Bryan B.

Lee BSMT-3A May 11, 2023

IMMUNOHEMATOLOGY
SEATWORK
HLA AND POLYAGGLUTINATION
Please answer the following questions:
1. What is HLA? What is MHC?
 HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) and MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) are
closely related terms that refer to the same group of genes, proteins, and molecules that
play a critical role in the immune system's recognition and response to foreign
substances such as pathogens or transplanted tissues.
 The MHC is a group of genes that encode for proteins found on the surface of cells that
are responsible for displaying and presenting foreign antigens to the immune system.
The MHC is divided into two classes: Class I MHC molecules, which are found on most
cells and present intracellular antigens to CD8+ T cells, and Class II MHC molecules,
which are mainly found on antigen-presenting cells and present extracellular antigens to
CD4+ T cells.
 HLA genes are a subset of MHC genes located on chromosome 6 in humans that encode
for a group of proteins called human leukocyte antigens (HLAs). HLAs are cell surface
proteins that play a vital role in the immune system by presenting antigenic peptides to T
cells, which are important cells for immune recognition and response.
 Therefore, HLA genes are a part of the MHC gene complex and are responsible for
encoding the HLA proteins that help the immune system distinguish between self and
non-self-antigens, leading to either tolerance or immune response.

2. How is HLA related to MHC?

 HLA genes are a subset of MHC genes that are located on chromosome 6 and are
responsible for encoding cell surface proteins that help the immune system recognize
self and non-self-antigens. Thus, HLA genes are a part of the MHC gene complex.

3. What is the function of MHC? How about HLA?

 MHC plays a critical role in immune recognition and regulation by presenting peptide
antigens to T-cells. HLA molecules specifically present antigenic peptides to T-cells for
immune surveillance and immune response.
4. What are leukoagglutinins?
 Leukoagglutinins are antibodies that can cause the clumping or agglutination of
leukocytes (white blood cells). These antibodies may be naturally occurring or can be
produced in response to an infection or other immune stimulus. In the laboratory,
leukoagglutinins can be used to detect and identify specific leukocyte populations, such
as T-cells, B-cells, or natural killer cells, through agglutination assays. However, in vivo,
the presence of leukoagglutinins can also cause a variety of clinical manifestations,
including hemolytic anemia, leukopenia, and autoimmune diseases. The most common
leukoagglutinins are those that react with red blood cells, also known as agglutinins,
which are often used in blood typing and crossmatching for transfusion purposes.

5. Enumerate the clinical significance of HLA system.

The clinical significance of the HLA system includes:
 Organ transplantation: HLA matching is crucial in organ transplantation to prevent
transplant rejection.
 Autoimmune diseases: Certain HLA alleles are associated with an increased risk of
developing autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and
type 1 diabetes.
 Infectious diseases: HLA molecules play a critical role in the immune response to
infectious diseases, and certain HLA alleles have been associated with an increased risk
of developing infections such as HIV and hepatitis B and C.
 Cancer susceptibility: HLA molecules play a role in the immune surveillance of cancer
cells, and certain HLA alleles have been associated with an increased risk of developing
certain types of cancers.
 Drug hypersensitivity reactions: Certain HLA alleles have been associated with an
increased risk of developing hypersensitivity reactions to specific drugs, such as abacavir
and carbamazepine.
 Genetic testing: HLA typing is often used for paternity testing, bone marrow
transplantation, and forensic testing.

6. What is meant by polyagglutination?

 Polyagglutination refers to the spontaneous agglutination of red blood cells with
multiple different lectins, resulting in clumping of blood cells.

7. What is cryptantigen? How is it related to polyagglutination?

 Cryptantigens are antigens that are not typically exposed to the immune system under
normal circumstances. In the case of polyagglutination, cryptantigens are exposed to the
immune system, leading to the production of antibodies against them.
8. Polyagglutinable state may be transient or persistent. Differentiate one from the other.
Give at least one related example.
 A transient polyagglutinable state refers to a temporary state of polyagglutination that is
due to an underlying condition, such as an infection or recent blood transfusion. In
contrast, persistent polyagglutination is a permanent condition that is typically due to a
genetic mutation. An example of a transient polyagglutinable state is the
polyagglutinable state seen in patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.