Thrush- Immunological Tolerance and Autoimmunity

Question 1

can tolerance be induced by blood transfusions?

Answer 1

yes (not always effective though)

Question 2

where are self-reactive cells most tolerant to self molecules (not all self-reactive cells are being destroyed)?

Answer 2

peripheral tolerance

Question 3

what is failure of self vs. non-self

Answer 3

autoimmunity

Question 4

would antigens introduced in high concentrations to the body become tolerant?

Answer 4

yes, because the high concentration will fool the body into thinking that it belongs

Question 5

do very low levels of antigens introduced to the body trigger an immune response?

Answer 5

no, it triggers tolerance because the body doesn’t want to spend the energy to kill it

Question 6

what type of tolerance describes how b cells in the bone marrow and t cells in the thymus are tested for self-reactivity and undergo apoptosis if they are self-reactive?

Answer 6

central tolerance

Question 7

which of the following: a self reactive B cell or self reactive T cell undergoes a stronger autoimmune response?

Answer 7

self reactive T cell because if they bind to a self antigen they produce cytokines which will also give rise to B cells to attack the tissue and also lead to memory cell formation.

Question 8

what is unique about CTLA-4?

Answer 8

it can inhibit T cells

Question 9

what is the role of Tregs?

Answer 9

they help suppress the immune response to self-tissues by producing cytokines

Question 10

what is Foxp3?

Answer 10

a gene in Tregs - if there is a loss/mutation there can be autoimmunity

Question 11

what leads to autoimmunity?

Answer 11

release of sequestered antigens, loss of suppression, cross-reactive antigens, altered self-antigens and break of tolerance

Question 12

why are women more likely to have autoimmune disease?

Answer 12

they produce more antibodies and have higher CD4 cell counts

Question 13

why would pregnant females have higher activity of B cells in an autoimmune response?

Answer 13

because sex hormones Th1 cells can be switched to Th2 cells and Th2 cells secrete cytokines that will make B cells highly active

Question 14

what is significant about glucocortiocoids?

Answer 14

they are immunosuppressive

Question 15

what happens in Hashimotos thyroiditis?

Answer 15

autoantibodies and Th1 cells lead to damage of thyroid (hypothyroidism). in a microscope you would notice that the thyroid is being invaded by lymphocytes (immune response)

Question 16

what is the primary problem in lupus?

Answer 16

production of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) that bind to DNA, histones, RBCs, platelets, clotting factors etc.

Question 17

patients with lupus often develop immune complexes. what do they do?

Answer 17

the accumulation of immune complexes with antigens can activate an inflammation reaction and lysis of cells that can damage bystander cells

Question 18

what factors lead to a patient being diagnosed with MS? and what happens during MS?

Answer 18

environmental and genetic factors.

autoreactive T cells attack myelin sheath proteins and cause decreased function

Question 19

in RA what leads to the inflammation in joints?

Answer 19

IgM antibodies binding to Fc region of IgG (antigen) or auto-nuclear antibodies leads to immune complex formation (inflammation and complement activation)