2. INTRODUCTION
Introduction of antigen (Ag) into an animal-
certain substance appears in the serum &
tissue fluids are called ANTIBODIES
Glycoprotein molecule, that recognises a
particular epitope on an Ag , binds
specifically to it in some observable manner
(agglutination, precipitation, CFT etc)
3. Sera having high Antibody (Ab) levels
following infection or immunization is
called IMMUNE SERA
Secreted Ab circulate in blood & they
eliminate or neutralizes the Ag or their
effects like phagocytosis, Antibody
dependant cell mediated cytotoxicity
(ADCC), opsonisation etc
4. FRACTION OF IMMUNE SERA: DONE BY HALF LIFE
SATURATION WITH AMMONIUM SULPHATE
Separate serum protein
Soluble ALBUMIN Insoluble GLOBULINS
Water soluble
PEUDOGLOBULINS
Insoluble EUGLOBULINS
Most Ab were found to be EUGLOBULINS
5. Tiselius (1937): separate serum protein into
α, β & gamma globulins based on their
electrophoretic mobility
In 1938 he showed the Ab activity was
associated with gamma globulin factor,
known as IMMUNOGLOBULINS (Ig)
In 1964 WHO endorsed the generic term
IMMUNOGLOBULINS
6. Ig : synthesised by PLASMA Cells
& to some extent by
LYMPHOCYTES.
They contribute 20-25% of total
serum
5 classes of Ig have been
recognised : IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE &
IgD
7. STRUCTURE OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN (IG)
PORTER, EDELMAN, NISONOFF & HIS COLLEAGUES PUT A DETAIL PICTURE OF
RABBIT’S IgG ANTIBODY TO EGG ALBUMIN
IgG Ab
Split into 2 fractions by
Papaine in presence of cysteine
Insoluble fraction which
crystallisable in cold
Soluble fraction unable to
Ppt with egg albumin still binds
With it , called Fab
Fc- crystallisable
fragment
Fab – Ag binding fragment
8. STRUCTURE OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN (IG)
Each Ig molecule: 1 Fc & 2 Fab
Fab portion: bivalent & ppt with Ag,
fragment called : F(ab)2
Fc portion: designed into small
fragments
Glycoprotein- each molecule consist of
two pairs of polypeptide chains of diff
size
Smaller chains: light (L) chains
9. Molecular weight: L chain- 25,000
H chain- 50,000
L chain is attach to H chain by disulphide
bond
L chain: similar in all classes of Ig
Two types: (K)kappa 60% & (λ) lambda
40%
Molecule either have K or λ chain (never
both)
K & λ : named after Kongold & Lapari
10. H CHAIN : STRUCTURALLY & AGENICALLY DIFF FOR
EACH CLASS
IgG: γ (gamma) H chain
IgM : μ H chain
IgA : α H chain
IgD : δ H chain
IgE : ε H chain
11.
12. Ag combining site : at AMINO-TERMINUS (N
terminal)
Composed of both L & H chains
214 aa present in L chain & 107 aa in H
chain
First 110 aa from N terminal: quite variable
(VARIABLE REGION)
VL: variable region on L chain
VH: variable region on H chain
At this region Ag binds to Ab
13. Carboxy terminus (C terminal) :
relatively constant region
CL : constant light chain
CH : constant heavy chain
This region : mediated the effector functions
C region of light chain does not attach to cell
membrane & does not participate in its
effector functions
14. IMMUNOGLOBULIN DOMAIN
L &H chains contain several homologous
units of about 110 aa residues.
Within each unit intrachain disulphide bond
(-s-s-) forms a loop of 60 aa is called a
DOMAIN
L chain contains: 1 VL & 1CL domain
H chain contains : 1 VH & 3 -4 CH
domains depending on the class of Ig
(CH1, CH2, CH3 etc)
15. HYPERVARIABLE & FRAMEWORK REGION:
variable region of L & H chain domain
shows maximum sequence variation of aa
at terminal end of amino terminus:
HYPERVARIABLE REGION (binding site of
Ab to Ag)
Also called as COMPLEMENTARY
DERMINING REGION (CDR)
Each Fab fragment has 6 CDR (3 on L
chain & 3 on H chain)
16.
17.
18. IMMUNOGLOBULIN CLASSES
Ig CLASS H CHAIN ½ LIFE SERUM
CONC
IgG
Intra & Extra
Vascular
Gamma (γ)
chain
23 days 80%
IgA
Extravascular
α chain 6-8 days 10-13%
IgM
Intravascular
μ chain 5 days 5-8%
IgD
Mostly
Intravascular
δ chain 3 days 3 mg/100ml
IgE
Mostly
Extravascular
ε chain 2 days Few nano
gm/ml
19. IgG
Major serum Ig
80 % of total serum
Mol wt – 1,50,000
Equal distribution in intravascular &
extravascular compartments
Contains less –CHO than any other Igs
Half life : approx. 23 days
Levels increase in chronic infections like
malaria, kala azar or myeloma
20. Normal serum conc: 8-16 mg/ml
Only maternal Ab transported across the
placenta & provides natural passive
immunity to new born, not synthesised by
fetus insignificant amount
Participate in most of the immunological
reactions like CFT, Precipitation, neutralization
of toxins & viruses
Passive administration of IgG Ab suppresses
the homologous Ab synthesis (mainly used
when mother : Rh –ve & baby Rh +ve, anti D
IgG : given during delivery
21. Four classes of
IgG: IgG1, IgG2,
IgG3 & IgG4 due to
presence of γ1, γ2,
γ3 & γ4
Distribution in
human serum
IgG1: 65%
IgG2: 23%
IgG3: 8%
IgG4: 4%
22. IgA
Second most abundant class
10-13% of serum Ig
Normal serum level: 0.6-4.2 mg/ml
Half life: 6-8 days
Found on mucosal surfaces & in secretions
Major Ig in COLOSTRUM, SALIVA & TEARS
Two forms: serum IgA & Secretory IgA
23. Serum IgA:
monomer
Mol wt: 1,60,000
Secretory IgA: two
monomer joined with J
chain,
Mol wt : 4,00,000
Synthesised by
PLASMA Cells
situated near mucosal
or glandular
epithelium
Glycine rich
polypeptide
Secretory IgA: binds
to receptors on the
surface epithelium &
forms the Ab paste
on mucosal surfaces
Relatively resistant
to digestive enzymes
& reducing agents
24. FUNCTION OF IgA:
Inhibit the adherence of micro-organisms on
the mucosal surface & preventing their entry to
body tissue
Provides imp defence mechanism against :
salmonella, vibrio & viruses like polio, influenza
etc
Promotes phagocytosis & intracellular
killing of micro-organisms
Breast milk: rich in IgA, helps to protect new
borne inf during first month of life
26. IgM
Constitute : 5-6% of serum
Normal level: 0.5-2 mg/ml
Half life: 5 days
Short lived: disappears earlier than IgG
80% intravascular, protects blood invasion by
micro-organisms
Mol wt: 9,00,000 (heavy molecule), also called
as millionaire mol.
Polymer of 5 subunits, joined with each other by
J chain
27. Earliest Ig synthesised by FETUS, about
to 20 wks of age
NOT TRANSPORTED ACROSS
PLACENTA
Presence of IgM in fetus or in new born
indicates resent inf or intrauerine inf like
toxoplasma, syphilis, CMV, rubella, HIV etc
Deficiency : always associated with
septicemia
Many natural Ab to micro-organisms are
usually IgM, typhoid O Ag & regain Ab in
28. A single mol of IgM
can bring about
immune hemolysia
where as 1000 IgG
mol are required for
the same effect
500-1000 times
more effective than
IgG in opsonisation
& 20 times in
bacterial
29. IgD
Structurally resembles with IgG
Serum conc: about 3 mg/100ml
Mostly intravascular
Half life: 3 dys
Serves as recognising receptor for Ag
Combination of cell memb bound IgD or IgM
with corresponding Ag leads to stimulation
of B cells activation or cloning to produce Ab
30. IgE
Half life: about 2 days
Mol wt : 1,90,000
Resembles with IgG structurally
Heat labile (inactivated at 56 0C 1 hr)
Serum levels: few nano grams/ml
Affinity towards surface of tissue cells mainly
MAST Cells
Mostly extra vascular
31. Elevated levels: allergy: atopy (type I
Hypersensitivity) conditions such as asthma,
hay fever , eczema, intestinal parasitic inf etc
Produced by linings of URT & Intestinal tract
IgE deficiency: always associated
with IgA deficiency
Protects by degranulation of mast
cells & releases inflammatory
response
32. IgG – protects BODY FLUIDS
IgA – protects BODY SURFACE
IgM – protects BLOOD STREAM
IgE – mediates reaginic
hypersensitivity
IgD – recognition mol on the
surface of B lymphocytes
33. ABNORMAL IMMUNOGLOBULIN
Discoved by Bence Jones (1847):
Protein found in MULTIPLE MYELOMA:
identified in urine: property of coagulation
when heated at 50 0 C but redissolves at 70
0 C
Plasma cell disorder: unchecked
proliferation of one clone of plasma cell,
resulting extensive production of particular Ig
synthesised by clone cell (called as
MONOCLONAL Ab)
34. Affect plasma cells synthesising IgG, IgA,
IgE & IgD
IgM producing cells: Waldenstrom’s
macroglobulinemia
H chain disorder: lymphoid leukemia,
overproduction of Fc part
Cryoglobulinemia: gel / ppt formed on
cooling the serum & redissolves on warming
35. Not always associated with ds, but often
found in myeloma, macroglobulinemias &
autoimmne conditions such as SLE
Most cryoglobulins contain IgG, IgM & their
mix ppt
36. IMMUNOGLOBULIN SPECIFICITIES
Isotype: genetic variations or diff in the
constant region of H chain Ig classes &
subclasses in the species
Allotypes: multiple alleles that exist for
some of the genes
Idiotypes: specific Agenic determinants on
the H chain & L chain variable regions
(paratopes)