12a. Immune Health - General

Question 1

What is the role of the immune system?

Answer 1

Identify/neutralise pathogens
Distinguish self vs non-self
Distinguish pathological vs non-harmful antigens
Repair the site of any injury/damage
Tumour surveillance

Question 2

What are the implications of immune dysfunction?

Answer 2

Increased susceptibility to infection
Increased susceptibility to AI
Allergies and AI (cross-reactivity)
Insufficient repair/scarring/cell damage/ chronic inflammation
Inability to recognise and kill cancer cells

Question 3

What is the internal threat of an immune over-reaction?

Answer 3

AI condition

Question 4

What is the internal threat of an immune under-reaction?

Answer 4

Cancer
Re-activated viruses

Question 5

What is the external threat of an immune over-reaction?

Answer 5

Allergic reactions
Food intolerances

Question 6

What is the external threat of an immune under-reaction?

Answer 6

Infection

Question 7

What theory helps explain why some people become ill and others don’t despite same exposure to a pathogen?

Answer 7

Terrain theory

Question 8

What are the new challenges to our immune system?

Answer 8

Dysfunctional immune programming due to less diverse/early pathogen exposure/compromised gut microbiome
New antigens - exposure to toxins
Reduced resilience due to unhealthy lifestyles
Overuse of antibiotics

Question 9

What systems is the immune system made up of?

Answer 9

Innate
Acquired/adaptive

Question 10

What is the innate external immune system made up of?

Answer 10

Skin
Mucous membranes
Sebum
Sweat
Stomach acid
Tears
Mucous/SIgA
Vaginal bacteria

Question 11

What is the innate internal immune system made up of?

Answer 11

Phagocytes
Basophils/mast cells
Fever
Interferons
Complement system
Natural killer cells

Question 12

Which immune cells are antigen presenting?

Answer 12

CD4
CD8

Question 13

Which immune cells make up the acquired/adaptive immune system?

Answer 13

CD4
Th1
Th2
Th17
T-reg

Question 14

What is effective immunity dependent upon?

Answer 14

Healthy barrier tissue - skin, gut, lungs
Presence of secretions - tears, saliva - with antimicrobial properties
Probiotic bacteria
MALT/GALT secreting SIgA
Leukocytes recognising pathogens via pattern recognition
Inflammation - quarantines particular area
Adaptive immune system

Question 15

What is the function of Th1 cells?

Answer 15

Defence against intracellular pathogens - viruses
Anti-cancer/tumour

Question 16

Which cytokine m promotes differentiation of CD4 cells into Th1?

Answer 16

IL-12

Question 17

What triggers the differentiation of CD4 cells into Th1?

Answer 17

Cytotoxic T-cells
Macrophages
IFN-y
TNF-a/b

Question 18

What is the function of Th2 cells?

Answer 18

Defence against extracellular pathogens - parasites

Question 19

Which cytokine is promotes differentiation of CD4 cells into Th2?

Answer 19

IL-2
IL-4
IL-5

Question 20

What triggers the differentiation of CD4 cells into Th2?

Answer 20

IL-4, 5, 10, 13
B-cell antibody production (IgE)

Question 21

What is the function of Th17 cells?

Answer 21

Defence against extracellular pathogens

Question 22

Which cytokine is promotes differentiation of CD4 cells into Th17?

Answer 22

IL-1
IL-6
TGF-b

Question 23

What triggers the differentiation of CD4 cells into Th17?

Answer 23

IL-6, 17, 22
TNF-a
All involved in the chronic stage of inflammatory diseases inc allergies/AI

Question 24

What is the function of T-reg cells?

Answer 24

Modulate and deactivate the immune system

Question 25

Which cytokines get produced by T-reg cells?

Answer 25

TGF-b
IL-10

Question 26

Where do most peripherally produced T-reg cells get produced?

Answer 26

GALT

Question 27

Which two T-helper cells need to be in balance?

Answer 27

Th1
Th2

Question 28

What does Th1 dominance drive?

Answer 28

Chronic inflammation
AI

Question 29

What does Th2 dominance drive?

Answer 29

Allergies

Question 30

What is crosstalk?

Answer 30

When Th1 is activated, Th2 is down-regulated
When Th2 is activated, Th1 is down-regulated