Week 5 Flashcards
Fungal brain infection
C.albicans part of normal human commensal flora
Causes wide range of infections following disruption to immunity
Defence is mediated primarily by innate immunity carried by myeloid cells (includes neutrophils and macrophages)
Tissue resident macrophages are first responders to infection
Tissue resident macrophages are found everywhere
Often specialised to the organ e.g microglia in brain
Help in development
Many arise during embryogenesis and are not replenished by bone marrow
Pathogens are recognised by PRRs
Bind PAMPs
Main families of PRRs:
-TLRs signal via MyD88
-CLRs signal via CARD9
-NOD-like receptors
macrophages phagocytose the pathogen
Non-opsonised phagocytosis . PRR-PAMP binding
Opsonised phagocytosis. Antibody or complement binding
Phagosome fuses with lysosomes to form a phagolysosome leads to antigen presentation and pathogen killed.
Antigen presentation activates the active immune response, activation of T cells, antibody production etc
Gene expression- receptors can start activating transcription factors in nucleus of cell which transcribe to different genes
Cytokines
Small proteins signal to other immune cells
Proinflammatory (eg TNFa, IFNg)
Anti inflammatory (eg IL-10)
Help ‘direct’ an immune response
Many are called ‘interleukins’ IL followed by a number
Receptors often the cytokine name followed by R (eg IL-1R binds IL-1 cytokines
Chemokines
Mostly signal to immune cells and coordinate their movement in tissues
Either called CCL or CXCL followed by a number
Receptors are CCR or CXCR followed by a number
No set pattern between number of the chemokines and the receptors (eg CXCR4 binds CXCL12)
Activated macrophages make cytokines to promote inflammation
TNFa (pro-inflammatory cytokine): activates vascular endothelium; increases permeability brings more immune cells to site, fever (more difficult for microbes to grow)
IL-6: lymphocyte activation, boost antibody production. Fever, acute phase, protein production
IL-8: boosts chemotaxis, recruits neutrophils to site of infection
IL-1b: activates vascular endothelium, activates lymphocytes. Fever, production of IL-6
Chemokines form gradients
Tissue resident macrophages produce lots chemokines
at site infection
Other macrophage follows concentration of chemokines to area of infection
Chemotaxis
Chemotaxis brings inflammatory cells from the blood into the tissue
Rolling adhesion. Weak binding: leukocyte = carbohydrates, endothelium= selectins
Tight binding: leukocyte=integrins, endothelium= ICAMs
Diapedesis: immune cell moves inbetween endothelial cells into tissue
Migration
Leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD)
Primary immunodeficiency caused by mutations in adhesion molecules (integrins, selectins)
Leukocytes cant get from blood into tissue-> failure of chemotaxis
Different types depending on inherited mutation
Inability to make pus; belly-button inflammation (omphalitis)
Inflammatory mediators can help boost chemotaxis
Histamine
Prostaglandins: important for vasodilation, drive in inflammation
Leukotrienes: can act like a chemokines especially for neutrophils
Mast cells (innate immune cell): many granules packed full of histamine and other mediators. Granule release after activation (PRRs, pressure) driving Chemotaxis response
Neutrophils
Short lived (~2 days in blood)
Made in bone marrow
Numerous
Quickly infiltrate infected tissue
Granules
Highly phagocytic
Oxidative killing
Monocytes
Short lived (~2days in blood)
Made in bone marrow
Numerous
Quickly infiltrate infected tissue
No granules
Less phagocytosis and killing
Differentiate into macrophages once in tissues
The bone marrow makes more neutrophils during an infection
myeloblast-> promyelocyte-> myelocyte-> metamyelocyte-> band cell-> mature neutrophil
Cytokines have systemic effect on bone marrow to make more neutrophils
The bone marrow produces 1-2 10^11 neutrophils per day
Inflammatory mediators and complement proteins can regulate neutrophil production and their lifespan
Healthy person: WCC 610^9 neutrophils 4.5 10^9 CRP<3
ICU patient: WCC 3410^9, neutrophils 26*10^9, CRP 323
Causes of neutropenia
Not enough produced in bone marrow:
-aplastic anaemia
-blood cancers
-radiation
Autoimmunity
Chemotherapy
Circulating neutrophils not getting into tissue
Neutrophils kill pathogens
Especially bacteria and fungi
3 lobed nucleus ands granules
Neutrophil granules:
Primary (azurophilic):
-myeloperoxidase
-cathepsins
-defensins
-lysozyme
-elastase
Specific (secondary):
-lactoferrin (sequesters iron so microbes dont have all nutrients needed to grow)
-collagenase
Gelatinase (tertiary)
-gelatinase
-MMP9
Neutrophils use oxidative killing to make ‘bleach’ that kills pathogens
NADPH oxidase-> superoxide anions
Superoxide dismutase converts this into hydrogen peroxide
Myeloperoxidase MPO converts this into Hypochlorous acid effectively bleach
Failures in neutrophil killing:
- chronic granulomatous disease CGD cant activate NADPH oxidase
-MPO deficiency
-Chediak Higashi syndrome: phagosome cant mature because dont get fusion between lysosomes and phagosomes so don’t get full assembly of enzymes
Increased susceptibility to various infections
NETosis
A type of extracellular killing for large pathogens
Specialised cell death pathway
Neutrophils turn themselves inside out
Nuclear membrane breaks down, chromatin de condensation, DNA outside Cell covered in antimicrobial components, membrane rupture
NETs are sticky and can stop pathogens moving
NETs also full of toxic molecules and enzymes; damage to cell walls and membranes to burst pathogen cells
Key components of NETs:
-calprotectin
-histones/DNA
-antimicrobial peptides
-MPO
-elastase