84360 - IMMUNOLOGY

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

Describe the basis of the immune system as a fundamental defense system, and its alterations as a cause of disease, with reference to specific diseases.

Contenuti

Immunology (Integrated Course “Basic Mechanisms of Diseases”)

Lectures given by Dr. Miriam Capri

• Lesson #1: Introduction to the Immune System (IS) and its evolution, historical notes: functions and features of IS; innate, acquired and humoral immunity; cells of the IS: lymphocytes, macrophages, granulocytes, dendritic cells, etc. Primary and secondary response.
• Lesson #2. Organs and tissues of the IS: generative and secondary organs (bone marrow, thymus, lymph nodes, spleen, IS associated to the mucosae). Lymphatic System and lymphocyte recirculation, inflammatory response.
• Lesson #3-4: Innate Immunity: physical barriers, preformed proteins, professional phagocytes, NK and NKT cells, gamma-delta lymphocytes. Mechanisms of phagocytosis and cytotoxicity NK. Mechanisms of antigen recognition of Innate Immunity: TLRs, NLRs, RLRs, CLRs, cGAS-STING, KIR and inflammasomes. The memory of Innate Immunity: the trained immunity.
• Lesson #5-6: Specific/Adaptive Immunity: features and functions, antigen receptors of cells of the specific immunity (membrane-linked antibodies and TCR), antigen recognition; creation of the receptor repertoire, somatic recombination, clonal distribution. MHC molecules, antigen processing and presentation; proteasome and immunoproteasome. Dendritic cells.
• Lesson #7. B Lymphocytes: features, development, maturation and activation; structure of B cell receptor. Functions in the Immune response: secreted antibodies: structure, functions, classification.
• Lesson #8. T lymphocytes: features of T helper (CD4+) and cytotoxic (CD8+), development, maturation and activation; structure of T cell receptor. Functions in the Immune response: cell-mediated immunity. Production of cytokines, Th1 and Th2 lymphocytes, natural and induced Treg. Cytotoxicity. Regional immunity: the intestinal mucoses. Relationships with the gut microbiota. Th17 lymphocytes.

Lectures given by Dr. Stefano Salvioli

• Lesson #9: T-B Cooperation; costimulation: role of accessorial molecules; T-dependent and independent responses; germinative centre reaction and isotypic switch. Cytokines and cytokine receptors. Th1 and Th2 responses. Tolerance: recognition and discrimination between self and non-self. Mechanisms of central (negative selection) and peripheral tolerance (anergy, deletion and suppression).
• Lesson #10: Effective phase of the Immune Response: the Complement System: components, functions, regulation and deficits.
• Lesson #11: Effective phase of the Immune Response: activation of macrophages M1 and M2; delayed type hypersensitivity; Cytotoxic T lymphocytes activation.
• Lesson #12: Immunity against pathogens: extra and intra-cellular bacteria; viruses and parasites. Mechanisms of escape from the immune response.
• Lesson #13: Vaccines and vaccine strategies. Different types of vaccines against pathogens (viruses, oncogenic viruses, bacteria, toxins). Risks of vaccinations. Psychological issues on vaccines.
• Lesson #14: Immunology of transplants: transplants classifications: auto-, allo- and xeno-transplants; biological bases of transplant rejection; different types of rejection; GVHD; strategies to prevent transplant rejection: HLA typization, immunosuppressive therapies.
• Lesson #15: Immunopathology: alterations of the immune response; classification of immunopathologies; autoimmunity.
• Lesson #16: Type I hypersensitivity: IgE-based allergies; Type II hypersensitivity (IgG autoantibodies acting as inflammation trigger, complement activators, receptor agonist or antagonist), Type III hypersensitivity (immunocomplexes diseases) and type IV hypersensitivity (autoreactive T cell-based diseases).
• Lesson #17: Congenital immunodeficiencies of the innate and adaptive immune system. SCIDs and other syndromes.
• Lesson #18: Acquired immunodeficiencies. HIV and AIDS.
• Lesson #19: How the IS ages: immunosenescence. Consequences of the decreased immune response on the susceptibility to age-associated diseases. Inflammation as a driving force of aging and diseases (inflammaging). Inflammaging and cytokine release storm: the special case of Covid-19.
  
• Lesson #20:  Cancer immunology. Immunogenicity of cancers. Immune escape of cancers. Immunotherapies to cancers: vaccines against cancer; monoclonal antibodies, anti-PD-1 and PDL-1; CAR-T cells.

Testi/Bibliografia

Abbas, Lichtman, Pillai: Cellular and molecular immunology, 2021 (tenth edition), Elsevier.

Kenneth Murphy & Casey Weaver: Janeway's Immunobiology, 2022 (10th Edition), Garland Science.

Geha, Notarangelo: Case studies in immunology: a clinical companion, 2016 (7th Edition), Garland Sciences.

Dianzani - Puccillo (a cura di): Immunologia e Immunopatologia, 2022 (prima edizione), edi-ermes

Metodi didattici

frontal lectures with ppt slides

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Student learning will be checked at the end of the Integrated Course “Basic Mechanisms of Diseases” by an oral exam.

Since Immunology is considered preparatory to the Pathology/Physiopathology/Histo-Pathology modules, the board will allow the Immunology module exam to be taken before the exams for the other modules. Conversely, the Pathology/Physiopathology/Histo-pathology modules are inseparable as they concern complementary aspects of the same subject. The examination itself is designed to ascertain the student's ability to make a synthesis of the subjects, an ability that the student must necessarily attain before approaching clinical subjects.

The Immunology grade will be held valid 1 year during which the student will have at least 4 opportunities to achieve a valid grade in the Pathology/Physiopathology/Histo-pathology modules. If not, the student will have to retake both Immunology and Patho/physio/histo-pathology exams.

Exams are scheduled in presence only, unless otherwise prescribed by National Authorities in case of a Covid 19 pandemic return. Exceptions will be considered upon specific request according to the University regulation.

Grading procedure:

- knowledge of a very limited number of topics and limited analytical capacity → 18-19 out of 30;

- knowledge of a limited number of topics and basic analytical capacity → 20-24 out of 30;

- knowledge of a consistent number of topics and good analytical capacity → 25-29 out of 30;

- knowledge of all topics and very good analytical capacity → 30-30L out of 30.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

PPT slide files available at the VIRTUALE website (https://virtuale.unibo.it/course/view.php?id=18943).

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Stefano Salvioli

Consulta il sito web di Miriam Capri