Immunology:

The branch of life science which deals with immune reaction is known as immunology.

Components of Immune System:

The immune system consists of a network of diverse organs and tissue which vary structurally as well as functionally from each other. These organs remain spreaded throughout the body. Basically, immune system is a complex network of lymphoid organs, tissues and cells.

These lym­phoid organs can be categorized under three types depending upon their functional aspects:

i.  Primary lymphoid organ.

ii. Secondary lymphoid organ.

iii.Tertiary lymphoid organ.

White blood cells or leukocytes are the basic cell types which help to give rise to different types of cells which participate in the development of immune response . WBC are classified into granulocytes and agranulocytes depending on the presence or absence of granules in the cyto­plasm.

Agranular leukocytes are of two types, viz., lymphocytes and monocytes. Lymphocytes play pivotal role in producing defensive molecules of immune system. Out of all leukocytes, only lymphocytes possess the quality of diversity, specificity, memory and self-non self recognition as various important aspects of immune response.

Other cell types remain as accessory one; help to activate lymphocytes, to generate various immune effector cells, to increase the rate of anti­gen clearance 

All cells of the immune system have their origin in the bone marrow 

myeloid (neutrophils, basophils, eosinpophils, macrophages and dendritic cells) 

lymphoid (B lymphocyte, T lymphocyte and Natural Killer) cells .

The myeloid progenitor (stem) cell in the bone marrow gives rise to erythrocytes, platelets, neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages and dendritic cells whereas the lymphoid progenitor (stem) cell gives rise to the NK, T cells and B cells. 

For T cell development the precursor T cells must migrate to the thymus where they undergo differentiation into two distinct types of T cells, the CD4+ T helper cell and the CD8+ pre-cytotoxic T cell. 

Two types of T helper cells are produced in the thymus the TH1 cells, which help the CD8+ pre-cytotoxic cells to differentiate into cytotoxic T cells, and TH2 cells, which help B cells, differentiate into plasma cells, which secrete antibodies. 

Function of the immune system is self/non-self discrimination. 

This ability to distinguish between self and non-self is necessary to protect the organism from invading pathogens and to eliminate modified or altered cells (e.g. malignant cells). 

Since pathogens may replicate intracellularly (viruses and some bacteria and parasites) or extracellularly (most bacteria, fungi and parasites), different components of the immune system have evolved to protect against these different types of pathogens.

ANTIGENS

Immunogen
A substance that induces a specific immune response.

Antigen (Ag)
A substance that reacts with the products of a specific immune response.

Hapten
A substance that is non-immunogenic but which can react with the products of a specific immune response. Haptens are small molecules which could never induce an immune response when administered by themselves but which can when coupled to a carrier molecule. Free haptens, however, can react with products of the immune response after such products have been elicited. Haptens have the property of antigenicity but not immunogenicity.

Epitope or Antigenic Determinant
That portion of an antigen that combines with the products of a specific immune response.

Antibody (Ab)
A specific protein which is produced in response to an immunogen and which reacts with an antigen.

FACTORS INFLUENCING IMMUNOGENICITY

- Larger the molecule the more immunogenic it is likely to be.

- More complex the substance is chemically the more immunogenic it will be.

- Particulate antigens are more immunogenic than soluble ones and denatured antigens more immunogenic than the native form.

- Antigens that are easily phagocytosed are generally more immunogenic. This is because for most antigens (T-dependant antigens, see below) the development of an immune response requires that the antigen be phagocytosed, processed and presented to helper T cells by an antigen presenting cell (APC).

- Some substances are immunogenic in one species but not in another. Similarly, some substances are immunogenic in one individual but not in others (i.e. responders and non-responders). The species or individuals may lack or have altered genes that code for the receptors for antigen on B cells and T cells or they may not have the appropriate genes needed for the APC to present antigen to the helper T cells.

Method of Administration

1. Dose
The dose of administration of an immunogen can influence its immunogenicity. There is a dose of antigen above or below which the immune response will not be optimal.

2. Route
Generally the subcutaneous route is better than the intravenous or intragastric routes. The route of antigen administration can also alter the nature of the response

3. Adjuvants
Substances that can enhance the immune response to an immunogen are called adjuvants. The use of adjuvants, however, is often hampered by undesirable side effects such as fever and inflammation.

TYPES OF ANTIGENS

T-independent Antigens
T-independent antigens are antigens which can directly stimulate the B cells to produce antibody without the requirement for T cell help In general, polysaccharides are T-independent antigens. The responses to these antigens differ from the responses to other antigens.
Properties of T-independent antigens

1. Polymeric structure
These antigens are characterized by the same antigenic determinant .

2. Polyclonal activation of B cells
Many of these antigens can activate B cell clones specific for other antigens (polyclonal activation). T-independent antigens can be subdivided into Type 1 and Type 2 based on their ability to polyclonally activate B cells. Type 1 T-independent antigens are polyclonal activators while Type 2 are not.

3. Resistance to degradation
T-independent antigens are generally more resistant to degradation and thus they persist for longer periods of time and continue to stimulate the immune system.

T-dependent Antigens
T-dependent antigens are those that do not directly stimulate the production of antibody without the help of T cells. Proteins are T-dependent antigens. Structurally these antigens are characterized by a few copies of many different antigenic determinants as illustrated in the Figure 2.

HAPTEN-CARRIER CONJUGATES

Hapten-carrier conjugates are immunogenic molecules to which haptens have been covalently attached. The immunogenic molecule is called the carrier.

Structure
Structurally these conjugates are characterized by having native antigenic determinants of the carrier as well as new determinants created by the hapten (haptenic determinants). The actual determinant created by the hapten consists of the hapten and a few of the adjacent residues, although the antibody produced to the determinant will also react with free hapten. In such conjugates the type of carrier determines whether the response will be T-independent or T-dependent.

SUPERANTIGENS

When the immune system encounters a conventional T-dependent antigen, only a small fraction (1 in 104 -105) of the T cell population is able to recognize the antigen and become activated (monoclonal/oligoclonal response). However, there are some antigens which polyclonally activate a large fraction of the T cells (up to 25%). These antigens are called superantigens .

Examples of superantigens include: Staphylococcal enterotoxins (food poisoning), Staphylococcal toxic shock toxin (toxic shock syndrome), Staphylococcal exfoliating toxins (scalded skin syndrome) and Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins (shock).

ANTIGEN-ANTIBODY REACTIONS

Affinity of the antigen-antibody reaction refers to the intensity of the attraction between antigen and antibody molecule.
Antigen-antibody reactions

Reaction test            Modified test

Precipitation  -> Immunoelectrophoresis, Immunoprecipitation
Agglutination -> Latex agglutination, Indirect, Haemagglutination , Coagglutination ,Coombs test

Neutralization  -> Measurement of LD, Plaque assays

Complement fixation  -> Conglutination

Immunofluorescence ->  Indirect immunofiuorescence, Immunoofluoremetric Assay

Enzyme immunoassay -> Enzyme linked, Immunosorbent assay

Radioimmunoassay -> Immunoradiometric assay

Avidity is the strength of the bond after the formation of antigen-antibody complex.

Sensitivity refers to the ability of the test to detect even very minute quantities of antigen or antibody. A test shall be called as highly sensitive if false negative results are absent or minimal.

Specificity refers to the ability of the test to detect reactions between homologous antigens and antibodies only, and with no other. In a highly specific test, false positive reactions will be minimal or absent.

Radioimmunoassays (RIA)

It is an extremely sensitive technique in which antibody or antigen is labelled with a radioactive material. The amount of radioactive material in the antigen-antibody complex can be measured with which concentration of antigen or antibody can be assayed. After the reaction ‘free’ and ‘bound’ fractions of antigen are separated and their radioactivity-measured.
 

Cell Functions:
-> Autolysis

- degradative reactions in cells caused by indigenous intracellular enzymes – usually occurs after cell death
- Irreversible (along with Coagulative necrosis or infarcts) – reversible: fatty degeneration, & hydropic degeneration

-> Autolysin:
•    Ab causing cellular lysis in the presence of complement
•    Autolytic enzymes produced by the organism degrade the cell’s own cell wall structures

-> In the presence of cephalosporins & penicillins, growing bacterial cells lyse
•    W/o functional cell wall structures, the bacterial cell bursts

-> Heterolysis: cellular degradation by enzymes derived from sources extrinsic to the cell (e.g., bacteria)

-> Necrosis: sum of intracellular degradative reactions occurring after individual cell death w/in a living organism

THE PLASMIDS

The extrachromosomal genetic elements, called as plasmids are autonomously replicating , cyclic ,double stranded DNA molecules which are distinct from the cellular chromosome 

Classification

Plasmids can be broadly classified as conjugative and nonconjugative. 

Conjugative plasmids are large and self-transmissible i.e. they have an apparatus through which they can mediate their own transfer to another cell after coming in contact with the same. Example:  RF and certain bacteriocinogen plasmids.

Nonconjugative plasmids are small in size and can be mobilised for transfer into another cell only through the help of a conjugative plasmid. To this group belong some ‘r’ determinants and few bacteriocinogenic plasmids. Plasmids can also be transferred without cell contact by the process of transfection.

Properties of plasmids

Double stranded DNA , Autonomously replicate in host cell, Plasmd specific, Free DNA is transferred b transfection

Significance of Plasmids :The spread of resistance to antibiotics is one such well known example. These also play an important  role in the geochemical  cycle by spreading genes for the degradation of complex organic compounds.