10/21/2014

Antigens
Dr Debasis Biswas

Antigenicity=
Immunogenicity + Immunological reactivity
All immunogens are antigens ;
but all antigens are not immunogens

Ability to induce Humoral or

Cell Mediated Immune
response

Immunogenicity +
Immunological reactivity
Ability to react with the
products of immune response

Antigenicity=
Immunogenicity + Immunological reactivity
Haptens: Small molecules
Cannot evoke an immune response
Can react with antibodies or TCRs

Chemical Nature:
Proteins.. most potent
Polysaccharides..not for CMI
Lipids/ Nucleic acids
(if complexed to proteins & polysaccharides)

Injection with
Hapten

Antibodies formed
None

Protein carrier (BSA)

Hapten- Carrier Conjugate

Anti- BSA
Anti- Hapten (major); Anti BSA
(minor); Anti- Hapten/ BSA (minor)

Foreignness/ Non- self:

Phylogenetic distance
-- BSA is more immunogenic in chicken than in goats
Conserved in evolution.Collagen; Cytochrome c
Self components: corneal tissue & sperm

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Contributors to Antigenicity
Molecular Size:
<5, 000- 10, 000 Daltons: poor immunogens
100, 000 Daltons: Most active immunogens
Heterogeneity:
Homopolymers, however large: poor antigens
Copolymers of difft amino acids or sugars: immunogenic

Genetic make- up of host

Dose
Route
Adjuvants

Susceptibility to ag processing & presentation:

Polymers of D- amino acids: Cant be processed: Poor
immunogens
Larger molecules: more readily phagocytosed &
processed by APCs . more immunogenic

Genotype of Host
MHC genes: prime seat of controlling
immune responsiveness to an antigen

Dose & Route of ag administration

Optimum dose , optimum response
Low dose: insufficient no. of immune cells
stimulated. Immune unresponsiveness/
tolerance
High dose: immune tolerance
Booster dose: rounds of clonal proliferation.
Increased no. of immune cells
Route: Parenteral route escapes proteolytic
enzymes

Adjuvants
Boost the immune response, when mixed
with an antigen
May be used with a poor immunogen or if
small amonts of an ag are available

How adjuvants act

Prolonged persistence of ag
Ag ppted .. Slower release from injection site
time of exposure to ag prolonged
Ag ppted .. Increased size of the ag improved
phagocytosis and ag presentation
Examples: Alum
Freunds Incomplete Adjuvant (FIA):
Ag in aq soln. + Mineral oil + Emulsifying agent

Freunds Complete Adjuvant: FIA + heat killed Mycobacteria

Mycobacteria: M activn.. .. Upreguln. of MHC & costimulatory molecules Improved ag presentation

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How adjuvants act

Inflammatory response
Alum & Freunds adjuvants .. Stimulate local chronic
inflammatory response .. Infiltration of both
phagocytes and lymphocytes .. Better ag
presentation

How adjuvants act

Prolonged persistence of antigen
Improved antigen presentation
Inflammatory response
Non- specific stimulation of lymphocytes

Non- specific proliferation of lymphocytes ..

Increased likelihood of clonal selection of lymphocytes
Examples: Synthetic polyribonucleotides
Bacterial lipopolysaccharides

Epitopes

Epitopes: B cells vs. T cells

B cells

Discrete site of an antigen molecule that is:

recognized by an immune cell
reacts with secreted antibodies
or with specific receptors on lymphocytes

Surface.Accessible to
B cell sIg
Hydrophilic
Sequential or nonsequential amino acids
May also be
polysaccharides or
lipids

T cells
Internal peptide .
Produced by antigen
processing in APCs
Linear peptide
Sequential amino acids
Mostly proteins

Unit of antigenicity/ Antigenic determinant