Unit 2: Advanced Concepts In Immunology Flashcards
what is the function of interferons (type 1, a/b)?
- makes cells more resistant to replication
- enhances antigen presentation
- increased degradation of viral mRNA
- reduction of viral protein synthesis
- increased antigen presentation
what is the function of virus neutralising antibody?
virus neutrilisation in extracellular fluid
what is the function of CD8+ killer T cells?
destruction of virus-infected cells during replication phase
how can viruses avoid virus neutrilising antibodies?
- formation of syncytium
continual transmission without ever going into extracellular fluid via viral fusion protein to surrounding uninfected cells
= large multinucleated cells - genome integration into host (retrovirus)
- malignant proliferation
Describe how Ebola uses antigen decoys to evade the immune system
- decoy similar to structural protein, but soluble
- secreted on mass to saturate antibody binding sites
- v.particle released, but antibody already complexed
describe how CD8+ killer T cells cause infected cell death
- detect MHCI presentation on infected cell
- degranulate = release perforin + granzymes
- FasL + TNF = cytotoxic cytokines act on death receptors
- trigger caspase cascade = apoptosis
give some examples of immune-privileged sites
- CNS
- eyes
- testes
what is recrudescence?
reactivation of latent infection to become fulminant again
what are some triggers for recrudescence?
- stress (cortisol = immunosuppressive)
- medication
- lowered immunity
some bacterial capsules are made from components commonly found in the host - what is the advantage of this?
molecular mimicry - immune system evasion
how does a bacterial capsule interfere with the complement cascade?
inhibit correct binding of serum proteins (for activation of complement) via C3b pathway
inhibits phagocytosis
what do adhesin proteins A and M target as a phagocytosis evasion strategy?
Fc portion of IgG
interferes with IgG binding - binds Fc region instead of binding domain
how are some bacteria able to survive within a phagosome?
- production of detoxifying components
- catalase production
what is an AMP?
antimicrobial peptides
- multiple cysteine residues
how can bacteria evade AMPs?
- presence of a capsule
- LPS layer in G-ve (LPS binds to AMP, prevents binding with membrane target)
how can bacteria evade the action of lysozyme?
can alter the chemistry of peptidoglycan = deacetylation at O residue
what is horizontal gene transfer?
the ability to require genetic material from eg the environment
= genetic variation
what is phase variation?
the switching of protein expression in bacteria to an off phase (reversible)
what are the mechanisms of phase variation?
- hypermutable sequences eg poly G-tracts
- recombination
- promotor inversions
- epigenetic mechanisms eg methylation
what is the process which causes phase variation occurs via hypermutable sequences
- tract length of G9 = full length transcription product (ON)
- insertion mutation = G10/G11 = often early stop codon (gene OFF state)
- more insertions (G12) = gene back to ON
what genes contribute to capsule synthesis via addition of sialic acid?
- cssA
- cssC
what are DAMPs?
damage-associated molecular patterns
give some examples of prokaryotic PAMPs
- flagellin
- peptidoglycan
- LPS
- bacterial DNA
- lipoteichoic acid