DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOLOGY

RNDr. Zdeněk Zídek, DrSc.
email: zidekz@biomed.cas.cz
tel: +420241062720

Laboratory of Immunopharmacology

Head: RNDr. Zdeněk Zídek, DrSc.
email: zidekz@biomed.cas.cz
tel: +420241062720

Laboratory of Eye Histochemistry and Pharmacology

Head: Doc. MUDr. Jitka Čejková, DrSc.
email: cejkova@mail2.biomed.cas.cz

Scientists: 

MUDr. Ardan Taras, Ph.D.
RNDr. Evžen Buchar, CSc.
Doc. MUDr. Jitka Čejková, DrSc.
RNDr. Eva Kmoníčková, CSc.
RNDr. Zuzana Šimonová, Ph.D.
RNDr. Zdeněk Zídek, DrSc.

Ph.D. Students: 

Ing. Čestmír Čejka
Ing. Petra Melkusová
MUDr. Petr Potměšil
Ing. Zuzana Stiaková

Technical Assistants:

Vlasta Krejčová
Mgr. Jana Křížková

Undergraduate Students:

Vladimír Kameník

Study of pharmacological manipulation of the immune system activity.

Although the effectiveness of immune system is tightly regulated by multiple endogenous mechanisms, it can be influenced by a number of environmental factors, including infections, pathophysiological conditions, etc. The main aim of the immunopharmacology is research and development of agents, potential drugs, which would modulate the immune system activity in therapeutically desirable, i.e. immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive directions.

Activity of the Department of pharmacology covers the following major topics:

• Modulation of nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis.
• Immunomodulatory potential of prospective drugs.
• Involvement of pharmacologically important receptor systems in expression of    immunobiological effects.
• Characterization of transactivating signal mechanisms.
• Cytostatic and cytocidal activity of drugs.
• Therapeutic effectiveness of perspective agents in model diseases.
• The effect of UVB rays on the expression of NO and formation of cytotoxic nitrogen-related oxidants.

The research of the Department of pharmacology is focused mainly on investigation of therapeutical possibilities of targeted modulation of soluble immune factors relevant to the treatment of infections, inflammation and cancer. Namely, the potential of agents or environmental conditions to influence secretion of interferons, cytokines, and nitric oxide is analyzed.

Fig. 1. Acyclic nucleoside phosphonates augment the IFN-γ-activated biosynthesis of nitric oxide and stimulate secretion of various cytokines including chemokine RANTES.

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Mouse peritoneal macrophages have been used for the in vitro screening assay.

Fig. 2. Acyclic nucleoside phosphonate (S)-HPMPA has beneficial effect on the course of experimental schistosomal infection in mice.

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A) CONTROLS. Large granuloma entangling central egg with cellular miracidium. B) Small granuloma with central dead egg, and numerous MΦ(5x10 mg). C) Degenerating egg inducing negligible inflammation (5x10 mg). D) Small granuloma without central egg (degenerated), and abundant MΦ (5x25 mg). E) Lymphocyte-infiltrated tissue with no granuloma and no eggs (5x10 mg/kg). F) Mild to moderate hydropic degeneration and focal necrosis (5x10 mg/kg).

Fig. 3. In the normal cornea, only slight NOS3 is present in the epithelium (a, arrow), and in the endothelium (b, arrow).

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The repeated irradiation of the cornea with UVB rays cause the significant expression of all NOS isomers, and also nitrotyrosinne (NT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in cells of corneal layers and also in inflammatory cells in the corneal stroma. The increased expression of NOS3 in the corneal epithelium (c) and endothelium (d). Distinct staining of NOS1 in the corneal epithelium (e) and endothelium (f). Apparent staining of NOS2 in the corneal epithelium (g), keratocytes and endothelium (h). The expression of NT in the thinned epithelium (ch) and also in the endothelium (i). MDA is highly expressed in the epithelium (arrow, j) and endothelium (k). The large arrow points to polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the corneal stroma (j), which also show MDA staining

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List of current grants:

Name of the grant	Grant agency	Number of the grant	Principal investigator	Duration of the grant
Immunopharmacological potential of endoplasmic Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) inhibitors	GAČR	305/07/0061	Dr. Kmoníčková	2007-11
Centre for New Antivirals and Antineoplastics	MŠMT ČR	1M6138896301	Prof. Holý	2005-09
Apoptic liver injury: possible pharmacological intervention and potential implications in hepatoprotection	GAČR	305/05/2425	Prof. Farghali	2005-07
Anterior eye segment hypoxia and post-hypoxic injury. The role oxidative stress. Attempts at the development of effective therapies	GAČR	304/06/1379	Prof. Čejková	2006-08
New methods for the improvement of diagnostic as well as therapeutic purposes of the human eye with dry eye syndrome	IGA MZ	NR/8828/3	Prof. Čejková	2006-08
Light absorption properties in ocular tissues and fluids with special attention to the cornea	GAUK	UK 47/2006/C/2.LF	Ing. Čejka	2006-2008

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