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91-439: T h cells contain and release cytokines to aid other immune cells. Cytokines are small protein mediators that alter the behavior of target cells that express receptors for those cytokines. These cells help polarize the immune response depending on the nature of the immunological insult (for example; virus vs. extracellular bacterium vs. intracellular bacterium vs. helminth vs. fungus vs. protist). Mature T h cells express

182-410: A humoral immune response , typically against extracellular parasites such as helminths . They are triggered by the polarising cytokines IL-4 and IL-2, and their effector cytokines are IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-10, IL-13 and IL-25. The main effector cells are eosinophils, basophils, and mast cells as well as B cells, and IL-4/IL-5 CD4 T cells. The key T h 2 transcription factors are STAT6 and GATA3 . IL-4

273-402: A bound ligand is said to display "constitutive activity". The constitutive activity of a receptor may be blocked by an inverse agonist . The anti-obesity drugs rimonabant and taranabant are inverse agonists at the cannabinoid CB1 receptor and though they produced significant weight loss, both were withdrawn owing to a high incidence of depression and anxiety, which are believed to relate to

364-402: A cDNA encoding CD154 by screening an expression library with CD40-Ig. Randolph Noelle at Dartmouth Medical School generated an antibody that bound a 39 kDa protein on murine T cells and inhibited helper function. Helper T cells are capable of influencing a variety of immune cells, and the T cell response generated (including the extracellular signals such as cytokines ) can be essential for

455-421: A dendritic cell's pattern-recognition receptors recognize a pathogen-associated molecular pattern, antigen is phagocytosed and the dendritic cell becomes activated, upregulating the expression of MHC class II molecules. It also upregulates several co-stimulatory molecules required for T cell activation, including CD40 and B7. The latter can interact with CD28 on the surface of a CD4 T cell. The dendritic cell

546-743: A far greater extent. Indicating that SARS-Cov-2 attacks the CD4 cells during infection. Low CD4 predicted greater likelihood of intensive care unit admission, and CD4 cell count was the only parameter that predicted length of time for viral RNA clearance. Despite the reduced levels of CD4, COVID-19 patients with severe disease had higher levels of T h 1 CD4 cells than patients with moderate disease. Receptor (biochemistry) In biochemistry and pharmacology , receptors are chemical structures, composed of protein , that receive and transduce signals that may be integrated into biological systems. These signals are typically chemical messengers which bind to

637-427: A higher affinity for macrophages), resulting in a slow kill rate of CD4 T cells by the immune system. This is initially compensated for via the production of new helper T cells from the thymus (originally from the bone marrow ). Once the virus becomes lymphotropic (or T-tropic) however, it begins to infect CD4 T cells far more efficiently (likely due to a change in the co-receptors it binds to during infection), and

728-414: A lineage specifying transcription factor results in the absence of the corresponding class of helper T cell which can be devastating for the health of the host. Following development in the thymus , these cells (termed recent thymic emigrants (RTE)) egress from the thymus and home to secondary lymphoid organs (SLO; spleen and lymph nodes ). Of note, only a very small minority of T cells egresses from

819-464: A monolithic immunological entity because they are diverse in terms of function and their interaction with partner cells. In general, mature naive T cells are stimulated by professional antigen presenting cells to acquire an effector module. These are defined by the presence of a lineage-determining (or lineage-specifying) transcription factor (also called master regulator , though the term has been criticized for being too reductive). The loss of function in

910-557: A particular structure. This has been analogously compared to how locks will only accept specifically shaped keys . When a ligand binds to a corresponding receptor, it activates or inhibits the receptor's associated biochemical pathway, which may also be highly specialised. Receptor proteins can be also classified by the property of the ligands. Such classifications include chemoreceptors , mechanoreceptors , gravitropic receptors , photoreceptors , magnetoreceptors and gasoreceptors. The structures of receptors are very diverse and include

1001-487: A potent T cell growth factor called interleukin 2 (IL-2) which acts upon itself in an autocrine fashion. Activated T cells also produce the alpha sub-unit of the IL-2 receptor ( CD25 or IL-2R), enabling a fully functional receptor that can bind with IL-2, which in turn activates the T cell's proliferation pathways. The autocrine or paracrine secretion of IL-2 can bind to that same T h cell or neighboring T h 's via

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1092-415: A receptor and produce physiological responses such as change in the electrical activity of a cell . For example, GABA , an inhibitory neurotransmitter , inhibits electrical activity of neurons by binding to GABA A receptors . There are three main ways the action of the receptor can be classified: relay of signal, amplification, or integration. Relaying sends the signal onward, amplification increases

1183-410: A receptor is its binding affinity, which is inversely related to the dissociation constant K d . A good fit corresponds with high affinity and low K d . The final biological response (e.g. second messenger cascade , muscle-contraction), is only achieved after a significant number of receptors are activated. Affinity is a measure of the tendency of a ligand to bind to its receptor. Efficacy

1274-487: A role in fighting tumors, via stimulation of B and cytotoxic T cells to respectively produce antibodies against tumor-related antigen and kill malignant cells. Dendritic cells, presenting tumor-specific antigen to T cells, are key to this process. Cancer therapies have included treating the patient with increased numbers of dendritic cells or cancer-specific T cells. However, newer therapies have turned to genetically engineered artificial antigen-presenting cells designed to prime

1365-515: A similar phenomenon; transplant rejection . Helper T cells are required to fuel the development of these diseases. In order to create sufficient auto-reactive killer T cells, interleukin-2 must be produced, and this is supplied by CD4 T cells. CD4 T cells can also stimulate cells such as natural killer cells and macrophages via cytokines such as interferon-gamma , encouraging these cytotoxic cells to kill host cells in certain circumstances. The mechanism that killer T cells use during auto-immunity

1456-838: A successful outcome from infection. In order to be effective, helper T cells must determine which cytokines will allow the immune system to be most useful or beneficial for the host. Understanding exactly how helper T cells respond to immune challenges is currently of major interest in immunology , because such knowledge may be very useful in the treatment of disease and in increasing the effectiveness of vaccination . Proliferating helper T cells that develop into effector T cells differentiate into two major subtypes of cells known as T h 1 and T h 2 cells (also known as Type 1 and Type 2 helper T cells, respectively). T h 1 helper cells lead to an increased cell-mediated response (primarily by macrophages and cytotoxic T cells ), typically against intracellular bacteria and protozoa. They are triggered by

1547-469: A suicidal death pathway in an attempt to protect the host, leading to caspase-1 activation in inflammasomes , thus causing pyroptosis (a highly inflammatory form of programmed cell death). At this point chronic inflammation ensues, and functional CD4 T cell levels begin to decrease, eventually to a point where the CD4 T cell population is too small to recognize the full range of antigens that could potentially be detected. The depletion of CD4 T cells and

1638-622: Is a cell that displays an antigen bound by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins on its surface; this process is known as antigen presentation . T cells may recognize these complexes using their T cell receptors (TCRs). APCs process antigens and present them to T cells. Almost all cell types can present antigens in some way. They are found in a variety of tissue types. Dedicated antigen-presenting cells, including macrophages , B cells and dendritic cells , present foreign antigens to helper T cells , while virus-infected cells (or cancer cells) can present antigens originating inside

1729-489: Is a feature of T h 3 cells, which transform into a regulatory subset after its initial activation and cytokine production. Both regulatory T cells and T h 3 cells produce the cytokine transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and IL-10. Both cytokines are inhibitory to helper T cells; TGF-β suppresses the activity of most of the immune system. There is evidence to suggest that TGF-β may not suppress activated Th2 cells as effectively as it might suppress naive cells, but it

1820-464: Is a locally acting feedback mechanism. The ligands for receptors are as diverse as their receptors. GPCRs (7TMs) are a particularly vast family, with at least 810 members. There are also LGICs for at least a dozen endogenous ligands, and many more receptors possible through different subunit compositions. Some common examples of ligands and receptors include: Some example ionotropic (LGIC) and metabotropic (specifically, GPCRs) receptors are shown in

1911-569: Is achieved by interacting with a professional APC which presents an antigen recognized by their T cell receptor. The APC involved in activating T cells is usually a dendritic cell. T cells cannot recognize (and therefore cannot respond to) "free" or soluble antigens. They can only recognize and respond to antigen that has been processed and presented by cells via carrier molecules like MHC molecules. Helper T cells can recognize exogenous antigen presented on MHC class II; cytotoxic T cells can recognize endogenous antigen presented on MHC class I. Most cells in

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2002-502: Is almost identical to their response against viruses , and some viruses have been accused of causing auto-immune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes mellitus . Cellular auto-immune disease occurs because the host antigen recognition systems fail, and the immune system believes, by mistake, that a host antigen is foreign. As a result, the CD8 T cells treat the host cell presenting that antigen as infected, and go on to destroy all host cells (or in

2093-574: Is also involved in defense against tumors. Some cancer therapies involve the creation of artificial APCs to prime the adaptive immune system to target malignant cells. Antigen-presenting cells fall into two categories: professional and non-professional. Those that express MHC class II molecules along with co-stimulatory molecules and pattern recognition receptors are often called professional antigen-presenting cells . The non-professional APCs express MHC class I molecules. T cells must be activated before they can divide and perform their function. This

2184-456: Is an allergic reaction mediated by IgE. Allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and asthma belong to this category of overactivation . In addition to expressing different cytokines, T h 2 cells also differ from T h 1 cells in their cell surface glycans (oligosaccharides), which makes them less susceptible to some inducers of cell death. While we know about the types of cytokine patterns helper T cells tend to produce, we understand less about how

2275-404: Is an intrinsic capacity of T helper cells. Indeed, a study in mice demonstrated that T h 17 cells transform into T h 1 cells in vivo . A subsequent study furthermore showed that extensive T helper cell plasticity is also prominent in humans. Many of the cytokines in this article are also expressed by other immune cells (see individual cytokines for details), and it is becoming clear that while

2366-509: Is commonly explained in terms of the 3-signal model, elaborated upon below. During an immune response, professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) endocytose antigens (typically bacteria or viruses), which undergo processing , then travel from the infection site to the lymph nodes . Typically, the APC responsible is a dendritic cell. If the antigen expresses appropriate molecular patterns (sometimes known as signal 0), it can induce maturation of

2457-493: Is digested into smaller peptides containing epitopes , which are then presented to T cells by the MHC. B cells reside in the lymph node. Once their B cell receptor binds to an antigen, they can interact with activated helper T cells, as described above. A dendritic cell that interacts with an already-activated helper T cell can become licensed. This occurs through the interaction of co-stimulatory molecules including B7 and CD40 on

2548-482: Is not believed to truly promote the T h 2 response in humans, but acts to prevent over-stimulation of helper T cells while still maximising the production of antibodies . There are also other types of T cells that can influence the expression and activation of helper T cells, such as natural regulatory T cells , along with less common cytokine profiles such as the T h 3 subset of helper T cells. Terms such as "regulatory" and "suppression" have become ambiguous after

2639-493: Is not present during initial antigen exposure, the T cell presumes that it is auto-reactive. This results in the cell becoming anergic (anergy is generated from the unprotected biochemical changes of Signal 1). Anergic cells will not respond to any antigen in the future, even if both signals are present later on. These cells are generally believed to circulate throughout the body with no value until they undergo apoptosis . The second signal involves an interaction between CD28 on

2730-426: Is not responding sufficiently to the hormone. The main receptors in the immune system are pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), toll-like receptors (TLRs), killer activated and killer inhibitor receptors (KARs and KIRs), complement receptors , Fc receptors , B cell receptors and T cell receptors . Antigen-presenting cell#Professional APCs An antigen-presenting cell ( APC ) or accessory cell

2821-404: Is not restricted to the classically professional APCs. Other leukocytes, including granulocytes such as mast cells and neutrophils, can be induced to do so, as can endothelial and epithelial cells under certain circumstances. Even so, there is little evidence that these atypical APCs are able to activate naive CD4 T cells. After dendritic cells have phagocytosed pathogens, they usually migrate to

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2912-440: Is not typically considered a Th2 cytokine. The novel characterisation of another T helper subtype, T helper 17 cells (T h 17) has cast further doubt on the basic T h 1/T h 2 model. These IL-17 producing cells were initially described as a pathogenic population implicated in autoimmunity but are now thought to have their own distinct effector and regulatory functions. Of note, some evidence suggest that functional plasticity

3003-454: Is nowhere near complete. T h 17 helper cells are a subset of T helper cells developmentally distinct from T h 1 and T h 2 lineages. T h 17 cells produce interleukin 17 (IL-17), a pro-inflammatory substance, as well as interleukins 21 and 22 . This means that T h 17 cells are especially good at fighting extracellular pathogens and fungi, particularly during mucocutaneous immunity against Candida spp. THαβ helper cells provide

3094-411: Is referred to as its endogenous ligand. E.g. the endogenous ligand for the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is acetylcholine , but it can also be activated by nicotine and blocked by curare . Receptors of a particular type are linked to specific cellular biochemical pathways that correspond to the signal. While numerous receptors are found in most cells, each receptor will only bind with ligands of

3185-440: Is specific. They can then process the antigen and present peptides using MHC class II molecules. When a T helper cell with a TCR specific for that peptide binds, the B cell marker CD40 binds to CD40L on the T cell surface. When activated by a T cell, a B cell can undergo antibody isotype switching, affinity maturation, as well as formation of memory cells. Non-professional antigen presenting cells include all nucleated cell types in

3276-482: Is that they are long-lived and can expand quickly to large numbers of effector T cells upon encountering their cognate antigen. By this mechanism they provide the immune system with "memory" against previously encountered pathogens. Considering the diverse and important role helper T cells play in the immune system, it is not surprising that these cells often influence the immune response against disease. They also occasionally generate non-beneficial responses. Very rarely,

3367-411: Is the measure of the bound ligand to activate its receptor. Not every ligand that binds to a receptor also activates that receptor. The following classes of ligands exist: Note that the idea of receptor agonism and antagonism only refers to the interaction between receptors and ligands and not to their biological effects. A receptor which is capable of producing a biological response in the absence of

3458-551: Is the positive feedback cytokine for T h 2 cells differentiation. Besides, IL-4 stimulates B-cells to produce IgE antibodies, which in turn stimulate mast cells to release histamine , serotonin , and leukotriene to cause broncho-constriction, intestinal peristalsis, gastric fluid acidification to expel helminths. IL-5 from CD4 T cells will activate eosinophils to attack helminths. IL-10 suppresses T h 1 cells differentiation and function of dendritic cells. T h 2 overactivation against antigen will cause Type I hypersensitivity which

3549-501: Is then a fully mature professional APC. It moves from the tissue to lymph nodes, where it encounters and activates T cells. Macrophages can be stimulated by T cell secretion of interferon . After this activation, macrophages are able to express MHC class II and co-stimulatory molecules, including the B7 complex and can present phagocytosed peptide fragments to helper T cells. Activation can assist pathogen-infected macrophages in clearing

3640-439: Is then obsolete; only the first signal is necessary for future activation. This is also true for memory T cells, which is one example of learned immunity . Faster responses occur upon reinfection because memory T cells have already undergone confirmation and can produce effector cells much sooner. Once the two-signal activation is complete the T helper cell (T h ) then allows itself to proliferate . It achieves this by releasing

3731-525: The CD1 family of proteins, which are structurally similar to the MHC class I family. Professional APCs specialize in presenting antigens to T cells. They are very efficient at internalizing antigens, either by phagocytosis (e.g. macrophages), or by receptor-mediated endocytosis (B cells), processing the antigen into peptide fragments and then displaying those peptides (bound to a class II MHC molecule) on their membrane. The T cell recognizes and interacts with

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3822-576: The TCR - CD3 complex binds strongly to the peptide-MHC complex present on the surface of professional APCs. CD4 , a co-receptor of the TCR complex, also binds to a different section of the MHC molecule. It is estimated that approximately 50 of these interactions are required for the activation of a helper T cell and assemblies known as microclusters have been observed forming between the TCR-CD3-CD4 complexes of

3913-412: The dendritic cells of the immune system but rather have a non-hematopoietic origin, and in general lack MHC Class II, meaning they are not true professional antigen-presenting cells; however, follicular dendritic cells may acquire MHC Class II proteins via exosomes that become attached to them). T cells require antigens to be processed into short fragments which form linear epitopes on MHC Class II (in

4004-422: The receptor theory of pharmacology stated that a drug's effect is directly proportional to the number of receptors that are occupied. Furthermore, a drug effect ceases as a drug-receptor complex dissociates. Ariëns & Stephenson introduced the terms "affinity" & "efficacy" to describe the action of ligands bound to receptors. In contrast to the accepted Occupation Theory , Rate Theory proposes that

4095-547: The CD4 T cell and the proteins CD80 (B7.1) or CD86 (B7.2) on the professional APCs. Both CD80 and CD86 activate the CD28 receptor. These proteins are also known as co-stimulatory molecules . Although the verification stage is necessary for the activation of naïve helper T cells, the importance of this stage is best demonstrated during the similar activation mechanism of CD8 cytotoxic T cells . As naïve CD8 T cells have no true bias towards foreign sources, these T cells must rely on

4186-640: The IL-2R thus driving proliferation and clonal expansion. The T h cells receiving both signals of activation and proliferation will then become T h 0 (T helper 0) cells that secrete IL-2, IL-4 and interferon gamma (IFN-γ). The T h 0 cells will then differentiate into T h 1 or T h 2 cells depending on cytokine environment. IFN-γ drives T h 1 cell production while IL-10 and IL-4 inhibit T h 1 cell production. Conversely, IL-4 drives T h 2 cell production and IFN-γ inhibits T h 2 cells. These cytokines are pleiotropic and carry out many other functions of

4277-403: The T h cell's activation and maturation status. For example, CD45 shortens in length following T h activation (CD45RA to CD45RO), but whether this change in length influences activation is unknown. It has been proposed that the larger CD45RA may decrease the accessibility of the T cell receptor for the antigen-MHC molecule, thereby necessitating an increase in the affinity (and specificity) of

4368-453: The T h model has still played an important part in developing our understanding of the roles and behaviour of helper T cells and the cytokines they produce during an immune response. Studies by Stockinger et al. revealed that another T helper subset may exist. Th9 cells are claimed to be an IL9 ( interleukin 9 )–producing T cell subset focused on defending helminth infections. Historically, memory T cells were thought to belong to either

4459-400: The T h 1/T h 2 model can be more complicated in some animals. For example, the T h 2 cytokine IL-10 inhibits cytokine production of both T h subsets in humans. Human IL-10 (hIL-10) suppresses the proliferation and cytokine production of all T cells and the activity of macrophages, but continues to stimulate plasma cells , ensuring that antibody production still occurs. As such, hIL-10

4550-607: The T cell and the MHC Class II proteins of the dendritic cell at the zone of contact. When these all come together, the CD4 is able to recruit a kinase called Lck which phosphorylates immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs) present on the CD3 gamma, delta, epsilon, and zeta chains. The protein ZAP-70 can bind these phosphorylated ITAMs via its SH2 domain and then itself becomes phosphorylated, wherein it orchestrates

4641-423: The T cell for activation. However, once the activation has occurred, CD45 shortens, allowing easier interactions and activation as an effector T helper cell. Having received the first TCR/CD3 signal, the naïve T cell must activate a second independent biochemical pathway, known as Signal 2. This verification step is a protective measure to ensure that a T cell is responding to a foreign antigen. If this second signal

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4732-414: The activation of CD28 for confirmation that they recognize a foreign antigen (as CD80/CD86 is only expressed by active APC's). CD28 plays an important role in decreasing the risk of T cell auto-immunity against host antigens. Once the naïve T cell has both pathways activated, the biochemical changes induced by Signal 1 are altered, allowing the cell to activate instead of undergoing anergy. The second signal

4823-443: The activation of receptors is directly proportional to the total number of encounters of a drug with its receptors per unit time. Pharmacological activity is directly proportional to the rates of dissociation and association, not the number of receptors occupied: As a drug approaches a receptor, the receptor alters the conformation of its binding site to produce drug—receptor complex. In some receptor systems (e.g. acetylcholine at

4914-514: The antigen-class II MHC molecule complex on the membrane of the antigen-presenting cell. An additional co-stimulatory signal is then produced by the antigen-presenting cell, leading to activation of the T cell. The expression of co-stimulatory molecules and MHC class II are defining features of professional APCs. All professional APCs also express MHC class I molecules as well. The main types of professional antigen-presenting cells are dendritic cells, macrophages and B cells. Dendritic cells have

5005-400: The body can present antigen to CD8+ cytotoxic T cells via MHC class I; however, the term "antigen-presenting cell" is often used specifically to describe professional APCs. Such cells express MHC class I and MHC class II molecules and can stimulate CD4 helper T cells as well as cytotoxic T cells. APCs can also present foreign and self lipids to T cells and natural killer cells by using

5096-541: The body. They use an MHC class I molecule coupled to beta-2 microglobulin to display endogenous peptides on the cell membrane. These peptides originate within the cell itself, in contrast to the exogenous antigen displayed by professional APCs using MHC class II molecules. Cytotoxic T cells are able to interact with endogenous antigen presented using an MHC class I molecule. Non-professional APCs do not typically express MHC class II molecules. However, it has been observed that antigen presentation to CD4 cells via MHC class II

5187-718: The broadest range of antigen presentation and are necessary for activation of naive T cells. DCs present antigen to both helper and cytotoxic T cells. They can also perform cross-presentation , a process by which they present exogenous antigen on MHC class I molecules to cytotoxic T cells. Cross-presentation allows for the activation of these T cells. Dendritic cells also play a role in peripheral tolerance , which contributes to prevention of auto-immune disease . Prior to encountering foreign antigen, dendritic cells express very low levels of MHC class II and co-stimulatory molecules on their cell surface. These immature dendritic cells are ineffective at presenting antigen to T helper cells. Once

5278-511: The case of helper T cells because they express CD4) or MHC class I (in the case of cytotoxic T cells which express CD8 ). MHC Class II binding pockets are flexible with respect to the length of the peptides they hold. Generally, there are 9 core amino acid residues with several flanking amino acids which form a length of about 12–16 amino acids total but have been known to hold as many as 25 amino acids. By comparison, MHC Class I proteins are usually 9-10 peptides long. The activation of naive T cells

5369-404: The case of transplant rejection, transplant organ) that express that antigen. Some of this section is a simplification. Many auto-immune diseases are more complex. A well-known example is rheumatoid arthritis , where both antibodies and immune cells are known to play a role in the pathology. Generally the immunology of most auto-immune diseases is not well understood. Perhaps the best example of

5460-506: The cell to cytotoxic T cells . In addition to the MHC family of proteins, antigen presentation relies on other specialized signaling molecules on the surfaces of both APCs and T cells. Antigen-presenting cells are vital for effective adaptive immune response , as the functioning of both cytotoxic and helper T cells is dependent on APCs. Antigen presentation allows for specificity of adaptive immunity and can contribute to immune responses against both intracellular and extracellular pathogens. It

5551-405: The cell, and include cytoplasmic receptors and nuclear receptors . A molecule that binds to a receptor is called a ligand and can be a protein, peptide (short protein), or another small molecule , such as a neurotransmitter , hormone , pharmaceutical drug, toxin, calcium ion or parts of the outside of a virus or microbe. An endogenously produced substance that binds to a particular receptor

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5642-411: The cell. 4 examples of intracellular LGIC are shown below: Many genetic disorders involve hereditary defects in receptor genes. Often, it is hard to determine whether the receptor is nonfunctional or the hormone is produced at decreased level; this gives rise to the "pseudo-hypo-" group of endocrine disorders , where there appears to be a decreased hormonal level while in fact it is the receptor that

5733-460: The dendritic cell which results in enhanced expression of costimulatory molecules needed to activate T cells (see signal 2) and MHC Class II. Once at the lymph nodes, the APCs begin to present antigen peptides that are bound to Class II MHC, allowing CD4 T cells that express the specific TCRs against the peptide/MHC complex to activate. When a T h cell encounters and recognizes the antigen on an APC,

5824-464: The dendritic cell, with CD28 and CD40 ligand on the T cell. Only licensed dendritic cells are able to activate cytotoxic T cells. T cell licensing of dendritic cells is key for activation of cytotoxic T cells for many pathogens, although the extent to which T cell help is needed may vary. In MHC class I and class II molecules, only certain epitopes of an internalized peptide can be presented. These epitopes are termed immunodominant. APCs naturally have

5915-520: The development of chronic inflammation are signature processes in HIV pathogenesis that propel progression to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). CD4 T cell depleted to the cell count of less than 200cell/μL in blood during AIDS allows various pathogens to escape T cell recognition, thus allowing opportunistic infections that would normally elicit a helper T cell response to bypass the immune system. While these complete bypass situations only occur when

6006-462: The discovery that helper CD4 T cells are also capable of regulating (and suppressing) their own responses outside of dedicated regulatory T cells. One major difference between regulatory T cells and effector T cells is that regulatory T cells typically serve to modulate and deactivate the immune response, while effector T cell groups usually begin with immune-promoting cytokines and then switch to inhibitory cytokines later in their life cycle. The latter

6097-449: The downstream signaling required for T cell activation. Lck activation is controlled by the opposing actions of CD45 and Csk . CD45 activates Lck by dephosphorylating a tyrosine in its C-terminal tail, while Csk phosphorylates Lck at that site. The loss of CD45 produces a form of SCID because failure to activate Lck prevents appropriate T cell signaling. Memory T cells also make use of this pathway and have higher levels of Lck expressed and

6188-403: The dynamic behavior of receptors have been used to gain understanding of their mechanisms of action. Ligand binding is an equilibrium process. Ligands bind to receptors and dissociate from them according to the law of mass action in the following equation, for a ligand L and receptor, R. The brackets around chemical species denote their concentrations. One measure of how well a molecule fits

6279-399: The effect of a single ligand , and integration allows the signal to be incorporated into another biochemical pathway. Receptor proteins can be classified by their location. Cell surface receptors , also known as transmembrane receptors, include ligand-gated ion channels , G protein-coupled receptors , and enzyme-linked hormone receptors . Intracellular receptors are those found inside

6370-577: The effector or central memory subtypes, each with their own distinguishing set of cell surface markers. Central memory T cells reside in the lymph nodes while effector memory T cells lack the C-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7) and L-selectin (CD62L) receptors, which prevents them from trafficking to the lymph nodes. Additional populations of memory T cells are now known to exist. These include tissue-resident memory T (Trm) cells and virtual memory T cells. The single unifying theme for all memory T cell subtypes

6461-414: The following major categories, among others: Membrane receptors may be isolated from cell membranes by complex extraction procedures using solvents , detergents , and/or affinity purification . The structures and actions of receptors may be studied by using biophysical methods such as X-ray crystallography , NMR , circular dichroism , and dual polarisation interferometry . Computer simulations of

6552-543: The function of Csk is inhibited in these cells. The binding of the antigen-MHC to the TCR complex and CD4 may also help the APC and the T h cell adhere during T h cell activation, but the integrin protein LFA-1 on the T cell and ICAM on the APC are the primary molecules of adhesion in this cell interaction. It is unknown what role the relatively bulky extracellular region of CD45 plays during cell interactions, but CD45 has various isoforms that change in size depending on

6643-604: The helper T cell response could lead to the death of the host. The immune system must achieve a balance of sensitivity in order to respond to foreign antigens without responding to the antigens of the host itself. When the immune system responds to very low levels of antigen that it usually shouldn't respond to, a hypersensitivity response occurs. Hypersensitivity is believed to be the cause of allergy and some auto-immune disease . Hypersensitivity reactions can be divided into four types: Other cellular hypersensitivities include cytotoxic T cell mediated auto-immune disease , and

6734-503: The helper T cell response is absolutely necessary for infection clearance, most infections increase in severity and/or duration because the immune system's helper T cells provide less efficient immune response. Two components of the immune system are particularly affected in AIDS, due to its CD4 T cell dependency: If the patient does not respond to (or does not receive) HIV treatment they will succumb usually to either cancers or infections;

6825-745: The host immunity against viruses. Their differentiation is triggered by IFN α/β or IL-10 . Their key effector cytokine is IL-10. Their main effector cells are NK cells as well as CD8 T cells, IgG B cells, and IL-10 CD4 T cells. The key THαβ transcription factors are STAT1 and STAT3 as well as IRFs. IL-10 from CD4 T cells activate NK cells' ADCC to apoptose virus-infected cells and to induce host as well as viral DNA fragmentation. IFN alpha/beta can suppress transcription to avoid virus replication and transmission. Overactivation of THαβ against autoantigen will cause type 2 antibody-dependent cytotoxic hypersensitivity. Myasthenia gravis or Graves' disease belong to this category. The interactions between cytokines from

6916-407: The immune response. In 1991, three groups reported discovering CD154, which is the molecular basis of T cell helper function. Seth Lederman at Columbia University generated a murine monoclonal antibody, 5c8 that inhibited contact-dependent T cell helper function in human cells which characterized the 32 kDa surface protein transiently expressed on CD4 T cells. Richard Armitage at Immunex cloned

7007-532: The immune system finally reaches a point where it is no longer coordinated or stimulated enough to deal with the disease. Inhibition of CD4 T-cell expansion during HIV infection may occur due to microbial translocation in an IL-10-dependent way. Triggering PD-1 expressed on activated monocytes by its ligand PD-L1, induces IL-10 production which inhibits CD4 T-cell function. In coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) B cell , natural killer cell , and total lymphocyte counts decline, but both CD4 and CD8 cells decline to

7098-425: The immune system is overwhelmed. Studies suggest that only ~5% of the lymphoid-derived CD4 T cells targeted by HIV are permissive and become productively infected with the virus. More than 95% of the CD4 T cells that die are resting and are unable to support productive infection. These cells undergo abortive infection with HIV. Cell death is triggered when the host cell detects HIV foreign DNA intermediates and initiates

7189-414: The importance of CD4 T cells is demonstrated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. HIV mainly targets lymphoid CD4 T cells, but can infect other cells that express CD4 such as macrophages and dendritic cells (both groups express CD4 at low levels). It has been proposed that during the non-symptomatic phase of HIV infection, the virus has a relatively low affinity towards T cells (and has

7280-515: The infection. Deriving from monocytes , a type of white blood cell , they will circulate in the blood and enter affected sites and differentiate from monocytes to macrophages. At the affected site, the macrophage surrounds the site of infection or tissue damage with its membrane in a mechanism called phagocytosis . B cells can internalize antigen that binds to their B cell receptor and present it to helper T cells. Unlike T cells, B cells can recognize soluble antigen for which their B cell receptor

7371-577: The inhibition of the constitutive activity of the cannabinoid receptor. The GABA A receptor has constitutive activity and conducts some basal current in the absence of an agonist. This allows beta carboline to act as an inverse agonist and reduce the current below basal levels. Mutations in receptors that result in increased constitutive activity underlie some inherited diseases, such as precocious puberty (due to mutations in luteinizing hormone receptors) and hyperthyroidism (due to mutations in thyroid-stimulating hormone receptors). Early forms of

7462-472: The neuromuscular junction in smooth muscle), agonists are able to elicit maximal response at very low levels of receptor occupancy (<1%). Thus, that system has spare receptors or a receptor reserve. This arrangement produces an economy of neurotransmitter production and release. Cells can increase ( upregulate ) or decrease ( downregulate ) the number of receptors to a given hormone or neurotransmitter to alter their sensitivity to different molecules. This

7553-417: The original T h 1/T h 2 model is enlightening and gives insight into the functions of helper T cells, it is far too simple to define its entire role or actions. Some immunologists question the model completely, as some in vivo studies suggest that individual helper T cells usually do not match the specific cytokine profiles of the T h model, and many cells express cytokines from both profiles. That said,

7644-445: The patterns themselves are decided. Various evidence suggests that the type of APC presenting the antigen to the T cell has a major influence on its profile. Other evidence suggests that the concentration of antigen presented to the T cell during primary activation influences its choice. The presence of some cytokines (such as the ones mentioned above) will also influence the response that will eventually be generated, but our understanding

7735-764: The polarising cytokine IL-12 and their effector cytokines are IFN-γ and IL-2. The main effector cells of T h 1 immunity are macrophages as well as CD8 T cells, IgG B cells, and IFN-γ CD4 T cells. The key T h 1 transcription factors are STAT4 and T-bet. IFN-γ secreted by CD4 T cells can activate macrophages to phagocytose and digest intracellular bacteria and protozoa. In addition, IFN-γ can activate iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase) to produce nitric oxide free radicals to directly kill intracellular bacteria and protozoa. T h 1 overactivation against autoantigens will cause Type IV or delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction. Tuberculin reaction and Type 1 diabetes belong to this category of autoimmunity. T h 2 helper cells lead to

7826-446: The production of interleukin 8 (IL-8) . Like all T cells, they express the T cell receptor - CD3 complex. The T cell receptor (TCR) consists of both constant and variable regions. The variable region determines what antigen the T cell can respond to. CD4 T cells have TCRs with an affinity for Class II MHC , and CD4 is involved in determining MHC affinity during maturation in the thymus . Class II MHC proteins are generally only found on

7917-423: The surface of professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Professional antigen-presenting cells are primarily dendritic cells , macrophages and B cells , although dendritic cells are the only cell group that expresses MHC Class II constitutively (at all times). Some APCs also bind native (or unprocessed) antigens to their surface, such as follicular dendritic cells (these are not the same type of cells as

8008-491: The surface protein CD4 and are referred to as CD4 T cells . CD4 T cells are generally treated as having a pre-defined role as helper T cells within the immune system . For example, when an antigen-presenting cell displays a peptide antigen on MHC class II proteins, a CD4 cell will aid those cells through a combination of cell to cell interactions (e.g. CD40 (protein) and CD40L ) and through cytokines . T h cells are not

8099-601: The table below. The chief neurotransmitters are glutamate and GABA; other neurotransmitters are neuromodulatory . This list is by no means exhaustive. Enzyme linked receptors include Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), serine/threonine-specific protein kinase, as in bone morphogenetic protein and guanylate cyclase, as in atrial natriuretic factor receptor. Of the RTKs, 20 classes have been identified, with 58 different RTKs as members. Some examples are shown below: Receptors may be classed based on their mechanism or on their position in

8190-559: The thymus (estimates commonly range from 1–5% but some experts feel even this is generous). Maturation of RTE in SLO results in the generation of mature naive T cells (naïve meaning they have never been exposed to the antigen that they are programmed to respond to), but naive T cells now lack or have downregulated (reduced) expression of the RTE-related surface markers, such as CD31 , PTK7 , Complement Receptor 1 and 2 ( CR1 , CR2 ) and

8281-448: The vast network of lymph vessels and are carried by lymph flow to the draining lymph nodes . Each lymph node is a collection point where APCs can interact with T cells. During the migration, DCs undergo a process of maturation: they lose most of their ability to further engulf pathogens and they mature by changing surface expression of MHC and co-stimulatory molecules, as well as increased production of cytokines. The internalized antigen

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