03377 - Immunogenetics

Learning outcomes

At the end of the classes, the student shall have knowledge of the basic physiological mechanisms that regulate the functioning of the immune system as well as the capability to understand the different types of immune responses and their biological significance. In particular, the student: - will know about genetic strategies that allow the diversification of the immune responses to antigens; - will be able to understand the principle of the vaccine strategy; - will know about the main therapeutic strategies in which the immune system is involved: vaccines, use of monoclonal antibodies and immunosuppression in case of organ transplantation.

Course contents

•    Introduction to Immunology. Cells and tissues of the Immune System. Adhesion molecules and molecular mechanisms of cellular homing.

•    Regional Immunity. Interactions between immune cells and gut microbiota. Organization of genetic loci for the receptors of NK cells. Memory of the innate immunity: trained immunity.

•    Organization of genetic loci for antibodies and TCR. Generation of receptor repertoire: mechanisms of combinatorial differentiation (somatic recombination), and junctional differentiation.

•    Molecular mechanisms of the isotypic shift; affinity increase and somatic hypermutation.

•    Synthesis of monoclonal antibodies. Uses in diagnostics and clinic practice of monoclonal antibodies. Nomenclature CD. Immunophenotypization.

•    Organization of MHC genetic locus. Polymorphism of MHC genes. Genes for MHC I, II and III. HLA genotyping. Antigen presentation on MHC class I or II molecules. MHC in diagnostics: the tetramers.

•    Tolerance breakdown. Autoimmunity. Immunopathologiy: classification of hypersensitivities. Allergies: features and pathogeneic mechanisms; desensitising therapies towards allergens. Type II, III and IV hypersensitivities.

•    Congenital and acquired immunodeficiencies. SCID and other immunodeficiencies of lymphocyte maturation. Innate immunity Immunodeficiencies. Acquired Immunodeficiencies due to immunosuppression, chemotherapy, malnutrition, viral infections. HIV virus and AIDS. Mechanisms of HIV infection. Cellular an molecular targets of HIV Bersagli cellulari e molecolari di HIV, replicative cycle of HIV. Response to HIV infection.

•    Cancer Immunology: immunological features of tumors. Cancer Antigens. Cancer Immunotherapy. Escape mechanisms from IR of tumors.

•    Aging of the immune system: immunosenescence and inflammaging.

Readings/Bibliography

Peter Parham, The Immune System, 2nd editions, EdiSES.

Abbas-Lichtman-Pillai: Cellular and Molecular Immunology, seventh ed. Elsevier-Masson ed.

Teaching methods

frontal lectures

Assessment methods

oral examination

Teaching tools

power point or pdf files

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Salvioli