Antigen-presenting cells (APC) are key players in initiating the adaptive immune response. However, much is still unknown about how a specific peptide fragment from the entire protein is chosen to be presented since some sections induce stronger immune responses than others. Understanding this mechanism would be vital information for vaccine development. The goal is to produce effective vaccines to protect individuals that are particularly susceptible to the flu. I chose this topic because it is something that I have gotten to research at UAF. I also think it’s very important to understand this mechanism since COVID-19 is all we hear about and the quest for producing a vaccine is currently underway.
1. The Influenza A virus has a glycoprotein called hemagglutinin (HA) that covers the surface of the virus. HA allows the virus to enter and infect cells by binding to the cell’s surface.
2. Antigen-presenting cells (APC) engulf foreign material. In this case, it’s the HA protein. They contain MHC class II proteins that will present a part of the foreign material to T cells.
3. Once the HA protein is phagocytized, an endosome forms and enzymes start digesting the protein right away.
4. Multiple kinds of enzymes work together to cleave and digest the HA protein into much smaller peptides.
5. A specific peptide is chosen for presentation by the MHC class II protein. How this is done is not fully understood.
6. Researchers have seen evidence of certain sections of the HA protein inducing a stronger immune response than others when presented to the T cell by the APC. Why and how this occurs is still unclear, but studies on this subject focus mainly on the activity of the enzymes and the binding mechanism of MHC class II.
7. The leftover peptides exit the APC while the selected peptide from the HA is used to activate the CD4+ T cell. This step initiates the adaptive immune response.
8. Once T cells are activated, they proliferate and activate B cells.
9. An activated B cell will differentiate into a plasma cell to produce antibodies.
10. The antibodies quickly work to neutralize the influenza A virus and rid the body of the infection.
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This project is about how antibodies are made and they are developed to be used in vaccines. The project visually shows each step through the pathway of an adaptive immune response. The research shows how understanding the mechanism is an important part of establishing a vaccine for any virus. The research shows that a particular peptide can be used because certain ones have a stronger immune response because that is the only reasoning the research has to show why they pick a certain protein. There is know other reasoning behind what determines what protein they pick and what they don’t.The process shows how the protein covers the surface and then digests the protein in a foreign material. Enzymes work together to digest the protein into smaller pieces. This when a certain peptide is chosen and used to activate the T-cell. The B-cells are then activated to go into the plasma cell to produce antibodies. The antibodies that were developed are used to get rid of the infection.I learned from this project how antibodies are formed to in vaccines. The project showed each step that is involved in the process. Each step was shown through an image that represented each part of the process. I thought it was easy to follow and easily understood. I liked being able to follow the steps and visually see everything as it would happen throughout the process. The project displayed a clear image into the process from protein to antibody development. This was a interesting project to look at considering everything going on with COVID-19 in the world right now.
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This project is about how antibodies are made and they are developed to be used in vaccines. The project visually shows each step through the pathway of an adaptive immune response. The research shows how understanding the mechanism is an important part of establishing a vaccine for any virus. The research shows that a particular peptide can be used because certain ones have a stronger immune response because that is the only reasoning the research has to show why they pick a certain protein. There is know other reasoning behind what determines what protein they pick and what they don’t.The process shows how the protein covers the surface and then digests the protein in a foreign material. Enzymes work together to digest the protein into smaller pieces. This when a certain peptide is chosen and used to activate the T-cell. The B-cells are then activated to go into the plasma cell to produce antibodies. The antibodies that were developed are used to get rid of the infection.I learned from this project how antibodies are formed to in vaccines. The project showed each step that is involved in the process. Each step was shown through an image that represented each part of the process. I thought it was easy to follow and easily understood. I liked being able to follow the steps and visually see everything as it would happen throughout the process. The project displayed a clear image into the process from protein to antibody development. This was a interesting project to look at considering everything going on with COVID-19 in the world right now.