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August 1, 2005
Size Matters – at least to our immune system
Topics: Medical Science NewsA theory about the way in which the immune system identifies and responds to invasion has been confirmed by Oxford researchers in a paper published in Nature on July 28. The paper shows that a highly sensitive and specific immune response hinges on something as straightforward as large and small molecules jostling into size order.
T-cells are a crucial part of our immune system: they patrol the body surveying cells and triggering the immune system to attack those that are infected. The surface of every cell, including T-cells and infected cells, is covered in a variety of molecules. When a T-cell comes into contact with an infected cell, a receptor molecule on the T-cell’s surface will bind with a telltale molecule on the surface of the infected cell which flags up the infection (called a peptide MHC). This binding triggers the immune response.
Related reading:
T-cell receptor triggering is critically dependent on the dimensions of its peptide-MHC ligand. (abstract of actual research paper that the article in PhysOrg referred to)
Parvovirus H-1-Induced Tumor Cell Death Enhances Human Immune Response In Vitro via Increased Phagocytosis, Maturation, and Cross-Presentation by Dendritic Cells. (oncolytic virus directly stimulates human antigen-precented cells and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes)
Microparticles shed from different antigen-presenting cells display an individual pattern of surface molecules and a distinct potential of allogeneic T-cell activation. (Mico-particles originating from dendritic cells differ in their surface composition from those released from monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages.)
cross posted by Hyscience
Posted by Richard at August 1, 2005 11:43 AM
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