Syllabus
* Cellular and molecular basis of the host-parasite relationships PROTOZOOLOGICAL PART (J. Kulda) HELMINTHOLOGICAL PART (P.
Horák) 1.Protozoan cell I. Organization of the protozoan cell.
Cell organelles of parasitic protozoa and their function: Mitochondrion and kinetoplast of trypanosomes, hydrogenosome, mitosomes, apicoplast, glycosome, acidocalcisome. (P. Doležal) 2.Protozoan cell II. .Cytoskeleton.
Microtubular cytoskeleton of protozoa. Flagellum as a cell compartment.
Flagellar cycle. Microtubular inhibitors as antiparasitic drugs.
Actin based cytoskeleton and other cytoskeletal systems of protozoa. Invasive adaptations of cytoskeleton in protozoan parasites.
Parasite interactions with cytoskeletal systems of a host cell. (P. Doležal) 3.Protozoan cell III.
Transport mechanisms. Membrane transporters and channels.
Endocytosis, exocytosis and vesicular transport. Virulence factors and drug resistance mechanisms relative to cell transport. (P.
Doležal) 4.Surface parasites of mucous tissues (Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Trichomonas). Mucus and mucosal defenses against infection.
Properties of intestinal and vaginal mucosa. Colonization of mucous surfaces by parasites and its pathological consequences. (P.
Doležal) 5.Invasive tissue infections. Biology of Entamoeba histolytica.
Life cycle and invasive transformation. Escape mechanisms and virulence factors.
Pathogenesis of amebosis. Most important molecules in host-parasite interactions. (P.
Doležal) 6.Infection of body fluids. Biology of African trypanosomes.
Developmental cycle and developmentally regulated changes in surface molecules and metabolism. Antigenic variability and its molecular background.
Pathogenesis of sleeping sickness and mechanisms of pathogenicity in trypanosome infections. (P. Doležal) 7.Intracellular infections by protozoa I.
Various strategies of entry to and survival in a host cell. Antimicrobial defenses against intracellular infection and escape mechanisms of parasites.
Intracellular Kinetoplastida: Cell-parasite interactions in Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Leishmania as an intracellular parasite of professional phagocytes.
Molecules involved in host-parasite interaction. (P. Doležal) 8.Intracellular infections by protozoa II.
Interaction of apicomplexan parasites with host cells. (Toxoplasma, Theileria, Plasmodium). Induced endocytosis of malaria parasites by erythrocytes and molecules involved in this process.
Manipulation of infected red blood cells by parasites. Pathogenicity mechanisms in Plasmodium falciparum malaria. (P.
Doležal) 9 .Host-recognition and -invasion by helminths (chemoorientation of free living larvae; host-finding; penetration mechanisms - parasite lectins, peptidases, other enzymes; parasite orientation within the host body). (L. Mikeš) 10.
Evasion strategies of helminths (masking, molecular mimicry, immunosuppression and other evasion strategies of helminths in vertebrates and invertebrates; immune reactions of invertebrate hosts). (L. Mikeš) 11.
Hormonal interactions between helminths and hosts (vertebrates, invertebrates); neurophysiological and immunological consequences. (L. Mikeš) 12.
Developmental regulations in helminths (developmental reversals; signals and molecular mechanisms in intra- and interspecific competition of helminths). (L. Mikeš) 13.
Helminths as intracellular parasites (phytonematodes; entomopathogenic nematodes; Adenophorea - Trichuris, Trichinella - modifications of muscle fibres). Control of helminthoses - development and mode of action of vaccines and anthelmintics, control of vectors and intermediate hosts. (L. Mikeš)
Annotation
An advanced course focused on cell biology and physiology of parasitic protozoa and helminths and on cellular and molecular interactions between the host and parasite. Following topics will be discussed: cytoskeleton, transport mechanisms and cell organelles of parasitic protozoa, mechanisms of host invasion by protozoa and helminths, escape mechanisms of parasites, ontogenetic regulations in parasitic helminths, hormonal interaction between the host and parasitic helminths, specific features of various types of infections (luminal, mucosal, tissue, intracellular).
Mechanisms of drug action and other antiparasitic measures will be mentioned in the context of parasite biology