Main page
Education

Immunological Basis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Data

Official data in SubjectManager for the following academic year: 2020-2021

Course director

Number of hours/semester

lectures: 0 hours

practices: 0 hours

seminars: 12 hours

total of: 12 hours

Subject data

  • Code of subject: OAF-RAR-T
  • 1 kredit
  • General Medicine
  • Optional modul
  • both semesters
Prerequisites:

OAP-PA1-T completed , OAP-PA2-T completed

Course headcount limitations

min. 3 – max. 20

Topic

The aim of the course is to introduce the participants with the immunopathological background of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), paying special attention to the potential molecular and cellular mechanisms, beginning from the clinical features. The topics cover the role of T- and B cells, and cytokine regulation in detail. The role of new T cell groups (regulatory T cells and NKT cells) in the pathogenesis of RA will be discussed. Broadening of the "classical cytokine paradigm" (Th1/Th2): "new" cytokines (IL-17, IL-21, IL-23 and IL-27) and their potential role in RA. Complex, side-by-side discussion of experimental data from human RA patients and RA animal models is a central scope of the course. Getting acquainted with the immunological aspects of RA in detail will help the participants in the understanding of modern therapeutical approaches.

Lectures

Practices

Seminars

  • 1. Introduction, the aim of the course, requirements.
  • 2. Natural and pathologic autoantibodies in the blood of healthy and autoimmune patients, the "immunological homunculus" .
  • 3. Clinical features of RA (ethiology, diagnosis, symptoms).
  • 4. Cells in the pathomechanism of RA 1. T cells.
  • 5. Cells in the pathomechanism of RA 2. B cells.
  • 6. Cells in the pathomechanism of RA 3. Regulatory T cells.
  • 7. Cells in the pathomechanism of RA 4. NKT cells.
  • 8. Cytokine regulators of RA 1. The classical Th1/Th2 paradigm.
  • 9. Cytokine regulators of RA 1. IL-17 and other "novel" cytokines (IL-21, IL-23, IL-27).
  • 10. Animal models of RA 2. Induced models (proteoglycan-, collagen-, adjuvant-induced arthritis).
  • 11. Animal models of RA 3. Spontaneous models. (IL-1R antagonist knock-out-, SKG mice)
  • 12. Modern therapeutical approaches of RA.

Reading material

Obligatory literature

-

Literature developed by the Department

The slides of the seminars will be available on-line on the website of the Department of Immunology and Biotechnology (www.immbio.hu).

Notes

-

Recommended literature

-

Conditions for acceptance of the semester

Maximum number of absences: 2. Participants will prepare a short talk based on a paper selected by the tutor and related to one of the topics of the seminars.

Mid-term exams

None.

Making up for missed classes

None.

Exam topics/questions

None.

Examiners

Instructor / tutor of practices and seminars

  • Dr. Boldizsár Ferenc
  • Dr. Engelmann Péter András
  • Dr. Németh Péter János
Rólunk