MadSci Network: Immunology
Query:

Subject: MHC reponses to erythrocyte antigens vs protein antigens

Date: Thu Aug 26 22:38:29 2010
Posted by Sarah
Grade level: undergrad School: No school entered.
City: No city entered. State/Province: No state entered. Country: No country entered.
Area of science: Immunology
ID: 1282887509.Im
Message:

[Note to expert: Two versions of this question were submitted by the same person. 
I have included both here, because they are asking different questions about the 
same topic. --SM]

Question1:
I have found some reference to the k and b haplotype in some papers but am not
sure what it means.

I have found that mice with both the k and b haplotype have similar responses to
erythrocyte antigens. (This was determined using the haemagglutination test).

But mice with k haplotype were able to respond to protein antigens while the b
haplotype was unable to. My guess is that answer lies in relation to the MHC
class I and MHC class II responses. Maybe MHC class I is responsible for the
erythrocyte antigens while MHC II is responsible for the protein antigens. Also
the mouse with the b haploytype is missing the E-alpha H-2 complex - does this
relate to its response to the protein antigens?

Question 2:
What is the difference in the immune response to erythroctye antigens (eg Sheep
Red blood cell in mice) and Protein Antigens (eg hen egg lysozyme in mice).

I have found some reference to MHC haplotypes, and one strain of the mice was
haplotype b while the other two types were haplotype k. What does this mean? The
strain of mice with haplotype b were also deficient in the E-alpha H-2 complex.
The two mice with the k haplotype were able to produce antibodies that were
responsive to both the sheep red blood cell and the hen egg lysozyme. The mice
that were of the haplotype b could produce an antibody response only to the
sheep red blood cells. This was tested using the haemagglution test, while the
antibody response to HEL was tested using an ELISA. 

My best guess is that the response to the sheep red blood cell was mediated by
IgM, which suggests that the response is MHC II independent. If this is case,
why is IgM the most effective antibody in responding to foreign erythrocytes?

In regards to the HEL antigen, IgM was not effective in responding,hence an MHC
II dependent response is necessary, in order to induce class switching. Why is
this so?


Re: MHC reponses to erythrocyte antigens vs protein antigens

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