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Microbiology - Autoimmunity
pgs 192 - 202
30
Microbiology
Professional
10/03/2010

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Term
autoimmunity definition
Definition
reflects loss of immunologic tolerance to self tissues and cellular antigens

"immune cells attack self tissues!"

"forbidden" or self-reactive lymphocytes were physically eliminated during ontogeny

autoreactive lymphocytes are generally of no pathological consequence because they are rendered ANERGIC (incactive) by maturation of lymphocytes processes

if the maturation process fails to render these self-reactive cells ANERGIC or doesn't eliminate them through apoptosis, the potential of an autoimmune disease developing is highly likely
Term
central tolerance of T cells
Definition
physical deletion of autoreative lymphocytes clones

Negative selection - primary mechanism

thymic T cells that react against self peptides presented by Class I or Class II MHC molecules are triggered into apoptosis (receive signal 1 in absence of signal 2)
Term
the effectiveness of negative selection is dependent upon what?
Definition
negative selection, like regular foreign antigen immune defenses, depends on the immune systems ability to present the self peptides in MHC molecules correctly

(as in having the correct antigen peptide anchor residues in relation to polymorphic contact residues in MHC molecules)
Term
what are the two things that go wrong in central tolerance
Definition
certain self-peptides may not be available in thymus for negative selection

MHC may not present certain peptides effectively for negative selection
Term
relative risk
Definition
numerical value

the risk for getting certain autoimmune diseases increases when individuals carry particular MHC alleles (different alleles are related to different diseases)
Term
cryptic epitopes
Definition
epitope - region on antigen peptide that invokes an immune response

cryptic epitopes arise when APCs do not efficiently process antigens and present "cryptic" epitopes that are WEAKLY immunogenic

as an antigen is processed ,cryptic epitopes are revealed that don't initially activate T cells, but become prominent later in the response (epitope spreading)
Term
what are the 4 mechanisms of peripheral tolerance of T cells

(peripheral tolerance - regulates self-reactive T cells that escape the thymus
Definition
autoimmune T cell responses are limited by...

1. hiding self antigens in IMMUNOLOGICALLY PRIVILEGED SITES (CNS)

2. CD4+ cells are limited by restricted tissue/cell distribution of MHC class II

3. CTL responses limited by the restricted tissue/cell distribution of costimulatory molecules such as B7 (CD80/86) - inappropriate expression of co-stimulatory molecules will increase the prob of autoimmune T cell responsiveness

4. Treg cells (regulatory T cells) provide balance of cytokines (stop runaway cytokine responses and can result in anergy of autoimmune lymphocytes)
Term
how do immunologically privileged sites contribute to peripheral tolerance
Definition
autoimmune T cell responses are hindered by KEEPING SELF ANTIGENS that can potentially make an autoimmune response AWAY FROM these potentially autoreactive T cells

CNS is an example of an area that contains antigens that aren't screened against in thymus, thus, they must be kept away
Term
how are TH1, TH2 and TH17 (CD4+) cells kept from invoking autoimmune response after they have left the thymus (peripheral tolerance)?
Definition
these cells can only react to antigen presented on MHC class II molecules

thus, they are restricted to tissues and cell areas that contain these types of antigen presenters
Term
how are autoimmune CTL responses avoided after these CD8+ cells have left the thymus (peripheral tolerance)
Definition
CTLs are also limited by the restricted tissue/cell distribution of co-stimulatory molecules (such as B7 which contains CD80/86)

T cells given signal 1 in absence of signal 2 will undergo apoptosis/anergy
Term
how do Treg cells help prevent autoimmunity (peripheral tolerance)
Definition
they provide a delicate balance of cytokines that can steer autoimmune responses away from potentially harmful effector activities

this can result in anergy of autoimmune lymphocytes
Term
explain central tolerance of B cells
Definition
must delete immature (IgM-only) B cells via negative selection

occurs in bone marrow

3 things can go wrong
1. limited exposure to self-antigens results in incomplete deletion of B cells
2. mutation of B cells activated against foreign antigen could result in a new B cell that is reactive to self-antigens
3. B cells made against a foreign antigen could closely resemble a self antigen and thus allow for IMMUNE CROSS REACTIVITY
Term
what are the 3 things that can go wrong in central tolerance for B cells?
Definition
1. limited exposure to self-antigens results in incomplete deletion of B cells

2. mutation of B cells activated against foreign antigen could result in a new B cell that is reactive to self-antigens

3. B cells made against a foreign antigen could closely resemble a self antigen and thus allow for IMMUNE CROSS REACTIVITY
Term
antigen mimicry
Definition
antigen has structural similarity to self peptides

results in immune cross reactivity (antibodies attack both antigen and the self-peptide that is similar)
Term
give some examples of antigen mimicry in common pathogens
Definition
streptococcal M protein ---> heart valve tissue (causes rheumatic fever)

measles virus P3 antigen -> myelin basic protein

Polio virus VP2 antigen -> acetylcholine receptor

Cytomegalo virus IE2 antigen -> HLA-DR antigen

Papilloma virus E2 antigen --> insulin receptor
Term
in antigen mimicry, what does the streptococcal M protein mimic?
Definition
heart valve tissue

causes rheumatic fever
Term
in antigen mimicry, what does the measles virus P3 antigen mimic?
Definition
myelin basic protein
Term
in antigen mimicry, what does the polio virus VP2 antigen mimic?
Definition
acetylcholine receptor
Term
explain peripheral tolerance in B cells
Definition
it is composed of two branches, ANTIGEN SEQUESTRATION and SPLIT TOLERANCE

antigen sequestration involves hiding potentially autoreactive antigens in immunologically privileged sites (CNS, interior of eye lens)

split tolerance happens when a B cell is autoreactive and has escaped negative selection, however, it is unable to be activated because it's helper T cell (TH2) has successfully been destroyed/anergized through T cell central/peripheral tolerance (CAVEAT - anergic T cells can be activated or B cells can bypass activation with helper T cells)
Term
split tolerance
Definition
split tolerance happens when a B cell is autoreactive and has escaped negative selection, however, it is unable to be activated because it's helper T cell (TH2) has successfully been destroyed/anergized through T cell central/peripheral tolerance

CAVEAT - anergic T cells can be activated or B cells can bypass activation with helper T cells (T Cell Bypass mechanisms)
Term
explain the 2 main T cell bypass mechanisms
Definition
1. nonspecific, T inducer-INDEPENDENT
MITOGENS and ADJUVANTS; these products can activate B cells w/o inducer T cells; e.g. Staph protein A, Epstein-Barr virus

2. nonspecific, T inducer-DEPENDENT
in this scenario, a foreign antigen physically links to a self antigen, causing antibodies to be formed against the self antigen; B cells activated by TH2 cells; ALSO, TH cells may come in contact with PARTIALLY DEGRADED SELF-ANTIGENS that seem foreign, its activated B cells will attack these self antigens
Term
explain the different ways self-reactive antibodies cause autoimmune disease
Definition
1. they increase or decrease tissue activities due to BINDING OF ANTIBODY TO BIOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT RECEPTOR MOLECULES (e.g. myasthenia gravis)

2. antibody-mediated COMPLEMENT LYSIS (thrombocytopenia)

3. IMMUNE-COMPLEX DISEASE - antigen-antibody complexes my nonspecifically activate complement cascade causing bystander tissue damage

4. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) - Fc RECEPTOR-bearing killer cells (CTL/NK cells) can demonstrate cytotoxicity against cells bound by specific antibody; effector cells themselves express no specificity for antigen, just Fc portion of antibody

5. Antibody-mediated attack by FcR-bearing and Complement Receptor-bearing phagocytes

6. danger to prenatal infants
Term
list the examples of autoimmune diseases of unknown etiology
Definition
grave's disease (agonist for Thyroid SH receptor = hyperthyroidism)

myasthenia gravis (antagonist for ACh receptors)

insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (insulin receptor)

multiple sclerosis (demyelinating disease of CNS; antibody thought to target myelin itself or oligodendrocytes)

rheumatoid arthritis (type IV HS with TH17 cells; IgG produced by synovial B cells attacked by anti-IgG antibody)

goodpasture's syndrome

systemic lupus erythematosus
Term
LE cells
Definition
phagocytes that try to dispose of immune complexes... unsuccessfully
Term
Anti-receptor diseases (antibody attacks receptor)
Definition
Graves Disease - TSH receptor agonist (hyperthyroidism)

Myasthenia Gravis - AChReceptor antagonist

Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus - pancreatic islet cells antagonist
Term
multiple sclerosis
Definition
demyelinating disease of the CNS

inductive event unknown

mixed and complex immune effectors; antibody and cell-mediated responses probably involving type II and type IV HS

type II and type IV HS

remitting-relapsing progression; activating vs. suppressing regulation

antigenic target unclear; myelin producing cells (oligodendrocytes) vs. myelin itself
Term
rheumatoid arthritis
Definition
type III and type IV HS

prominent immune complex disease in joints

abnormal IgG is produced in the synovium of certain individuals

an Ab response is generated against the abnormal IgG

the anti-IgG antibody is referred to as Rheumatoid Factor (RF)

with time, large quantities of insoluble antigen/antibody complexes trigger complement cascade

result is progressive tissue damage in the joint
Term
systemic lupus erythematosus
Definition
systemic; multiple tissues specificities; prominent ANA+(anti nucleic acid)/DNA-reative antibodies and hematopoietic/lymphopoietic cell antibodies

inducing event unknown; likely regulatory dysfunction with sex hormone influences (note greater incidence in women during child-bearing years)

prominent immune complex disease causing characteristic rash, serum complement depletion, kidney disease, and LE cells
Term
immunopathologic consequences in SLE
Definition
antibody reactivities ---pathologic consequences

erythrocytes ---------------hemolytic anemia
platelets ------------------thrombocytopenia
coagulants ----------------clotting problems
lymphocytes --lymphopenia, immune deficiencies
neutrophils--neutropenia, phagocyte deficiencies
neuron---------------------CNS dysfunction
above antibody reactivities plus-----------SICD
DNA, Nucleoproteins, IgG--------Renal disease
Term
goodpasture's syndrome
Definition
type II HS

autoantibodies against type IV collagen of the basement membrane

primarily react with renal that of renal glomeruli, but can also react with pulmonary alveoli
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