Immunology

anergy

Anergy (immunologic tolerance) refers to the failure to mount a full immune response against a target.

Anergy toward self-targets operates as one self-tolerance mechanism to control the autoreactive cells found in autoimmunity. Clonal deletion in which lymphocytes are killed if they recognize a self-antigen during their maturation in the thymus gland or bone marrow is a major mechanism for the prevention of autoimmunity. However, not all human self-antigens are expressed in the central lymphoid organs where the lymphocytes are developing. Thus, self-tolerance to an individual's own antigens must also depend on mechanisms such as clonal anergy. Theoretically, recognition of a self-antigen eliminates the proliferative capacity of autoreactive lymphocytes in the peripheral immune system. Another process, immunoregulation, utilizes regulatory T cells that weaken harmful or inappropriate lymphocyte responses.

In B cell anergy, self-reactive B cells persist in the periphery yet remain unresponsive to immunogen. Research findings indicate that continuous binding of antigen and subsequent receptor signaling are essential for the maintenance of anergy.[n]

T cell anergy is induced when TCR stimulation "freezes" T cell responses until they receive an adequate subsequent antigenic signal from an antigen-presenting cell. Such APC signals can rescue T cells from anergy, stimulating them to produce the lymphokines necessary for the growth of additional T cells.

During a productive immune response, CD4+ T cells respond to effective signals by producing interleukin 2 (IL-2) and by proliferating. Effective signals stimulate require both ligation of TCRs with cognate antigens presented by class II MHC molecules on the surface of APCs and activation of costimulatory receptors, such as CD28, which recognize ligands such as B7 proteins expressed on the surface of APCs.

When T cells receive stimulus only TCR signals in the absence of engagement of costimulatory receptors, they enter a state of anergic unresponsiveness characterized by an inability to produce IL-2 or to proliferate upon re-stimulation. Such anergic T cells show a profound block in Ras/MAPK pathway that prevents activation of the AP-1 family of transcription factors (Fos/Jun).

GRAIL (gene related to anergy in lymphocytes) is GRAIL is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that is necessary for the induction of CD4+ T cell anergy in vivo. It is upregulated in naturally occurring (thymically derived) CD4+ and CD25+ cells [a] and anergized T cells [1]. Both GRAIL and Foxp3 are genotypic marker for CD25+ Treg cells. T cell activation appears to be controlled by Foxp3 through transcriptional regulation of early growth response (Egr) genes Egr-2 and Egr-3, and E3 ubiquitin (Ub) ligase genes Cblb [?], Itch [?] and GRAIL, subsequently affecting degradation of two key signaling proteins, PLCgamma1 and PKC-theta. [a]

It is believed that GRAIL could induce anergy through ubiquitylation of membrane-associated targets required for T-cell activation. It has been demonstrated that two isoforms of otubain-1, in conjunction with the deubiquitylating enzyme USP8, produce opposing effects on the expression and function of GRAIL in the induction of anergy.[2] GRAIL is differentially expressed in naturally occurring and peripherally induced CD25+ Treg cells where the expression of GRAIL has been suggested is linked to their functional "regulatory" activity.

Tables  Complement Receptors  Cytokines  Fc receptors  Immune Cytokines  Immunoglobulins  Interferons  Scavenger Receptors  Toll-like Receptors

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helper T cell

Helper T cells, T helper cells (Th), effector T cells circulate throughout the body where they interface with MHC class II protein on other cells, determining whether the MHC class II is presenting 'self' or 'non-self protein' (antigen). MHC class II receptors are located on the surface of professional antigen presenting cells (APCs), which display epitope proteins – exogenous antigen or fragmented angtigen from phagocytosed cells – on their surfaces.

When a helper T cell is activated by contact with antigen, it enters the cell cycle in addition to producing lymphokines and chemokines. Th cells direct antibody class switching in B lymphocytes, orchestrate activation and growth of cytotoxic T cells, and maximize the bactericidal activity of phagocytes (macrophages).

Naïve B lymphocytes each have one of millions of distinct surface antigen-specific surface receptors, yet have not encountered their specific, cognate antigen. With a life-span of only a few days, many B cells die without ever encountering their cognate antigen. Naïve B cells are stimulated when the BCR binds to its cognate antigen. This antigen-Ig binding must be coupled with a signal from a helper T cell in order to activate the B cell.

Helper T cells mostly carry the CD4 surface protein, though a few carry CD8. The CD4 receptor triggers targetting by HIV, which determines the crippling effect of HIV on the immune system.
Subsets of Th cells are defined by the class of cytokine that they secrete upon activation:
Th1 – produce copious amounts of IL-2 and IFN-γ.
Th2 – particularly effective at stimulating B cells through secretion of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6.
Th3 – produce cytokine transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and IL-10.


Th1 cells are the more effective antiviral agents by virtue of their secretion of interferons (IFN-γ).  Immune Cytokines  Interferons

The cytokines produced by the two Th subsets perform cross-regulatory role. An activated Th2 cell secreting IL-4,-5,and 6 downregulates local Th1 cells in the neighborhood, whereas Th1 cytokines downregulate Th2 responses.

Tables  Fc receptors  Immune Cytokines  Immunoglobulins

[] diagram - helper T cells and phagocytic response to tumor cells [] diagram - HIV binding via CD4 receptors [] micrograph germinal center with helper T cells [] tem - helper T & B cell []

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lymphokines

Lymphokines comprise that subset of cytokines produced by T lymphocytes, whereas monokines are secreted by monocytes. Modern usage employs the more general term 'cytokine'.

Lymphokines include:
colony-stimulating factors (CSFs), including GM-CSF
interferons (IFNs) - IFNγ
interleukins IL-1 to IL-8, IL-10, IL-13
● macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta (MIP-1β)
● neuroleukin (lymphokine product of lectin-stimulated T cells)[s]
● osteoclast-activating factor
● platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)
● transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ)
tumour necrosis factor-alpha (cachectin) (TNFα)
tumour necrosis factor-beta (TNFβ, lymphotoxin α, LT)

Actions of lymphokines include
activates B cells, inhibits macrophage function – IL-10
activation of neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocyte/macrophagesGM-CSF
● bone resorption – osteoclast activating factor
bone marrowgrowth and differentiation of immune cells – IL-3
B cell growth and differentiationIL-4
B cell differentiation, activates some microphages (PMN) – IL-5
costimulator of T cells, induces growth in B cellsIL-6
inflammation, fever, catabolism and cachexia, activation of some microphages – TNFs
hematopoiesis stimulators – IL-3, IL-7, GM-CSF
macrophage-activating activity (MAF) – IFN-γ
● stimulates proliferation of activated T and B cells – IL-2
● inhibits T cell growth, activates macrophagesTGFβ

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