A
Ab |
Antibody |
ABO |
Major blood group system in humans |
ADCC |
Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity |
Ag |
Antigen |
AIDS |
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome |
ALL |
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia |
AML |
Acute myelocytic leukemia |
APC |
Antigen-presenting cell |
ARF |
Acute rheumatic fever |
ART |
Antiretroviral therapy |
B
B |
A component of the alternative complement pathway |
BA |
Brucella abortus |
BALT |
Bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue |
B cell |
Bone marrow–derived lymphocytem |
BCG |
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin |
BCGF |
B-cell growth factor, also called IL-4 |
BCR |
Antigen-specific B-cell receptor |
β2m |
Beta (β)2 microglobulin |
BM |
Bone marrow |
BTK |
Bruton tyrosine kinase |
B-1 cell |
Self-renewing B cell population |
B-2 cell |
Conventional B cell |
C
C |
Complement |
CAM |
Cell adhesion molecule |
CD |
Cluster of differentiation, also contact dermatitis |
CDR |
Complementarity-determining (hypervariable) region |
CEA |
Carcinoembryonic antigen |
CFM |
Chemotactic factor for macrophages |
CFU |
Colony-forming unit |
CGD |
Chronic granulomatous disease |
CH |
Heavy chain constant region(s) of immunoglobulin |
CIITA |
Major histocompatibility class II transactivator |
CL |
Constant region of immunoglobulin light chain |
CLIP |
Class II-associated invariant chain peptide |
CLL |
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia |
CLP |
Common lymphoid precursor |
CMI |
Cell-mediated immunity |
CML |
Cell-mediated lysis, also chronic myelocytic leukemia |
COOH |
Carboxyl terminus of an amino acid or protein |
COX |
Cyclooxygenase |
CR |
Complement receptor |
C region |
Constant region of a molecule or gene |
CRP |
C-reactive protein |
CS |
Contact sensitivity, also contact dermatitis |
CSF |
Colony-stimulating factor; cerebrospinal fluid |
CTL |
Cytotoxic T lymphocyte, also called Tc |
CTLA-4 |
Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated antigen-4, also known as CD 152 |
CVID |
Common variable immune deficiency |
C2, C3, C4, etc. |
Component of classical or lectin-binding pathways of complement |
C3R |
Receptor for the third component of complement |
D
D |
Component of the alternative complement pathway |
DAF |
Decay accelerating factor |
DC |
Dendritic cell |
DH |
Delayed (-type) hypersensitivity, see also DTH |
DMARD |
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug |
DN |
Double negative, for CD4 and CD8 markers, on thymocytes |
DP |
Double positive, for CD4 and CD8 markers, on thymocytes and sometimes T cells |
DTH |
Delayed-type hypersensitivity |
DTP |
Diptheria-tetanus-pertussis |
E
E |
Effector cell in MLR or CTL assay, also Symbol for erythrocyte |
EBV |
Epstein-Barr virus |
ECF-A |
Eosinophil chemotactic factor of anaphylaxis |
EIA |
Enzyme immunoassay, also called ELISA |
ELISA |
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, also called EIA |
F
Fab |
Univalent antigen-binding fragment of immunoglobulin |
F(ab′)2 |
Divalent antigen-binding fragment of immunoglobulin |
FACS |
Fluorescence-activated cell sorter, also called a flow cytometer |
Fc |
Constant or crystallizable fragment of immunoglobulin |
FcR |
Receptor for Fc region of immunoglobulin |
Fd |
Heavy chain portion of Fab fragment of immunoglobulin |
FDC |
Follicular dendritic cell |
FIA |
Fluorescent immunosorbent assay |
FITC |
Fluorescein isothiocyanate |
FR |
Framework region of antibody molecule |
G
GALT |
Gut-associated lymphoid tissue |
GEF |
Guanine nucleotide exchange factor |
GM-CSF |
Granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor |
GVH |
Graft-versus-host |
GVHD |
Graft-versus-host disease |
H
HA |
Hemagglutinin |
HAART |
Highly active antiretroviral therapy |
H chain |
Heavy chain of antibody molecule |
HDN |
Hemolytic disease of the newborn |
HEV |
High endothelium venule |
HIV |
Human immunodeficiency virus |
HLA |
Human leukocyte antigen, human MHC |
HRF |
Homologous restriction factor |
HSP |
Heat shock protein |
HTLV |
Human T cell leukemia virus |
HVG |
Host-versus-graft |
H2 or H-2 |
Major histocompatibility complex of the mouse |
I
ICAM |
Immune cell adhesion molecule |
Id |
Idiotype |
IDDM |
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus |
IEP |
Immunoelectrophoresis |
IFN |
Interferon, often followed by α, β, or γ |
Ig |
Immunoglobulin |
Ii |
Invariant chain associated with MHC class II |
IL |
Interleukin |
ITAM |
Immunoreceptor tyrosine activation motif |
ITIM |
Immunoreceptor tyrosine inhibition motif |
J
JAK |
Janus kinase, and sometimes, just another kinase |
J chain |
Joining chain of some antibody molecules |
J region |
Joining region of Ig and TCR genes |
K
kappa (κ) |
Kappa (κ) light chain of immunoglobulin |
KAR |
Killer activation receptor |
KIR |
Killer inhibition receptor |
L
LAD |
Leukocyte adhesion defect |
LAD |
Lymphocyte activating determinant |
LAF |
Lymphocyte activation factor |
LAK |
Lymphokine-activated killer |
Lambda (λ) |
Lambda (λ) light chain of immunoglobulin |
L chain |
Light chain of immunoglobulin molecule, designated as either κ or λ |
LCMV |
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus |
LD |
Lymphocyte defined determinant |
LFA |
Leukocyte function antigen |
LGL |
Large granular lymphocyte |
LMP |
Low molecular weight proteins |
LN |
Lymph node |
LPS |
Lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) |
M
mAb |
Monoclonal antibody |
MAC |
Membrane attack complex of complement |
MadCam-1 |
Mucosal cell adhesion molecule-1 |
MAF |
Macrophage-activating factor |
MAGE |
Melanoma-associated antigen (tumor antigen) |
MALT |
Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue |
MAP |
Mitogen-activated protein |
MAPK |
Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (MAPK, also known as ERK) |
MAPKK |
MAP kinase kinase (MAPKK, also known as MAP2K or MEK) |
MAPKKK |
MAP kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK, also known as MAP3K or MEKK) |
MBL |
Mannan-binding lectin, also Mannan-binding lectin pathway of complement activation |
MCF |
Macrophage chemotactic factor |
MCP |
Macrophage chemotactic protein |
MEK |
MAP kinase kinase, also known as MAP2K |
MHC |
Major histocompatibility complex |
MIF |
Migration inhibition factor |
MIP |
Macrophage inhibitory protein |
MLC |
Mixed lymphocyte culture |
MLR |
Mixed lymphocyte reaction |
Mls |
Minor lymphocyte-stimulating locus |
N
NFAT |
Nuclear factor of activated T cells |
NK |
Natural killer cell |
NKT |
T cell with NK properties |
NSAID |
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug |
P
P |
Properidin |
PAF |
Platelet-activating factor |
PALS |
Periarteriolar lymphoid sheath |
PAMP |
Pathogen-associated molecular pattern |
PBL |
Peripheral blood leukocyte (or lymphocyte) |
pCTL |
Pre-cytotoxic T lymphocyte |
P-K |
Prausnitz-Kustner reaction |
PK |
Protein kinase |
pMHC |
Peptide bound by major histocompatibility complex (I or II) molecule |
PMN |
Polymorphonuclear leukocyte or neutrophil |
PPD |
Purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis |
PRR |
Pattern recognition receptor |
R
RA |
Rheumatoid arthritis |
RAG |
Recombination-activating gene |
RAST |
Radioallergosorbent test, IgE-specific ELISA |
RBC |
Red blood cell |
RES |
Reticuloendothelial system |
RF |
Rheumatoid factor |
Rh |
Rhesus, a human blood group antigen system |
RIA |
Radioimmunoassay |
RID |
Radial immunodiffusion, also called Mancini technique |
S
S |
Stimulator cell in the MLR or CTL assay |
SC |
Secretory component of IgA |
SCID |
Severe combined immune deficiency |
SD |
Serologically defined determinant |
SH |
Src homology domain |
SLE |
Systemic lupus erythematosus |
SP |
Single positive for CD4 or CD8 markers on thymocytes or T cells |
SRS |
Slow reacting substance |
STAT |
Signal transducers and activators of transcription |
T
Tat |
Transactivator of transcription, an HIV protein |
TAP-1, TAP-2 |
Transporter associated with antigen processing |
TATA |
Tumor-associated transplantation antigen |
Tc |
Cytotoxic T cell, also called CTL |
T |
cell Thymus-derived lymphocyte |
TCGF |
T lymphocyte growth factor, also called IL-2 |
TCR |
Antigen-specific T-cell receptor |
TdT |
Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase |
TGF |
Tumor growth factor |
Th |
Helper T cell, designated Th1, Th2, Th17, etc. |
TIL |
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes |
TK |
Tyrosine kinase |
TLR |
Toll-like receptor |
TNF |
Tumor necrosis factor |
Treg |
Regulator T cell |
TRF |
T cell-replacing factor |
Ts |
Suppressor T cell |
TSA |
Tumor-specific antigen(s) |
TSS |
Toxic shock syndrome |
TSTA |
Tumor-specific transplantation antigen(s) |
U
UNA |
Use no abbreviations, especially useful when colleagues’ speech includes an alphabet soup of jargon |
V
VH |
Variable region of immunoglobulin heavy chain |
VL |
Variable region of immunoglobulin light chain |
VLA |
Very late antigen |
V region |
Variable region of a molecule or gene |
W
WAS |
Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome |
WBC |
White blood cell, leukocyte |
X
X-SCID |
X-linked severe combined immune deficiency |
XLA |
X-linked agammaglobulinemia |