Inflammation

Question 1

What are cytokines?

Answer 1

Small non-antibody proteins that regulate immune response

Question 2

Give examples of cells involved in acute inflammatory response.

Answer 2

Neutrophils
Mast cells
Eosinophils

Question 3

What is the role of mast cells in inflammation?

Answer 3

Release of histamine, increasing permeability of capillaries to WBC allowing them to reach the affected area

Question 4

What is the role of complements in inflammation?

Answer 4

When stimulated by a trigger, complements activate and stimulate phagocytes and antibodies to respond

Question 5

What is the role of prostaglandins in inflammation?

Answer 5

Chemical mediators that cause increased blood flow to site and stimulation of white blood cells

Question 6

What are neutrophils?

Answer 6

First white blood cells activated in the event of pathogen invasion

Question 7

What are eosinophils?

Answer 7

Upon activation they are responsible for production of interleukins

Question 8

What are interleukins?

Answer 8

Cytokines that stimulate the development and differentiation of T and B cells

Question 9

How does inflammation contribute to the development of solid tumours?

Answer 9

In chronic inflammation, tissue resident macrophages and mast cells secrete factors to recruit leukocytes from the circulation

Question 10

What effect does stress have on cortisol?

Answer 10

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is unregulated meaning that the corticotropin releasing hormone is hyper secreted from the hypothalamus.
Adrenocorticotropin is released from the pituitary, interacting with the adrenal gland and causing cortisol release.

Question 11

What is cortisol?

Answer 11

A steroid hormone responsible for blood glucose control, metabolism and reduction of inflammation

Question 12

How does stress contribute to inflammation?

Answer 12

When stressed, cortisol receptors become desensitised leading to increased activity of pro-inflammatory mediators

Question 13

How does cortisol impair immune function?

Answer 13

Decreases levels of TNF and IL-2
Induces WBC death
Reduces inflammatory response

Question 14

What are the key features of obesity?

Answer 14

Size and number of adipose cells increased

Inflammatory and endothelial stroll vascular fraction of adipose tissue increased

Question 15

What negative effects does obesity have on inflammation?

Answer 15

Imbalance in pro-inflammatory immune response, triggering pathways in brain and adipose tissue
Increased secretion of leptin and cytokines, and decreased secretion of adiponectin

Question 16

What occurs in obesity induced adipose tissue inflammation?

Answer 16

Adipocyte hypertrophy
Angiogenesis
Immune cell infiltration
Extracellular matrice overproduction
Increased production of adipocytokines

Question 17

How does visceral fat contribute to metabolic disease?

Answer 17

Due to low grade inflammation via insulin resistance and atherosclerotic build up

Question 18

What is atherosclerosis?

Answer 18

Accumulation of cholesterol at damaged arterial endothelium

Question 19

What occurs to WBC in atherosclerosis?

Answer 19

Macrophages digest cholesterol and become foam cells which degenerate to form atheroma

Question 20

Where do plaques within arteries generally form?

Answer 20

Areas of low shear stress such as at branches and bends

Mechanosensors are limited, priming cells for inflammation by inducing adhesion molecules

Question 21

What role do mechanosensors play in the blood?

Answer 21

Found in areas of high shear stress and activate kruppel-like factor 2 and nuclear factor erythroid 2 to suppress pro inflammatory signalling

Question 22

How do antibodies function as drugs?

Answer 22

Bind to antigens allowing recognition by NK cell CD16 receptors, causing CD16 cross linking to trigger degranulation. Tumour cells then die by apoptosis