Course: Clinical Immunology

Course Instructor : Qurrat Ul Ain Malik

Semester: 4th (Medical Laboratory Technology)
Topic: Antigens & Immunogenicity
 ANTIGENS & IMMUNOGENS

Antigens
• Molecules that react with Abs.
• Typically proteins, peptides, polysaccharides or lipopolysaccharide
by nature.
Immunogens
• Molecules that induce an immune response.
• In most cases, Ags are immunogens, and the terms are used
interchangeably.
 ANTIGEN

An epitope is a molecular surface feature of an antigen that can

be bound by an antibody. (Antigenic determinant)

A paratope is the molecular surface feature of an antibody that

binds to an epitope. (Antibody determinant)

Antigens are classified as exogenous (entering from outside)
endogenous (generated within cells ), an autoantigen, a tumor
antigen, or a native antigen.
Allogenic (from another human) & autologous (self).
 ANTIGENIC SPECIFICITY

Antigenic specificity

is the ability of host cells to recognize an Ag by its unique molecular

structure, such as the relationship between antigen epitopes and
antibody paratopes.
ANTIGENIC SPECIFICITY
ANTIGENIC SPECIFICITY
 HAPTEN

Hapten
i. Any small molecule that can elicit an immune response only
when attached to a large carrier such as a protein.
ii. Cannot activate helper T cells as they are unable to bind to
MHC proteins hence, unable to activate B cells.
iii. Incomplete Ag that doesn’t cause immune response itself until
binds with a carrier protein to form an adduct, which is also a
complete antigen.
 HAPTEN

Hapten may sensitize the body towards hypersensitivity and

autoimmune responses due to eliciting indirect immune response.

Adduct

• A complex molecule formed by the combination of two or more

molecules, such as a complete antigen created by a hapten and a
carrier.
HAPTEN
HAPTEN
 AUTOANTIGEN

Autoantigen

Any Ag that stimulates autoantibodies in the organism that produced

it. These are “self” antigens that are involved in autoimmune disease
pathogenesis.
 ANTIGEN

• The interaction of Ag and Ab is highly specific, and this

characteristic is used in the diagnostic laboratory to identify
microorganisms.

• Ag and Ab bind by weak forces such as H bonds and van der

Waals’ forces.
 ANTIGEN

Affinity:
The strength of the binding of the antigen. The affinity of
antibodies increases with successive exposures to the specific
antigen.
Avidity:
The strength of binding of multiple Antigens and antibodies to
form a meshwork.
 IMMUNOGENICITY

Factors Affecting Immunogenicity

1. Foreignness:
A. In general, molecules recognized as “self” are not immunogenic
(i.e., we are tolerant to those self-molecules).
B. To be immunogenic, molecules must be recognized as “non-
self” (i.e., foreign).
 IMMUNOGENICITY

2.Molecular Size:
(MW α Immunogenicity)
a. The most potent immunogens are proteins with high molecular
weights (i.e., above 100,000).
b. Certain small molecules (e.g., haptens) become immunogenic
only when linked to a carrier protein.
 IMMUNOGENICITY

3.Chemical–Structural Complexity:
a. A certain amount of chemical complexity is required.
b. (e.g., amino acid homopolymers are less immunogenic than
heteropolymers containing two or three different amino acids).
 IMMUNOGENICITY

4. Antigenic Determinants (Epitopes)

a. Epitopes are small chemical groups on the antigen molecule
that can elicit and react with antibody.
b. An Ag can have one or more determinants (multivalent).
c. In general, a determinant is roughly five amino acids or
sugars in size.
d. The overall 3D structure is the main criterion of antigenic
specificity.
 IMMUNOGENICITY

Dosage, Route, and Timing of Antigen Administration

a. These factors also affect immunogenicity.
b. Genetic constitution of the host (HLA genes) determines
whether a molecule is immunogenic.
c. Different strains of the same species of animal may respond
differently to the same antigen.
 ADJUVANTS

Adjuvants
a. Enhance the immune response to an immunogen, but chemically
unrelated to the immunogen and differ from a carrier protein
because the adjuvant is not covalently bound to the immunogen,
whereas the carrier protein is.
b. Some human vaccines contain adjuvants such as aluminum
hydroxide or lipids.
 ADJUVANTS

Adjuvants: (Functions)

1. Cause slow release of immunogen to prolong the stimulus,

enhance uptake of immunogen by APCs and induce
costimulatory molecules (“second signals”).
2. Stimulate Toll-like receptors (TLRs) on the surface of
macrophages, which results in cytokine production to enhances
the response of T cells and B cells to the immunogen (Ags).
 COMPLEMENT PROTEINS

Reference Book
Chap 65-Microbiology and Immunology by Levinson.
THANK YOU