CHAPTER III

ANTIGEN (IMMUNOGEN)

ANTIGEN (IMMUNOGEN)

Definition: Any substance capable of provoking

the immune system of an animal to respond by
generating an immune reaction specifically
directed at the inducing substance.
The response may involve humoral
or the cellular limb of the immune response or
both.

ANTIGEN
Immune response carried out by B and T cells
clones
Target of immune response
- Surface Ig of B cells
- T cell receptor protein (TCR)
Two attributes of Antigenicity
- Induction of immune response
(Immunogenicity)
- Sp. reaction with Ab or sensitized cells (Immune
reactivity)

ANTIGEN
Complete Antigen:
Any substance that is able to induce antibody
formation and produce a specific observable
reaction with the antibody so produced.
Hapten (partial antigens):
Low molecular subs. incapable of inducing antibody
formation but can react specifically with antibody.
Haptens become immunogen with carrier mol. (Eg;
penicillin)

CLASSIFICATION OF ANTIGENS
Based on origin:
Microbial: Fimbrial, somatic, flagellar, capsular
Based on Immune response:
T dependant Antigens
Depend on the help of T lympho
Egs; serum prs, Erythro, haptens etc.
Ig m, Ig G Ig A Ig E are the Abs
Long memory

T Independent Antigens
Produce Ab without the help of T lympho
Egs; Bact.LPS, pneumo. polysaccharide, fimbrial and
flagellar Ags
Ig M is the Ab
Large mol wt-Ag with repeating epitopes
Short memory

TERMS COMMONLY USED

Epitope: (Antigenic determinant)
Small area on Ag, capable of sensitizing an
immunocyte and also reacting with complimentary
site on the sp. antibody.
Paratope:
Combining area of the Ab molecule corresponding
to the epitope (Hyper variable region of Ab mol.)

DETERMINANTS OF ANTIGENICITY
Size: Larger mol. (Haemocyanin)
More
antigenic
- Mol. < 10,000
Nonantigenic
- Can be made antigenic by carrier particles
Chemical structure:
- Protein, polysac
More antigenic
- Lipid, nucleic acid
Less antigenic
- Structural complexity; protein with more
aminoacids, polysacch with more mono
saccharides
- Presence of Aromatic amines (Tyrosin)

DETERMINANTS OF ANTIGENICITY (CONTD.)

Susceptibility to enzymatic action (Substances which are

metabolised)
Foreignness:
- Mol. Must be non self mol. Recognized as self, not antigenic
- Tolerance to self Ag is conditioned contact with them during
developmental stage
- Break down
Auto immune disease
- Evolutionarily, greater the gap more is the antigenicity.
Genetic constitution of host
Epitopes:
More the number of epitopes they are more antigenic
Dosage, route and timing of Ag administration
Antigenicity can be enhanced by mixing with an adjuvants
(Substance which release slowly and maintain the
continuous stimulation)

ANTIGENIC SPECIFICITY
Basis of Ag specificity is sterio - chemical
Ag specificity is determined by a single chemical group
even by a single acid radical
The importance of position (ortho., meta and para) of
the antigenic determinant responsible for Ag specificity
Ag specificity is not absolute. Cross reaction, between
species may occur.

Specificity of natural tissue Ag may be of various types.

They are I) Species II) Iso III) Auto IV) Organo and V)
Heterogenetic specificity.
Species specificity:
Tissues of all individuals in a single species
common antigen

share a

Cross reaction may occur to Ag similarity

Forensic application in identification of species of
blood and seminal fluid.

Iso specificity
Iso antigen are found in some but not all the members of
the species.
Egs: Blood group Ags, Rh antigens, Histocmpatibility
antigens (HCA)
Importance: - Transfusion, Iso-immunization, Homograft
rejection
- Disputed paternity
- Anthrpological study
Histo. comp Ag; Cellular determinants specific for each
individual exist in the plasma membrane of the cell.

Auto specificity
Self or auto antigens are normally not antigenic
Circumstances where self Ag behave foreign
- Sequestrated Ags: Lens protein, spermatozoa
etc.
- Release into circulation (Infection, Irradiation,
by maneuver) etc.

Organ specificity
Organs such as brain kidney and lens protein of
different species share a common antigen. Such
antigens are characteristics of organ are known as
organ specific Ags which lead to organ specificity.
Eg : Neuro paralytic complication following neural
anti rabies (Sheep) vaccine.

Hetero specificity
The same or closly related Ags may occur in diff.
biological species, classes and kingdom. (Heterophilic
antigens)
Eg: Forssman Antigen:
Lipid carbohydrate complex widely distributed in
human being animals, birds, plants and bacteria.
Ags are used in serological tests unrelated to causative
agents (Weil-felix for typhus fever, paul- Bunnel in
infectious mononucleosis, Cold Aggtination test in Pr.
aty pical pneumonia, VDRL (cardiolipin) for syphilis.