TD: immunotherapy

Question 1

What is immunotherapy?

Answer 1

A treatment which uses the body’s own immune system to fight disease

Question 2

What are types of immunotherapies?

Answer 2

Types of immunotherapy:

• Biological response modifiers
  
  • Cytokines
  • Interferons
  • Interleukins
• Colony stimulating factors
  
  • Stimulate the production of blood cells
• Vaccines
• Monoclonal AB

Question 3

Describe the process of immunotherapy and the 2 approaches that can be used

Answer 3

Treatment of disease by Inducing, Enhancing or Suppressing the Immune System. This can be either:

• Active immunotherapy:- Stimulates the body’s own immune system to fight the disease.

or

• Passive immunotherapy:- Does not rely on the body to attack the disease, uses immune system components (such as antibodies) created outside the body.

E.g. patient who has suppressed immune system (kidney transplant) and in close contact with chickenpox – give hyperserum from patient previously contracted therefore pre-formed AB present

Question 4

What is inflammation and what does it involve

Answer 4

Inflammation is a response of the body to injury (e.g. physical trauma, chemical, infection). This response can be acute or chronic. It is the process by which the body attempts to dilute, destroy or isolate a noxious agent and repair the damage.

The most potent effect of the immune system. The inflammatory response is characterized by the generation of inflammatory mediators and accumulation of fluid and leukocytes from the blood into the extravascular tissues.

Inflammation It is a protective strategy but goes too far too often. Management of inflammation is at least a part of almost all clinical practices.

Question 5

What are the 5 signs of inflammation

Answer 5

1. Redness (ruber):- Dilation of capillaries
2. Swelling (tumor):- Fluid containing plasma proteins and blood cells
3. Heat (calor):- Increase in blood flow
4. Pain (dolor):- pressure on nerve; chemical mediators (e.g. bradykinin)
5. Loss of function (functio laesa): the fifth cardinal sign

Question 6

What happens when the inflammatory response is out of balance?

Answer 6

Inflammation is a system in balance. If it comes out of balance we either get:

1. Immunosuppression:- Altered resistance to infectious disease and neoplasia e.g. cancer patients, kidney transplant

or

1. Immunostimulation:- hypersensitivity and autoimmune diseases

Question 7

What is hypersensivity and what are the classes?

Answer 7

Inappropriate and excessively large inflammatory response to a noxious stimulus. Stimulus can be chemical (drugs, diet, pollen) or mechanical (tissue injury).

Hypersensitivity occurs on second and subsequent contact with an antigen the immune system may react excessively and lead to pathological consequences resulting in deleterious reactions rather than providing protection.

The Gell and Coomb’s classification is widely used for hypersensitivity reactions and is based on the delay between re-exposure to the antigen and the onset of hypersensitivity reactions. There are four different types.- Types 1,2,3, and depend on interaction of antibody with antigen

Type 4 is termed delayed because of the longer time course and involves T-cells

Question 8

Disccus functions of different T-cells

Answer 8

T-cells contain Cluster of differentiation markers (CD) based on glycoproteins on the surface.

Helper T Cells (CD_4, T_H):

• T-cell Receptor (TCRs):- Recognize antigens presented by MHC II molecules
• TH1: Activate cells related to cell-mediated immunity
• TH2: Activate B cells to produce antibodies

Cytotoxic T Cells (CD8, T_C):

• T_C Recognize antigens presented by MHC I molecules
• Killer cells