Week 3 Pathology - Immunity and Neoplasia Flashcards
What is innate immunity? Components?
Mechanisms to fight infection before they occur - rapid response within the first 12 hours
Epithelial barriers, phagocytes, dendritic cells, NK cells, complement
What is adaptive immunity? What are the two types?
Mechanisms stimulated by specific infection, generated targeted response against inciting pathogen.
1) Humoral –> extracellular pathogens
2) Cell mediated –> intracellular pathogens
What is the role of macrophages?
Digestion of microbes and protein antigens, allowing them to be presented as peptide fragments on MHC II molecules to T cells (function as antigen presenting cells)
What are the two pathways by which phagocytosis occurs for macrophages?
- Non-opsonic: scavenger receptors, c-type lectin receptor (direct recognition)
- Opsonic: Fc receptor + Ab or complement (indirect recognition)
What is the role of B cells?
Mediator of humeral response, production of antibodies (plasma cells).
Begin life as ‘naive’ B cells, with membrane bound antibodies, which after stimulation with an antigen, cause them to develop into plasma cells capable of producing antibodies against the antigen
What is the role of MHC-I molecules?
Expressed on all nucleated cells, recognised by CD8-T cells, (cytotoxic T lymphocytes) derived from intracellular proteins/peptides
i.e. are useful for INTRAcellular pathogens
What is the role of MHC-II molecules?
Expressed on antigen presenting cells (macrophages, B cells, dendritic cells)
Presenting antigens that have been phagocytosed/internalised into vesicles/lysosomes and combined with MH-II to be presented on membrane for recognition by CD4 positive T cells
For repetition, difference between MHC I and II?
I = intracellular pathogens, all nucleated cells produce them, allow recognition by CD8 T cells
II = extracellular pathogens, expressed by APC, for CD4 recognition
What cells predominantly secrete cytokines?
Dendritic cells, activated lymphocytes and macrophages
What are the cytokines involved in chemotaxis?
TNF, IL-1, IL-2, Type I IFNs
What are the cytokines involved in adaptive immunity?
IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-17, IFN-gamma
What are the cytokines involved in limiting adaptive immune response?
IL-10, TGF - beta
Where is complement formed? Where is it found?
Synthesised in the liver, found in plasma in inactive form
What are the 3 different pathways of complement activation?
- Classical pathway: C1 fixation to Ab/Ag complex
- Alternate pathway: microbial surface molecule, in absence of Ab
- MB-Lectin Pathway: trigger by mannose binding lectin protein binding to carbohydrates on microbes, directly activating C1
What is the critical step in complement activation?
Activation of C3 - most abundant
All pathways converge on a common pathway step which is formation of C3 convertase, splitting C3 into C3a and C3b.
Regarding As and Bs, memory aid for recalling function?
In general, B sticks to the membrane like honey to a B.
A is released, and goes to get more help (C3a and C5a stimulate histamine release from mast cells, and chemotaxis of monocytes, granulocytes to site of inflammation)
What is the result of C3b binding to membrane of pathogen?
Formation of C5 convertase, cleaves C5 into C5a and B.
C5b remains attached to cell surface and binds ‘late components’ C6-9 which form MAC –> direct cell lysis via making cells permeable to water and ions
What are the most important opsonins?
Fc portion of IgG
C3b
Lectin
What is Type I Hypersensitivity characterised by?
“IgE mediated hypersensitivity”
Also known as immediate hypersensitivity
The “traditional” allergic reaction, responsible for allergy/anaphylaxis/asthma.