PMI02-3002 Flashcards
What are the four main components of the immune system?
T cells
B cells
Phagocytes
Complement
What is immunodeficiency?
Disease that is the result of loss of function/defective function/absence of a component of the immune system
What are primary and secondary immunodeficiencies?
Primary = genetically determined or result of developmental anomalies, rare
Secondary = acquired, caused by disease or immunosuppressive treatment, more common
What complement deficiencies can occur?
C1q/r/s, C2 or C4 deficiency (immune complex disease)
C3 deficiency
Factor B or D or properdin deficiency (similar to but not immune complex disease)
MAC deficiency
What is immune complex disease?
Inability to remove immune complexes with deficiencies in C1q/r/s or C2 or C4 (classical pathway)
Susceptibility to encapsulated organisms (S.pneumoniae, Neisseria)
What is the effect of a C3 deficiency?
Defective opsonisation so compromised removal via phagocytosis
Susceptibility to encapsulated organisms (Streptococcus, Neisseria)
What does Factor B or D or properdin deficiency result in?
Low C3b levels (no alternative pathway)
Pneumococcal and meningococcal infections
What is the effect of a MAC deficiency?
Unable to lyse bacterial cells
Recurrent infection with Neisseria meningitidis
Generally, what do complement deficiencies cause?
Increased susceptibility to bacterial infections
Especially Pneumococcus, Streptococcus, Neisseria
What deficiencies in phagocytosis can occur?
Problems in stem cell differentiation (neutropenia, leukocyte adhesion disease)
Lack of phagosome and lysosome fusion (Chediak-Higashi syndrome)
Defective intracellular killing (chronic granulomatous disease)
What is the difference between congenital and secondary (extrinsic) phagocytosis deficiencies?
Congenital = intrinsic deficiencies in differentiation, chemoattraction, intracellular killing
Secondary = result from deficiencies in another part of the immune system which affect phagocytosis
What conditions involving stem cell differentiation can cause phagocytosis deficiency?
Neutropenia
Leukocyte adhesion disease
What is leukocyte adhesion disease?
Lack of CD18 on neutrophils which binds to ICAM-1
Essential for recruitment/movement to site
What is Chediak-Higashi syndrome?
Lack of fusion of phagosome with lysosomes
Due to defective lysosomal trafficking regulator
What bacteria are those with Chediak-Higashi syndrome particularly susceptible to?
Staphylococcus aureus
Describe what causes defective intracellular killing in phagocytosis deficiency.
(Chronic granulomatous disease)
Defect in NADPH system (required for ROS formation)
So lack of oxygen-dependent killing
(Increased bacterial and fungal infection)
Generally, what do phagocytosis deficiencies cause?
Increased susceptibility to bacterial and fungal infections of skin and mucosal tissues
What is used to treat phagocytosis deficiency?
Antibiotics
Bone marrow transplant