T lymphocytes and antigen recognition Flashcards
What is most likely to determine an individual subject’s HLA type?
inheritance from parents
How many alleles in total are inherited from parents for HLA determinants?
12:
* MHC I: 2 each of HLA A, B, C
* MHC II: 2 each of DP, DQ, DR
What are the 3 HLA classes which are major determinants of the HLA phenotype?
A, B DR
What are the 2 key functions of T lymphocytes?
- destroy intracellular pathogens
- TCR recognises small peptide fragment of antigen presented by MHC molecules on the surface of host infected cell
What is the T cell receptor analogous to in B cells?
membrane-bound Fab portion of antibody
Where are the variable and constant regions of T cell receptors?
variable = towards N terminus
constant = towards the membrane
How does the TCR influence intracellular signalling?
cytoplasmic tail too short for signalling; polypeptides associate with CD3 polypeptides with longer cytoplasmic domains (gamma, delta, episolon and zeta CD3 subsets)
What are the 2 major populations of T cells and their roles?
- CD4+: T helper cells, see peptides on MHC class II (class II restricted)
- CD8+: cytotoxic cells, see peptides on MHC class I (class I restricted)
What process increases the avidity of T cell target cell interaction?
co-receptor molecules bind to the relevant MGC
What are 3 functions of CD8 T cells?
- cytotoxic, kill target cells
- secrete cytokines
- induce apoptosis in the target cell
What are 5 overall functions of T helper cells (CD4)?
- secrete cytokines
- Recruit effector cells of innate immunity
- help activate macrophages
- Amplify and help Tc and B cell responses
- MHC molecules present antigen fragments at cell surface
What are 2 key types of T helper cells (CD4) and their respective roles?
- CD4 Th1: activate macrophages
- CD4 Th2: amplify antigen-specific B cell response
What are T cell precursors called and how do they develop?
progenitor cells: develop in bone marrow then migrate towards the thymus in the circulation; once mature leave thymus travel around body in the circulation
Where in the thymus does T cell maturation occur?
from cortex to medulla
How do T cell progenitors develop to CD4 and CD8 T cells?
- initially express neither (CD4 or 8) i.e. double negative; in the cortex, T cells express a TCR precursor (pre TCR; β + “surrogate” αTCR).
- then become double positive -express both CD4 and CD8
- in the medulla, many different αβTCR’s created by gene rearrangement
- generated TCRs express either CD4 or 8 - single positive
How does DNA get rearranged to develop the TCR protein?
germline DNA coding alpha and beta separately undergo rearrangement and recombination
What maintains the selection process of T cells in the thymus meaning only useful cells leave the thymus?
Checkpoints - occurs during interactino with macrophages and dendritic cells within the thymus
What are the 2 checkpoints in the thymus that ensure selection of T cells?
- Pre-TCR checkpoint: is new β chain functional? no -> apoptosis
- Post-TCR checkpoint: is αβ TCR functional? Is it dangerous/autoreactive? no; / yes -> apoptosis