VIVA: Pathology - Immunity Flashcards
Where are B lymphocytes located?
4/5 to pass:
- Bone marrow
- Circulating
- Lymph nodes
- Spleen
- Peripheral lymphoid tissue
How do B cells respond to antigenic stimulation?
Specific receptor complex (IgM)
Transformation to plasma cell
Production of specific immunoglobulins
How are B cells activated in a graft vs host reaction?
CD4+ T helper cells
Cytokines (IL-4, IL-5)
B cell stimulated by antigen in presence of cytokines
What are the normal barriers to infection by ingested pathogens in gastrointestinal tract?
3/7 to pass:
- Acid gastric secretions
- Viscous mucosal layer
- Lytic pancreatic enzymes
- Bile detergents
- Secreted IgA antibodies
- Competition for nutrients with commensal bacteria
- Clearance by defecation
Describe the barriers to infection that exist within the respiratory tract
2/4 to pass:
- Mucociliary blanket within upper airways for trapping large microbes
- Coughing (clears microbes from trachea)
- Ciliary action within trachea and large airways (moves them up to be swallowed)
- Alveolar macrophages or neutrophils attack and destroy microbes
What processes can disrupt the normal protective mucociliary action?
3/6 to pass:
- Smoking
- Cystic fibrosis (viscous secretions)
- Aspiration of stomach contents
- Trauma of intubation
- Viral infection
- Bacterial infection
What are the major classes of lymphocytes?
B lymphocytes
CD4+ T helper lymphocytes
CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes
Natural killer cells
What is the role of each class of lymphocytes in the normal immune system?
Adaptive immunity:
- Circulate widely and re-circulate (especially T cells)
- Respond to foreign substances and other antigens
- Can become effector or memory cells
B cells (humoral immunity):
- Recognise antigen via transmembrane IgM/IgD
- Differentiates into plasma cell which secrets Ig
- B cells also have complement receptors, Fc receptors, CD40
T cells (cell-mediated immunity):
- Antigen-specific T cell receptor
- Binds to Ag on cells (on MHC molecules on APCs)
- Activates cell depending on type
- CD4+ / T helper cells recognise class II MHC bound Ag -> cytokine release -> macrophage activation, inflammation and B cell stimulation
- CD8+ / T cytotoxic cells recognise class I MHC bound Ag -> destruction of infected cell
NK cells:
- Kill infected and tumour cells
- No prior exposure needed
- Healthy cell class I MHC inhibits natural killer cell
- Can also secrete cytokines to contribute to inflammatory response
*need B-humoral + concept, and T-cell-mediated + concept to pass
Outline the sequence of events in type 1 hypersensitivity
- Initial antigen exposure
- Dendritic cells present antigen to T helper cells
- T helper cells differentiate into TH2 cells
- TH2 cells release cytokines that cause B cells to produce IgE
- IgE binds to mast cells
- On repeated exposure, antigen binds to and cross-links with IgE on mast cells, leading to activation of mast cells and release of:
- Vasoactive mediators (e.g. histamine, proteases, chemotactic factors; immediate)
- Lipid mediators (e.g. leukotrienes, complement, prostaglandins, platelet-activating factor; immediate)
- Cytokines (e.g. TNF; late-phase) - Action of mediators on end organs results in clinical manifestations of anaphylaxis (vasodilation, vascular leakage, smooth muscle spasm)
*need initial and repeated Ag exposure, IgE and mast cell degranulation to pass
What are the pathological changes that occur at the tissue level in type 1 hypersensitivity?
3/5 to pass:
- Vasodilation
- Increased vascular permeability
- Smooth muscle spasm (bronchospasm)
- Cellular infiltration
- Epithelial damage
What are the organ effects of an anaphylactic response?
3 to pass (from different systems):
- Overwhelming activation of type 1 hypersensitivity reaction: hypotension, hypoperfusion of organs
- Skin reactions: rashes, in some cases blisters
- Mucosal involvement: angioedema
- Respiratory tract: broncho infiltrates, bronchial smooth muscle contraction, upper airway oedema leading to airway obstruction
What characterises the late phase reaction seen in type 1 hypersensitivity?
- Ongoing inflammatory reaction without additional exposure to triggering antigen
- Characterised by infiltration of the tissues with eosinophils, neutrophils, basophils, monocytes, and CD4+ T cells as well as tissue destruction, typically in the form of mucosal epithelial cell damage
- Time course 2-24 hrs later without additional exposure, may last for days
What are the actions of mast cell mediators in type 1 hypersensitivity? Give examples
Cellular infiltration: leukotrienes, platelet-activating factor, cytokines, other chemotactic factors
Vasoactive effects: histamine*, platelet-activating factor, leukotrienes, PGD4
Smooth muscle spasm: leukotrienes, histamine, prostaglandins, platelet-activating factor
*histamine + two others + reasonable actions needed to pass
What are the primary mediators within the mast cell granules and their actions
Biogenic amines*:
- E.g. histamine
- Intense smooth muscle contraction
- Increased vascular permeability
- Increased secretion by nasal, bronchial, and gastric glands
Enzymes*:
- E.g. neutral proteases (chymase, tryptase), acid hydrolases
- Contained in the granule matri
- Cause tissue damage and lead to generation of kinins and activated components of complement (e.g. C3a) by acting on their precursor proteins
Proteoglycans*:
- E.g. heparin, chondroitin sulfate
- Package and store other mediators in the granules
*need 2/3 with an example of each
Describe the two phases that occur in a type 1 hypersensitivity reaction
Phase 1*:
- Initial rapid reaction
- Onset within 5-30 mins and subsides within 60 mins
- Vasodilation, vascular leakage, smooth muscle spasm, glandular secretion
- Mediated by biogenic amines, enzymes (e.g. proteases), proteoglycans (e.g. heparin), cytokines
Phase 2:
- After 2-24 hrs
- Infiltration of basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils, CD4+ T cells with tissue destruction (especially mucosal)
*needed to pass + time frame + at least one mediator