Antigens
Martha Margarita G. Arevalo
Ana Mikaela D.O. de Asis
Antigens
•Foreign substances that stimulates
antibody formation
•Binds to antibodies
•Important in the study of immunologic
manifestations of infectious diseases
•“Immunogenic” or “antigenic”
•- immune response triggered by the
presence of antigenic determinants or
epitopes
All immunogens are antigens but not all antigens
are immunogens
The key to a healthy immune system is its remarkable
ability to distinguish between the body’s own cells (self)
and foreign cells (nonself). The body’s immune defenses
normally coexist peacefully with cells that carry
distinctive "self" marker molecules. But when immune
defenders encounter cells or organisms carrying markers
that say "foreign," they quickly launch an attack
EPITOPES
- single antigenic determinants
- portion of the antigen that reacts
specifically with an antibody or T-
lymphocyte receptor
Ex. Protein, polysaccharides
Recipient
IMMUNE
RESPONSE
* Some examples of immunogenic surfaces:
- RBCs, outer surfaces of bacteria, surface
structures of other microorganisms
ANTIGENS OF IMPORTANCE TO
IMMUNOLOGISTS
1. Histocompatibility antigens
2. Autoantigens
3. Blood group antigens
HISTOCOMPATIBILITY ANTIGENS
AUTOANTIGENS
Directed at hormones such as thyroglobulin
BLOOD GROUP ANTIGENS
Widely distributed throughout the tissues, blood cells,
and body fluids
ABO blood group antigens: most immunologic among
all
Transfusion reaction may occur if foreign RBC
antigens are introduced to a host
Antigens of the Rh system are integral structural
components of RBC membranes
CHEMICAL NATURE OF ANTIGENS
ANTIGENS OR IMMUNOGENS
Polysaccharides
-Pure polysaccharides and lipopolysaccharides are
good immunogens
Nucleic Acids
-poor antigens because of relative simplicity,
molecular flexibility, and rapid degradation
Lipids
-non-immunogenic
-inferior antigens because of their relative
simplicity and lack of structural stability
CHARACTERISTICS OF
IMMUNOGEN….
1. Foreignness
2. Degradability
3. Molecular weight
4. Structural stability
5. Complexity
FOREIGNESS
degree to which antigenic determinants are
recognized as nonself by an individual’s immune
system
Example:
transplant recipient receives a donor organ with
major HLA differences
DEGRADABILITY
Antigens that are easily phagocytosed are generally
more immunogenic
sufficient antigens to stimulate an immune response
must be present
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
The higher the molecular weight, the better the molecule will
function as an antigen
Molecular weight of at least 100,000
Number of antigenic determinants on a molecule is related to
its size
Haptens
-substance that is non-immunogenic but which can react
with the products of a specific immune response
-tiny molecules that can bind to a larger carrier molecule
and behave as antigen
STRUCTURAL STABILITY
-if structure is unstable, the molecule will be a poor antigen
COMPLEXITY
-more complex an antigen, the greater is its effectiveness
-Complex proteins are better antigens than large, repeating
polymers such as lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids, which
are relatively poor antigens
COMPLEXITY
Proteins
- strongest immunogen
- largest array of building blocks (20 aa)
Glycoproteins
- induces an immune response to the carbohydrate
epitope
ex: ABO and Rh antigens
COMPLEXITY
Small polypeptides
- weakly immunogenic
- prolonged exposure to the antigens
Polysaccharides
- non-immunogenic
- don’t pass sufficient chemical diversity for complete
immunogenicity
Nucleic acid
- non immunogenic (simplicity, rapid degradation,
molecular flexibility
- combines with basic proteins
Lipid
- non immunogenic (simplicity, lack of structural ability)
- cardiolipins impart specificity to the Ag when properly
presented to the immune system
TYPES OF ANTIGENS ACCORDING TO
SOURCE
1. Autoantigen
2. Alloantigen
3. Heteroantigen
4. Syngeneic
antigen
5.Xenoantigen
5. heterogenic/
heterophile
antigen
1. AUTOANTIGENS (AUTOGRAFT
SEQUESTERED)
Antigens that belong to the host
Do not evoke an immune response under normal
circumstances
“self – antigens”
Stimulates the production of autoantibodies
Ex: skin graft from a man’s thigh to his chains
2. ALLOANTIGENS
Found on other members of the same species,, existing
in alternative forms
Can bring about an immune response
Important in tissue transplants, blood transfusions
“isoantigen”
Ex: kidney transplant from mother to daughter
3. HETEROANTIGENS
From other plants, animals or microorganisms foreign
to the antibody producer
Heterophile antigen
- identical antigens found in the cells of
different species
- exist in unrelated plants or animals
- crossreacts with other antigens because their
structures are either identical or closely related
- “heterogenetic antigen”
4. SYNGENEIC ANTIGEN (ISOGRAFT)
Identical individuals
Ex: graft from members of an inherited the spilam
5. XENOANTIGEN (XENOGRAFT OR
HETEROGRAFT)
- found in different tissue specimen
ex. Monkey’s kidney transplanted to human
6. HETEROGENETIC/ HETEROPHILE
ANTIGENS
- have in common with one or mone epitopes as it is examined
TYPES OF ANTIGEN
A. T-independent Antigens
- are antigens which can directly stimulate the B cells to
produce antibody without the requirement for T cell
help
- most are polysaccharides
- the responses to these antigens differ from the
responses to other antigens
PROPERTIES OF T-INDEPENDENT
ANTIGENS
1. Polymeric structure
- These antigens are characterized by the same antigenic
determinant repeated many times
Figure 1
In an antigen, the same antigenic determinant
repeated many times
2. Polyclonal activation of B cells
-Many of these antigens can activate B cell clones specific
for other antigens (polyclonal activation)
T-independent antigens can be subdivided into Type 1 and
Type 2 based on their ability to polyclonally activate B cells.
Type 1 T-independent antigens are polyclonal activators
while Type 2 are not.
3. Resistance to degradation
- are generally more resistant to degradation and
thus they persist for longer periods of time and
continue to stimulate the immune system.
B. T-Dependent Antigens
-stimulate B cell to produce antibody with the help of
T cell
do not directly stimulate the production of antibody
without the help of T cells
most TD-Ag belong to proteins
Structurally these antigens are characterized by a few
copies of many different antigenic determinants as
illustrated in the Figure 2.
Structurally these antigens are characterized by a
few copies of many different antigenic determinants
as illustrated in the Figure 2.
Figure 2.
TWO PROPERTIES OF IMMUNOGEN
1. Immunogenicity
-anability of an antigen which can stimulate the body to
evoke a specific immune response
2. Immunoreactivity
- an ability of antigen which can combine with corresponding
Ab or sensitized lymphocytes
EPITOPES/ DETERMINANT SITES
- “single antigenic determinants”
- key portion of the antigen that reacts
specifically with an antibody or T-
lymphocyte receptor
-molecular shapes
Antigenic determinants
or configurations that are usually limited to
are recognized by T cells those portions of the
antigen that are
accessible to
antibodies shown in
-capable of triggering specific antibody black for this iron-
production containing protein
prominent determinants on the surface of the protein are
normally recognized
Ex. Protein, polysaccharides
Protein Antigen – 5-15 amino acid residues
Polysaccharide antigen – 5-7 polysaccharide residues
- - Paratope: antibody epitope
Immunodominant Epitopes / Major Antigenic Site
- epitopes bound by greater proportion of antoibodies
Antigenic Valence
- total number of determinants bounded by antibody or
antigenic receptor of lymphocytes
** most antigens are polyvalence antigens
CLASSIFICATION OF ANTIGENIC
DETERMINANTS..
1. According to the Structure
A. Linear or Sequential determinants
B. Conformational determinants
A. Linear or Sequential
Determinants
- epitopes formed by several
adjacent amino acid residues Recognition of epitopes in a linear
fashion. Note: the same (colored)
segment of protein can be a part
B. Conformational Determinants of more than one epitopes
- epitopes formed by aa
residues that become spatially
juxtaposed in the folded
protein
Recognition of conformational epitopes by
B cells. Note how the segments
widely separated in the primary
structure have come in contact in the
three dimensional tertiary structure
forming part of the same epitope
2. According to types of cells recognizing
antigenic determinant
A. T cell determinants (T cell epitopes)
B. B cell determinants (B cell epitopes)
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN T CELL
EPITOPE AND B CELL EPITOPE
T cell epitope B cell epitope
g
Receptor TCR BCR
Nature Short peptides Proteins,
polysaccharides
Size 8-17 amino acid residues 5-15 amino acid
residues
5-7 monosaccharides
Types Linear epitope Conformational or linear
epitope
Position Any position in antigen Mostly exist on the
surface of antigen
HAPTENS
Nonimmunologic materials
low molecular weight molecule
made immunogenic by conjugation to a suitable carrier
to stimulate a response
Initiation of antibody production: antibody reaction is
possible even without the help of a carrier
di- and trinitrophenol (DNP & TNP),
dimethylaminonaphthalene sulfonate (dansyl), and a
numer of toxins, including urushiol, which is the toxin
found in poison ivy.
HAPTENS
Karl Landsteiner: study on the specificity of haptens
“Antibodies recognize not just chemical features but that
the overall three-dimensional shape is also important”
-spatial orientation and chemical
complimentary are responsible for
the lock and key relationship
HAPTENS AND CARRIERS
HAPTENS CARRIERS
Antigenic determinants
Non-protein with low MW - protein with high MW
Non immunogenic unless - immunogenic but not binded with
a carrier reactive
Determines specificity - provides the required
size for Ag binding
Binds to B cells - binds to T cells
Ex: antibiotics, analgesics, - allergic response to
Complex polysaccharides to penicillin
ADJUVANTS
- is a substance administered with an immunogen
that increases the immune response
-are thought to enhance the immune response by
prolonging the existence of immunogen in the area,
increasing the effective size of the immunogen and
increasing the number of macrophages involved in
antigen processing
Thank You!
