Section 2: Systemic autoimmunity - Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Flashcards
Autoimmunity
failure of an organism to recognize self antigens, resulting in immune responses to that organism’s tissues
-if affects 5-7% of the population
-a variety of factors result in autoimmune diseases (genetics, environmental exposures, and infections)
-in general all result from the breakdown of self tolerance and the development of an adaptive immune response to self antigens
-more common in women than in men
central tolerance
- In the thymus, T cell progenitors give rise to billions of thymocytes, each with a different T cell receptor
- thymocytes are positively selected by epithelial cells in the cortex of the thymus
- positively selected thymocytes to survive and divide
- Positively selected thymocytes clones are negatively selected in the thymic medulla
- clones surviving negative selection leave the thymus for circulation (less than 1% are selected by pathogens)
Mechanisms that contribute to self-tolerance
-negative selection in bone marrow (B cell) and thymus (T cell)
-expression of tissue-specific proteins in the thymus
-no lymphocytes access to some tissue (brain, eye, testis)
-supression of autoimmune response by regulator T cells
-induction of anergy in autoreactive B+T cell
anergy
-state of programmed functional inactivation following exposure to an antigen. B+ T cells are said to be anergic when they cannot respond to their specific antigen
senescence
(immunosenescence) is the graudal loss of immune function due to natural aging
Autoimmune effector functions
-similar to hypersensitivity reactions, autoimmune diseases can be classified by the effector mechanism causing the disease
-three types: Type II, Type III, and Type IV
-can also be group by organ specific or systemic
autoimmune hemolytic anemia: autoantigen and consequence
-Rh blood group antigens, I antigen
-destruction of RBC by complement and phagocytes anemia
Autoimmune thrombocytopenia purpura: autoantigen and consequence
-platelet integrin
-gpllb:llla
-abnormal bleeding
Goodpasture’s syndrome: autoantigen and consequence
-non collagenous domain of basement membrane collegen type IV
-glomerulonephritis , pulmonary hemorrhage
pemphigus vulgaris: autoantigen and consequence
-epidermal cadherin
- blistering of skin
acute rheumatic fever: autoantigen and consequence
-streptococcal cell wall antigens, antibodies cross-react with cardiac muscle
-arthritis
-myocarditis
-late scarring of heart valves
graves’ disease: autoantigen and consequence
-thyroid stimulating hormone receptor
-hyperthyrodism
myasthenia gravis: autoantigen and consequence
-acetylocholine receptor
-progressive weakness
type 2 diabetes (insulin resistant diabetes): autoantigen and consequence
-insulin receptor (antagonist)
-hyperglycemia
-ketoacidosis
hypoglycemia: autoantigen and consequence
-insuline receptor (agonist)
-hypoglycemia