ANTIGENS TRIGGERS OF

ANTIGENS:
AQUIRED IMMUNITY
PATHOGEN Organism
PATHOGEN. O i that
th t cause a disease
disease.
di

VIRULENCE Ability to cause disease.

VIRULENCE. disease

PRIMARY PATHOGEN. Organism that cause a disease almost every time

it invades
i d a healthy
h lth individual.
i di id l

SECONDARY PATHOGEN. Organism that cause a disease only if the

immune response is impaired
impaired.
IV_10_1_The_immune_Response.swf
 ANTIGEN
(Antibody generator)
Antigen (Ag)

Ab
 ANTIBODY
(Ab = Antigen binding)

• Antibodies do not bind to the whole agent

• Binds to one of many molecules (Ag)

• Many for one organism

• Binds to a restricted part of the Ag (Epitope)

• Ag has many epitopes (different or repeated)

 ANTIBODY
(Ab = Antigen binding)

• Antibodies do not bind to the whole agent

• Binds to one of many molecules (Ag)

• Many for one organism

• Binds to a restricted part of the Ag (Epitope)

• Ag has many epitopes (different or repeated)

 Cell
membrane

Flagellum
Ribonucleo-
Ribonucleo- H Ag
protein

Pili
Cell wall
F Ag
O Ag g

Cell sap, Capsule

enzymes K Ag
g

Structure of a bacterium and the localization of important Ag

 KDO

Cell wall
polysaccharide
0A
Ag

Lípid A
Peptidoglycan
((*NAG
NAG, NAM) P i
Porin
Cell membrane Cell membrane

Gram-positive Gram-negative

NAG= N-acetyl
y gglucosamine
NAM= N-acetyl muramic acid

The basic structure of cell walls

 Envelope
(lipoproteins
glycoproteins)

Core
(nucleic acid)

Capsomers
(good Ag)

The structure of a virus (important Ag)

NONMICROBIAL ANTIGENS
 CELL--SURFACE ANTIGENS
CELL

A
Blood group Ag
A B
RBC
B
AB
O

Rh Factor
(Rhesus
macacus) Rh
A +/-
+/-
B +/-
+/-
AB +/-
+/-
O +/
+/--
 CELL--SURFACE ANTIGENS
CELL

MHC I
MHC II
Endogenous Ag
Exogenous g

Nucleated cell

MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX

 WHAT MAKES A GOOD ANTIGEN?

Host genetics
Chemical Stability
Size

Route of
administration Antigenicity Dose

Complexity
Foreignness
Particulate vs. Soluble
Denatured vs. Native

Factors that influence antigenicity

 DR. POLLY MATZINGER

The immune system has two questions

to answer when faced with a potential
pathogen.

1. Shall I respond??

2. how does the immune system know

what kind of response to make?

Galadriel Mirkwood
An innate sense of Danger
1 nm

Glucose
Angiotensin 1.03 kDa

Albumin 66 kDa

I
Inmunoglobulin
l b li G 160 kDa
kD

Fibrinogen 400 kDa

I
Inmunoglobulin
l b li M 900 kDa
kD

Relative sizes of several Ag

 Factors Influencing Immunogenicity
Method of Administration

• Dose

• Route
– Subcutaneous > Intravenous > Intragastric

• Adjuvant
– Substances that enhance an immune response to an Ag
Chemical Nature of Immunogens

• Proteins

• Polysaccharides

• Nucleic Acids

• Lipids
 EPITOPE OR ANTIGENIC DETERMINANT
(immunodominant region of a molecule)

epitope

Microorganism
(huge Ag collection)
 HAPTENS
(Greek haptein = to grasp or fasten)

DINITROPHENOL = (DNP)

NOT IMMUNOGENIC
BECAUSE < 1,000 Da
 Hapten DNP
molecule

Carrier
protein

Native
epitope

Several epitopes attached to a peptide chain.

 EXAMPLES OF HAPTENS
PENICILLIN

Chronic dermatitis, hair loss, and depigmentation.

 EXAMPLES OF HAPTENS

POISON IVY (Rhus radicans) = allergic contact dermatitis

 EXAMPLES OF HAPTENS

CHROME

NICKEL
 EXAMPLES OF HAPTENS

Resins or latex
 Bacteria or Blood group O
Food carrying epitope A

Group A blood Ab to blood

transfusion group A

Severe transfusion
reaction

Food or bacteria Ag in diet carry epitopes that cross-react

cross react with
blood group A. Animal of group blood O makes Ab to A epitope
despite never having received group A red cells.