Thyroid hormone –symptomatic relief

Question 17

Which class of immunosuppressants are able to inhibit the adaptive immune system?

Answer 17

(1) Antiproliferative drugs – e.g. methotrexate
(2) Inhibitors of lymphocyte signalling – calcineurin inhibitors, e.g. ciclosporin A
(3) Biologic inhibitors of lymphocyte signalling – e.g. abatacept

Question 18

What effect do glucocorticoids have on the immune system?

Answer 18

Block lymphocyte activation

Question 19

Which drugs are able to limit potentially damaging inflammation in autoimmune disease?

Answer 19

Glucocorticoids (corticosteroids)
– Can be injected into joints (AVOID long-term treatment)
– Unfortunately blocks ALL inflammatory signals

Question 20

What is TNF-alpha?

Answer 20

Potent inflammatory cytokine

Protein signalling molecule

Normally produced in response to bacterial infection

Question 21

What are some examples of anti-TNF therapy?

Answer 21

(1) Etanercept
(2) Infleximab
(3) Adalimumab

Question 22

What is a common definition of autoimmunity?

Answer 22

Failure of tolerance

Question 23

What is tolerance?

Answer 23

Mechanism by which our immune system removes random antigen receptors that recognise ‘self antigen’