Penicillin allergy has been reported by up to 10% of the population in US. Penic

Question

Penicillin allergy has been reported by up to 10% of the population in US. Penicillin is a small chemical compound, essentially a hapten. Yet, its administration into our body could induce various types of hypersensitivity (, i.e., allergic reactions, including types (,' II, III and IV). 1. Mechanistically, how does penicillin induce all these reactions? 2. Which type of allergy can lead to anaphylaxis? 3. Why repetitive exposure to penicillin could lead to more severe consequence? Do T cells play a role in generating these allergic reactions? What role do they play?

Explanation / Answer

3.      Because when penicillin is injected intravenously into an allergic individual, the penicillin-modified proteins can cross-link IgE molecules on the mast cells and cause anaphylaxis and even death therefore the repetitive exposure of penicillin has more severe consequences.

4.      Yes, T cell plays a role in generating these allergic reaction. When penicillin is ingested or injected, it forms conjugates with self proteins, and the penicillin-modified self peptides can provoke a TH2 response. These TH2 cells then activate penicillin-binding B cells to produce IgE antobody to the penicillin hapten. Thus, penicillin acts both as the B-cell antigen and, by modifying self peptides, as the T-cell antigen.

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