Immunology Question

paul4green

Currently studying Molecular Immunology in college and I've been doing exam papers and came across a tricky question. I realise there are many doctors, Healthcare professionals and Scientist's like myself here so I hope someone can elaborate on this for me.

Q: The innate branch of the immune system was previously called the non specific branch. Give a detailed account, using a specific example, as to why this is now considered inaccurate?

Thanks guys

Tree

Well, you've a whole host of things to look at, in particular I reckon the complement pathways are fascinating (though I may have some bias), others would suggest TLRs, but really now, they just like the funny looking fruit flies....

paul4green

That's what I was thinking too, but just wanted some advice.

So complement and how, for example, the MBL pathway is part of "non specific" immunity but specifically targets microbes with certain glycoproteins or CHO's on their surface.

TLR's although part of "non specific", realistically they are very specific. TLR-4[homodimer], for example, recognising LPS.

Nucleotide-binding Oligomerisation Domain[NOD proteins] too :

NOD-1 recognises muramyl tripeptide of G- bacterial cell wall.
NOD-2 recognises muramyl dipeptide of cell wall of most bacteria.

NOD binding to it's ligand causes the activation of the protein kinase RICK which actives TF NFkB results in the expression of chemokines and anti microbial peptides.

^^^This seems pretty specific to me

Interferon Gamma

Yeah you've got the right idea. Just pick a PAMP and PRR combination are you should be able to develop decent answer.

Whether it's a TLR, RLR, NLR or ALR however....

Nucleic acid sensing might be good ones to go for actually. I'm working on TLR3 stuff now, but a friend in the states did great stuff on the specificities of TLR7/8 for specific ssRNA motifs. You can then easily move onto leaky endosomes and bring NOD2 and RLRs then. Loads! Or just go the DNA route and do TLR9 and the ALRs.

paul4green

Thanks IFN - γ .

I'm planning on doing a Ph.D in Immunology, it's an amazing area of research!.

again, cheers for the advice!