NEUROIMMUNOLOGY MODULE SCHEDULE & OUTLINE 2010

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1 NEUROIMMUNOLOGY MODULE SCHEDULE & OUTLINE 2010 Course Organisers: Dr, Dr Jana Haase Module Co-ordinator: Dr Jana Haase Credits: 5 Date & Time Session & Topic Co-ordinator 18 th March 1. Neuroimmunology: Elements of the System(s) Introduction & Overview of the elements involved in bidirectional communication between the immune and nervous systems C O Connor Molecular and cellular immune mediators of neuroprotection 25 th March 1 st April 8 th April 15 th April 22 nd April 29 th April 6 th May 13 th May 20 th May Paul Moynagh 2. Role of Glial cells in CNS function, Neuroprotection and Neuroinflammation Astrocytes and Microglia function - Neuron-glia interactions G McBean 3. Neuroendocrine modulation of the immune response Neurotransmitter modulation of leukocyte function Clare O Connor Neuroendocrine modulation of the mucosal immune system Ann Hopkins 4. Neuroprotective immunity Innate and adaptive immune responses in neuroprotection and neurodegeneration Role of Complement in neural plasticity and function - Role of Regulatory T Cells in the CNS - 5. Neuroimmune modulation of neuronal function Inflammatory mediators and ion channels - Caroline Herron Modulation of neurotransmitters receptors function by cytokines - John O Connor 6. Neuropathology and neuroinflammation from basic science to clinical issues I. Alzheimer s disease Dominic Walsh ALS & Huntington s Gethin McBean 7. Neuropathology and neuroinflammation from basic science to clinical issues II. Multiple Sclerosis. - Arthritis (autoimmune). - Evelyn Murphy 8. Immunomodulatory effects of stress; Therapy & Drug Discovery Therapeutic strategies & Drug discovery Billy O Connor Acute and chronic effects of stress on the immune system - Philip Newsholme 9. Immunomodulation and Behaviour Sickness Behaviour and depression Jana Haase A role for immune signals in cognitive function and behaviour Keith Murphy 10. Clinical Overview and Perspective on therapeutic strategies Clinical overview of neurodegenerative diseases Gavin Rush Clinical perspective on current and developing therapeutic strategies for neuro-immunological diseases Gavin Rush JH/ACT Page 1 27/1/10

2 NEUROIMMUNOLOGY COURSE OUTLINE This course focuses on the interaction between the immune and nervous systems at molecular, cellular and systems levels. It provides an overview of current and developing concepts in Neuroimmunology from both Neuroscience and Immunology perspectives. It aims to familiarise participants with - The molecular and cellular elements of interconnectivity between the immune and nervous systems and - The effect of neuro-immuno interaction on physiological responses and disease processes The course comprises 10 x 3hr seminar-style sessions designed to encourage interaction and discussion between lecturers and participants A outline of the content and schedule for each of the seminars is indicated below. Session 1: Neuroimmunology: Elements of the System(s) Introduction & Overview Clare O Connor - Introduction to the course - Brief overview of the key aspects of the Nervous, Endocrine and Immune Systems - Introduction to elements that contribute to bidirectional communication between the immune and nervous systems chemokines & cytokines, neuromodulators, hormones Molecular and cellular immune mediators of neuroprotection Paul Moynagh (NUIM) - Blood brain barrier - Homeostasis of CNS microenvironment Session 2: Role of Astrocytes and Microglia in CNS function, Neuroprotection and Neuroinflammation Glial cells activation (Astrocytes and Microglia) - - Post-lesional plasticity, neuroregeneration, neuroinflammation, concepts, mechanisms, cells and mediators. - Neuro-immunological aspects of glial activation, role in the CNS postlesional plasticity and neurodegenerative diseases JH/ACT Page 2 27/1/10

3 COFFEE Neuron-Glia interactions - Gethin McBean - Functional support for neurons by astrocytes, immunorelated protection - Metabolic trafficking, removal and inactivation of neurotransmitters - Glutamate excitotoxicity, antioxidative activity (GSH) Questions & Discussion Session 3: Neuroendocrine modulation of the immune response : Neurotransmitter modulation of leukocyte function Clare O Connor - Cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway - Neurogenic inflammation - Opioids, VIP, CGP, Substance P : Neuroendocrine modulation of the mucosal immune system Ann Hopkins - Neuroendocrine (NE) inputs in the genesis of mucosal tissue and MALT antigen sampling sites - NE role in the maintenance of mucosal tissue - NE involvement in parasitic infection of mucosal surfaces - NE involvement in mucosal inflammation and repair Session 4: Neuroprotective immunity Innate immune responses in neuroprotection, neurodegeneration and postlesional plasticity - Antonio Campos- - Postlesional plasticity within the context of neuroinflammation - Complement cascade activation in neurons and glial cells signalling in the CNS : Role of Regulatory T Cells in the CNS Antonio Campos- - Neuroprotective autoimmunity JH/ACT Page 3 27/1/10

4 Session 5: Neuroimmune modulation of neuronal function Inflammatory mediators and ion channels - Caroline Herron - Cell membrane potential, - Sodium and potassium channels - Inflammatory pain Modulation of neurotransmitter receptor function by cytokines - John O Connor - Il-1 beta, - TNF-alpha - Long term potentiation Session 6: Neuropathology and neuroinflammation from basic science to clinical issues - I : Alzheimer disease Dominic Walsh - Molecular and cellular events underlying the neuropathological condition. - Use of technology and development of novel approaches to study Alzheimer disease : Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Huntington s disease - Gethin McBean - - Molecular and cellular events underlying the neuropathological condition - Use of technology and development of novel approaches to these diseases. Session 7: Neuropathology and neuroinflammation from basic science to clinical issues - II : Multiple Sclerosis Antonio Campos- - Molecular and cellular events underlying the neuropathological condition. - Use of technology and development of novel approaches to study Multiple Sclerosis : Therapeutic strategies & Drug discovery Billy O Connor (UL) JH/ACT Page 4 27/1/10

5 - Recent developments on new and improved therapies - Monoclonal approaches to the study of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer s, etc., - Current blue skies research Session 8. Examples of Neuroendocrine modulation of inflammatory disease : Neuroendocrine-immune regulation of rheumatoid arthritis Evelyn Murphy - Growing evidence that alterations of the stress response and interactions between the neuroendocrine and immune systems contribute to the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - Involvement of the HPA axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) - Role of Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) : Acute and chronic effects of stress on the immune system Philip Newsholme - Acute stress: Action of adrenaline on neutrophil and macrophage functions (Phagocytosis and ROS generation) - - Chronic stress: Cortisol and effect on Lymphocyte, neutrophil and macrophage function (cell proliferation, secretory activities, phagocytosis Session 9. Immunomodulation and Behaviour : Sickness behaviour and depression Jana Haase Characteristics of cytokine-induced sickness behaviour Cytokine hypothesis of depression Possible mechanisms of cytokine-induced sickness behaviour and depression emphasis on the serotonergic system Immunmodulatory role of antidepressants? : A role for immune signals in cognitive function and behaviour Keith Murphy - Normal basal expression of immune signalling molecules in the brain in the absence of inflammation - Possible roles of immune signalling molecules in normal cognitive function - Requirement for several proinflammatory cytokines for normal memory formation JH/ACT Page 5 27/1/10

6 Session 10. Clinical Overview and Perspective on therapeutic strategies : Clinical overview of neurodegenerative diseases Gavin Rush (to be confirmed) - Introduction to clinical neurology history, examination and investigation. - Degenerative diseases affecting the cerebral cortex focus on dementia, clinical presentation (history and examination) of various categories of dementia and clinical diagnosis - Degenerative disease of the basal ganglia and brain stem Parkinsonism, clinical presentation, history and examination. - Huntingtons Disease clinical presentation and features - Spinocerebellar degenerations Degenerative diseases affecting motor neurons : Clinical perspective on current and developing therapeutic strategies for neuro-immunological diseases Gavin Rush (to be confirmed) - From the lab to the bedside, a discussion on clinical use of immunological based treatments for CNS disease JH/ACT Page 6 27/1/10

Gene Therapy. The use of DNA as a drug. Edited by Gavin Brooks. BPharm, PhD, MRPharmS (PP) Pharmaceutical Press

Gene Therapy. The use of DNA as a drug. Edited by Gavin Brooks. BPharm, PhD, MRPharmS (PP) Pharmaceutical Press Gene Therapy The use of DNA as a drug Edited by Gavin Brooks BPharm, PhD, MRPharmS (PP) Pharmaceutical Press Contents Preface xiii Acknowledgements xv About the editor xvi Contributors xvii An introduction