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ANTIGENS Presentation

The document provides a comprehensive overview of antigens, including their definitions, characteristics, types, and classes based on structure and function. It explains the immune response mechanisms to antigens, particularly in relation to infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Additionally, it discusses the pathogenesis of diseases caused by these antigens and references key literature in immunology.

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7 views19 pages

ANTIGENS Presentation

The document provides a comprehensive overview of antigens, including their definitions, characteristics, types, and classes based on structure and function. It explains the immune response mechanisms to antigens, particularly in relation to infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Additionally, it discusses the pathogenesis of diseases caused by these antigens and references key literature in immunology.

Uploaded by

desalegnguteta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ANTIGENS

• Outlines :
• 1. Antigens
1.1.Introduction
1.2.Characteristics of Antigens
1.3.Types of Antigens
1.4.Classes of Antigens based on their structure and
function
1.5. Antigens on Different Infectious Agents
2. Pathogenesis
3. Mechanism of Immune Response to Antigens
4. Immune response to viruses
5. References
1. ANTIGEN
 1.1. Introduction.
 An antigen is any substance that induces an immune response
in the body, especially the production of antibodies.
 Antigens are usually proteins or polysaccharides found on the
surface of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or
parasites. The immune system recognizes these antigens as
foreign and initiates a defensive response against them.
Definitions
 Immunogen: is any agent capable of
inducing a specific immune response

 Antigen: is any agent reacts with the


products of a specific immune response

 Immunogenicity: is the ability of an antigen to


stimulate an immune response.

 Hapten :- A substance that is non-immunogenic


but which can react with the products of a
specific immune response.
• Are small molecules which could never
induce an immune response when
administered by themselves but which can 4
• All immunogens are antigens, but not all antigens are
immunogens.

• The structural portion of the antigen for binding antibodies


or TCR is called as an epitope or antigenic determinant.
• Antibody (Ab)- A specific protein which is produced in
response to an immunogen and which reacts with an
antigen

• The typical size of an epitope for Ab binding is about 5-7


amino acid residues.

• The region of the Ab for binding an epitope is termed


antigen-binding site.

5
ANTIGENS

Antigen : reacts with the products of a specific immune


response
Immunogenic : can induce a specific immune response
Immunogenicity : the ability to stimulate an immune
response.
Hapten: non-immunogenic but can involves in immune
reaction
1.2.Characteristics of Antigens

It include:
A Foreignness :
B Molecular size
C Chemical Complexity
D Degradability
A. Foreignness :
only antigens which are foreign to the individual
induce an immune response.
An individual does not normally give rise to
immune response against his own constituent
antigen
B Molecular size :
• Antigenicity bears a relation to molecular size.
• Very large molecules such as hemocyanin
(molecular weight 6.75 millions) are highly
antigenic.
• Usually antigens have a molecular weight of 10,000
or more.
• Substances of less than 10,000 dalton molecular
weight, e.g. insulin (5700) are either non-antigenic
or weakly antigenic.
C Chemical Complexity:
• Most naturally occurring antigens are proteins and
polysaccharides.
• Proteins are more effective in stimulating antibody
production than polysaccharides except gelatin histone
and protamines.
Not all proteins are antigenic.
• Aromatic radical is a must for antigenecity.
• Gelatin is non-antigenic because of absence of aromatic
radical
D Degradability:
• Only substances which are metabolized and
are susceptible to the action of tissue enzymes
behave like antigen.
• Substances insusceptible to tissue enzymes
are not antigenic.
1.3 Types of Antigens

Based on their origin and how they interact with the


immune system. Commonly they are:
A Exogenous: e.g., bacteria, viruses, fungi,…
B Endogenous: arise in inside body tissue e.g., viral
proteins, tumor antigens
C Autoantigens: Self-antigens that leading to autoimmune
diseases.
1.4 Classes of Antigens based on their
structure and function
• Proteins: majority of immunogens are proteins. may be
pure or gps or lipoprs .
• Carbohydrates: Pure polysaccharides and
lipopolysaccharides.
• Nucleic Acids: to some extent immunogenic
1.5 Antigens on Different Infectious
Agents includes

Bacterial Ags: cell wall proteins, LPS etc.


Viral Ags: capsid proteins, envelope gps
Fungal Ags: chitin, glucans).
Parasitic Ags: surface gps
2. PATHOGENESIS

This imply how infectious ( antigens) agents cause


disease. Here what we need to know is:
Source of antigens : endo or exogenous
Mechanisms of Damage: toxin, cell lysis, inflammation
Virulence Factors: adhesins, invasins, toxins
Stages of Infection: e.g., IP, prodromal, acute ,chronic.
3. MECHANISM OF IMMUNE RESPONSE
TO ANTIGENS
Innate Immunity: Skin, mucous,(NK) cell
Adaptive Immunity: specific and long-lasting.
T Cell Activation
B Cell Activation can produce antibodies.
4. IMMUNE RESPONSE TO VIRUSES

A Innate Responses to Viruses: by releasing mediators


from natural killer cells like IFG etc…
B Adaptive Responses to Viruses:
Antibody Production
CTLs kill virus-infected cells
5.REFERENCES

• Janeway, C. A., Travers, P., Walport, M., &


Shlomchik, M. J. (2005). Immunobiology: The
Immune System in Health and Disease (6th ed.).
Garland Science.
• Murphy, K., Weaver, C. (2016). Janeway's
Immunobiology (9th ed.). Garland Science.
THANK YOU!!!

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