Prelim 2 Flashcards
What does the adaptive immune system recognize in a virus like SARS-CoV-2?
The adaptive immune system recognizes an antigen. The S protein (spike) is a large antigen. It has MANY epitopes.
RBD
Receptor binding domain. This is the part of a protein/virus that helps it bind to host receptors
Epitope
Part of an antigen that an antibody binds
What cells make up the adaptive immune system?
The B cells and T cells which have antigen receptors
- antibodies are a secreted form of a B cell receptor
Antigen Receptors
- Receptor that binds to an antigen
- only 3 types: B cell receptors, antibodies, and T cell receptors. All used by the adaptive arm.
B Cell Arm
- One B cell expresses thousands of identical B cell receptors (Every BCR on that B cell is specific for the same antigen)
- Therefore, one B cell recognizes and responds to only one antigen. This B cell is binding a multivalent (repeating) antigen on the bacterium
- When B cells become plasma cells, they can secrete antibodies
B cell receptor
Expressed on the cell surface of a B cell. Part of a signaling receptor that instructs the cell.
Antibody
The only secreted antigen receptor, it is a form of immunoglobulin that is secreted by plasma cells and plasmablasts
*same rule of specificity applies to anitbodies
T Cell Arm
- One T cell expresses thousands of identical T cell receptors (TCRs) . Every TCR in that T cell is specific for the same antigen. A peptide is held by a specific MHC molecule on a host cell
- Therefore, one T cell recognizes and responds to one antigen.
- There is NO secreted form of a TCR
Which receptors are the immunoglobulins?
- BCR
- Antibodies
Antigen
- A molecule that is bound by an antigen receptor
- Can be from a threat or a non-threat
- Can be from the host (self) or non-self, pretty much any organic molecule
Immunogen
An antigen that induces an immune response
Draw the functional regions of the antigen receptors
- Surface immunoglobulin or B-cell receptor: antigen-binding site, light chain, heavy chain, transmembrane region
- Antibody: heavy chain, light chain, antigen binding site
- TCR: alpha chain and beta chain, antigen-binding site
- the variable regions are the antigen binding sites
Immunoglobulin structure
- The Fab portion (Top) is the amino terminus that binds the antigen
- The Fc portion (Bottom) is the carboxyl terminus. It is practically constant. It does not bind antigen, the Fc portion of Ab interacts with immune cell receptors and often, complement
- Fc portion can also be labeled with fluorophores & enzymes for experimental reagents
What do constant Fc regions do?
They give functions to antibodies (isotypes). For instance all IgM antibodies have the same Fc portion, but it is longer than the IgD Fc portion making them different.
Name the different isotypes
- IgM
- IgD
- IgE
- IgG
- IgA
IgM
- Made 1st to fix complement and form immune complexes. Very inflammatory
IgD
- At mucosal barriers, not understood
IgG
- Best all-round player: with 4 sub-isotypes. Most are inflammatory
- Useful tools in experiments and medicine
IgE
- For expelling large parasites and many allergy symptoms
IgA
- Dimeric form protects without inflammation
- Monomeric form is inflammatory, like IgG
Immunoglobulin Isotype
The ‘class; is defined by the heavy chains Fc constant region. The region interacts with the immune system to give the Ab different function. It is specifically encoded by the heavy chain C-region gene segments
* name the c regions
What antibody does the body start producing first and how does it switch?
- It starts by creating IgM and IgD. Through recombination of genes and switching, it can create IgG, IgE, and IgA
How is IgM secreted?
IgM is always secreted as a pentamer (5 identical Ab with 10 identical anitgen-binding sites). This increases avidity for an antigen.
Avidity
The overall strength of binding an Ab with multiple binding sites to an antigen in contrast to the affinity, which is the strength of binding at a single antigen-binding site
(ex. IgM doesn’t bind as tightly but it binds a bunch which increases avidity)
avidity is strength due to the amount of binding you are making whereas affinity is the strength due to the specificity of one antibody to an antigen.
Dimeric form of IgA
Is secreted across mucous membranes as 2 identical Ab connected by a J chain.
ex. In the breastmilk or intestines. Dimeric IgA is transported into the gut lumen through the epithelial cells and the IgA binds to the layer of mucus overlaying the gut epithelium
Can there be two different epitopes on the same antigen?
Yes! Oftentimes, two different antibodies can bind to two different epitotes on the same antigen
Linear epitope (draw it)
Is a continuous segment, like on the folded protein (i.e denatured antigen or sequential amino acids are the epitope)
Discontinuous epitope
Has discontinuous segments that require antigen to fold to form the epitope (the native configuration)
Multivalent antigens
Antigens have multiple epitopes that may be the same one repeated or be different
Bivalent antibodies
Have two identical antigen-binding sites
Complementarity-determining regions (CDR)
- The amino acid sequences of antigen-binding sites vary most in the hypervariable regions that encode loops. These loops actually bind the epitope
- The folded structure projects 3 loops. It is easy for the loops to bind an epitope
How many loops does each chain contribute?
The Ag-binding site has two chains (light and heavy). Each chain contributes 3 hypervariable loops. So, there are 6 CDRs that form 1 Ag-binding site. Which means there are 12 per antigen.
How is the strength of CDRs determined?
The 6 CDRs ( per 1 Ag-binding site) have a combined strength of binding that measured as affinity (Kd) for Ag
The function of BCR to activate B cells
- A B cell expresses BCR with identical specificity
- Some bacterium express a repeated antigen – BCRs that bind the Ags cluster close to one another
- Clustering brings internal signaling domains together
- The activities of signaling kinases start signals to activate the B cell
This is occuring on one B cell
Activation of B Cell Process
- BCRs that bind repeated antigens cluster close to one another which allows receptor-associated kinases to phosphorylate the ITAMs
- Blk, Fyn, and Lyn can bind to phosphorylated ITAMs and phosphorylate them again
- Syk binds to the doubly phosphorylated ITAMs, is activated, and sends activating signals to change gene expression in the nucleus
Agglutination
- Antibodies that bind 2 soluble antigens can act as arms and gather antigens (or the pathogens that express the antigens) into clumps (immune complexes)
- could be a toxin too
- Agglutination makes it difficult for pathogens to spread through a host
- The clumps are very inflammatory - Ab can fix complement and recruit phagocytes
What are the 2 general functions of antibodies?
- Neutralize infection or toxin
- Tag for elimination (many ways; all rely on the Fc portion of the Ab)
What is Ig-beta and Ig-alpha
They are the same on all B cells. They don’t bind antigens. They transmit intracellular signals
How many antigen binding sites are on a T cell receptor
1
How many antigen binding sites are on a B cell receptor
2
V and C part of the Alpha and Beta chains
- this is also present in the Fab of the antibody
- V i the variable part of the chain
- C is the constant part of the chain
Does a T cell receptor have signaling chains too?
Yes, like. BCR, its function is to transmit a signal to the cell
- TCR recignizes an antigen and then the CD3 chains transmit activation signals via ITAM regions
ITAM (for TCRs)
Sequence on signaling portions of CD3 chains that will be phosphorylated by signaling kinases
TCR Complex
Binding and signaling complex that is used as a receptor to activate T cell. Includes TCR and non variant CD3 chains
BCR Complex
Binding and signaling complex that is used to activate a B cell. Includes BCR and nonvariant Ig-alpha and Ig-Beta
How are TCR CDRs different than B Cell CDRs?
- T cell receptors have hypervariable loops that binds antigenic peptide AND MHC
TCR complexes signal alongside ___
Co-receptors. CD8 and CD4
- CD8 is associated with MHC class I
- CD4 is associated with MHC class II
The co-receptors bind to conserved regions of the MHC molecules
CD8+ T Cells
Killer T cells kill infected target cells (involves MHC I)
CD4+ T Cells
Helper T cells instruct other cells using cytokines (involves MHC II) –> ex. telling a macrophage to increase its killing capacity or differentiating a B cell into a plasma cell
Do B cells communicate with the host cell?
No, they do not. They can bind an antigen and activate signals to change its gene expression. Antibodies can also neutralize antigens. Only T cells are in communication with host cells.
CD “cluster of differentiation”
- Part of a numerical designation for many immune molecules. There are over 400 CD designations.
ex. CD8 is a coreceptor that binds to the MHC class I. T cells that express this are CD8 T cells which have certain properties like being cytotoxic. CD8 can be identified using anti-CD8 monoclonal antibodies
Do immunoglobulins and TCRs recognize the same antigens?
no
What do immunoglobulins recognize?
- Practically any organic molecule in any confirmation
- Can agglutinate antigens and opsonized antigens
- Epitopes can have many shapes
- Most epitopes are exposed on the surfaces of extracellular molecules or microbes
What do TCRs recognize?
- Only LINEAR peptide sequences and MHC that aren’t necessarily exposed on the surface of a protein
- They don’t agglutinate or opsonize
BCRs bind ____, ______ _____ that are in the _____ environment. They work to make ___ eliminate ____ threats.
BCRs bind intact, folded antigens that are in the extracellular environment. They work to make antibodies eliminate extracellular threats.
TCRs only bind _____ ___ ______ that are shown to them by ___ cells. They control _______ threats
TCRs only bind processed peptide antigens that are shown to them by host cells. They control cellular-associated threats
How can the Fc portion of antibodies be used for experimental purposes?
The antibody Fc portion can be labeled with something to detect when an antibody binds to an antigen such as fluorescent molecules or enzymes. Fluorescent molecules will glow in UV light and enzymes will produce color changes in samples
What are the three ways that antibodies can identify cells/antigens?
- Antibodies can identify cells floating in a solution (flow-cytometry)
- Antibodies can identify cells in tissue samples (immunofluorescence microscopy)
- Antibodies can identify molecules on test membranes in diagnostic tests
Flow cytometry
Identifies cell markers like CD3 chains in T cells and NKT cells, IgM on some B cells, and CD62L (naive T cells and naive B cells )
Immunofluorescence Microscopy
- You can attach a fluorophore to an antibody and then put them on samples. You can shine a specific wavelength (excitation) onto the sample, the fluorophore absorbs the sample. absorbs the energy, and becomes excited. Shortly after, it emits light at a longer wavelength which is the emission or on the visible spectrum
Diagnostic Tests
Antibodies can identify molecules on test molecules. For example, for a western blot you have have antigens of interest. You can have an antigen and have the primary antibody bind the signaling kinase antigen. Then, you can have a secondary antibody that is anti-IgG (which is the first antibody) so it binds the Fc conserved portion of the primary antibody.
- It will light up because the secondary antibody is enzyme linked so when you add a substrate, it will cleave it and the color will change.
Are antibodies commercially available?
Yes
Fluorophore
A fluorescent molecule that emits light when it is excited by high-energy light (i.e. Fluroescein (FITC), R-phycoerythrin (PE) can be covalently attached to Fc portions of Abs without interfering with Ab binding to the antigen.
What are the normal ranges for blood leukocytes
Neutrophiles: 40-75%
Monocytes: 2-10%
Eosinophiles: 1-6%
Basophiles: 0-1%
Total lymphocytes: 20-50%
B Cells: 30-40%
T Cells: 60-85%
NK Cells: 4-26%
What are the lymphocytes you need to remember?
B cells
T cells
NK cells
FSC
Forward scatter measures the size of the cell by sending a light through and seeing how large the scattering of light behind it is
Large cells?
Monocytes
Macrophages
Large granulocytes
Medium cells?
Neutrophiles
Small cells?
Lymphocytes
SSC
Side scatter measures the granularity of a cell or how complex it is (how many organelles it has inside)
Which cells have the highest granularity?
-Granulocytes (neutrophiles, NK cells, basophils, eosinophils)
Which cells have medium granularity?
Monocytes and macrophages
Which cells have the lowest granularity?
Lymphocytes
Steps of flow cytometry
- Incubate fluorophore-conjugated antibodies with a tube of cells. This is called ‘staining’ the cells with Ab. Wash away all Ab that aren’t bound to cells. Also put a fluorescent dye in tube that seeps into dead cells to stain them
- Pass the cells through the flow cytometer. Lasers excite the fluorophores. Detectors collect data on fluorescence and light scattering properties of each cell as it passes.
ELISA
ELISA measures antigen in a solution.
“Traditional” ELISA
- Coat the plate with sample
- Add the antibodies that bind the antigen. They have a enzyme
- Wash unbound antibody
- Add enzyme to make colored substrate `
Sandwich ELISA
- Coat the plate with antibody
- Add your sample in and it will bind with the antibody that is already on the plate
- Add a second antibody that will bind to a different epitope. This antibody has an enzyme
- Then add a substrate for the antibody with the enzyme and it will release the color into the solution
Why do you need a standard for ELISAs
You need a standard in ELISAs that actually has your antigen so you can compare it to the results that you do have.
Monoclonal Antibodies
Antibodies that are injected to bind a target (microbe or immune component) can treat or prevent disease
Give the example from class on a mAb and how it is used
- A therapeutic mAb could be Rituximab, an anti-CD20 IgG
- The tumor cell antigen could be CD20 if this were a B cell tumor (CD20 is expressed on all B cells)
- You could have NK cell killing of tumor cell by antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (as well as a number of other ways due to tagging)
What are examples of other B cell targeted mAbs?
- Blinatumomab : CD19
- Rituximab : CD20
- Alemtuzumab : CD52
- all B cell cancerous cells
Why do therapeutic antibodies not work all the time (COVID)?
- mAb lost their effectiveness when new variants with mutated RBD epitopes arose. The new viral variant was not neutralized by the mAb treatment. This is because the antigen had mutated and altered, affecting the binding affinity of the mAb. e
Where can peptides come from?
Peptides can come from infected cells. Infected cells start to generate the proteins they need to survive, but using the endogenous route, the cells are able to take the protein, chop it into peptides and put it in an MHC molecule (class I in this case) and presented to a T cell
An aB T cell will only respond to a cell that presents ___ and ____
An aB T cell will only respond to a cell that presents peptide in MHC
The T cell is MHC restricted
What are the MHC molecule classes
MHC I and MHC II
What are the different types of T cells that respond to the different MHC molecules?
- CD8 T cells respond to MHC I. Any nucleated cell can present MHC class I
- CD4 T cells respond to MHC II. Only B cells, macrophages and dendritic cells can respond
- CD4 binds to the B domain of MHC II molecule
Antigen processing
Is the first step. It is generating peptides from protein-containing molecules in a cell and loading the peptides onto new MHC molecules.
Antigen presentation
This is the second step. Sending loaded MHC molecules to the surface and displaying peptide antigens in MHC molecules on the surface