Introduction to Immunology

The NU zombie research facility has discovered new virus with strand called Z1H1which is a combination of an H5N1 and zombie virus. Respiratory infection caused by virus is severe leading to a rapid and painful death. The NU zombie research facility initiated a project to design a preventative vaccine and defeat zombie virus in this battle.
Latest technologies available in NU zombie research facility give an opportunity to design virus particle (VLP). Because preventative vaccine is desired, exposure to very similar virus or its part will lead to the most immunogenicity (the example can be Spanish flu pandemic). Thus, N1 neuraminidase subtype from the exact H5N1 virus which is involved in antigenic shift produced zombie virus is introduced to VLP.
VLP is proposed to trigger innate immune response resulting in opsonization via C3b, through alternative pathway triggering classical pathway of innate immune system. As a result opsonized particles will be picked up via CR1 and CR2 by DC to introduce it to adaptive immune system and CR1 on erythrocytes and delivered for destruction.
The issue is that humoral response will not be effective unless the Fc regions of Ig’s are bound to another molecule. The idea was to develop Ig’s (such as dimeric IgA and pentameric IgM) against zombie virus and the receptor that will recognize some parts of Ig’s attached to antigen and J chain which will undergo conformation change upon binding to antigen. pIg (dimeric IgA and pentameric IgM) bound to Z1H1 will undergo conformational change in its geometry. It is expected that as pIg will bend and cause changes in the conformation. As a result change in J chain is expected which can serve as a receptor for another Ig and used for marking to eliminate zomb...

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...ed in various pH ranges. Vaccine is mostly activating mucous tissue (MALT) and will not be as effective in tissue fluid (plasma). Designed vaccine may induce strong and long lasting immune response, however, due to the point mutations vaccination might be modified every season.

Works Cited

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Clements, M. L., & Murphy, B. R. (1986). Development and persistence of local and systemic antibody responses in adults given live attenuated or inactivated influenza A virus vaccine. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 23(1), 66-72.
Tausk, F., & Gigli, I. (1990). The human C3b receptor: Function and role in human diseases. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 94
Woof, J. M., & Kerr, M. A. (2004). IgA function–variations on a theme. Immunology, 113(2), 175-177.