Sulfur amino acids have critical function as intracellular redox buffers and maintain homeostasis in the external milieu by combating oxidative stress. Synthesis of glutathione (GSH) is regulated at a substrate level by cysteine, which is synthesized by homocysteine via the transsulfuration pathway. Oxidative stress and diminished glutathione pools play a sustained role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis. One of the aims of this study was to experimentally address the temporal relationship between plasma sulfur amino acid levels in patients suffering from acute pancreatitis. The data indicated low concentration of cysteine initially, at levels similar to those of healthy controls. Glutathione was found reduced whilst cysteinyl-glycine and γ- glutamyl transpeptidase activity were increased in both mild and severe attacks. As the disease progressed, glutathione and cysteinyl-glycine were further increased in mild attacks and cysteine levels correlated with homocysteine and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity. The progress of severe attacks was associated with glutathione depletion, reduced γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity and increased cysteinyl-glycine, that correlated with glutathione depletion. The corollary that ample supply of cysteine and cysteinly-glycine does not contribute towards glutathione synthesis in acute pancreatitis poses an important issue that merits resolution. Heightened oxidative stress and depletion of glutathione rationalized the progression of disease in severe attacks. An upsurge that reactive oxygen species can shift redox state of cells is determined by the ratio of the abundant redox couples reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH: GSSG) in cell. The study reported a novel methodology for quantification of total oxidized glutathione (tGSSG) and total glutathione (tGSH) in whole blood using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The novelty of the method is ascertained by the use of a mercaptan scavenger 1, methyl-2-vinyl-pyridinium trifluromethanesulfonate for the total oxidized glutathione determination. The results reported permit quantitation of tGSSG and tGSH and was applied to a control group. Finally, the study was also focussed in developing a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric method to evaluate free and conjugated bile acids in patients suffering from various degrees of cholestatic-hepatobiliary disorders. The study reported low levels of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and slightly high levels of lithocholic acid (LCA). All the primary bile acids seem to be conjugated with glycine and taurine amino acid.

No description available.

Les thiols et le sélénium peuvent jouer un rôle important dans la méthylation du mercure des environnements aquatiques. Pour démontrer la présence des thiols et du sélénium et leur relation avec le mercure dans certains écosystèmes d'eau douce québécois, une campagne d’échantillonnage fut réalisée durant l’été 2010, dans le parc national du Mont-Tremblant (Laurentides, Québec). Il existe une corrélation significative entre le sélénium et le mercure total dans l’eau des lacs du parc. Cependant, les concentrations de sélénium sont très faibles dans les lacs, les étangs de castor et les ruisseaux. Par ailleurs, les lacs du parc national du Mont-Tremblant ont des concentrations relativement élevées de méthylmercure avec une moyenne de 0,33 ng L-1 et des maximums allant jusqu’à 3,29 ng L-1. Les étangs de castor peuvent aussi être considérés comme des lieux de contamination au méthylmercure, avec une concentration moyenne de 0,95 ng L-1. Toutefois, la présence d’une colonie de castors sur le bassin versant d’un lac ne semble pas influencer les concentrations de mercure que l’on y retrouve. Deux thiols sont détectables dans l’eau de surface des Laurentides, soit le glutathion et l’acide thioglycolique. La concentration de ce dernier thiol est corrélée significativement avec celle du mercure total et du méthylmercure. Les thiols peuvent jouer un rôle important dans les processus de méthylation en favorisant le transport du mercure inorganique à l’intérieur des bactéries sulfato-réductrices. Afin de mieux comprendre l’action antagoniste entre le sélénium et le mercure, des études devraient être réalisées au niveau des tissus des organismes vivants dans ces zones pauvres en sélénium. / Thiols and selenium may influence mercury methylation in aquatic environments. To demonstrate the occurrence of both elements with mercury in selected aquatic systems of Quebec, a sampling campaign was conducted during the summer of 2010 in Mont-Temblant national park (Laurentians, Quebec). There is a significant correlation between selenium and total mercury in surface water. However, concentrations of selenium are very low in lakes and beavers ponds. In addition, the park’s lakes have a relatively high concentrations of methyl mercury with an average of 0,33 ng L-1 and maximum values up to 3,29 ng L-1. Beaver ponds can also be considered hotspots of methylmercury contamination, with an average concentration of 0,95 ng L-1. However, the presence of a colony of beavers in the watershed of a lake does not appear to influence the levels of mercury in that lake. Two species of thiols are present in the surface water of the Laurentian ecosystems: glutathione and thioglycolic acid. The latter is significantly correlated with total mercury and methyl mercury. Thiols may play an important role in the methylation process by promoting the transport of inorganic mercury within the sulfate-reducing bacteria. To better undestand the antagonistic action between selenium and mercury, more research should be conducted in the tissue of organisms living in areas of low concentration of selenium to know if they are protected against mercury toxicity.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Zielstellung dieser Studie war es zu überprüfen, ob durch Fütterung einer mit Vitamin E und Selen angereicherten Mineralstoffmischung in der Transitphase eine Beeinflussung des antioxidativen Status mit Reaktionen GPX [Glutathionperoxidase], SOD [Superoxiddismutase], TEAC [Trolox equivalent antioxidative capacity] und ACW [nichtenzymatische wasserlösliche Antioxidantien] sowie des Stoffwechsels erreicht werden kann und ob damit die Häufigkeit der in der Frühlaktation typischen Erkrankungen sinkt. Zur Beantwortung dieser Fragestellung wurden in einem Milchviehbestand mit 1400 Kühen und Färsen zwei Gruppen von je 26 Tieren zu Beginn der Transitfütterung zusammengestellt. Die Versuchsgruppe erhielt drei Wochen ante partum bis drei Wochen post partum eine Mineralstoffmischung mit einem Vitamin E- Gehalt von 300 mg/kg TM (= 447 IU /kg TM) und einem Selengehalt von 0,5 mg/ kg TM, die Kontrollgruppe die stallübliche Mineralstoffmischung mit 0,3 mg Selen/kg TM ohne zusätzliche Vitamin E Ergänzung. Jedem Tier wurde drei Wochen ante partum, 2 bis 4 Tage post partum und 3 Wochen post partum zur klinisch- chemischen Kontrolle Blut entnommen.Zur Bestimmung des antioxidativen Status wurden die GPX, SOD, TEAC und ACW untersucht. Zur Bewertung des peripartalen Stoffwechsels wurden die Parameter des Energie-, Fett- und Leberstoffwechsels (BHB [ß-0H-Butyrat], Cholesterol, AST [Aspartat-Amino-Transferase], GLDH [Glutamat- Dehydrogenase]), des Eiweißstoffwechsels (Albumin, TP [Gesamt-Eiweiß]), sowie des Mineralstoffwechsels (Ca [Calcium], Pi [anorganisches Phosphat] und der CK [Creatinkinase] bestimmt und mit den Kühen der Kontrollgruppe verglichen. Im Blutbild wurden die Erythrozytenzahl, die Leukozytenzahl, die Erythrozytenindices (MCH, MCHC, MCV), Hämatokrit, Hämoglobin und Thrombozytenzahlen verglichen. Die Häufigkeit des Auftretens der klinischen Krankheitsbilder Mastitis, Gebärparese, Retentio secundinarum, Klauenerkrankungen und puerperale Septikämie und die Produktionsdaten Milchleistung nach 100 Tagen, Milchleistung nach 305 Tagen und Zwischenkalbezeit wurden nach Ende der Untersuchungen statistisch ausgewertet. Eine direkte Beeinflussung des SOD und der GPX ist möglich. Durch die Gabe der mit Vitamin E und Selen angereicherten Mineralstoffmischung konnte in der Versuchsgruppe ein Anstieg der GPX-Aktivität und eine Plateaubildung erreicht werden. Die SOD-Aktivitäten lagen in der Versuchsgruppe drei Wochen post partum signifikant höher als in der Kontrollgruppe. Eine bessere Adaptation an den oxidativen Stress im peripartalen Zeitraum kann durch eine mit Vitamin E und Selen angereicherte Mineralstoffmischung erreicht werden. Die Inzidenz der Mastitiserkrankungen in der Frühlaktation wurde signifikant gesenkt.Die Inzidenz der Mastitiserkrankungen in der Frühlaktation wurde signifikant gesenkt. Signifikante Unterschiede ergaben sich auch in der Aktivität der GLDH. In der Versuchsgruppe wurden 3 Wochen post partum deutlich niedrigere GLDH- Aktivität gemessen als in der Kontrollgruppe, woraus auf einen besseren Leberzellschutz in der kritischen biologischen Phase der Milchkuh zu schließen ist. Hinsichtlich der Häufigkeit des Auftretens weiterer klinischer Erkrankungen im peripartalen Zeitraum konnte jedoch keine Verbesserung erzielt werden. Ebenso haben sich die Produktionsparameter Milchleistung und Zwischenkalbezeit nicht verbessert.

High-resolution magic angle spinning (HRMAS) NMR spectroscopy is used to study solid samples that are normally difficult to analyze due to broadening of peaks. Solid-phase peptide synthesis can bind peptides to an insoluble resin that can be analyzed with HRMAS NMR spectroscopy. A combination of HRMAS NMR and IRMPD spectroscopy, along with computational chemistry, was applied to analyze and evaluate the structure of resin-bound glutathione. Two-dimensional 1H-1H NMR experiments such as COSY, TOCSY, and ROESY were employed to assign and predict the structure of the resin-bound peptide. IRMPD results were used along with calculated protonated structures and spectra to evaluate the conformation of the peptide. The experimental spectrum was compared to the spectra and structures of the protonated species to hypothesize the most favoured structure. Molecular mechanics, molecular dynamics and DFT calculations were implemented to collect structures that best resembled the free and resin-bound glutathione peptide. The results from these methods were compared to determine the structure that is most probable for the glutathione peptide. A semi-folded conformation is the structure the resin-bound GSH most preferred as concluded from the NMR and DFT results. The IRMPD results were analyzed as separate from the resin-bound experiments and suggested protonated GSH had a folded conformation. FK-13 was another peptide synthesized using the solid-phase peptide synthesis technique. The peptide was synthesized using a modified technique different from conventional methodology used in the past. The peptide was also analyzed using COSY, TOCSY, and ROESY to confirm that the synthesis was done correctly and hypothesize a structure. The low substitution of the peptide on the resin gave rise to minimal NOE interactions, but there was some evidence suggesting that the synthesis was successful and the peptide adopted a cyclic conformation. These initial results are useful for future analyses and conformational studies of this resin-bound peptide. Further work needs to be done for both peptides to explore the structures in more detail. The explicit model of solvation should be used to explore the effect of solvent molecules on the conformation of the glutathione peptide as opposed to the implicit model that PCM provides. FK-13 could be synthesized better so that a higher substitution is achieved and better NMR results are obtained. The IRMPD results obtained by the McMahon group can then be compared to the NMR results and computational calculations can be performed to obtain realistic structures of the peptide.

Background and Purpose: The endothelium is a single-cell layer positioned at the blood-vascular wall interface, where in response to blood-borne signals and hemodynamic forces, endothelial cells act as central regulators of vascular homeostatic processes including vascular tone, growth and remodeling, inflammation and adhesion, and blood fluidity and coagulation. Agonist- or flow-stimulated endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation becomes impaired in states of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and has been identified as a possible biomarker of overall endothelial dysfunction leading to vascular dysregulation and disease pathogenesis. Accordingly, it is important to elucidate the mechanisms accounting for this endothelial vasomotor dysfunction. Upon stimulation, endothelial cells can synthesize and release a variety of endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRFs), the most prominent of which is nitric oxide (NO) derived from NO synthase (NOS). In addition, under certain CVD risk conditions including hypertension and aging, stimulated endothelial cells can become a prominent source of endothelium-derived contracting factors (EDCFs) produced in a cyclooxygenase (COX)-dependent manner. Consequently, endothelial dysfunction may be caused by under-active EDRF signaling and/or competitive over-active EDCF signaling. Much attention has been given to elucidating the mechanisms of under-active EDRF signaling and its role in causing endothelial dysfunction, wherein excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and oxidative stress under CVD risk conditions have been recognized as major factors in reducing NO bioavailability thus causing under-active EDRF signaling and endothelial dysfunction. Less attention however, has been given to elucidating the mechanisms of over-active COX-mediated EDCF signaling and its role in causing endothelial dysfunction. Moreover, while COX-mediated EDCF signaling activity has been investigated in some segments of the vasculature, most notably the aorta, it has not been well-investigated in the common carotid artery (CCA), a highly accessible cerebral blood flow conduit particularly advantageous in exploring the roles of the endothelium in vascular pathogenesis. It was the global purpose of this thesis to gain a better understanding of the cellular-molecular mechanisms accounting for endothelial dysfunction in the CCA of animal models known to exhibit COX-mediated EDCF signaling activity, in particular essential (spontaneous) hypertension and aging. Experimental Objective and Approach: This thesis comprises three studies. Study I and Study II investigated the CCA of young-adult (16-24wk old) normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and Spontaneously Hypertensive (SHR) rats. Study III investigated the CCA of Adult (25-36wks old) and Aging (60-75wks old) Sprague Dawley (SD) rats treated in vivo (or not; CON) with L-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) to chronically deplete the cellular anti-oxidant glutathione (GSH) and increase ROS accumulation and oxidative stress. The global objective and approach across these studies was to systematically examine the relative contributions of NOS and COX signaling pathways in mediating the acetylcholine (ACh)-stimulated endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDRF) and contractile (EDCF) activities of isometrically-mounted CCA in tissue baths in vitro, with a particular focus on elucidating the mechanisms of COX-mediated EDCF signaling activity. An added objective was to examine the in vivo hemodynamic characteristics of the CCA in each animal model investigated, serving both to identify the pressure-flow environment that the CCA is exposed to in vivo and to provide assessment of potential hypertension, aging, and oxidative stress effects on large artery hemodynamics. Key Findings: Study I hemodynamic analysis confirmed a hypertensive state in young adult SHR while also exposing a reduction in mean CCA blood flow in SHR compared to WKY accompanied by a multi-faceted pressure-flow interaction across the cardiac cycle relating to flow and pressure augmentation. Study III hemodynamic analysis found that neither aging nor chronic BSO-induced GSH depletion affected CCA blood pressure or blood flow parameters in SD rats. Study I and II demonstrated that a COX-mediated EDCF response impaired ACh-stimulated endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in pre-contracted CCA from young adult SHR, while EDRF signaling activity, predominantly mediated by NO, remained well-preserved compared to WKY. Examining ACh-stimulated contractile function specifically from a quiescent (non pre-contracted) state revealed that EDCF activity did exist in WKY CCA but could be completely suppressed by NO-mediated EDRF signaling activity, whereas the similarly robust NO-meditated EDRF signaling activity in SHR CCA could not fully suppress its >2-fold augmented EDCF activity vs. WKY CCA. Further pharmaco-dissection of ACh-stimulated contractile function in the SHR-WKY CCA model revealed that the EDCF signaling activity was completely dependent on the COX-1 (but not COX-2) isoform of COX and was almost exclusively mediated by the thromboxane-prostanoid (TP) sub-type of the prostaglandin (PG) G-protein coupled receptor family and by Rho-associated kinase (ROCK), a down-stream effector of the molecular switch RhoA. Furthermore, it was found that while exogenous ROS-stimulated CCA contractile function was similarly >2-fold augmented in SHR vs. WKY and dependent on COX-1 and TP receptor and ROCK effectors, ACh-stimulated CCA EDCF signaling activity was only minimally affected by in-bath ROS manipulating compounds. Additional biochemical and molecular analysis revealed that ACh stimulation was associated with PG over-production from an over-expressed COX-1 in SHR CCA, and with CCA plasma membrane localization and activation of RhoA. Study III demonstrated that a COX-mediated EDCF response impaired ACh-stimulated endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in pre-contracted CCA from Aging SD rats, while EDRF signaling activity, predominantly mediated by NO, remained well-preserved compared to Adult SD rats. Specific examination of ACh-stimulated contractile function revealed that EDCF activity did exist in Adult CCA but could be completely suppressed by NO-mediated EDRF signaling activity, whereas the similarly robust NO-meditated EDRF signaling activity in Aging CCA could not fully suppress its >3-fold augmented EDCF activity vs. Adult CCA. Further pharmaco-dissection of ACh-stimulated contractile function in the Adult-Aging SD rat CCA model revealed that EDCF signaling activity was completely dependent on COX-1, but while exogenous ROS was able to elicit a COX-dependent CCA contractile response, in-bath ROS manipulating compounds were found to be without effect on ACh-stimulated CCA EDCF signaling activity. Furthermore, biochemical analysis revealed that aging was not associated with a change in tissue (liver and vascular) GSH content or ROS accumulation. Chronic in vivo BSO treatment was effective in depleting tissue GSH content and increasing ROS accumulation, to a similar extent, in both Adult and Aging SD rats. However, regardless of age, neither ACh-stimulated NO-mediated EDRF signaling activity nor COX-mediated EDCF signaling activity were affected by these BSO-induced perturbations. Conclusions and Perspective: In the CCA of animals at the early pathological stages of either essential hypertension (young adult SHR) or normotensive aging (Aging SD rats), endothelial vasomotor dysfunction can be caused solely by over-active EDCF signaling, apparently disconnected from changes in NO bioavailability or oxidative stress. While NO and ROS may act, respectively, as negative and positive modulators of the established COX-PG-TP receptor-RhoA-ROCK cell-signaling axis mediating endothelium-dependent contractile activity, these factors do not appear to be essential to the mechanism(s) underlying the development of over-active EDCF signaling. Further elucidation of the cellular-molecular causes of over-active EDCF signaling, and its patho-biological consequences, in the SHR-WKY and Adult-Aging SD rat CCA models of EDCF activity established and hemodynamically characterized in this thesis, may help to identify new or more effective targets to be used in prevention or treatment strategies to combat the pathogenesis of CVD.

Aescin is a mixture of several acidic triterpenoid saponin glycosides found in the extracts of the horse chestnut tree. Horse chestnut, Aesculus Hipoocastanum, is one of the 25 domestic species of Aesculus that are mostly large, ornamental shade trees. Although known to be poisonous, the nuts of the horse chestnut are used by Amerindians, after detoxification. Horse chestnuts are said to have several traditional medicinal usages including even cancer. In this study the biochemical, genotoxic, and cytotoxic effects of aescin was studied using isolated lymphocytes, whole blood lymphocytes and HL-60 promyeloid leukemia cell lines. Cytotoxicity of aescin was examined by trypan blue viability staining of the cells in culture treated with varying aescin concentrations. It was observed that aescin was cytotoxic at all concentrations, for all cell types studied, except whole blood lymphocytes, where it was not cytotoxic at 10-9 and 10-10 M concentrations. Genotoxicity of aescin was examined by sister chromatid exchange and micronucleus. The genotoxic effect of Aescin was observed to be more significant over isolated lymphocytes compared to other cell lines. On the otherhand, aescin at 10-8 M and lower concentrations were observed to be non-genotoxic over whole blood lymphocytes whereas this concentration was considerably toxic for isolated lymphocytes and for HL-60 cell lines. Apoptotic properties of aescin were determined by DNA fragmentation, cytochrome c release and negative NAPO staining. All the Aescin concentrations tested resulted in apoptosis over HL-60 cell lines, whereas necrosis was not observed. However, isolated lymphocytes showed both apoptosis and necrosis upon treatment with 10-6 M to 10-8 M aescin, exhibiting apoptosis only at 10-9 M and 10-10 M. Biochemical effects of aescin were investigated by following GST and NAT enzyme activities. An increase in GST enzyme activity was observed over all cell lines treated with increasing aescin concentrations for 72 hours. Whereas NAT activity was decreased upon treatment with aescin in similar manner.

A virus-like particle (VLP) is a biological nanoparticle. It consists of the protective protein shell of a virus that is devoid of the nucleic acid required for viral replication. VLPs have two key uses: they can act as vaccines by inducing an immune response similar to their native virions, or they can facilitate gene therapy and drug delivery by encapsulating non-viral molecules and efficiently transporting them into cells. Manufacture of VLPs involves cell-based expression of virus-shell protein, with particle assembly and purification following one of two paradigms: (i) in vivo VLP assembly, followed by purification of full particles from cell lysate; (ii) partially assembled protein is recovered from cell lysate and assembled into VLPs in vitro. The flexibility and efficiency of both of these VLP manufacturing paradigms can be improved by first gaining a fundamental understanding of what is happening at key process steps. These improvements will lower the cost of VLP manufacture and enhance the viability of VLP products in the biopharmaceutical marketplace. The research reported here yielded positive outcomes for two key steps of the VLP manufacturing process, using murine polyomavirus VLPs for all experimentation. Firstly, enhanced understanding concerning the capture of virus shell protein in pentamer form (capsomeres) from cell lysate using glutathione-S-transferase (GST) affinity chromatography was obtained. It was discovered that prokaryotic expression of GST-tagged capsomeres yielded soluble aggregates having variable size distribution. Methods were developed to physically and chemically characterise these soluble aggregates, and the mechanism by which they adsorb to the chromatography resin was described using an established mathematical model. Secondly, particle characterisation of whole VLPs isolated from cell lysate was undertaken. Methods utilizing three orthogonal and quantitative techniques were developed to suggest that encapsulation of non-viral molecules (nucleic acids or proteins) during in vivo assembly causes distinct changes to the size distribution of isolated VLPs: transmission electron microscopy (TEM), asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation with multiple-angle light scattering (AFFFF-MALS) and electrospray differential mobility analysis (ES-DMA). The understanding gained from the research presented in this work enables the enhanced capture of partially assembled virus shell protein from cell lysate, as well as a method to efficiently and cost-effectively analyse VLP solutions for the presence of desirable or undesirable encapsulated material.

A virus-like particle (VLP) is a biological nanoparticle. It consists of the protective protein shell of a virus that is devoid of the nucleic acid required for viral replication. VLPs have two key uses: they can act as vaccines by inducing an immune response similar to their native virions, or they can facilitate gene therapy and drug delivery by encapsulating non-viral molecules and efficiently transporting them into cells. Manufacture of VLPs involves cell-based expression of virus-shell protein, with particle assembly and purification following one of two paradigms: (i) in vivo VLP assembly, followed by purification of full particles from cell lysate; (ii) partially assembled protein is recovered from cell lysate and assembled into VLPs in vitro. The flexibility and efficiency of both of these VLP manufacturing paradigms can be improved by first gaining a fundamental understanding of what is happening at key process steps. These improvements will lower the cost of VLP manufacture and enhance the viability of VLP products in the biopharmaceutical marketplace. The research reported here yielded positive outcomes for two key steps of the VLP manufacturing process, using murine polyomavirus VLPs for all experimentation. Firstly, enhanced understanding concerning the capture of virus shell protein in pentamer form (capsomeres) from cell lysate using glutathione-S-transferase (GST) affinity chromatography was obtained. It was discovered that prokaryotic expression of GST-tagged capsomeres yielded soluble aggregates having variable size distribution. Methods were developed to physically and chemically characterise these soluble aggregates, and the mechanism by which they adsorb to the chromatography resin was described using an established mathematical model. Secondly, particle characterisation of whole VLPs isolated from cell lysate was undertaken. Methods utilizing three orthogonal and quantitative techniques were developed to suggest that encapsulation of non-viral molecules (nucleic acids or proteins) during in vivo assembly causes distinct changes to the size distribution of isolated VLPs: transmission electron microscopy (TEM), asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation with multiple-angle light scattering (AFFFF-MALS) and electrospray differential mobility analysis (ES-DMA). The understanding gained from the research presented in this work enables the enhanced capture of partially assembled virus shell protein from cell lysate, as well as a method to efficiently and cost-effectively analyse VLP solutions for the presence of desirable or undesirable encapsulated material.