Antigens

Antigens are molecules that react with antibodies whereas immunogens are molecules that induce an immune response
The two attributes of antigenicity are: Immunogenicity: induction of an immune response Immunological reactivity: Specific reactions with antibodies or sensitised cells

1.

2.

Haptens: A hapten is a molecule that is not immunogenic by itself but can react with specific antibody. Haptens are usually small molecules but some high molecular weight nucleic acids are haptens as well. Many drugs eg: penicillins are haptens Haptens are not immunogenic because they cannot activate helper T cells as they are not polypeptides and they cannot activate B cells as they are univalent

Haptens can become immunogenic when they are combined with a large carrier molecule
Haptens may be complex haptens or simple haptens. Complex haptens can precipitate with specific antibodies. Simple haptens are non precipitating.

Epitope: The smallest unit of antigenicity is known as antigenic determinant or epitope. Epitopes may be present as a single linear segment of primary sequence (sequential or linear epitope) or formed by bringing together on the surface residues from different sites of the peptide chain during its folding into the tertiary structure (conformational epitope) T cells recognise sequential epitopes while B cells identify tertiary configuration of conformational epitope.

The combining area on the antibody molecule corresponding to the epitope is the paratope. Epitopes and paratopes determine the specificity of immunological reactions.

Determinants of antigenicity
1.

2.

Foreignness Molecular size: The most potent immunogens are proteins with high molecular weights above 1,00,000. Generally molecules with molecular weight below 10,000 are weakly immunogenic and very small ones (amino acids) are non immunogenic

3. Chemical-Structural complexity: A certain amount of chemical complexity is required. Proteins and polysaccharides are immunogenic while lipids and nucleic acids are less immunogenic. 4. Susceptibility to tissue enzymes: Only substances which are metabolized and are susceptible to the action of tissue enzymes behave as immunogens. Polystyrene latex and D-aminoacids cannot be metabolized and are not immunogenic

5. Antigenic determinants (Epitopes): An antigen can have one or more deteminants. Most immunogens have many determinants i.e they are multivalent. The overall threedimensional structure is the main criterion of antigenic specificity.

The specificity of natural tissue antigens may be considered as :

Species specificity Isospecificity Autospecificity Organ specificity Heterophile specificity

6. Dosage, route timing of antigen administration:

Biologic classes of antigens: T-cell dependent antigen T-cell independent antigen

T cell dependent antigens: They are structurally complex Immunogenic over a wide dose range Do not cause tolerance readily Induce production of IgM, IgG, IgA and IgE Shows immunological memory Rapidly metabolised in the body

T cell independent antigens: They are structurally simple Immune response is critically dose dependent Antibody response is limited to IgM and IgG3 Do not show immunological memory Metabolized very slowly and remain in the body for long periods