Antigens and

Immunogens

Dr Samuel Munjita
 Introduction
• Whenever we refer to a pathogen, most often we may
think the entire microbe is responsible for the
inducing the immune system.

• However, these organisms possess numerous sites

that are recognised by antibodies or receptors on the
cells such as B and T cells. 

• In this lecture, we shall discuss antigens,

immunogens, epitopes and the factors that influence
immunogenicity
Definitions: antigens and
immunogens
• Antigen is any agent that is recognised by specific
components of immune responses such as lymphocytes
or antibodies and is capable of binding specifically to
these components.

• Remember: T cell receptors only recognise antigens

complexed with MHC molecules.

• Antigenicity is the ability of antibody or lymphocytes to

bind specifically to antigens.
Definitions: antigens and
immunogens
•
Although all antigens are recognised by specific lymphocytes
or by antibodies, only some antigens are capable of
activating immune responses.

• Antigens that are able to induce humoral or cell mediated

immune responses or both are known as immunogens.
Immunogenicity is the ability to induce humoral and cellular
immune responses.

• All immunogens are also antigens. But, not all antigens are
immunogens (not every antigen is able to trigger an immune
response).
• 
 Types of Antigens
• Antigens can be classified on the basis of their origin or on the
basis of immune responses

A. On the basis of their Origin 

1. Exogenous antigens
• These antigens enters the body or system and start circulating
in the body fluids and trapped by the APCs (Antigen presenting
cells such as macrophages, dendritic cells, and activated B
lymphocytes.)
• The uptakes of these exogenous antigens by APCs are mainly
mediated by the phagocytosis.
• Some antigens start out as exogenous antigens, and later
become endogenous (for example, intracellular viruses e.g.
HIV)
 Types of Antigens
2. Endogenous antigens
• These are body’s own cells or sub fragments or compounds or the
antigenic products that are produced. Examples: Blood group
antigens.

3. Autoantigens
• An autoantigen is usually a normal protein or complex of proteins
(and sometimes DNA or RNA) that is recognised by the immune
system of patients suffering from a specific autoimmune disease

• These antigens should not be, under normal conditions, the target
of the immune system, but, due mainly to genetic and
environmental factors, the normal immunological tolerance for
such an antigen has been lost in these patients.
Types of Antigens
B. On the basis of immune response

1. Complete Antigen or Immunogen

• These antigens are able to generate an immune
response by themselves.

• High molecular weight (more than 10,000 Da)

• May be proteins or polysaccharides

Types of antigens
2. Incomplete antigens
• Incomplete antigens are incapable of inducing immune
responses by themselves but can induce immune
responses upon binding to larger molecules called carriers.

• Incomplete antigens are referred to as Haptens.

• Haptens are low molecular weight (Less than 10,000 Da)

compounds that can combine with antibody but cannot
initiate an immune response unless it is coupled to a larger
carrier molecule.
Types of Antigens
Incomplete antigens continued
Types of Antigens
Incomplete antigens continued
• The carrier molecule is a non-antigenic component and helps in provoking
the immune response.

• Example of carrier molecules: Serum Protein such as Albumin or Globulin.

• Examples of Haptens include nickel. Nickel is a substance of small molecular
weight which is incapable of provoking an immune response in its own right.
Nickel allergy, however, is a common cause of contact dermatitis.

• This results when nickel combines with protein in the patient’s skin. The
nickel-protein complex is recognised as foreign and an immune response is
mounted.

• Penicillins, capsular polysaccharide of pneumococcus, polysaccharide “C” of

beta haemolytic streptococci, and cardiolipin antigens are other examples of
Haptens.
Factors affect the immunogenicity (ability to induce immune responses:
Factors affect the immunogenicity (ability to induce immune
responses:

1. Foreignness
• Immune system usually differentiate self and non self
(Remember positive and negative selection).
• Therefore, the more foreignness of substances toward
host, thee more immunogenic.

2. Molecular Size
• Immunogens with molecular mass of 100,000 daltons
(Da) are more immunogenic.
• Substances with a molecular mass less than 5000–
10,000 Da are poor immunogens.
 Factors affect the immunogenicity (ability to induce immune
responses:

3. Chemical composition and heterogeneity

• Proteins are more immunogenic compared to other
macromolecules. Nucleic acids and lipids are not immunogenic.
Antibodies still can bind to them when they bind with proteins in
form of nucleoproteins and lipoproteins. Thus, nucleic acids and
lipids are antigenic but not immunogenic.

4. Degradability/capacity to be phagocytosed
• Humoral and cell mediated immunity normally involve the
interaction of T cells and antigens where the antigens must be
processed and complexed by MHC of antigen presenting cells
(APCs).
• Large and insoluble substances are more immunogenic than
smaller and soluble because the large substances are more likely to
be phagocytosed and processed by APCs.
• Thus, they are more likely to be expressed at MHC complex.
• Substances that are difficult to phagocytose are poor immunogens.
 Factors affect the immunogenicity (ability to induce immune
responses:

5. Genetics (or genotype) of recipient

• Differences in our genetic makeup means that we respond
differently to immunogens

6. Immunogens dosage
• Different of immunogen dosage affects the
immunogenicity.
• In the case of vaccines, specific dosages must be
administered to elicit the required immune responses.
• Repeated administrations, or boosters, increase the
immunogenicity by increasing the clonal proliferation of
antigen-specific T cells or B cells.
 Factors affect the immunogenicity (ability to induce immune
responses:

7. Route of administration
• Administration route also affect the immunogenicity. 
• The common administration routes are: intravenous (into vein),
intradermal (into skin), subcutaneous (beneath skin),
intramuscular (into muscle) and intraperitoneal (into peritoneal
cavity).

8. Adjuvants
• Adjuvants are substances that, when mixed with an antigen and
injected with it, enhance the immunogenicity of that antigen.
• Adjuvants are often used to boost the immune response when
an antigen has low or poor immunogenicity or when only small
amounts of an antigen are available.

• Examples of adjuvants: Freund’s adjuvants and alum precipitate

Adjuvant name Composition Mechanism of action
Incomplete Oil in water emulsion Delayed release of antigen; enhanced uptake
Freund’s by macrophage
adjuvants
 
 
Complete Oil in water emulsion Delayed release of antigen; enhanced uptake
Freund’s with dead and induction of co-stimulators in
adjuvants mycobacteria macrophages
     
Alum precipitate A suspension of This adjuvant causes aggregation of a soluble
  aluminum hydroxide antigen and allows continuous slow release of
on which the antigen antigen. In addition, it has a slight irritant
is absorbed effect that enhances the ingestion and
processing of an antigen by macrophages
which present the antigen to T cells, leading to
T-cell activation.
 Factors affect the immunogenicity (ability to induce immune
responses:

Note
• It is important to distinguish between a carrier for a
Hapten and an adjuvant.
• A Hapten will become immunogenic when conjugated
covalently to a carrier; it will not become immunogenic if
mixed with an adjuvant. Thus, an adjuvant enhances the
immune response to immunogens but does not confer
immunogenicity to Haptens.

9. Age: Age can also influence immunogenicity. Usually the

very young and the very old have a diminished ability to
elicit and immune response in response to an immunogen.
End of Lecture