• To compare and contrast immunogen,

antigen, hapten, alloantigen & superantigen

• To describe the factors influencing
immunogenicity
• To define the chemical nature of immunogens
• To compare the structures of T-independent
and T-dependent antigens
• To introduce the concept of hapten-carrier
conjugates and their structure
◼ Anything that induces specific immune response

protein

epitope
◼ Substancethat reacts with product of immune
system (antibody or TCR)
⦿ Immunogen
⦿ Immunogen
⦿ Antigen (Ag)
⦿ Immunogen
⦿ Antigen (Ag)
⦿ Hapten
⦿ Immunogen
⦿ Antigen (Ag)
⦿ Hapten
⦿ Epitope or Antigenic Determinant
⦿ Immunogen
⦿ Antigen (Ag)
⦿ Hapten
⦿ Epitope or Antigenic Determinant
⦿ Antibody (Ab)
⦿ An immunogen refers to a molecule that is capable of eliciting
an immune response by an immune system, whereas
an antigen refers to a molecule that is capable of binding to the
product of that immune response. So, an immunogen is
necessarily an antigen, but an antigen may not necessarily be
an immunogen.
⦿ Hapten is a molecule that reacts with specific antibody but is
not immunogenic by itself, it can be made immunogenic by
conjugation to a suitable carrier. Many drugs like penicillins
are HAPTEN. A hapten is essentially an incomplete antigen.
These small molecules can elicit an immune response only when
attached to a large carrier such as a protein; the carrier
typically does not elicit an immune response by itself.
 ‫ اكثر من‬epitope > Polyclonal

⦿ Epitope
⦿ An epitope, also known as antigenic determinant, is the part of
an antigen that is recognized by an antibody, B-cell receptor or
T-cell receptor. Generally an antigen has several or many
different epitopes and reacts with many different antibodies, an
epitope is approximately five or six amino acids in length.

⦿ Adjuvant. An adjuvant is a pharmacological or immunological

agent that modifies the effect of other agents. Directly
immunizing most antigens will lead to a poor immune response
and rapid removal of the antigen from the body. To prevent this,
the antigen is first combined with an adjuvant, which is a
material that helps stimulate and enhance the immune response
against the antigen through the creation of a depot effect.
⦿ Foreignness
⦿ Foreignness
⦿ Size
⦿ Foreignness
⦿ Size

• Chemical
Composition
⦿ Foreignness
⦿ Size

• Chemical
Composition
– Primary Structure
⦿ Foreignness
⦿ Size

• Chemical
Composition
– Primary Structure
– Secondary Structure
⦿ Foreignness
⦿ Size

• Chemical
Composition
– Primary Structure
– Secondary Structure
– Tertiary Structure
⦿ Foreignness
⦿ Size

• Chemical
Composition
– Primary Structure
– Secondary Structure
– Tertiary Structure
– Quarternary
Structure
⦿ Foreignness
⦿ Size

• Chemical
Composition Sequence determinants

– Primary Structure
Conformational determinants
– Secondary Structure
– Tertiary Structure
– Quarternary
Structure
⦿ Foreigness
⦿ Size
⦿ Chemical Composition
⦿ Physical Form
◼ Particulate
> Soluble
◼ Denatured > Native
⦿ Foreigness
⦿ Size
⦿ Chemical Composition
⦿ Physical Form
⦿ Degradability
◼ Ag processing by Ag Presenting Cells (APC)
⦿ Genetics
◼ Species
◼ Individual
○ Responders vs Non-responders
⦿ Genetics
◼ Species
◼ Individual
○ Responders vs Non-responders
⦿ Age
⦿ Dose
⦿ Dose
⦿ Route
◼ Subcutaneous > Intravenous > Intragastric
⦿ Dose
⦿ Route
◼ Subcutaneous > Intravenous > Intragastric
⦿ Adjuvant
◼ Substances that enhance an immune response to
an Ag
⦿ Proteins
⦿ Proteins
⦿ Polysaccharides
⦿ Proteins
⦿ Polysaccharides
⦿ Nucleic Acids
⦿ Proteins
⦿ Polysaccharides
⦿ Nucleic Acids
⦿ Lipids
◼ Someglycolipids and phosopholipids can be
immunogenic for T cells and illicit a cell mediated
immune response
 COO-
Amino acids
H3N+-C-H

In
Tyr
H

cr
NO2 Haptens

ea
sin
NO2

g
im
Lipids

m
un
og
OH

e
ni
ci
Steroids

ty
O

Carbohydrates

Proteins
⦿ Polysaccharides
⦿Polysaccharides
• Properties
– Polymeric structure
– Polyclonal B cell
activation
• Yes -Type 1 (TI-1)
• No - Type 2
(TI-2)
– Resistance to
degradation
⦿Polysaccharides
• Properties
– Polymeric structure
– Polyclonal B cell
activation
Polyclonal • Yes -Type 1 (TI-1)
Monoclonal • No - Type 2

(TI-2)
– Resistance to
degradation

• Examples
– Pneumococcal polysaccharide, lipopolysaccharide
– Flagella
• Definition
• Definition
Conventional Antigen

Monoclonal/Oligoclonal T cell
response
1:105 - 1:104
• Definition
Conventional Antigen Superantigen

Monoclonal/Oligoclonal T cell Polyclonal T cell response

response
1:10 - 1:4
1:105 - 1:104
 ⦿ Definition
◼ Polyclonal T cell
T cell T cell response
⦿ Examples
TCR TCR
◼ Staphlycoccal
Ag SuperAg
enterotoxins
MHC MHC ◼ Toxic shock toxin

APC APC
⦿ Definition
⦿ Examples
◼ Staphylococcal enterotoxins
◼ Staphylococcal toxic shock toxin
◼ Staphylococcal exfoliating toxin
◼ Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins
⦿ PAMPs – Pathogen Associated Molecular
Patterns
⦿ PRRs – Pattern Recognition Receptors
 Biological
PAMP PRR Consequence of
Interaction

Double stranded RNA TLR-3 Production of

interferon (antiviral)

LPS (lipopolysaccharide TLR-4 Macrophage

of Gram– bacteria activation; Secretion
of inflammatory
cytokines

Flagellin (bacterial TLR-5 Macrophage

flagella) activation; Secretion
of inflammatory
cytokines
 Biological
PAMP PRR Consequence of
Interaction

U-rich single stranded TLR-7 Production of

viral RNA interferon (antiviral)

CpG containing DNA TLR-9 Macrophage

activation; Secretion
of inflammatory
Cytosin guanin cytokines