Endothelial dysfunction is a broad term which implies alteration of the overall functions of endothelial cells, including impairment of the barrier functions, vasodilation, and disturbances in proliferative and angiogenic capacities, migratory as well as tube formation, and deterrence of leukocyte transmigration. Such a dysfunction is triggered by pro-inflammatory stimuli and has been associated to several pathological conditions including atherosclerosis. Myeloperoxidase is a heme peroxidase secreted by activated neutrophils at site of inflammation near blood vessels and plays an important role in the initiation of atherosclerotic plaque by interfering with endothelial function. ApoLs represent a family of newly discovered apolipoproteins with yet unrevealed function, but predicted to be involved in inflammatory processes and cell death mechanisms. We aimed to study the expression of ApoLs as well as Myeloperoxidase in endothelial cells and their possible contribution to endothelial dysfunction. We performed RNA sequencing on MPO-treated endothelial cells and found that most of the induced genes are related to angiogenesis and blood vessel morphogenesis mechanisms. MPO treatment resulted in intracellular MPO localization and mimicked the effects of VEGF on several signal transduction pathways, such as Akt, Erk and Fak involved in angiogenesis. Accordingly MPO, independently of its enzymatic activity, stimulated cellular proliferation, migration and tubules formation by endothelial cells. RNA interference also pointed at a role of endogenous MPO in tubulogenesis and endothelium wound repair in vitro.On the other hand, ApoL3 among other family members was shown to be a downstream responsive gene to MPO, VEGF and FGF treatment. ApoL3 invalidation reduces tubules formation in MPO and VEGF-induced angiogenesis and wound repair in vitro. Accordingly, pro-angiogenic signaling pathways (Erk1/2 and FAK but not Akt) and some pro-angiogenic genes were partially inhibited in ApoL3 Knock out cells. These findings uncover for the first time an important and unsuspected role for ApoL3 and MPO as drivers of angiogenesis. / Le dysfonctionnement endothélial est un terme qui désigne un dérèglement général de la fonction endothéliale, caractérisé par des perturbations de l’intégrité membranaire, de la croissance endothéliale, du rôle anti-inflammatoire ;anti-coagulant, ainsi que leur propriété angiogenique principalement la migration endothéliale et la formation des structures tubulaires. Cette condition patho-physiologique pourrait être déclenchée par des stimuli pro-inflammatoire et elle est souvent associée à l’athérosclérose. La myéloperoxydase est une enzyme secrétee par les neutrophiles et contribue à la formation de la plaque d’athérome. Une nouvelle famille de protéines, les apolipoprotéines L, susceptibles d'intervenir dans le processus inflammatoire est bien exprimée dans les cellules endothéliales. Néanmoins, aucune fonction ne lui a été attribuée jusqu’à présent dans ce type cellulaire.dans le cadre de ce travail, Nous nous sommes intéressés à étudier l’implication des ApoLs ainsi que la Myeloperoxydase dans la dysfonction endothéliale. L’analyse du transcriptome des cellules traitées avec la MPO a montré que lamajorité des génes induits contrôlent le processus angiogenique. La myeloperoxidase stimule la proliferation,migration et la tubulogenese des cellules endotheliales. Cet effet est médié par l’activation des cascades (ERK1/2, Akt et FAK) et des genes pro-angiogeniques. Tandis que la suppression de l’expression de la MPO endogène entraine l’inhibition de la capacité des cellules à migrer et de former des tubes.D’autre part, l’invalidation de l’ApoL3 inhibe la migration cellulaire et la tubulogenése dépendente de la MPO et le VEGF. Sur le plan mécanistique, ces altérations phénotypiques sont les conséquences d’une part, une baisse de phosphorylation des kinases Erk1/2 et FAk (mais pas Akt) et d’autre part de la réduction du taux d’expression des gènes pro-angiogeniques dans les cellules ApoL3 Knock out stimulées par la MPO et le VEGF. ce résultat nous permet de définir l’ApoL3 et la MPO en tant que nouvels acteurs dans le processus angiogenique. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a retinal eye disease that is the leading cause of blindness in those over 50 years of age throughout the developed world. Oxidative and metabolic dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) has been shown to play an important role in AMD. However, the mechanism of dysfunction in the RPE is poorly understood. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1α and β (PGC1A and PGC1B) are coactivators that interact with transcription factors to regulate mitochondria metabolism. In a previous study, it was demonstrated that one of the isoforms, PGC1A, protects RPE cells from oxidative stress through the upregulation of transcription factors that regulate important antioxidant enzymes. There is experimental and clinical evidence that demonstrates that PGC1B may play a deleterious role in the RPE cell. The objective of this study is to characterize the pathological effect of PGC1B on the RPE cell. PGC1B was overexpressed in the human retinal pigment epithelium cell line (ARPE-19) and expression of the PGC1 isoforms and their main gene targets was evaluated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Cell death was evaluated under basal and pro-oxidant conditions by quantification of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from the RPE cell. The effect of PGC1B gain of function on the RPE pro-angiogenic function was evaluated using the choroid explant sprouting assay and by testing the proliferative, migratory, and tube formation potential of RPE-derived conditioned media on the rhesus monkey chorioretinal cell line (RF/6A). Quantitative PCR analysis showed that overexpression of PGC1B in ARPE-19 cells leads to increased mitochondrial metabolism and decreased antioxidant enzyme expression, causing oxidative stress. After treatment with H2O2, PGC1B overexpression caused ARPE-19 cells to become more susceptible to cytotoxicity. The ex vivo choroid sprouting assay demonstrated that PGC1B overexpression in RPE is pro-angiogenic. However, cell proliferation as measured by MTT and the cell migration assay provided conflicting results on the pro-angiogenic effect of PGC1B. Previous research has demonstrated that oxidative stress in the RPE cell plays a role in AMD progression. It has been demonstrated in this study that PGC1B expression leads to increased mitochondrial metabolism and repression of antioxidant enzymes needed to prevent oxidative stress and dysfunction in the RPE cell. While experiments to test the effect of PGC1B on angiogenesis provided conflicting results, a different endothelial cell model may be better suited in demonstrating the pro-angiogenic effect of PGC1B. The hope is that the information provided from this study may be used to further our understanding of AMD and lead to the development of therapeutic targets to combat the effects of AMD.

Epithelial ovarian cancer frequently metastasizes to the omentum, a process that requires pro-angiogenic activation of local microvascular endothelial cells (ECs) by tumour-secreted factors. We have previously shown that ovarian cancer cells secrete factors, other than vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), with possible roles in metastatic angiogenesis including the lysosomal proteases cathepsin L (CathL) and cathepsin D (CathD), and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7). However, the mechanisms by which these factors may contribute to omental endothelial angiogenic changes are unknown. Therefore the aims of this thesis were a) to examine disease relevant human omental microvascular endothelial cell (HOMEC) proliferation, migration and angiogenesis tube-formation induced by CathL, CathD and IGFBP7; b) to investigate whether CathL and CathD act via a proteolytic or non-proteolytic mechanism; c) to identify activated downstream intracellular signalling cascades in HOMECs and their activation in proliferation and migration; and finally d) to identify activated cell surface receptors by these factors. CathL, CathD and IGFBP7 significantly induced proliferation and migration in HOMECs, with CathL and CathD acting in a non-proteolytic manner. Proteome-profiler and ELISA data identified increased phosphorylation of the ERK1/2 and AKT (protein kinase B) pathways in HOMECs in response to these factors. CathL induced HOMEC proliferation and migration via the ERK1/2 pathway, whereas, although CathD-induced proliferation was mediated by activation of ERK1/2, its migratory effect was dependent on both ERK1/2 and AKT pathways. Interestingly, CathL induced secretion of galectin-1 (Gal1) from HOMECs which in turn significantly induced HOMEC proliferation via ERK1/2. However, none of the ERK1/2 or AKT pathways was observed to be active in Gal1-induced HOMEC migration. Interestingly, Gal1-induced proliferation and migration were significantly inhibited by L-glucose, suggesting a role for a receptor with extracellular sugar moieties. IGFBP7-induced migration was shown to be mediated via activation of the ERK1/2 pathway only. CathL, Gal1 and IGFBP7 significantly induced angiogenesis tube-formation in HOMECs which was not observed in CathD-treated cells. Receptor tyrosine kinase array revealed activation of Tie-1 and VEGF receptor type 2 (VEGFR2) in CathL and IGFBP7-treated HOMECs respectively. In conclusion, all CathL, CathD, Gal1 and IGFBP7 have the potential to act as proangiogenic factors in the metastasis of ovarian cancer to the omentum. These in vitro data suggest all four factors activate intracellular pathways which are involved in well-known angiogenesis models.

ALK1 est un récepteur de la famille du TGF-β, principalement exprimé dans les cellules endothéliales. Le ligand physiologique et circulant d'ALK1, BMP9, a été découvert par notre laboratoire en 2007, ce qui a ouvert des possibilités d'étude de la fonction d'ALK1. La première partie de ma thèse a été consacrée à l'analyse fonctionnelle de mutants d'ALK1, retrouvés sur des patients atteints de la maladie de Rendu-Osler de type 2, en réponse à BMP9. Cette étude a permis de : 1) proposer l'haploinsuffisance fonctionnelle comme modèle de la maladie ; 2) développer un test diagnostique pour discriminer les mutations pathogènes des polymorphismes rares, basé sur leur réponse à BMP9 ; 3) d'avoir une meilleure connaissance des acides aminés d'ALK1 importants dans la réponse à BMP9. Un second travail a consisté en la production de la forme mature de BMP9 et du domaine extracellulaire d'ALK1 en vue de l'étude de la structure cristallographique du complexe. L'expression des protéines et leur purification sont en phase d'optimisation. Enfin, un troisième projet consistait en l'analyse du rôle de BMP9 dans l'angiogenèse in vivo. La neutralisation de BMP9 par deux stratégies distinctes induit une augmentation de la densité vasculaire dans la rétine de la souris. Le mécanisme est en cours d'investigation. / ALK1 is a TGF-β family receptor, mainly expressed on endothelial cells. The physiologic and circulating ligand of ALK1, BMP9, was discovered by our laboratory in 2007, which opened opportunities for studying the function of ALK1. The first part of my thesis was on the functional analysis of ALK1 mutants from HHT-2 patients in response to BMP9. This study allowed us to: 1) propose functional haploinsufficiency as a model for HHT-2; 2) develop a diagnostic tool to discriminate pathogenic mutations from rare polymorphisms, based on their BMP9 response; 3) increase our knowledge of important amino acids in ALK1 for the BMP9 response. A second work was on the production of the mature form of BMP9 and of the extracellular domain of ALK1 in order to study the crystallographic structure of the complex. The expression of these proteins and their purification are in optimization phase. Lastly, a third project was on the analysis of the role of BMP9 in angiogenesis in vivo. Neutralization of BMP9 using two strategies induces an increase of the vascular density of the retina in mouse. Mechanism of action is under investigation.

INTRODUCTION: Melanoma is the most deadly skin cancer with mortality dependent on the extent and location of metastases. Lymphatic metastasis occurs early in melanoma, and tumor-associated lymphatic vessel area correlates with melanoma progression. Recently, the discovery of checkpoint inhibitors has drastically changed the treatment strategy and survival rates in melanoma. Neuropilin-2 (NRP2) is a potential common target in melanoma cells, tumor-associated lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). NRP2 is a cell surface receptor with competing stimulatory ligands (VEGF-A/-C) and inhibitory ligands (SEMA3F/G). AIM: The goal of this study was to investigate the role of NRP2 in both melanoma cells and the melanoma microenvironment (LECs, TILs) and to examine the effect of semaphorin 3F (SEMA3F) on the tumor cells as well as an immune modulator. RESULTS: Mouse and human melanocytes expressed NRP2 but not other vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor tyrosine kinases in vitro and in vivo. NRP2 protein expression, as analyzed by immunohistochemistry, was upregulated in human metastatic melanoma sections. Treatment of melanoma cells in vitro with SEMA3F inhibited migration and phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) but did not inhibit cell viability. SEMA3F also increased programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in melanoma. Syngeneic B16F10 melanoma did not grow in global NRP2 knockout (KO) mice but did grow in wild-type mice. In addition, mice inoculated with B16F10 were treated with SEMA3F or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) by mini-osmotic pumps. Resulting tumors were analyzed histologically for microvessel density and presence of TILs (number and subtype). CONCLUSIONS: Expression of NRP2 protein positively correlated with melanoma progression in human patient samples. NRP2 functions differently in melanoma tumor cells than in host stromal cells (endothelial cells [ECs], LECs). In melanoma, NRP2 is not a VEGF receptor but responds to the ligand, SEMA3F. Alternately, NRP2 appears to be an important VEGF-A/-C co-receptor in tumor-associated angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, as demonstrated in the NRP2 transgenic mice studies. SEMA3F inhibited tumor cell migration but increased PD-L1 expression. Systemic treatment with purified SEMA3F protein in melanoma preclinical trials inhibited melanoma growth and microvessel density. Taken together, these results suggest that exploiting the NRP2/SEMA3F signaling axis may be a novel treatment strategy to be used in combination with existing immunotherapy in melanoma. / 2020-07-03T00:00:00Z

Angiogenesis is the process by which new blood vessels develop from existing vessels. Angiogenesis is important in a number of conditions such as embryogenesis, wound healing and cancer. It has been modelled phenomenologically at the macroscale, using the well-known 'snail-trail' approach in which trailing endothelial cells follow the paths of other, leading endothelial cells. In this thesis, we systematically determine the collective behaviour of endothelial cells from their behaviour at the cell-level during corneal angiogenesis. We formulate an agent-based model, based on the snail-trail process, to describe the behaviour of individual cells. We incorporate cell motility through biased random walks, and include processes which produce (branching) and annihilate (anastomosis) cells to represent sprout and loop formation. We use the transition probabilities associated with the discrete model and a mean-field approximation to systematically derive a system of non-linear partial differential equations (PDEs) of population behaviour that impose physically realistic density restrictions, and are structurally different from existing snail-trail models. We use this framework to evaluate the validity of a classical snail-trail model and elucidate implicit assumptions. We then extend our framework to explicitly account for cell volume. This generates non-linear PDE models which vary in complexity depending on the extent of volume exclusion incorporated on the microscale. By comparing discrete and continuum models, we assess the extent to which continuum models, including the classical snail-trail model, account for single and multi-species exclusion processes. We also distinguish macroscale exclusion effects introduced by each cell species. Finally, we compare the predictive power of different continuum models. In summary, we develop a microscale to macroscale framework for angiogenesis based on the snail-trail process, which provides a systematic way of deriving population behaviour from individual cell behaviour and can be extended to account for more realistic and/or detailed cell interactions.

Five traditional Chinese medicines were screened for their antiangiogenic activities through zebrafish angiogenic assay. Two of them, Tripterygium wilfordii and Rheum palmatum showed potential in the primary screening. T. wilfordii was selected in further study. / In the further investigation of antiangiogenic activity of triptolide on mammal systems, triptolide showed potent activity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) assays including proliferation, migration and tube formation assay. It inhibited HUVEC proliferation with IC50 as low as 34 nM. It also showed more potency in HUVEC migration and tube formation assay at as low concentration as nanomolar level than SU5416, a putative VEGFR-2 inhibitor currently in clinic trials. RT-PCR and western blotting analysis showed that the underlying mechanism of triptolide correlated with down-regulation of VEGFR-2 and Tie2 expression and production. Tie2 inhibition appeared to be a later event as compared with VEGFR-2. Tie2 overexpression in HUVEC could attenuate the inhibitory effect of triptolide on HUVEC proliferation. Tie2 knockdown mimicked the inhibition activity of triptolide in tube formation assay. These phenomemon revealed that Tie2 signaling pathway plays a crucial role in triptolide-mediated angiogenesis inhibition. In in vivo Matrigel Plug assay, triptolide showed inhibition effect at as low as 100 nM. / T. wilfordii is an immune-suppressive, anti-inflammatory herb used in China for centuries. Through bioassay-guided purification, three antiangiogenic terpenoids were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction, namely, celastrol, cangoronine and triptolide. Among them, triptolide manifested the most potent antiangiogenic activities against vessel formation. As low as 0.31microM, triptolide inhibited 20% of vessel formation, and the inhibition reached a plateau of 50% at 1.2 microM. Celatrol reduced vessel formation by more than 30% at 0.62microM, but killed 50% of the embryos at higher concentrations. Cangoronine was much weaker, inhibiting vessel formation by 20% at 2.5microM. These three components all showed stronger antiangiogenic activities than 2-methoxyestradiol, a putative compound currently under clinical trials as an antiangiogenic agent for cancer treatment, as the latter inhibited angiogenesis in zebrafish embryos by 34% at 10microM. The loss of vessel formation in the embryos treated with triptolide was further confirmed using endogenous alkaline phosphatase staining. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that triptolide dose- and time-dependently reduced the mRNA expression of angiopoietin (angpt2) and tie2 in zebrafish, indicating the involvement of angpt2/tie2 signaling pathway in the antiangiogenic action of triptolide. / This research revealed that zebrafish model is a promising antiangiogenic model for both the screening of antiangiogenic agents from Chinese herbal medicine and the subsequent discovery for the drug targets. Triptolide, an anti-inflammatory component from T. wilfordii, is a potent angiogenic inhibitor through targeting VEGFR-2 and Tie2 pathways in mammal models whereas targeting ang2-tie2 pathway in zebrafish model. The anti-tumor action of triptolide was demonstrated to be partly through inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. Moreover, the potent antiangiogenic action exerted by triptolide at nanomolar dosage level gives proof that it is a promising lead compound for the development of antiangiogenic drug for cancer treatment. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) / He, Mingfang. / Adviser: Paul Pui-Hey Bot. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 71-01, Section: B, page: 0247. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-106). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) is a fail-safe mechanism activated to halt the proliferation of cells at risk of malignant transformation. It is a cell cycle arrest program of biological changes to the cell comprising of the activation of tumour suppressor pathways, altered cellular metabolism, extensive chromatin remodelling and the activation of a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The vast array of proteins secreted by the cells not only play a cell-autonomous role in reinforcing the senescence phenotype, but also modulate the cell's micro-environment by inducing senescence in neighbouring cells, promoting angiogenesis, and initiating an immune response through the recruitment of immune cells. To this end, senescence is a complex phenotype that has countless pathophysiological implications and understanding its molecular mechanisms of activation could prove to be fruitful for understanding its diverse functions. Components of the innate immune system have been shown to play an essential role in the development of the SASP through its processing and activation of Caspase 1 that in turn leads to activation of IL-1B. A gene set enrichment analysis of OIS cells showed significant upregulation in the Pattern Recognition Receptor (PRR) family, from the innate immune response. Hence, we explored the role of innate immune receptors in OIS. Methods and Materials IMR90 human diploid fibroblast cells, stably transfected with an oncogenic ER:RAS fusion protein undergo OIS upon treatment with 4-hydroxytamoxifen. A loss of function siRNA screen was conducted targeting components of the innate immune systems, including pattern recognition receptors. This served as a proof-of-principle screen for a larger screen of proteases and ubiquitin conjugation enzymes. Potential regulators of OIS were identified through siRNA that bypassed the proliferative arrest associated with OIS. We chose to focus on studying the role of TLR2 and TLR10 in senescence. A transcriptome analysis was carried out to identify genes regulated by these TLRs and further biological manipulation was used to confirm the mechanism through which these receptors control senescence. Results Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR10 have been identified as regulators of OIS. Their overexpression in IMR90 cells induces a premature form of senescence where the cells have significantly reduced proliferative activity and display senescence-associated β galactosidase activity. Moreover, the knockdown of TLR2 and TLR10 results in suppression of tumour suppressor pathway genes, reduced signaling through the pathway and blunting of the SASP. High TLR2 expression in patients with lung adenocarcinoma is associated with a higher survival rate. Concomitantly, the screening also identified Caspase 4, a critical component of non-canonical inflammasome signaling, to be regulated by TLR2 and TLR10 in OIS. A full transcriptome analysis of cells with TLR2 and TLR10 knockdown revealed serum amyloid amylase 1 (SAA1) and SAA2 are upregulated in OIS and were also confirmed to be activating ligands of TLR2. The activation of TLR2 by SAA, followed by the engagement of the non-canonical inflammasome by LPS electroporation induced senescence in proliferating IMR90 cells. Conclusion Our results suggest that the TLR2 and TLR10 act as potential tumour suppressor genes, signaling upstream of the inflammasome to initiate the production of inflammatory cytokines, and thereby the SASP. The production of the SASP develops a positive feedback loop, generating the damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) A-SAA that initiates an immune response signal cascade and subsequently activates senescence.

Submitted by Suzana Dias (suzana.dias@famerp.br) on 2018-10-19T20:34:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 CarlosHenriqueViésidoNascimentoFilho_tese.pdf: 4165435 bytes, checksum: e1126fdbe7f8fe5e5640b7a27f4c69e2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-10-19T20:34:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 CarlosHenriqueViésidoNascimentoFilho_tese.pdf: 4165435 bytes, checksum: e1126fdbe7f8fe5e5640b7a27f4c69e2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-16 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignancies worldwide. Antiangiogenic drugs are a conventional treatment, although it has been shown to stimulate hypoxic areas inside the tumor, and hypoxia has been associated with metastasis as well as accumulation of cancer stem cell (CSC) in breast cancer. Objective: To study the effects of hypoxia on HNSCC behavior and accumulation of cancer stem cell. Material and methods: Culture of HN6, HN12 and HN13 tumor cells under hypoxic conditions was carried out for 6hrs, 12hrs, and 24hrs under an O2 concentration of 1%. The content of cancer stem cell was determined using Aldefluor assay according to the manufacturer's (STEMCELL Technologies) to detect ALDH1A1Bright cells in combination with APC mouse anti-human CD44. Tumor invasion under hypoxic conditions was carried out using Millicell Cell Culture Inserts (Millipore, Billerica, MA, USA). Control tumor cells were maintained in DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% antibiotics at normoxia levels (~21% of O2), while hypoxia group was maintained at 1% of O2. We used a PTEN inhibitor (BPV) concentrations of 1nM, 5nM, and 10nM. Results: PTEN expression is downregulated under hypoxic conditions. Hypoxia-induced PTEN downregulation triggered an epithelial-mesenchyme transition (EMT) phenotype and accumulation of CSC. Plus, we showed antagonistic expression of PTEN and HIF-1α when targeted disruption of PTEN (shPTEN HN13 cell line) strongly suggesting that loss of PTEN activates the PI3K/mTOR pathway in association with HIF-1αupregulated. Validation of our results in xenograft animal models showed colocalization of ALDH1A1Bright cells and hypoxic areas along with the loss of nuclear localization of PTEN. Conclusion: Thus, we show that hypoxia-driven downregulation of PTEN plays a crucial role in tumor aggressiveness and that the potential use of CSC-targeted therapies should be considered during the administration of anti-angiogenic drugs to minimize tumor resistance. / O câncer de cabeça e pescoço (CCP) é a sexta neoplasia mais comum no mundo. Os fármacos antiangiogênicos constituem um tratamento efetivo na redução da massa tumoral, porém estimulam áreas de hipóxia no interior do tumor. O aumento de áreas em hipóxia tem sido associado às metástases e ao acúmulo de células-tronco tumorais (CTT) no câncer de mama. Objetivos: Com base nestas evidências, o presente estudo avaliou os efeitos da hipóxia no comportamento de células de CCP e verificou o acúmulo de CTT. Material e métodos: As linhagens celulares HN6, HN12 e HN13 foram cultivadas em condições de hipóxia por 6, 12 e 24 horas, sob uma concentração de O2 menor que 2%. As CTT foram identificadas por meio da determinação de elevados níveis do conteúdo enzimático aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH1A1Bright), utilizando o Kit Aldefluor, em combinação com elevados níveis de CD44, uma glicoproteína de superfície celular, conjugado com o fluoróforo allophycocyanin (APC). O ensaio de invasão tumoral sob condições de hipóxia foi realizado utilizando Millicell Cell Culture Inserts. Como controle foram utilizadas células tumorais mantidas em meio DMEM suplementado com 10% de SFB e 1% de antibiótico, em níveis de normóxia (~21% de O2). O composto bisperoxovanadium (BPV), um inibidor de tirosino fosfatase, foi utilizado nas concentrações de 1nM, 5nM e 10 nM para reduzir os níveis celulares de PTEN. Complementar ao tratamento com BVP foi realizado o silenciamento gênico utilizando segmentação direcionada de PTEN (linhagem celular shPTEN HN13 e como controle pGIPZ). Resultados: Os resultados apontam uma menor expressão do PTEN durante condições de hipóxia. Demonstrou-se a expressão antagonista de PTEN e HIF-1α por meio do silenciamento gênico com a segmentação direcionada, sugerindo, fortemente, que a perda de PTEN ativa a via PI3K/mTOR em associação com a alta expressão de HIF-1α. Além da regulação negativa do PTEN pela hipóxia, foi identificado o desencadeamento do processo epitélio-mesênquimal (EMT) em combinação com o acúmulo de CTT. A validação dos resultados em modelos animais de xenoenxerto evidenciou a co-localização de células ALDH1A1 positivas em áreas de hipóxia juntamente com a perda da expressão nuclear de PTEN. Conclusão: Este trabalho mostrou que a regulação negativa do PTEN durante períodos de hipóxia desempenha um papel fundamental no acúmulo de CTT e aumento da agressividade tumoral. Os resultados indicam que o tratamento para CCP utilizando agentes antiangiogênicos deve ser pareado com terapias voltadas à destruição de CTT, minimizando, assim, a aquisição de um fenótipo de resistência tumoral.

Submitted by Suzana Dias (suzana.dias@famerp.br) on 2018-11-09T18:31:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 JessicaHelenaPires_dissert.pdf: 3617808 bytes, checksum: 1df14ad1ee40275580d520f969311d14 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-09T18:31:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JessicaHelenaPires_dissert.pdf: 3617808 bytes, checksum: 1df14ad1ee40275580d520f969311d14 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-06 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo - FAPESP / Breast cancer represents the second type of tumor that has the highest mortality rates, being the most common among women. The causes of these high mortality rates are related to high proliferation and metastasis, and for tumor progression, the growth of new blood vessels, angiogenesis is required. This event can be stimulated by several factors, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R), hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Several molecules are involved in the control of angiogenesis such as melatonin and microRNAs (miRNAs). The miRNAs can induce the gene silencing of genes related to angiogenesis by pairing with certain specific messenger RNA (mRNA), resulting in the degradation of this molecule. Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), the main hormone produced and secreted by the pineal gland, has several physiological functions and a proven antiangiogenesis action. This hormone can regulate miRNAs and genes related to this process. Objective: To evaluate the ability of melatonin to modulate miR-152-3p and its targets in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Material and Method: After the determination of the melatonin concentration to be used, the differential expression of the miRNAs in the MDA-MB-468 strain after the melatonin treatment was evaluated using the plate RT² Profiler™ PCR Array Human Breast Cancer containing 84 miRNAs related to breast cancer. An in-silico analysis was performed to select a miRNA involved in angiogenesis and its potential target genes. Overexpression of miR-152-3p was performed on MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 cells by transient transfection and after relative quantification of their expression and their target genes IGF-1R, VEGF and HIF-1α was evaluated by real-time PCR. Quantification of the protein expression of the genes was verified by immunocytochemistry. Results: The cell viability assay in the MDA-MB-468 cell line demonstrated that cells treated with 1 mM melatonin had the lowest viability (p <0.05). Analysis of the miRNAs by PCR Array in the MDA-MB-468 cell line showed six positively regulated miRNAs and seven negatively regulated miRNAs after treatment with melatonin. Evaluation of gene expression demonstrated that miR-152-3p overexpression was influenced by melatonin, leading to increased expression of the genes IGF-1R, HIF-1α and VEGF in MDA-MB-468 cells. In the MDA-MB-231 cell line, melatonin did not influence the expression of miR-152-3p and decreased the expression of the target genes. Finally, immunocytochemistry revealed that melatonin and overexpression of miR-152-3p were able to decrease the protein expression of IGF-1R, HIF-1α and VEGF in the MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Conclusions: Melatonin was able to modulate the expression of miR-152-3p and its target genes involved in angiogenesis in triple-negative breast cancer. Therefore, this study confirms the action of melatonin on the important cellular event of angiogenesis, a determinant process for the progression of the disease and also indicates it as a potential therapeutic protocol for triple-negative breast cancer. / O câncer de mama representa o segundo tipo tumoral que possui os maiores índices de mortalidade, sendo o mais comum entre as mulheres. As causas desses altos índices de mortalidade têm relação com a alta proliferação e formação de metástases, e para a progressão tumoral, é necessário o crescimento de novos vasos sanguíneos, a angiogênese. Este evento pode ser estimulado por diversos fatores, como o receptor tipo 1 do fator de crescimento semelhante à insulina (IGF-1R), o fator induzido por hipóxia 1 alfa (HIF-1α) e o fator de crescimento endotelial vascular (VEGF). Os miRNAs podem induzir o silenciamento de genes relacionados com a angiogênese pelo pareamento com determinado RNA mensageiro (RNAm) específico, resultando na degradação desta molécula. A melatonina (N-acetil-5-metoxitriptamina), principal hormônio produzido e secretado pela glândula pineal, possui diversas funções fisiológicas e comprovada ação antitumoral, inclusive ação antiangiogênica. Esse hormônio pode regular miRNAs e genes relacionados a esse processo. Objetivo: Avaliar a capacidade da melatonina em modular o miR-152-3p e seus alvos, em células de câncer de mama triplo-negativo. Material e Método: Após a definição da concentração de melatonina a ser utilizada pelo ensaio de viabilidade celular, foi avaliada a expressão diferencial dos miRNAs na linhagem MDA-MB-468, após o tratamento com melatonina, utilizando-se a placa RT² Profiler™ PCR Array Human Breast Cancer que contêm 84 miRNAs relacionados ao câncer de mama. Uma análise in silico foi realizada para seleção de um miRNA envolvido na angiogênese e seus potenciais genes-alvo. A superexpressão do miR-152-3p foi realizada nas células MDA-MB-468 e MDA-MB-231 por transfecção transiente e após, a quantificação relativa de sua expressão e de seus genes-alvo IGF-1R, VEGF e HIF-1α foram avaliadas por PCR em tempo real. A quantificação da expressão proteica dos genes foi verificada por imunocitoquímica. Resultados: O ensaio de viabilidade celular na linhagem MDA-MB-468, demonstrou que as células tratadas com 1 mM de melatonina tiveram os menores valores de viabilidade (p<0,05). A análise dos miRNAs por PCR Array na linhagem MDA-MB-468 apontou seis miRNAs regulados positivamente e sete miRNAs regulados negativamente, após o tratamento com a melatonina. A avaliação da expressão gênica demonstrou que a superexpressão do miR-152-3p foi influenciada pela melatonina, levando ao aumento da expressão dos genes IGF-1R, HIF-1α e VEGF na linhagem MDA-MB-468. Já na linhagem MDA-MB-231 a melatonina não influenciou a expressão do miR-152-3p e diminuiu a expressão dos genes-alvo. Por fim, a imunocitoquímica revelou que a melatonina e a superexpressão do miR-152-3p foram capazes de diminuir a expressão proteica de IGF-1R, HIF-1α e VEGF nas linhagens MDA-MB-468 e MDA-MB-231. Conclusões: A melatonina foi capaz de modular a expressão do miR-152-3p e de seus genes-alvo envolvidos com a angiogênese no câncer de mama triplo-negativo. Portanto, este estudo confirma a ação da melatonina no importante evento celular de angiogênese, processo determinante para a progressão da doença e ainda indicá-la como potencial protocolo terapêutico para o câncer de mama triplo-negativo.