Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-152). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-105). Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-121). Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-123).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-125).

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related inflammation and insulin resistance in adipose tissue. However, the mechanisms responsible for induction of ER stress are presently unclear. Proper ER redox state is crucial for oxidative protein folding and secretion and impaired protein folding in ER leads to induction of unfolded protein response and ER stress. However, while ER redox state is more oxidizing compared to the rest of the cell, its regulation is poorly understood. In order to determine the effects of ER redox state on development of ER stress and insulin resistance, several fluorescence-based sensors have been developed. However, these sensors have yielded results that are inconsistent with each other and with earlier non-fluorescence-based studies. In this study we attempted to develop and characterize a sensitive tool to study the ER redox state in adipocytes in real-time by targeting a new generation of redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein (roGFP) to ER. The roGFP1-iL sensor targeted to the ER is termed ‘eroGFP1-iL’ by convention. The ER-targeting eroGFP1-iL construct contains the signal peptide from adiponectin and the ER retention motif KDEL and has a midpoint reduction potential of -229 mV in vitro in oxidized and reduced lipoic acid. Despite having a midpoint reduction potential that is 50 mV higher than the previously determined midpoint reduction potential of the ER, eroGFP1-iL was found capable of detecting both oxidizing and reducing changes in the ER. In an attempt to determine the mechanisms by which roGFP1-iL detects oxidizing changes, we found that, first, glutathione mediated the formation of disulfide-bonded roGFP1-iL dimers with an intermediate excitation fluorescence spectrum resembling a mixture of oxidized and reduced monomers. Second, glutathione facilitated dimerization of roGFP1-iL, which in effect shifted the equilibrium from oxidized monomers to dimers, thereby increasing the molecule’s reduction potential compared with a dithiol redox buffer like lipoic acid. From this study, we concluded that the glutathione redox couple in ER significantly raised the reduction potential of roGFP1-iL in vivo by facilitating its dimerization while preserving its ratiometric nature, which makes it suitable for monitoring oxidizing and reducing changes in ER with high reliability in real-time. The ability of roGFP1-iL to detect both oxidizing and reducing changes in ER and its dynamic response in glutathione redox buffer between approximately -190 and -130 mV in vitro suggest a range of ER redox potential consistent with those determined by earlier approaches that did not involve fluorescent sensors. Our primary aim in developing eroGFP1-iL as a redox-sensing tool was to be able to assess whether redox changes represent an early initiator of ER stress in obesity-induced reduction in high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin in circulation. Hypoxia is a known mediator of redox changes. We found that oligomerization of HMW adiponectin was impaired in the hypoxic conditions observed in differentiated fat cells. The redox-active antioxidant ascorbate was found capable of reversing hypoxia-induced ER stress. Lastly, we demonstrated that changes in ER redox condition is associated with ER stress response and is implicated in the mechanism of action of the insulin-sensitizing agent troglitazone and desensitizing agent palmitate. Using the redox sensing property of eroGFP1-iL, palmitate was found to be an effective modulator of redox changes in the ER and troglitazone was found to cause oxidizing changes in the ER. The action of palmitate in causing aberrant ER redox conditions was associated with aberrant HMW adiponectin multimerization. Palmitate-induced ER stress was ameliorated by troglitazone. Taken together, the data suggest a potential role of ER redox changes in ER stress and impaired protein folding in adipocytes.

Defining the mechanics and consequences of protein adduction is crucial to understanding the toxicity of reactive electrophiles. Application of tandem mass spectrometry and data analysis algorithms enables detection and mapping of chemical adducts at the level of amino acid sequence. Nevertheless, detection of adducts does not indicate relative reactivity of different sites. In this dissertation I describe a method to measure the kinetics of competing adduction reactions at different sites on the same protein using quantitative mass spectrometry. Adducts are formed by electrophiles at Cys-14 and Cys-47 on the metabolic enzyme glutathione-S-transferase P1-1 and accompanied by a loss of enzymatic activity. Relative quantitation of protein adducts was done by tagging N-termini of peptide digests with isotopically labeled phenyl isocyanate and tracking the ratio of light-tagged peptide adducts to heavy-tagged reference samples. This method was used to measure rate constants for adduction at both positions with two different model electrophiles, IAB and BMCC. The results indicate that Cys-47 was approximately 2-3-fold more reactive toward both electrophiles than was Cys-14. This result was consistent with the relative reactivity of these electrophiles in a complex proteome system. Quantitative analyses of protein modifications provide a means of determining the reactivity and selectivity of damaging protein modifications in chemical toxicity.Another area of study explored in this dissertation is looking at the effects of protein alkylation on activating cellular signaling pathways, specifically the JNK signaling pathway. Protein adduction has been shown to be selective between different alkylating agents. It would then be reasonable to think this selectivity of adduction translates to selectivity of downstream consequences or cellular events directly tied to specific adductions. My work will show how treatment of HEK293 cells with either IAB or BMCC leads to differences in activation of JNK signaling. In addition, I've been able to show a difference in selectivity of a number of adducted targets by each alkylating agent, which are directly involved in regulation of the JNK signaling pathway. These studies illustrate not only the significance of protein adduction, but the importance for continual research to better understand their behavior in living systems.

Glutathione transferases (GSTs, EC 2.5.1.18) possess multiple functions and have potential applications in biotechnology. This thesis contributes to knowledge about glutathione transferases from Sus scrofa (pig). The study is needed for better understanding of biochemical processes in this species and is desirable for drug development, for food industry research and in medicine. A primary role of GSTs is detoxication of electrophilic compounds. Our study presents porcine GST A1-1 as a detoxication enzyme expressed in many tissues, in particular adipose tissue, liver and pituitary gland. Based on comparison of activity and expression profiles, this enzyme can be expected to function in vivo similarly to human GST A2-2 (Paper II). In addition to its protective function, human GST A3-3 is an efficient steroid isomerase and contributes to the biosynthesis of steroid hormones in vivo. We characterized a porcine enzyme, pGST A2-2, displaying high steroid-isomerase activity and resembling hGST A3-3 in other properties as well. High levels of pGST A2-2 expression were found in ovary, testis and liver. The properties of porcine enzyme strengthen the notion that particular GSTs play an important role in steroidogenesis (Paper I). Combination of time-dependent and enzyme concentration-dependent losses of activity as well as the choice of the organic solvent for substrates were found to cause irreproducibility of activity measurements of GSTs. Enzyme adsorption to surfaces was found to be the main explanation of high variability of activity values of porcine GST A2-2 and human Alpha-class GSTs reported in the literature. Several approaches to improved functional comparison of highly active GSTs were proposed (Paper III). / Felaktigt tryckt som Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology 733

Nustatyti vitamininių – mineralinių priedų – „Sel-PlexTM“, „Suplex E-50000/K/Selenium“, „Suplex E/Selenium“ (savo sudėtyje turinčių seleno) ir „Oxistop“ – pasižyminčių antioksidaciniu veikimu, įtaką, kiaulių hematologiniams, mėsos fiziniams ir cheminiams bei zootechniniams produktyvumo rodikliams. Remdamiesi atliktų bandymų duomenimis, paruoštos kiaulininkystės ūkiams ir ūkininkams rekomendacijos dėl vitamininių – mineralinių priedų, savo sudėtyje turinčių organinio ir neorganinio seleno formų ir pasižyminčių antioksidaciniu veikimu panaudojimo ir šėrimo efektyvumo penimoms kiaulėms. Pirmą kartą Lietuvos sąlygomis ištirtas kiaulių kraujyje fermento glutationo peroksidazės kiekis ir jo kitimas per visą bandymo laikotarpį, priklausomai nuo seleno koncentracijos ir formos racione. Ištirta vitamininių – mineralinių „Sel-PlexTM“, „Suplex E-50000/K/Selenium“, „Suplex E/Selenium“ ir „Oxistop“ priedų įtaka kiaulių augimui, kraujo biocheminiams ir morfologiniams rodikliams, mėsos fizinėms savybėms ir cheminei sudėčiai bei įvertintas seleno kiekis nustatant jį kraujyje ir dengiamuosiuose plaukuose (šeriuose). / To determine the influence of vitamin-mineral supplements -„Sel-PlexTM“, „Suplex E-50000/K/Selenium“, „Suplex E/Selenium“ (containing selenium) and „Oxistop“ (having antioxidational effect) on pig‘s haematological, meat‘s physical, chemical and zootechnical rates of productivity. First time in Lithuania the enzyme glutathione peroxidase in pig‘s blood and its change during the experimental period, depending on selenium concentration and form in ration was examined. The influence of vitamin-mineral supplements - „Sel-PlexTM“, „Suplex E-50000/K/ Selenium“, „Suplex E/Selenium“ and „Oxistop“ on pig‘s growing, blood biochemical and morphological rates, meat‘s physical and chemical composition was examined. Also the amount of selenium in blood and hair was evaluated. Appealing to the test data, recomendations about pig‘s feeding effectivity and using vitamin-mineral supplements containing organic and inorganic forms of selenium and having antioxidational effect were prepared for swine-breeding farms and farmers.

Das Selenoprotein Glutathionperoxidase 2 (GPx2) ist ein epithelzellspezifisches, Hydroperoxide-reduzierendes Enzym, welches im Darmepithel, vor allem in den proliferierenden Zellen des Kryptengrundes, exprimiert wird. Die Aufrechterhaltung der GPx2-Expression im Kryptengrund auch bei subadäquatem Selenstatus könnte darauf hinweisen, dass sie hier besonders wichtige Funktionen wahrnimmt. Tatsächlich weisen GPx2 knockout (KO)-Mäuse eine erhöhte Apoptoserate im Kryptengrund auf. Ein Ziel dieser Arbeit war es deshalb, die physiologische Funktion der GPx2 näher zu untersuchen. In Kryptengrundepithelzellen aus dem Colon selenarmer GPx2 KO-Mäuse wurde eine erhöhte Caspase 3/7-Aktivität im Vergleich zum Wildtyp (WT) festgestellt. Zudem wiesen diese Zellen eine erhöhte Suszeptibilität für oxidativen Stress auf. Die GPx2 gewährleistet also den Schutz der proliferierenden Zellen des Kryptengrundes auch bei subadäquater Selenversorgung. Des Weiteren wurde im Colon selenarmer (-Se) und -adäquater (+Se) GPx2 KO-Mäuse im Vergleich zum WT eine erhöhte Tumornekrosefaktor α-Expression und eine erhöhte Infiltration von Makrophagen festgestellt. Durch Fütterung einer selensupplementierten Diät (++Se) konnte dies verhindert werden. In GPx2 KO-Mäusen liegt demnach bereits basal eine niedriggradige Entzündung vor. Dies unterstreicht, dass GPx2 vor allem eine wichtige antiinflammatorische Funktion im Darmepithel besitzt. Dem Mikronährstoff Selen werden protektive Funktionen in der Colonkanzerogenese zugeschrieben. In einem Mausmodell der Colitis-assoziierten Colonkanzerogenese wirkte GPx2 antiinflammatorisch und hemmte so die Tumorentstehung. Auf der anderen Seite wurden jedoch auch prokanzerogene Eigenschaften der GPx2 aufgedeckt. Deshalb sollte in dieser Arbeit untersucht werden, welchen Effekt ein GPx2 knockout in einem Modell der sporadischen, durch Azoxymethan (AOM) induzierten, Colonkanzerogenese hat. Im WT kam es in präneoplastischen Läsionen häufig zu einer erhöhten GPx2-Expression im Vergleich zur normalen Darmmucosa. Eine derartige Steigerung der GPx2-Expression wurde auch in der humanen Colonkanzerogenese beschrieben. Das Fehlen der GPx2 resultierte in einer verminderten Entstehung von Tumoren (-Se und ++Se) und präneoplastischen Läsionen (-Se und +Se). Somit förderte GPx2 die Tumorentstehung im AOM-Modell. Acht Stunden nach AOM-Gabe war im GPx2 KO-Colon im Vergleich zum WT eine erhöhte Apoptoserate in der Kryptenmitte (-Se, +Se), nicht jedoch im Kryptengrund oder in der ++Se-Gruppe zu beobachten. Möglicherweise wirkte GPx2 prokanzerogen, indem sie die effiziente Elimination geschädigter Zellen in der Tumorinitiationsphase verhinderte. Eine ähnliche Wirkung wäre auch durch die erhöhte GPx2-Expression in der Promotionsphase denkbar. So könnte GPx2 proliferierende präneoplastische Zellen vor oxidativem Stress, Apoptosen, oder auch der Antitumorimmunität schützen. Dies könnte durch ein Zusammenwirken mit anderen Selenoproteinen wie GPx1 und Thioredoxinreduktasen, für die ebenfalls auch prokanzerogene Funktionen beschrieben wurden, verstärkt werden. Eine wichtige Rolle könnte hier die Modulation des Redoxstatus in Tumorzellen spielen. Die Variation des Selengehalts der Diät hatte im WT einen eher U-förmigen Effekt. So traten in der –Se und ++Se-Gruppe tendenziell mehr und größere Tumore auf, als in der +Se Gruppe. Zusammenfassend schützt GPx2 also die proliferierenden Zellen des Kryptengrundes. Sie könnte jedoch auch proliferierende transformierte Zellen schützen und so die sporadische, AOM-induzierte Colonkanzerogenese fördern. In einem Modell der Colitis-assoziierten Colonkanzerogenese hatte GPx2 auf Grund ihrer antiinflammatorischen Wirkung einen gegenteiligen Effekt und hemmte die Tumorentstehung. Die Rolle der GPx2 in der Colonkanzerogenese ist also abhängig vom zugrunde liegenden Mechanismus und wird maßgeblich von der Beteiligung einer Entzündung bestimmt. / The selenoprotein glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPx2) is a hydroperoxide-reducing enzyme that is mainly expressed in the gastrointestinal epithelium, especially in the crypt base were the proliferating cells reside. GPx2 expression is maintained even when the selenium supply is limited, which indicates that GPx2 might have an important function in these cells. Indeed, GPx2 knockout (KO)-mice have an enhanced rate of apoptosis in the crypt base. Therefore one aim of this study was to further elucidate the physiological function of the GPx2. Isolated colonic crypt base epithelial cells of selenium deficient GPx2 KO-mice were found to have a higher caspase 3/7 activity than wild type (wt) cells. Moreover they exhibited an enhanced susceptibility for oxidative stress. Thus GPx2 protects the proliferative crypt base cells of the intestine, especially when the selenium supply is limited. Additionally an enhanced expression of tumor necrosis factor α and an enhanced infiltration of macrophages were detected in the colon of GPx2 KO-mice in comparison to the wt. These effects were observed on a selenium deficient (-Se) and -adequate (+Se) diet, but could be prevented by feeding a selenium supplemented (++Se) diet. Accordingly, GPx2 KO-mice have a basal low grade inflammation. This underlines, that GPx2 has an important anti-inflammatory function in the intestinal epithelium. Selenium deficiency is linked to an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. In a mouse model of colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis, GPx2 had anti-inflammatory and thus anticarcinogenic effects. However, also procarcinogenic functions of the GPx2 have been observed. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse the role of GPx2 in a model of non-inflammation triggered, sporadic colon carcinogenesis induced by azoxymethane (AOM). In preneoplastic lesions of wt mice, an enhanced expression of GPx2 in comparison to the normal mucosa was frequently observed. An upregulation of GPx2 expression has also been described in human colon carcinogenesis. GPx2 KO mice had less tumors (-Se and ++Se) and less preneoplastic lesions (-Se, +Se) than wt mice. Accordingly GPx2 promotes colon carcinogenesis in the AOM-model. Eight hours after AOM-application, a higher rate of apoptosis was observed in the mid-crypt region of the colon of GPx2 ko mice in comparison to wt mice in the –Se and +Se groups, but not in the ++Se group or in the crypt base. Thus GPx2 might act procarcinogenic by preventing the elimination of cells with DNA-damage in the tumor initiation stage. Similarly, the enhanced GPx2-expression in preneoplastic cells could promote tumorigenesis by protecting these cells from oxidative stress, apoptosis or antitumor immunity. This effect might be enhanced by other selenoproteins like GPx1 or thioredoxin reductases that have also been reported to possess procarcinogenic properties and it might be closely related to the regulation of the redox state of tumor cells. In wt mice, the selenium content of the diet turned out to have a rather U-shaped effect on colon carcinogenesis. In the –Se and ++Se groups, wt mice tended to have more and larger tumors than in the ++Se group. In conclusion, GPx2 protects the proliferating cells of the intestinal crypt base, but it could also protect proliferating transformed cells and thus promote sporadic, AOM-induced colon carcinogenesis. In contrast, GPx2 acted anticarcinogenic in a model of colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis due to its antiinflammatory properties. Thus, the role of GPx2 in colon carcinogenesis depends on the underlying mechanisms, especially on the involvement of an inflammation.