Lecture 13- Type 1 Hypersensitivity Flashcards
(83 cards)
What is a hypersensitivity reaction?
When the immune system mechanisms cause damage instead of protection.
How is immune system homeostasis disrupted on its own?
- It may over react to antigens such as with allergies.
- It may under-react as with HIV.
- It may react to self proteins as with autoimmune diseases.
What are the disorders of the immune system?
Allergy, autoimmunity, and immunodeficiency.
Describe hypersensitivity reactions.
Exaggerated, uncontrolled immune responses that are damaging to the host; undesirable side effect of immunity manifesting.
What do hypersensitivities cause?
Trivial discomforts like itching of the skin to potentially fatal diseases like bronchial asthma; diseases include some autoimmune diseases, allograft rejection reactions, various allergic conditions, etc.
What is tissue damage mediated by?
Host effectors’ mechanisms.
What are the general characteristics of type 1 hypersensitivity?
- Immediate hypersensitivity.
- Involve IgE-mediated release of histamine and other mediators from mast cells and basophils.
What are the general characteristics of type 2 hypersensitivity?
- Cytotoxic hypersensitivity.
- Involve IgG or IgM Abs bound to cell surface antigens with subsequent complement fixation.
What are the general characteristics of type 3 hypersensitivity?
- Immune complex-mediated hypersensitivity.
- Involve circulating antigen-antibody immune complexes that deposit in post capillary venules, with subsequent complement fixation.
What are the general characteristics of type 4 hypersensitivity?
- Delayed hypersensitivity.
- Mediated by T cells rather than by Abs.
What are the steps in the process of allergy?
- Sensitization
- Re-exposure to allergen
Describe the sensitization step in the process of allergy.
- Primary exposure to the allergen.
- Occurs when one develops IgE Abs against a substance that is inhaled, ingested, or injected.
- Newly formed IgE Abs stick to basophils and mast cells, but no s/s yet.
Describe the re-exposure step in the process of allergy.
- s/s
- Cellular events for all immediate allergic reactions is the same.
What are the characteristics of type 1 sensitivity?
- Immune reactant: IgE
- Antigen: soluble Ag
- Effector mechanism: mast cell activation
- Example: allergic rhinitis, asthma, systemic anaphylaxis
What are the characteristics of type 2 hypersensitivity?
- Immune reactant: IgG
- Antigen: self Ag
- Effector mechanism: FcR cells (phagocytes, NK cells)
- Example: autoimmune diseases
What are the characteristics of type 3 hypersensitivity?
- Immune reactant: IgG
- Antigen: soluble Ag
- Effector mechanism: FcR cells, complement
- Example: serum sickness, arthus reaction
What are the characteristics of type 4 hypersensitivity?
- Immune reactant: Th1 cells and CTL
- Antigen: soluble Ag and cell-associated antigen
- Effector mechanism: macrophage activation and cytotoxicity
- Example: DTH, contact dermatitis
What is the overall description of type 1 hypersensitivity?
ALLERGY: drug, food, skin, animal, dust
What are allergens?
Antigens that stimulate allergies; non-microbial and mostly proteins; harmless to most individuals but result in allergy in others.
What factors do the development of allergy depend on?
Genetic background: relatives of allergic individuals are more likely to have allergies than unrelated people.
Environment: “hygiene hypothesis” increased hygiene and under-exposure to pathogens.
What is atopy?
IgE mediated hypersensitivity; can be localized or systemic.
Describe localized atopy.
Confined to an organ system, affecting a specific target tissue; asthma, eczema, hay fever.
Describe systemic atopy.
Affects the whole body like anaphylaxis; life threatening reactions such as venom, drugs, or food.