The first part of the course concerns the description of the molecular alterations present in tumors and their use in the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of tumor diseases. The second part will emphasize the role of genetic polymorphism in immunity, taking as an example the cytokines, HLA and KIR systems in the joint control of the adaptive and innate immune response. The importance of multiple allelism of the HLA region in the study of populations, in the response to pathogens and in pregnancy will be described. Finally, the molecular phenomena underlying immune-mediated pathologies will be presented, paying particular attention to the problems of transplants and the different strategies of tumor immunotherapy.
Course Prerequisites
It is advised that students have knowledge of General Pathology, in particular the topics concerning cellular pathology, inflammation and tumors, and of basic immunology and genetics.
Teaching Methods
Frontal lessons and moments of discussion of the topics covered
Assessment Methods
Written exam with open questions and multiple choice questions
Texts
1) Pardi, Di Fiore, Patogenesi. Basi genetiche e molecolari delle malattie, Piccin 2) R. Weinberg, La biologia del cancro, Zanichelli 3) Peter Parham, Il sistema immunitario, EDISES 4) Janeway CA, Immunobiologia, Piccin For each topic covered, specific articles will also be provided through the KIRO platform.
Contents
The course aims to introduce the student to the study of molecular alterations that are used in the diagnosis and prognosis of tumor diseases. Viral and bacterial, protein, genetic, invasiveness, malignancy and inflammation markers will be examined. Furthermore, for the prevention of tumors, those markers used in molecular epidemiology will be considered. In the second part of the course, the HLA and KIR genetic systems (genes, proteins, functions) will be discussed with particular emphasis on: multiple allelism, codominance, ancestral haplotypes, linkage disequilibrium, HLA/KIR epistatic interaction in the control of the immune response. Tissue compatibility in hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplants (minor antigens and KIR genes) and susceptibility genes to autoimmune diseases and immune component will be studied. Finally, the different immunotherapy strategies for tumors will be considered (monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, CAR-T, immunological checkpoint blockade).
