Ateneo - UPO

The course deals with the basic mechanisms disease including the role of immune responses

A) PowerPoint slides will be provided; selected chapters from “Patologia generale e fisiopatologia generale" - Volume 1- Edizione:VII 2026 - Editore:Piccin; Patogenesi (Basi genetiche e molecolari delle malattie) - Editore Piccin
B) Immunology:
1) Dianzani-Pucillo, Immunologia e Immunopatologia. Edi Hermes, 2022
2) Coico, Immunologia in percorso breve, Edi.Ermes, 2018
3) Murphy, Immunobiologia di Janeway. Piccin, 2017

The course aims to make the students able to understand the mechanisms of tissue damage, inflammation, immune responses, cancer and pathophysiology along with the basic notion in medical terminology. Students will acquire autonomous judgement, ability to communicate using adequate terminology, and capacity of continuous updating

The students should have basic knowledge of Physics, Biology, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Medical Genetic, Histology and Physiology

Lectures and seminars. The slides are available, including slides with vocal comment

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities. Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects

Oral exam assessing the basic notions of Immunology, General Pathology and Physiopathology and the capacity to deal with the basic mechanisms of diseases.

Etiology and pathogenesis of disease. Fundamental causes of disease: endogenous and exogenous factors. Genetic factors in the predisposition to diseases of different etiologies. Multifactorial diseases. Mechanisms of injury induced by chemical substances. Endogenous and exogenous factors influencing the harmful effects of chemical agents. Enzymes involved in the metabolism and detoxification of chemical substances. Acute and chronic toxicity. Mechanisms of tissue injury induced by chemical agents. Free radicals as a cause of disease. Diseases caused by the transfer of mechanical, thermal, and electrical energy. Diseases induced by ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Cellular and tissue adaptations in response to stress. Etiology and pathogenesis of hypertrophy, hyperplasia, atrophy, and metaplasia. Features of reversible cell injury. Irreversible cell injury: necrosis and apoptosis. Inflammation. Characteristics and stages of the inflammatory process; mediators of inflammation; regulation of inflammatory processes; leukocyte diapedesis and phagocytosis. Characteristics of inflammatory infiltrates. Resolution of inflammation. Systemic inflammatory responses and fever. Chronic inflammatory reactions. Epidemiology of cancer. Incidence, prevalence, and distribution of the major human cancers. Criteria for benignity and malignancy: biological, cytomorphological, behavioral, and clinical features distinguishing benign from malignant neoplasms. Anatomical localization, histological types, and histogenetic origin of the major tumors. Tumor staging. The concept of grading. Criteria for tumor staging and grading. Biological characteristics of the neoplastic cell. Morphological, biochemical, and behavioral atypia of neoplastic cells: cytological atypia affecting cellular structures and subcellular organelles; fundamental histological atypia of neoplastic tissues; biochemical atypia of tumor cells; behavioral atypia (alterations in cell recognition, intercellular adhesion, motility, and cell–matrix interactions).
Cell cycle alterations in tumor cells and mechanisms involved in the loss of control over cellular differentiation and proliferation. Mechanisms of resistance to apoptosis. Metabolic alterations in cancer. Proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Altered expression of proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Molecular events associated with neoplastic transformation. Genetic alterations involved in karyotypic abnormalities and chromosomal aberrations. Carcinogenesis and its stages. Monoclonal and polyclonal origin of tumors. Cancer stem cells. Carcinogenesis as a multistep process: initiation, promotion, and progression. Characteristics and molecular mechanisms involved in each stage. Neoplastic progression: characteristics of tumor progression; heterogeneity of the neoplastic cell population and genetic instability; factors promoting tumor progression; selective events influencing progression. Immune response to tumors. Growth patterns of neoplastic tissue. Tumor–extracellular matrix interactions. Tumor invasiveness. Tumor angiogenesis. The metastatic process: stages of metastasis and routes of metastatic spread. Etiological factors of human cancer. Genetic predisposition to cancer. Hereditary diseases predisposing to tumor development. Inherited genomic alterations in selected human neoplasms. Carcinogenesis induced by physical agents, chemical agents, and viruses. Oncogenic risk factors related to lifestyle and occupational exposure. Local and systemic events associated with tumor development: cancer cachexia and paraneoplastic syndromes. Hemostasis. Mechanisms of platelet activation and aggregation. Blood coagulation. Regulation of hemostasis and fibrinolysis. Disorders of platelet function and coagulation. Thrombosis. Tissue repair. Mechanisms of angiogenesis. Fibrosis. β-fibrilloses: amyloidoses, prion diseases, and neurofibrillary disorders. Pathophysiology of aging. Pathophysiology of tissue perfusion. Ischemia and hyperemia. Pathogenesis of reperfusion syndromes. Shock. Pathophysiology of lipid homeostasis. Lipoprotein abnormalities. Atherosclerotic disease. Pathophysiology of nutrition. Nutritional deficiency disorders, hypovitaminosis, obesity, and its pathophysiological consequences. Pathophysiology of water and electrolyte homeostasis. Pathophysiology of glucose homeostasis. Mechanisms of insulin resistance. Diabetes mellitus. Pathophysiology of acid–base balance. Pathophysiology of iron homeostasis. General principles of the immune system. Innate and adaptive immunity; nonspecific and specific immunity. Cells of the immune system. Receptors and mediators of innate immunity. Organs of the immune system. Antigens and antibodies. Structure and function of antibodies and immunoglobulin classes. Characteristics of antigens recognized by B lymphocytes. Haptens. Structure and signal transduction of the B-cell receptor (BCR). The complement system. Classical, alternative, and lectin pathways. Complement receptors and regulatory proteins. Monoclonal antibodies and laboratory techniques. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. Immunofluorescence, Western blotting, radioimmunoassay (RIA), ELISA, and immunodiffusion. T-cell receptor (TCR) and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Structure of the TCR and MHC molecules. Nomenclature and genetics of the HLA system. Antigen presentation (endocytic pathway, cytosolic pathway, cross-presentation, lipid antigen presentation). CD3, CD4, and CD8 coreceptors. Signal transduction leading to T-cell activation. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Types, functions, and costimulatory signals. CD28, CTLA-4, and PD-1. Generation of the B-cell receptor repertoire. Immunoglobulin gene rearrangement. Antigen-independent and antigen-dependent maturation of B lymphocytes. Generation of the T-cell receptor repertoire. Thymic maturation of effector T lymphocytes and natural regulatory T cells. Cytokines. General features, structure, function, receptors, and signal transduction. T Helper, regulatory, and cytotoxic cell-mediated immune responses. Th1, Th2, Th17, natural and induced Treg cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), natural killer (NK) cells, NKT cells, and γδ T cells. Immune evasion. Mechanisms of immune evasion by infectious agents and tumors. Passive and active immunization. Traditional and next-generation vaccines. Primary and secondary immunodeficiencies. Hypersensitivity reactions (Types I, II, III, and IV). Etiology, pathogenesis, and examples. Autoimmune diseases. Pathogenesis (antibody-mediated and cell-mediated). Etiology (triggering and predisposing factors). Transplant immunology. Hyperacute, acute, and chronic graft rejection. Tumor immunology. Immunomodulatory therapies.

Knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms responsible for tissue injury, inflammation, immunity and neoplastic growth understanding of the main physiopathological processes in human diseases. Applying knowledge and understanding to the physiopathological processes responsible for human diseases. Students must acquire autonomous judgement, ability to communicate using adequate terminology, and capacity of continuous updating