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Antigen
This module will help you
Immunogenicity is influenced by
Immunogenicity is generally higher for proteins than for other organic molecules.
Protein antigens, which are the predominant sort that activate helper T cells,
consequently induce more B cell antibody production, synthesis of IgG or IgA,
and generation of memory B and T cells. T-independent antigens, which
activate only B cells, induce IgM synthesis but not other adaptive immune
responses.
Each part of the antigen bound by a unique antibody is called an epitope. Most
proteins have several epitopes that are recognized by different B cells and
induce a polyclonal antibody response. In a polyclonal response, several
clones of B cells each make different antibodies, all able to bind to the same
antigen but at different epitopes. Epitopes may be shared by closely related
antigens (cross-reactivity), so that antibody made to tetanus toxoid binds
tetanus toxin. A protein epitope may be a linear sequence of amino acids or it
may be assembled by protein folding. Epitopes with definite three-dimensional
shapes and charged amino acids are particularly well recognized by antibodies.
External membrane and cell wall molecules, often present in many copies on the
pathogen, are common B cell antigens. A small peptide of 4-6 amino acids could
fit into an antibody binding site, but larger proteins have more extended epitopes
across their surfaces.
Active immunity is induced by exposure to antigen. Antigen dose and the route
and timing of antigen contact, as well as immunogenicity, influence the
magnitude and nature of the immune response. Very high or very low doses of
antigen induce tolerance, the inability to respond to that antigen, while
intermediate doses induce immunity. We are generally tolerant to cell-bound and
soluble antigens present in our own bodies. Oral tolerance to foods is common,
although some foods induce allergic reactions.
Upon initial (primary) contact with an antigen, a lag of several days occurs before
increased antibody production or cellular immunity can be detected. During this
time the innate immune response is occurring. Macrophages and neutrophils
engulf and destroy the pathogens; complement is activated to stimulate
inflammation and pathogen lysis; NK cells kill virus-infected host cells; and
cytokine production results in inflammation, increased body temperature (fever),
and increased hematopoiesis.
CD Antigen Markers
Key Concepts
Practice Quiz
Pick the one BEST answer for each question by clicking on the letter of the
correct choice.
4. The antibiotic penicillin is a small molecule that does not induce antibody
formation. However, penicillin binds to serum proteins and forms a complex that
in some people induces antibody formation resulting in an allergic reaction.
Penicillin is therefore
a. an antigen.
b. a hapten.
c. an immunogen.
d. both an antigen and a hapten.
e. both an antigen and an immunogen.
a. blood circulation.
b. draining lymph nodes.
c. MALT.
d. skin.
e. spleen.
7. During the lag period between antigen contact and detection of adaptive
immunity,
8. To elicit the best antibodies to mouse MHC I, you should inject it into
a. a goat.
b. a mouse of the same genetic background (strain).
c. a mouse of a different strain.
d. a rat.
e. the mouse you isolated it from.
a. cellular response.
b. humoral response.
c. innate response.
d. primary response.
e. secondary response.
11. Immunogenicity
a. blood stream.
b. bone marrow.
c. liver.
d. lymph nodes.
e. skin.
a. adjuvant.
b. carrier.
c. hapten.
d. mitogen.
e. superantigen.
a. is not antigen-specific.
b. is produced only in response to polymeric antigens.
c. is produced by several B cells recognizing different epitopes on the same
antigen.
d. occurs during the lag phase of the immune response.
e. violates clonal selection.
a. a secondary response.
b. hypersensitivity.
c. immunological ignorance.
d. low zone tolerance.
e. low zone immunity.
16. A virus vaccine that can activate cytotoxic T cells MUST contain
18. CD antigens
19. A patient desperately needs a bone marrow transplant, and a perfect match
cannot be found. The rejection response in unmatched marrow is primarily due to
the presence of mature T cells that recognize the recipient's cells as foreign. To
minimize this rejection response, the marrow can be treated before transfusion
into the recipient with complement plus antibody to human
a. CD3.
b. CD4.
c. CD8.
d. CD28.
e. CD154.
a. CD21.
b. CD56.
c. CD80.
d. Igα .
e. µ chain.
Problems
1. For your independent study, your mentor has asked you to test the specificity
of several antibodies: anti-mouse CD3, anti-mouse CD4, anti-mouse µ chain,
and anti-mouse CD79α . The anti-CD3 and anti-CD79α are labeled with FITC
(fluorescein isothiocyanate, which fluoresces green). The anti CD4 and anti-µ
chain are tagged with PE (phycoerythrin, which fluoresces red), and you have a
flow cytometer at your disposal.
a) Which cells will you stain to test for specificity and what results do you expect.
HINT: think about which cells should be stained by each antibody and where they
will be found in the mouse. (Erythrocytes would always be removed before
staining.) Draw a flow diagram showing log fluorescence intensity (horizontal
axis) vs. number of cells (vertical axis) for a positive and negative sample.
b) What will you use as your controls? (Some background fluorescence is usually
seen even with nonspecific antibodies and must be checked.)
c) Because you have two fluorochromes, you can do two color fluorescence by
staining one population with two antibodies at once. Draw the flow diagram for
spleen cells (erythrocytes removed) stained with both FITC-anti-CD3 and PE
anti-µ , where log FITC intensity is plotted on the vertical axis and log PE
intensity is plotted on the horizontal axis. HINT: Draw a square and divide it into
four equal boxes.
Write anti-CD3 on the vertical axis and anti-µ on the horizontal axis. Cells
positive for CD3 but not µ go in the top left box. Cells positive for µ but not
CD3 go in the bottom right box. Cells positive for both CD3 and µ (if any) go in
the top right box, and cells negative for both (if any) go in the bottom left box.
d) Now do the same kind of plot for anti-CD3 vs. anti-CD4 and for anti-µ vs.
anti-CD79α . Which cells in the spleen are stained for one (single positive),
both (double positive), or neither (double negative) marker? [If you can't draw
the diagrams, just list the cells that will stain with each marker).
e) Would the results differ if you used cells from the blood? the thymus? The
bone marrow?
References
Top
http://microvet.arizona.edu/Courses/MIC419/Tutorials/antigen.html
Written by Janet M. Decker, PhD jdecker@u.arizona.edu
Last modified February 15, 2007