Principles of Immunology Antigen-Antibody Interactions 4/25/06

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Principles of ImmunologyAntigen-Antibody
Interactions4/25/06
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Word/Terms List

• Agglutinin
• EIA
• Equivalence zone
• FIA
• Immunodiffusion
• Immunoelectrophoresis
• RIA
• Titer

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Affinity

• Strength of the reaction between a single
  antigenic determinant and a single Ab combining
  site

Affinity ? attractive and repulsive forces
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Specificity

• The ability of an individual antibody combining
  site to react with only one antigenic
  determinant.
• The ability of a population of antibody molecules
  to react with only one antigen.

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Cross Reactivity

• The ability of an individual Ab combining site to
  react with more than one antigenic determinant.
• The ability of a population of Ab molecules to
  react with more than one Ag

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Factors Affecting Measurement of Ag/Ab Reactions

• Affinity

• Avidity

• AgAb ratio

• Physical form of Ag

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Tests Based on Ag/Ab Reactions

• All tests based on Ag/Ab reactions will have to
  depend on lattice formation or they will have to
  utilize ways to detect small immune complexes
• All tests based on Ag/Ab reactions can be used to
  detect either Ag or Ab

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Agglutination Tests
Lattice Formation
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Agglutination/Hemagglutination

• Definition - tests that have as their endpoint
  the agglutination of a particulate antigen
• Agglutinin/hemagglutinin

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Agglutination/Hemagglutination

• Quantitative agglutination test
• Titer
• Prozone

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Agglutination/Hemagglutination

• Definition
• Qualitative test
• Quantitative test

• Applications
• Blood typing
• Bacterial infections
• Fourfold rise in titer

• Practical considerations
• Easy
• Semi-quantitative

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Passive Agglutination/Hemagglutination

• Definition - agglutination test done with a
  soluble antigen coated onto a particle

• Applications
• Measurement of antibodies to soluble antigens

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Agglutination/Hemagglutination Inhibition

• Definition - test based on the inhibition of
  agglutination due to competition with a soluble
  Ag

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Agglutination/Hemagglutination Inhibition

• Definition

• Applications
• Measurement of soluble Ag
• Practical considerations
• Same as agglutination test

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Precipitation Tests

• Lattice Formation

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Radial Immunodiffusion

• Method
• Ab in gel
• Ag in a well

• Interpretation
• Diameter of ring is proportional to the
  concentration
• Quantitative
• Ig levels

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Immunoelectrophoresis

• Method
• Ags are separated by electrophoresis

• Interpretation
• Precipitin arc represent individual antigens

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Immunoelectrophoresis

• Method
• Interpretation
• Qualitative
• Relative concentration

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Radioimmuoassays (RIA)Enzyme-Linked
Immunosorbent Assays (EIA)

• Lattice formation not required

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Competitive RIA/ELISA for Ag

• Method
• Determine amount of Ab needed to bind to a known
  amount of labeled Ag

• Use predetermined amounts of labeled Ag and Ab
  and add a sample containing unlabeled Ag as a
  competitor

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Solid Phase Non-Competitive RIA/ELISA

• Ab detection
• Immobilize Ag
• Incubate with sample
• Add labeled anti-Ig
• Amount of labeled Ab bound is proportional to
  amount of Ab in the sample

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Solid Phase Non-Competitive RIA/ELISA

• Ag detection
• Immobilize Ab
• Incubate with sample
• Add labeled antibody
• Amount of labeled Ab bound is proportional to the
  amount of Ag in the sample

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Tests for Cell Associated Antigens

• Lattice formation not required

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Immunofluorescence

• Direct
• Ab to tissue Ag is labeled with fluorochrome

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Immunofluorescence

• Indirect
• Ab to tissue Ag is unlabeled
• Fluorochrome-labeled anti-Ig is used to detect
  binding of the first Ab.

• Qualitative to Semi-Quantitative

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Assays Based on Complement

• Lattice formation not required

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Complement Fixation

• Ag mixed with test serum to be assayed for Ab

• Standard amount of complement is added

• Erythrocytes coated with Abs is added

• Amount of erythrocyte lysis is determined

Ag
Ag