Immunization process

Muscle biopsy is usually undertaken to confirm the provisional clinical diagnosis. Because the skin lesions normally precede those in muscle, biopsies of muscle taken early may show little abnormality. Inflammatory foci may be scanty or absent and muscle fiber diameters may be normal. However typical biopsies show discrete foci of inflammatory cells, with a predominance of B-lymphocytes (see Figure 18). These cells are situated in perimysial connective tissue rather than in the en-domysium and are often also perivascular in location. Muscle fiber necrosis occurs in JDM but muscle fibers do not appear to be the primary target of the disordered immune process. Rather, it is the micro vasculature of the muscle which appears to degenerate first and muscle necrosis is preceded by capillary necrosis, detectable at the ultrastructural level. 

TNF. Tumor necrosis factor. TNFs are among the important cytokines playing a key role in activation and induction of some immune system cells and cellular immunity processes responsible for proinflammatory and inflammatory response reactions as well. 

Corticosteroids also exert inhibitory effects on the overall immune process. These drugs impair the function of the leukocytes responsible for antibody production and destruction of foreign cells. As a result, corticosteroids are also used therapeutically in the prevention of organ transplant rejection. 

The production process (Box 13.1) entails initial immunization of a mouse with the antigen of interest. The mouse is subsequently sacrificed and its spleen removed. (The spleen is an organ enriched in B-lymphocytes. Because of the immunization process, a significant proportion of these lymphocytes are likely capable of producing antibodies recognizing specific epitopes on the antigen.)... 

Recent studies with BN 52021 have demonstrated that PAF can modulate various immune processes. BN 52021 can inhibit the suppressive effect of PAF on T-lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production. When PAF is added to human peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures (containing 5-10% monocytes) stimulated with phytohaemaglutinin (PHA) or concanavalin A (Con A), a non-toxic concentration-dependent inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation is... 

Lymphocytes are small, mononuclear cells primarily associated with the immune processes. 

Interleukins are a group of lymphokines that act on other leucocytes to control the immune process. 

A viral etiology has been implicated in Burkitt s lymphoma, and there is some evidence that Epstein-Barr virus causes infectious mononucleosis in Europe and Burkitt s lymphoma in Africa. It has been suggested that if the cause of the Burkitt s lymphoma is viral, then entry of the virus particles into the lymphoid colls of the body may derange a part of the cell immune process, subsequently affecting the production of the IgM antibody, a theory which is compatible to the dysproteinemia sometimes seen in multiple myeloma and other lymphomas (N2). Also in support of this is the observation that C-reactive protein was markedly elevated in the serum of patients with Burkitt s lymphoma, and disappeared entirely from the blood when they were cured (MIO). The relationship between malarial infection and Burkitt s lymphoma has been dealt with in a previous section on malaria. 

Two processes are suggested to be of importance in the induction of T cell sensitization by chemicals (i) the formation of neoantigens (i.e., cryptic epitopes or hapten-carrier conjugates) (ii) the stimulation of innate immune processes (i.e., adjuvant activity or induction of danger signals reviewed by Uetrecht [64]). The... 

Polyspecific Response Associated with CNS Autoimmune Diseases. The oligoclonal, intrathecally synthesized IgG contains numerous specific antibodies and autoantibodies. Antibodies are frequently found with specificities against measles, the rubella virus and the varicella-zoster virus, but seldom against the herpes simplex virus. The occurrence of one, two, or three of these antibodies is referred to as the MRZ reaction. The corresponding antigens are not present in these cases. The MRZ reaction is typical of multiple sclerosis as well as cerebral lupus erythematosus and is a chronically evolving immune process (F5, KIO, S16). 

Mechanism of Action An immunosuppressive whose exact mechanism is unknown. May act by modifying immune processes thought to be responsible for the pathogenesis of mulfiple sclerosis (MS). Therapeutic Effect Slows progression of MS. Pharmacokinetics Substantial fraction of glatiramer is hydrolyzed locally. Some fraction of injected material enters lymphatic circulation, reaching regional lymph nodes some may enter systemic circulation intact. 

T Lymphocytes. T lymphocytes are the principal mediators of cell-mediated immunity. Cell-mediated immunity refers to an immune process that does not directly involve antibodies. In cell-mediated immunity the lymphocyte binds to the unwanted cell and is directly able to destroy it. Rejection of a kidney transplant is an example of cell-mediated immunity. 

Diabetes meiiitus is one of the commonest endocrine disorders. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (insulin-dependent diabetes) usuaiiy deveiops in the first two decades of iife and accounts for 5-10% of all diabetics. It is characterised by a specific ceii-mediated T iymphocyte immune process leading to destruction of the pancreatic... 

Purine analogs and antimetabolites, eg, 6-mercaptopurine, methotrexate Mechanism uncertain may promote apoptosis of immune cells Generalized suppression of immune processes Moderately severe to severe Crohn s disease and ulcerative colitis GI upset, mucositis myelosuppression purine analogs may cause hepatotoxicity, but rare with methotrexate at the low doses used... 

In certain animals, if the immunization process is hyper-stimulated by prolonged injection of antigens, the response may narrow down to... 

The data summarized in this chapter show that A3 receptors are present in immune cells and are indeed involved in the physiopathologic regulation of inflammatory and immune processes. However results from in vitro and in vivo studies in experimental animals suggest activation of the A3 subtype can be both pro or anti-inflammatory depending on ... 

In such cases the antibodies which are elaborated against these antigens are anti-glycosyl antibodies. Studies on the types of anti-glycosyl antibodies induced by different antigens with the same immunodeterminant groups should yield valuable information on the immune process. 

Because the basic concepts of immunity are now so well known, no attempt is made to deal with these here. For reference, however, the interrelationships between the main cells involved in immune processes are shown in Fig. 11.1 and the properties of the various immunoglobulins are summarised in Table 11.1. For more extensive coverage of theoretical and practical principles of immunology, reference should be made to recent texts or reviews, some of which are listed below. 

Treating vascular disease and modulating the inflammatory and immune processes using carbon monoxide-generating compounds, especially CH2CI2 [225, 226]... 

A toxin or antitoxin, if intended, regardless of its source of origin, to be applicable to the prevention, treatment, or cure of diseases or injuries of human through a specific immune process. 

Second, you must remember that the serum from an immunized animal contains thousands of different IgG molecules, of which only a small fraction (perhaps less than 1 %) actually recognize the antigen of interest. The IgG present in the serum prior to the introduction of the antigen is still present. The immunization process merely attempts to increase the relative concentration of antigen-specific antibodies in the serum with respect to the numerous other nonspecific antibodies that are also present. 

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