Immunology Basics
What are the two main parts of the immune system?
Innate immunity and adaptive immunity
Approximately how many Americans are infected with HPV every year?
Over 13 million
How many different types of HPV does the Gardasil-9 vaccine protect against?
9 types
What disease is a result of the immune system mistakenly destroying insulin-producing cells in the pancreas?
Type 1 Diabetes
Corticosteroids are synthetic drugs that contain which hormone naturally produced by the adrenal glands?
Cortisol
Which branch of immunity serves as the first line of defense and includes physical barriers like skin and saliva?
Innate immunity
While most HPV variants are harmless, how many are classified as "high risk" because they can cause cancer?
14
Instead of using a live virus, the vaccine uses "VLPs" to mimic the virus. What does VLP stand for?
Virus-like particles
In Rheumatoid arthritis, what part of the joint is attacked by the immune system?
Synovium
How many carbon atoms make up the basic structure of a corticosteroid (glucocorticoid)?
17 carbons
In adaptive immunity, which specific type of cells are responsible for destroying infected cells?
T-cells
High-risk HPV strains act as what type of agent that deteriorates cells and damages DNA?
Carcinogens
Which type of yeast is used in a lab setting to create the recombinant L1 proteins for the vaccine?
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Autoimmune diseases are most commonly found in which demographic?
Adult women
Because corticosteroids are lipid-soluble, they can diffuse through the cell membrane to bind to receptors located where?
In the cytoplasm (intracellular receptors)
What is the term for the process where the immune system loses its ability to distinguish between its own cells and foreign pathogens?
Loss of self-tolerance (Autoimmunity)
What are the names of the two capsid proteins that make up the outer shell of the HPV virus?
L1 and L2
What substance (an adjuvant) is mixed with the VLPs to boost immune efficiency and create longer-lasting protection?
Amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate (AAHS)
What is the term for an autoimmune trigger where a pathogen has a protein very similar to one of your own, leading the immune system to attack both? ( VERY HARD :C )
Molecular Mimicry
When a corticosteroid binds to its receptor, the complex moves into the nucleus to alter what process?
Gene transcription (to reduce inflammation)
During T-cell development, what is the name of the process in the thymus where cells that react too strongly to "self-proteins" are discarded?
Negative selection
Is there any approved standard of testing for HPV in men?
No, there is no testing available for men.
Name TWO of the inactive chemicals found in the Gardasil-9 shot besides water or salt (YEVA WILL BE SO PROUD OF YOU GUYS)
L-histidine, Polysorbate 80, or Sodium borate.
What are the cells attacked in Type 1 diabetes? (YOU CAN DO IT)
Pancreas beta cells that produce insulin
What is the specific, complex chemical name for the 17-carbon, 4-ring organic compound structure of these drugs? (IF YOU GET THIS YOU GET TWO DESSERTS AND A HIGH FIVE FROM VARSHAN)
Cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene