Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Difference between type 2 and 3 hypersensitivity

Both are IgG mediated reaction. Only difference is,

Type 2 - Antigen is cell surface - good pasture, erythroblastosis
Type 3 - Antigen is soluble and in plasma. Reacts with antibody and diffuses to joint - in Rheumatoid arthritis. Stays in blood in arthus reaction and serum sickness

Complements


COMPLEMENT SYSTEM


What is the complement system?

Be sure at the outset to get your mind around the idea that the complement system is a set of over 20 different protein molecules always found in the blood. There are no cells in the system. With an infection, this system of molecules is activated, leading to a sequence of events on the surface of the pathogen that helps destroy the pathogen and eliminate the infection.

How is the complement system activated?

The complement system can be activated in two main ways. The first means of activation is part of the innate (natural) immune response. (i.e.; neither antibodies nor T cell receptors are involved.) For example, certain polysaccharides found on the surface of bacteria can activate the system. This can occur immediately and does not require prior exposure to the molecules.
The second and most potent means occurs in a adaptive immune response when antibodies (IgG or IgM) binds to antigen at the surface of a cell. This exposes the Fc region of the antibody in a way that allows the first complement protein (C1) to bind.

What happens as a result of the activation?

But in either case, a cascade of events follows, in which each step leads to the next. At the center of the cascade are steps in which the proteolysis of a complement protein leads to a smaller protein and a peptide. The smaller protein remainds bound to the complex at the surface of the microorganism, while the peptide diffuses away.
Refer to the figure to the right. Notice how complement C3 is cleaved into C3b andC3a. C3b remains bound to the complex at the surface of the microorganism. This not only activates the next step, but also C3b is a good opsonin. The small peptide, C3a diffuses away and acts as a chemotactic factor and an inflammatory paracrine.
Next, complement protein C5 is cleaved into C5b and C5a. The C5b remains bound to complex on the surface of the cell while the C5a diffuses away and acts much like C3a.
Then the complement proteins C6, C7, and C8 bind successively to the growing complex. Finally, a number of C9 complement proteins bind to the complex. These C9 proteins are elongated molecules that form a circle with a large hole in the middle. This structure, which is called a membrane attack complex (MAC), pierces the membrane of the cell. This initiates a sequence of event leading tolysis (of a microbe) or apoptosis (of a cell of the body in pathologies and tissue transplants).
Thus the complement system triggers a constellation of effects that helps deal with an infection:
  • opsonization
  • chemotaxis
  • inflammation
  • lysis, apoptosis



http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Describe_the_action_of_the_B_cells_and_T_cells_in_an_immune_response


T cell and B Cell action



  • T cell
  • Th cells: T helper cells which bind to foreign antigens on an antigen presenting cell (APC) and secrete cytokines, hereby initiating an immune system response.
  • Tc cells: T cytotoxic cells, which bind to the infected cell and secretes the cytotoxins perforin and granulysin and thus lysing the cell, killing it.
  • Ts cells: T suppressor cells, which shutdown the immunity system after the infection has been eliminated from the body.
B cells, upon detecting the presence of cytokines, take residence in the spleen or lymphnode  divide and differentiate into two types of cells: 
  • Plasma cells; which secrete antibodies
  • Memory cells; which persist in the body in case there is a recurrent infection with the same disease, then a faster and more efficient immune response would occur.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Monday, May 7, 2012

Antigenic Drift vs Antigenic shift

Viruses overcome antibodies formed during previous exposure by -

Antigenic Drift -  small mutations in genes changes the shape of antigen , so antibodies can no longer bind them

Antigenic Shift -  2 or more strains combine to form new strain

Virus Families

Non- Enveloped

PiCoRnA - Polio, Coxackiae, Rhino(common cold), Hep A
Reovirsus - Rota - viral stomach flu - esp in children, coltivirus- colorado tick fever
Calci virus - Hep E


Enveloped -
Paramyxo virus - - RNA -- measles, mumps, parainfluenza, respiratory syncitial virus (
called so cos its envelope contains fusion proteins whihc cause infected cells to fuse and form syncitium - mutinucleated giant cell).
Ohter members of this group have hemagglutinin and neuraminidase

Herpes -DNA -  HSV 1,2 , varicella zoster, EBV, cytomegalo, type 8- kaposi's sarcoma
multiplies inside nucleus
establish silent infection- latent

Hepatitis Virus Families

Hepatitis A - Picorna virus  - All A is Cornay
Hepatitis B - Hepadna ------------------------------------------> only DNA virus
Hepatitis C - Flavi - Citrus Flavoured
Hepatitis D - Delta virus
Hepatitis E - Calcivirus - tEEth need CALCIum