Orientador: Sandra Regina Pombeiro Sponchiado / Banca: Maria Lucia Gonsales da Costa Araújo / Banca: Suraia Said / Resumo: Devido ao crescente interesse na produção de substâncias ativas a partir de fontes naturais, os fungos vêm sendo considerados um grupo importante de microrganismos em função do seu enorme potencial de exploração, representando uma fonte inesgotável para a obtenção de vários produtos biotecnológicos industriais. Dentre estes produtos, o pigmento melanina produzido pelo fungo Aspergillus nidulans tem considerável potencial biotecnológico para ser usado em formulações cosméticas, principalmente pelas suas atividades antioxidante, antiinflamatória e fotoprotetora. No entanto, para uma possível aplicação prática desta substância é necessário estabelecer as condições ótimas de cultivo do fungo para a produção em larga escala com um custo menor comparado à melanina sintética. Neste contexto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência do volume de meio de cultura, do tempo de incubação e da utilização de resíduos industriais (água de maceração de milho, bagaço de cana de açúcar e melaço) como fontes de nutrientes no crescimento e produção de pigmento pelas linhagens MEL1 e MEL2 de Aspergillus nidulans. Os resultados mostraram que na presença de 2% de água de maceração de milho o crescimento celular foi maior enquanto que na concentração de 0,2% houve um aumento na produção de pigmento pelas linhagens em estudo. Quando melaço (1% e 10%) foi usado como fonte de carbono, a produção de pigmento foi inibida em ambas as concentrações, enquanto um alto rendimento de biomassa foi obtido com 10% de melaço. A suplementação do meio com hidrolisado do bagaço da cana-de-açúcar não teve um efeito positivo na produção de pigmento, embora tenha proporcionado um aumento no crescimento das linhagens. Também foi observado que a morfologia do fungo (tamanho do "pellet") influencia a produção de pigmento, sendo que na cultura... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Due to an increasing interest in the production of actives substances from natural sources, fungi has been considered an important group of microorganisms in function of its enormous potential for exploitation, representing an inexhaustible source to obtain several industrials biotechnology products. Among these products, the melanin pigment produced by fungi Aspergillus nidulans has considerable biotechnological potential to be used in cosmetic formulations, mainly for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and photoprotetor activities. However, for a possible practical application of this substance, is necessary to establish the optimal conditions of the fungal culture for large scale production with low cost compared to synthetic melanin. In this context, the objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of volume of culture medium, period of incubation and the use of by-products industrial (corn steep liquor, sugar cane bagasse and molasses) as nutritional source on growth and pigment production by strains MEL 1 and MEL 2 from Aspergillus nidulans. The results showed that, in the presence of 2% corn steep liquor, the cell growth was high while at concentration of 0,2% occurred an increase in the pigment production. When molasses (1 or 10%) was used as carbon sources, the pigment production was inhibited in both concentrations while a high yield of biomass was obtained with 10% molasses. The supplementation of medium with sugar cane bagasse hydrolysate didn't has a positive effect on pigment production but it provided an increase in the fungal growth. Also was observed that the fungal morphology (pellet size) influenced the production of pigment, being the smaller "pellets" more suitable for maximum production of the pigment. Thus, the results obtained suggest that corn steep liquor contain substances that stimulate the synthesis of pigment and thus the cultivation with... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Orientador: Vera Aparecida de Oliveira Tiera / Banca: Carla Cristina Schmitt Cavalheiro / Banca: Marcia Cristina Bisinoti / Resumo: A quitosana e seus derivados têm se mostrado muito atrativos para a indústria de alimentos, visando principalmente a sua conservação. No presente trabalho foram sintetizados e caracterizados derivados de quitosana contendo grupos quaternários de amônio com proporções crescentes de grupos hidrofóbicos com o objetivo de investigar a atividade fungicida desses derivados contra os fungos Aspergillus flavus e Aspergillus parasiticus que são um problema na contaminação do amendoim e outros grãos. Os derivados foram sintetizados usando quitosana desacetilada e a reação foi realizada em duas etapas, sendo a primeira a quaternização do polímero com brometo de propiltrimetilamônio seguido da reação de aminação redutiva com dodecilaldeído. Os derivados foram caracterizados por RMN 1 H e os graus de substituição pelo grupo dodecil foram variados para melhorar a atividade antifúngica dos derivados. A atividade antifúngica da quitosana desacetilada e seus derivados foi testada variando-se a concentração dos polímeros de 0,1 a 1,0 g/L. Os resultados mostraram que a quitosana substituída com grupos propil exibiu uma baixa inibição contra o fungo Aspergillus flavus, resultado similar àquele obtido com quitosana desacetilada. Quanto aos derivados anfifílicos com conteúdo crescente de grupos dodecil, observou-se um aumento no índice de inibição com o aumento da concentração e do conteúdo hidrofóbico. A partir de 0,5 g/L os derivados anfifílicos contendo de 10% a 30% de grupos dodecil e 83% de grupos quaternários inibiram completamente o crescimento do fungo. Resultados similares foram obtidos no estudo de inibição do fungo Aspergillus parasiticus / Abstract: Chitosan and its derivatives have been shown very attractive for the food industry, mainly targeting its conservation. In this study were synthesized and characterized chitosan derivatives containing quaternary ammonium groups with increasing proportions of hydrophobic groups in order to investigate the antifungal activity of these derivatives against the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus that are a problem in the contamination of peanuts and other grains. The derivatives were synthesized using deacetylated chitosan and the reaction was carried out in two steps, first the quaternization of the polymer with propyltrimethylammonium bromide followed by reductive amination reaction with dodecylaldehyde. The derivatives were characterized by 1 HNMR and the degree of substitution by the group dodecyl was varied to enhance the antifungal activity of the derivatives. The antifungal activity of deacetylated chitosan and their derivatives was tested by varying the concentration of the polymers 0.1 to 1.0 g/L. The results showed that chitosan substituted with propyl groups exhibited a low inhibition against the fungus Aspergillus flavus, a result similar to that obtained with chitosan deacetylated. Regarding the amphiphilic derivatives with increasing content of dodecyl groups, we observed an increase in the rate of inhibition with increased concentration and hydrophobic content. Since 0.5 g/L amphiphilic derivatives containing from 10% to 30% dodecyl groups and 83% of quaternary groups inhibited completely growth of the fungus. Similar results were obtained in the study of inhibition of Aspergillus parasiticus / Mestre

Orientador: Vera Aparecida de Oliveira Tiera / Banca: Eny Maria Vieira / Banca: Luis Octávio Regasini / Resumo: No presente trabalho foi realizada a síntese e caracterização de derivados de quitosana que tiveram suas atividades antifúngicas testadas contra os fungos Aspergillus flavus e A. parasiticus. As quitosanas utilizadas nas sínteses foram obtidas da desacetilação heterogênea de quitosana comercial e da quitosana comercial de média massa molecular. Os graus médios de desacetilação ( ) da quitosana desacetilada (CH) e da quitosana de média massa molecular desacetilada (CHm) foram determinados pelas técnicas de Potenciometria e Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear de Hidrogênio (RMN-H). Parte da quitosana desacetilada CH foi degradada para obtenção de polímeros de baixa massa molecular (CHD). As massas moleculares médias das quitosanas CHm, CH e CHD foram determinadas por viscosimetria e os valores obtidos foram 42,93 kDa, 15,22 kDa e 610,79 Da, respectivamente. Os derivados hidrofílicos foram obtidos pela reação das quitosanas CHm, CH e CHD com cloreto de 2-cloro-N,N-dietilaminoetila (DEAE). Os graus de substituição (GS) de grupos DEAE de CHm, CH e CHD foram determinados utilizando-se RMN-H e os valores obtidos foram 14, 30 e 43%, respectivamente. Na sequência, as quitosanas CHm14DEAE, CH30DEAE e CHD43DEAE foram alquiladas com dodecil aldeído seguido pela redução com cianoboroidreto de sódio, obtendo-se derivados com diferentes graus de substituição. Os graus de substituição por grupos dodecila (GDD) para a quitosana contendo 14% de grupos DEAE foram 2,5, 10 e 14%. Para a quitosana com 30% de DEAE os graus de substituição por dodecila foram 2,7, 10 e 19%. Para o derivado contendo 43% de DEAE os graus de substituição por dodecila foram 5, 28 e 39%. Além da Espectroscopia de RMN-H o sucesso da obtenção dos derivados anfifílicos também foi indicado por meio da... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: In this study, it was done the synthesis and characterization of chitosan derivatives, that had their antifungal activity tested against Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. The chitosan used for the syntheses was obtained from heterogeneous deacetylation of the commercial chitosan and commercial chitosan of average molecular mass. The average degrees of deacetylation ( ) of chitosan (CH) and deacetylated chitosan of medium molecular weight (CHm) were determined by Potentiometry and techniques Spectroscopy Hydrogen Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (H-NMR). Part of deacetylated chitosan CH was degraded to obtain low molecular weight polymers (CHD). The average molecular weights of chitosans CHm, CH and CHD were determined by viscometry, and the values obtained were 42.93 kDa, 15.22 kDa and 610.79 Da, respectively. Hydrophilic derivatives were obtained by reaction of chitosan CHm, CH, CHD with chloride 2-chloro-N,N-diethylaminoethyl (DEAE). The degrees of substitution (DS) by DEAE groups of CHm, CH and CHD were determined by H-NMR and the values obtained were 14, 30 and 43%, respectively. After that the chitosans CHm14DEAE, CH30DEAE and CHD43DEAE were alkylated with dodecyl aldehyde followed by reduction with sodium cyanoborohydride to yield derivatives with different degrees of substitution. The degrees of substitution by dodecyl groups (GDD) for the chitosan containing 14% of DEAE groups were 2.5, 10 and 14%. For chitosan with 30% of DEAE the degrees of substitution by dodecyl groups were 2.7, 10... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Orientador: Vera Aparecida de Oliveira Tiera / Banca: Éder Tadeu Gomes Cavalheiro / Banca: Marcelo de Freitas Lima / Resumo: Os fungos do gênero Aspergillus, presentes em amendoins, milho, arroz, nozes e outros grãos, são uma constante preocupação nos dias atuais devido a sua capacidade de produzir toxinas cancerígenas. Dentre as várias técnicas de controle desse microrganismo, tem se destacado o uso de produtos naturais, não agressivos ao meio ambiente e de baixo custo, como por exemplo, a quitosana. O presente trabalho apresenta a síntese e caracterização de duas séries de novos derivados de quitosana para utilização como biofungicida contra os fungos Aspergillus flavus e Aspergillus parasiticus. A primeira série descreve a síntese de derivados de quitosana pela reação de quitosana desacetilada (QD) com brometo de propil (Q-Propil) pentil (Q-Pentil) trimetilamônio para obter derivados com proporções crescentes do grau de substituição (GS). A segunda série foi obtida a partir da síntese de sais bi-quaternários de amônio, com a posterior reação com quitosana desacetilada obtendo-se derivados bi-quaternários de quitosana. Todos os derivados foram caracterizados por técnicas de RMN 1 H, infra-vermelho (IR) e titulação potenciométrica e as suas atividades fungicidas testadas contra o crescimento micelial dos fungos A. flavus e A. parasiticus in vitro. Os estudos foram conduzidos variando-se a acidez e a força iônica do meio. Os resultados dos ensaios microbiológicos mostram que as atividades antifúngicas aumentam com o grau de substituição e os derivados mais substituídos de ambas as series, propil e pentil, exibiram respectivamente atividades três e seis vezes maiores que as quitosanas comercial e desacetilada. As concentrações inibitórias mínimas foram avaliadas após 24, 48 e 72 horas, variando-se a concentração dos polímeros de 0,5 a 16 g L -1 e os resultados mostraram que os derivados quaternários inibem o crescimento... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The fungi of the genus Aspergillus, present in peanuts, corn, rice, nuts and other grains, are a constant concern nowadays due to its ability to produce carcinogenic toxins. Among the various techniques for controlling this microorganism it has been emphasized the use of natural products not harmful to the environment and at a low cost, for example, chitosan. This paper presents the synthesis and the characterization of two series of novel derivatives of chitosan for use as biofungicide against the Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus fungi. The first series of derivatives was synthesized by the reaction of deacetylated chitosan (QD) propyl bromide (Q-Propil) and pentyl trimethylammonium (Q-Pentil) for obtaining derivatives with increasing degrees of substitution (GS). The second series was obtained from the synthesis of bi-quaternary salts, with subsequent reaction with deacetylated chitosan to yield bi-quaternary derivatives of chitosan (Q-BPHD). All derivatives were characterized using NMR techniques, infra-red (IR) and potentiometric titration and fungicides activities were tested against A. flavus and A. parasiticus by evaluating the mycelial growth of fungi in vitro. The studies were conducted by varying the acidity and ionic strength of the medium. The antifungal activities increase with the degree of substitution and the most substituted derivatives from both series, propyl and pentyl, respectively exhibited activities three to six times lighter than the commercial and deacetylated chitosans. The minimum inhibitory concentrations were recorded after 24, 48 and 72 hours varying the concentration of polymer from 0.5 to 16 g L -1 and the results showed that the quaternary derivatives inhibit the growth of fungi in concentrations four times lower than deacetylated chitosan . The bi-quaternary derivative (Q-BPHD) showed the... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Tese (doutorado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, 2016. / Aspergillus terreus é um fungo filamentoso que produz numerosas enzimas com uma vasta gama de aplicações biotecnológicas. Este estudo tem como objetivo caracterizar a produção das enzimas lignocelulolíticas de A. terreus, estirpe BLU24, crescido em meios de cultura contendo resíduos agroindustriais (bagaço de cana de açúcar, casca do grão de soja e piolho de algodão sujo) e analisar a expressão diferencial desses genes em resposta a essas fontes de carbono. A crescente utilização de resíduos como bagaço de mandioca, bagaço de cana de açúcar, polpa de beterraba, polpa de maçã, farelo de trigo, etc evidencia que diferentes áreas da indústria utilizam estes resíduos como matéria prima para a produção de etanol, enzimas, cogumelos, ração animal, ácidos orgânicos, aminoácidos, metabólitos secundários, produtos farmacêuticos. A. terreus BLU24 foi crescido à 28 ° C sob agitação (120rpm) ao longo de um período de dez dias. O secretoma foi analisado de acordo com as atividades enzimáticas de xilanase, endoglucanase, mananase, pectinase e FPase identificadas de acordo com o método DNS. Dentre todas as atividades estudadas a que foi mais expressiva foi à atividade relacionada com proteínas do tipo xilanases. A atividade de xilanase após cultivo no meio contendo piolho de algodão sujo atingiu um valor máximo de 0,935 UI.mL-1 no sexto dia de cultivo, já no meio com bagaço de cana de açúcar este valor foi de 1,017 UI.mL-1 no sétimo dia e no meio contendo casca do grão da soja a atividade máxima foi também no sétimo dia, atingindo um valor de 1,019 UI.mL-1. A maior atividade de CMCase foi no bagaço de cana de açúcar que atingiu um valor máximo no quarto dia de cultivo (0,275 UI.mL-1). Já a maior atividade de pectinase foi no substrato casca do grão da soja no terceiro dia de cultivo (0,494 UI.mL-1) e a maior atividade de FPase foi também na casca do grão da soja no sétimo dia de cultivo (0,494 UI.mL-1). O preparo das bibliotecas de cDNA de mRNA do fungo A. terreus foi conduzida utilizando o kit RNA TruSeq Kit v2 (® Illumina, Inc.). A. terreus também mostrou um desempenho significativo como produtor de holocellulases. As bibliotecas de cDNA sequenciadas produziu uma média total de 2,7 GB, com cerca de 27 milhões de leituras. Aproximadamente 81% das leituras exibiram uma boa qualidade (Q> = 30). A caracterização deste transcritoma oferece a descoberta de genes promissores para aplicação em diferentes áreas da indústria biotecnológica. As análises de RNA-seq do isolado A. terreus BLU24 cultivado em bagaço de cana de açúcar identificaram um total de 102 genes CAZy, já em casca do grão da soja o total de genes CAZy foi 159 (padj <0.01). Tanto no tratamento contendo bagaço de cana de açúcar quanto no tratamento contendo casca do grão da soja comparado a glicose, as famílias CAZy mais abundantes foram a GH3 e GH43. Análises das famílias glicosil hidrolases revelou regulação positiva de 6 genes que codificam proteínas da família GH5, 7 genes da família GH43 e 8 genes da família GH3 no tratamento com bagaço de cana de açúcar contra a glicose. Similarmente no tratamento com casca do grão da soja contra a glicose foram relatados 7 genes que codificam proteínas da família GH5, 6 genes da família GH10, 11 genes da família GH3 e 12 genes da família GH43 (p<0,01). Os genes que codificam proteínas relacionadas com a degradação da biomassa são expressos nas duas fontes de carbono estudadas, porém alguns desses genes com expressão diferencial ocorreram apenas no bagaço de cana de açúcar ou apenas na casca do grão da soja nos tempos de 36 e 48 horas. O estudo do transcritoma global do fungo A. terreus BLU24 identificou uma grande quantidade de genes que codificam enzimas utilizadas na degradação da parede celular vegetal e também fatores de transcrição que são importantes neste processo. A. terreus é conhecido por ser um bom produtor de enzimas envolvidas na degradação da biomassa vegetal e uma característica importante deste fungo é o fato dele ser termofílico e com isso poder produzir enzimas termotolerantes com diferentes aplicações na indústria têxtil, biocombustível, papel, alimento e etc. / Aspergillus terreus is a filamentous fungus that produces numerous enzymes with a wide range of biotechnological applications. The aim of this study was to characterize the production of lignocellulolytic enzymes in A. terreus strain BLU 24 following culture in growth media containing agro-industrial residues (sugar cane bagasse, soy bean hulls and cotton louse) and analyze differential gene expression in response to carbon source. Given the abundance of agricultural waste materials such as cassava bagasse, sugar cane bagasse, sugar beet pulp, apple pulp and wheat bran, numerous applications are under development using such residues as raw material. These include utilization in production of ethanol, industrial enzymes, edible mushrooms, animal feed, organic acids, amino acids, secondary metabolites, and pharmaceutical products. A. terreus BLU 24 was grown at 28 ° C under agitation (120rpm) over a period of ten days. The secretome was analyzed for xylanase, endoglucanase, mannanase, pectinase and FPase enzyme activities, according to the DNS method. Among all the activities studied, most significant enzyme activities were related to xylanase, with activity reaching a maximum of 0.935 UI.mL-1 after six days incubation in minimal growth medium plus cotton louse as sole carbon source, 1.017 UI.mL-1 after seven days incubation with sugarcane bagasse as carbon source, and 1,019 UI.mL-1after seven days incubation with soybean hulls as carbon source. Most CMCase activity was observed on sugarcane bagasse, with a peak in activity by the fourth day of cultivation (0.275 UI.mL-1). Pectinase activity was higher on soybean hulls as substrate after cultivation during three days (0.494 UI.mL-1) , with highest FPase activity observed on soybean hulls in seven day old cultures (0.494 IU. ml- 1).Characterization of the fungal transcriptome was conducted to identify candidate genes for application in different areas of the biotechnology industry. cDNA libraries were prepared from A. terreus BLU 24 mRNA following 36 h and 48 h growth on sugarcane bagasse and soybean hull-derived carbon sources. Illumina Hiseq sequencing of cDNA libraries produced a mean total of 2.7 GB, equaling approximately 27 million reads. A total of 81% of the reads exhibited good quality (Q> = 30). RNA-seq analysis of A. terreus BLU 24 identified a total of 102 expressed cazy genes following growth on sugarcane bagasse with 159 identified following growth on media with soybean hull carbon source (padj <0.01). For both carbon source treatments, compared to glucose, the most abundant Cazy gene families were GH3 and GH43. Analysis of the glycosyl hydrolase family revealed up-regulation of six genes encoding GH5, seven GH43 genes and eight GH3-encoding genes following cultivation on sugarcane bagasse against glucose. Similarly, cultivation on soybean hulls against glucose revealed seven genes that encode protein family GH5, six genes encoding GH10, 11 genes encoding GH3 and 12 genes encoding the GH43 family (p<0,01). Genes encoding proteins related to the degradation of biomass were expressed during growth on the two carbon sources studied, with differential expression in relation to glucose occuring for different sets of genes in sugarcane bagasse and soybean hulls at each growth period of 36 and 48 hours. This global analysis of the transcriptome for the fungus A. terreus BLU 24 following cultivation on lignocellulosic carbon sources enabled identification of a number of genes encoding enzymes and transcription factors involved in the degradation of the plant cell wall. A. terreus is recognized as a promising fungal species for production of enzymes involved in the degradation of plant biomass. Given that this fungus is also able to produce thermophilic enzymes, considerable potential exists in the application of the characterized candidate genes in different applications in the textile, biofuel, paper, food and feed industries.

Durch die Immunsuppression bei Patienten nach Stammzell- oder Organtransplantation erhöht sich das Risiko für opportunistische Infektionen wie invasive Aspergillose (IA). IA wird hauptsächlich durch den Schimmelpilz Aspergillus fumigatus, der durch die Luft übertragen wird, verursacht. Deshalb haben Erkennung und Therapie von IA in den letzten Jahren eine immer größere Bedeutung erlangt. Für eine erfolgreiche Behandlung sind die Mechanismen des Immunsystems nach Kontaktaufnahme mit dem Pathogen von zentraler Bedeutung. Die Erstinfektion mit A. fumigatus findet in der Lunge statt. Als Bewohner der Alveolen wurden deshalb dendritische Zellen (DCs) auf ihre Fähigkeiten hin untersucht, das Immunsystem anzuregen. DCs besitzen vor allem die wichtigen Aufgaben, das Immunsystem zu modulieren und T-Lymphozyten zur Proliferation anzuregen. Ein Großteil dieser Arbeit befasst sich mit der Analyse des Einflusses des Immunsuppressivums 40-0-[2-Hydroxyethyl]rapamycin (RAD) auf neutrophile Granulozyten und auf die in vitro Generierung von moDCs sowie deren Fähigkeit mit dem Pathogen A. fumigatus zu interagieren. RAD bindet an das zytosolische FK506 bindende Protein (FKBP12), wodurch die Kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibiert und somit die T-Zellantwort unterdrückt wird. Klinische Anwendung findet RAD bereits, um eine Immunsuppression bei Patienten nach Stammzell- oder Organtransplantation zu erhalten. Der oxidative Burst neutrophiler Granulozyten war nach RAD-Behandlung und Konfrontation mit A. fumigatus signifikant verringert. Die Generierung der moDCs aus Monozyten erfolgte über 7 Tage, wobei ab dem Tag der Isolation der Monozyten 10 nM RAD oder EtOH zur Kontrolle hinzugegeben wurde. RAD zeigte vielfältige Effekte auf die Immunfunktion dendritischer Zellen. Obwohl sich keine Änderung in der Differenzierung der moDCs fand, was durch die Oberflächenmarker CD1a+, CD14- und HLA-DR+ überprüft wurde, zeigte sich eine signifikante Reduktion der Rezeptoren TLR4 und Dectin-1 sowie der kostimulatorischen Moleküle CD40, CD83 und CD86. Nach Konfrontation mit A. fumigatus verblieb CD40 unter RAD Behandlung signifikant reduziert, während CD83 genau dieses Schema als Trend aufwies. Ferner wies CD86 sowohl in der Kontrolle als auch mit RAD-Behandlung die gleiche Expression auf. Nach 6 h Konfrontation der moDCs mit A. fumigatus waren die Zytokine IL-12, TNF-α und CCL20 auf Genexpressionsebene unter RAD reduziert, was sich auf Proteinebene teilweise bestätigen ließ, da sich hier erst nach 12 h eine signifikante Reduktion von IL-12, TNF-α und CCL20 in RAD-behandelten Zellen im Vergleich zu Kontrollzellen zeigte. Des Weiteren war das anti-inflammatorische Zytokin IL-10 signifikant reduziert. Die Phagozytose sowohl von FITC-Dextran-Beads als auch von A. fumigatus Konidien und zugleich die Schädigung von A. fumigatus Keimschläuchen war in unreifen RAD-behandelten moDCs signifikant reduziert. Ob moDCs, die mit RAD behandelt wurden, schlechter in der Lage waren, CD8+-T-Lymphozyten zur Proliferation anzuregen, geht nicht mit Sicherheit aus dieser Studie hervor, da große spenderabhängige Unterschiede auftraten. Es wurde zudem ein Vergleich von in vitro aus Monozyten differenzierten DCs (moDCs) und myeloiden DCs (mDCs) angefertigt. Mittels eines home-made Microarrays, der vor allem Gene mit einschloss, die für Zytokine und Rezeptoren von Immunzellen kodieren, konnten in einem Modell der frühen IA in der Lunge differentiell regulierte Gene nach Konfrontation mit A. fumigatus identifiziert werden. Es wurden insgesamt 30 Gene mehr als 2-fach reguliert, wie zum Beispiel die Interleukine und Chemokine IL-1β, IL-8, CXCL2, CCL3, CCL4 und CCL20, der Immunrezeptor PTX3 und der Transkriptionsfaktor Nf-κB. Generell konnte beobachtet werden, dass moDCs mehr regulierte Gene aufwiesen als mDCs. Zuletzt wurde betrachtet, ob der Knock-down von CXCL10, dessen Fehlen ein erhöhtes Risiko für IA nach sich zieht, einen Einfluss auf moDCs hat, so dass sie schlechter auf A. fumigatus reagieren können. Diese Hypothese konnte in dieser Studie nicht bestätigt werden, da kein Unterschied in der Zytokinproduktion oder Expression kostimulatorischer Moleküle zwischen Kontroll-moDCs und moDCs, in denen das CXCL10-Gen ausgeschaltet wurde, festgestellt werden konnte. Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass durch die Microarray-Analyse wichtige Gene in moDCs und mDCs identifizierbar waren, die nach Konfrontation mit A. fumigatus reguliert wurden. Zudem fanden sich lediglich minimale Unterschiede zwischen artifiziellen DCs und myeloiden DCs, die direkt aus dem Körper isoliert wurden. Eine Behandlung mit RAD erhöht das Risiko eines Patienten an invasiver Aspergillose zu erkranken unabhängig von der Eigenschaft des RAD, die Proliferation von T-Lymphozyten zu inhibieren. / Following a stem cell or solid organ transplant immunosuppressed patients have an increased risk of developing opportunistic infections such as invasive aspergillosis (IA), which is mainly caused by the most prevalent airborne mold, Aspergillus fumigatus. The diagnosis and therapy of IA have become increasingly relevant in recent years, making it essential to understand the mechanisms of the immune system. The infection generally spreads from the lung. Dendritic cells (DCs), whose major task is to activate T-lymphocytes, were therefore investigated for their ability to influence the immune system. 40-0-[2-Hydroxy-ethyl]rapamycin (RAD), a novel immunosuppressive drug, was analysed for its in vitro influence on the interaction of neutrophils and monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) with the pathogenic mould, A. fumigatus. RAD acts by bonding with the cytosolic FK506 binding protein (FKBP12) causing inhibition of the lipid kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) which in turn results in the repression of T-cell activation. It is clinically used to prevent graft-versus-host disease or the rejection of solid organ and bone marrow transplants. RAD-treatment significantly decreased the oxidative burst of neutrophils after confrontation with A. fumigatus. moDCs were derived from monocytes through culture with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-4 in the presence or absence of 10 nM RAD. Although there was no difference in the expression of the surface markers CD1a+, CD14- and HLA-DR+, RAD had various modulating effects on the immune function of moDCs. It reduced the expression of innate immunity receptors (TLR4 and dectin-1) and impaired the maturation capacity of moDCs as was observed in the reduction of co-stimulatory factors (CD40, CD83 and CD86). CD40 remained significantly reduced even after treatment with A. fumigatus, while CD83 only exhibit a downstream trend and CD86 did not stay reduced. RAD treatment significantly reduced the cytokine expression levels of IL-12, TNF-α, and CCL20 after 6 h stimulation of the moDCs with the mold. This was to some extent confirmed at protein level, where the same cytokines as well as IL-10 were significantly reduced in RAD-treated moDCs by comparison with reference cells after 12 h of stimulation with A. fumigatus. The phagocytosis and binding rate of dextran beads and conidia as well as the damage to A. fumigatus germ tubes were significantly reduced in DCs treated with the agent. It cannot be determined for certain whether moDCs under RAD-treatment were also less able to activate CD8+-Tlymphocytes because of the wide donor related discrepancies that they displayed. A home-made RNA microarray, which included genes coding for cytokines and receptors of immune cells, was used to identify several differentially regulated genes after confrontation with A. fumigatus. Furthermore, a comparison between monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) and myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) was performed, revealing that only a few genes were regulated more than 2-fold and that fewer of these genes occured in mDCs than in moDCs. Among them were genes, such as the cytokines IL-1β, IL-8, CXCL2, CCL3, CCL4 and CCL20, the immune receptor PTX3 and the transcription factor Nf-κB. Finally, it was investigated whether the knock-down of the CXCL10-gene in moDCs potentially impaired the response of the immune cells to A. fumigatus. It is proven that the lack of CXCL10 results in a higher risk of IA. However, there was no difference in the cytokine production or the expression of co-stimulatory factors in control moDCs compared to moDCs treated with CXCL10 siRNA. In conclusion, important genes which had been up-regulated after confrontation with A. fumigatus in moDCs and mDCs, were successfully identified. Moreover, treatment with RAD during the generation of moDCs had a considerable effect on the ability of these cells to kill A. fumigatus and modulate the immune response. RAD treatment could thus increase the patient's risk of contracting invasive aspergillosis regardless of the drug's capacity to inhibit T-cell activation.

Die asexuellen Sporen von Aspergillus fumigatus sind ubiquitär verbreitete Luftkeime. Als Saprophyt ist dieser opportunistisch humanpathogene Pilz darauf spezialisiert, polymere Substanzen aus dem umgebenden Milieu zu zersetzen, um daraus die von ihm benötigten Nährstoffe zu generieren und aufzunehmen. Die Fähigkeit, verschiedene Stickstoff- und Kohlenstoffquellen zu verwerten, trägt dabei zu seiner Virulenz bei und hierbei scheint die extrazelluläre Proteolyse eine wichtige Rolle zu spielen. Sekretierte Proteasen, die das umgebende Gewebe während einer Infektion mit A. fumigatus erschließen, könnten somit zu dessen Pathogenität beitragen. Dementsprechend sollte im Rahmen dieser Arbeit die Bedeutung einer Regulation der extrazellulären proteolytischen Aktivität von A. fumigatus für dessen Virulenz untersucht werden. Dies geschah durch Untersuchungen eines konservierten Transkriptionsfaktors, PrtT. Dabei stellte sich heraus, dass PrtT die Expression der drei Hauptproteasen von A. fumigatus, Alp, Mep und Pep stark beeinflusst, in einem murinen Tiermodell der pulmonaren Aspergillose scheint dieser Regulator jedoch keine Rolle für die Pathogenität von A. fumigatus zu spielen. Um einen weiteren Aspekt des pilzlichen Aminosäurestoffwechsels zu beleuchten, wurde die Biosynthese der aromatischen Aminosäuren als mögliche Virulenzdeterminate untersucht. Für den Menschen sind diese Aminosäuren essentiell, weshalb dieser Syntheseweg ein mögliches Ziel für antimykotische Substanzen darstellen könnte. Es konnten mehrere für A. fumigatus essentielle Komponenten des Shikimatweges identifiziert werden, des Weiteren wurden Deletionsmutanten in den Genen aroC und trpA, die für die Chorismatmutase bzw. Anthranilatsynthase der Biosynthese von Phenylalanin und Tyrosin bzw. Tryptophan kodieren, erzeugt und phänotypisch charakterisiert. Deren Untersuchung in einem alternativen Tiermodell der Aspergillose zeigte eine deutlich attenuierte Virulenz. Diese Ergebnisse verdeutlichen, wie wichtig die Biosynthese der aromatischen Aminosäuren für das Wachstum von A. fumigatus ist, und dass ein Eingriff in diesen Syntheseweg eine lohnende Strategie zur Entwicklung neuer Antimykotika sein könnte. Die hier präsentierten Ergebnisse unterstreichen die für den Schimmelpilz A. fumigatus typische Redundanz bezüglich extrazellulärer proteolytischer Enzyme und dass diese nur bedingt hinsichtlich ihres Virulenzbeitrags untersucht werden können. Im Gegensatz hierzu lassen sich bestimmte Stoffwechselwege, die oftmals durch einzigartige Genprodukte katalysiert werden, unter Umständen besser als unspezifische aber vielversprechende Virulenzdeterminanten identifizieren. / The air-borne spores of Aspergillus fumigatus are ubiquitously distributed. As a saprophyte, this fungus is well adapted to feed from the environment by degradation of polymeric substances and uptake of breakdown products. The nutritional versatility has to be regarded as virulence determinant in the development of pulmonary aspergillosis. Secreted proteolytic activities that degrade the surrounding lung tissue during infection may contribute to pathogenicity. Until now, knowledge on the regulation of the expression and secretion of proteases by A. fumigatus is scarce. Therefore, the role of extracellular proteolytic activity for pathogenicity of A. fumigatus was examined by characterisation of a global regulatory factor, PrtT, that acts on expression of secreted proteases. It could be shown that PrtT regulates the transcription of the major secreted proteases Alp, Mep and Pep. When tested in a leukopenic mouse model, the deletant strain is not attenuated in virulence, suggesting that the PrtT transcription factor - and accordingly extracellular proteolysis - supports virulence of this opportunistic pathogen only to a limited extent. To gain insight into the fungal biosynthesis pathway of amino acids, the aromatic amino acid biosynthesis was investigated concerning the aspect of a virulence determinant. In contrast to mammals, fungi are able for de novo synthesis of the aromatic amino acids. Therefore it might be a usable target for antifungal therapy since such pathway does not exist in humans. Some genes of the shikimate pathway could be shown to be essential for the survival of A. fumigatus. Virulence tests of strains with deletion of the genes aroC or trpA which encodes for the chorismate mutase and anthranilate synthase respectively, showed attenuated virulence of both strains. These results clarify the stringent necessity of the aromatic amino acid biosynthesis for the survival of A. fumigatus, concluding this biosynthesis pathway as a usable target for antimycotic substances. The results of this work emphasise the redundancy of extracellular proteolytic activities. In contrast specific pathways which are mostly catalysed by unique gene products may be identified as virulence determinant rather than unspecific factors.

The field of microRNA research has gained enormous significance during recent years. Current studies have shown that microRNAs play an important role in many biological processes via posttranscriptional gene regulation. This also applies for the TLR-mediated recognition of pathogens by immune cells. Among others, the microRNAs miR-132, miR-146a and miR-155 have been characterized by various authors. However, the specific role of microRNAs in the defense against fungal infections by Aspergillus fumigatus has not been investigated so far, although this ubiquitous mold causes severe infections in immuno-compromised patients. As dendritic cells play a pivotal part in the in vivo recognition of A. fumigatus, the present study investigates the reaction of these cells to A. fumigatus and other pathogens on the microRNA level. For this purpose, dendritic cells were incubated with different forms of A. fumigatus and other pathogens for up to twelve hours. Subsequently, the expression of miR-132, miR-146a and miR-155 was quantified by real-time PCR. Levels of miR-132 in dendritic cells were significantly increased after stimulation with living germ tubes of A. fum, but showed no change after treatment with LPS. Relative expression level of miR-146a was moderately elevated upon stimulation with LPS, but did not respond to co-cultivation with living germ tubes. MiR-155 was highly induced by both stimuli. These results show, that dependent on the stimulus, microRNAs are differentially regulated in dendritic cells. Among the tested microRNAs, miR-155 showed the strongest and most stable expression values. Therefore, further experiments focused on this mircoRNA. It was shown, that the up-regulation of miR-155 is dependent on the germination stage of the fungus. Induction of miR-155 was low with conidia, moderate with hyphae and high with germ tubes. The extent of miR-155 induction also corresponded with the multiplicity of infection (MOI), with higher MOIs triggering a stronger miR-155 response. These results suggest that miR-132 and miR-155 play an important role in the immunologic reaction of DCs against A. fumigatus and that a further characterization of these microRNA, especially with respect to their specific function in DCs, could contribute to the understanding of the biological mechanisms of Aspergillosis. / Die Erforschung von MicroRNAs gewinnt zunehmend an Bedeutung. Aktuelle Arbeiten zeigen, dass MicroRNAs an der Regulation vieler biologischer Prozesse beteiligt sind, indem sie in die posttranskriptionelle Genregulation eingreifen. Dies betrifft auch die TLR-vermittelte Erkennung von Pathogenen durch Immunzellen. Hierbei wurden u.a. die MikroRNAs miR-132, miR-146a und miR-155 von verschiedenen Autoren charakterisiert. Die spezielle Rolle von MikroRNAs bei der Abwehr von Pilzinfektionen durch Aspergillus fumigatus ist bisher allerdings kaum untersucht, obwohl dieser ubiquitär vorkommende Schimmelpilz häufig schwere Infektionen bei immunsupprimierten Patienten auslöst. Da in vivo den dendritischen Zellen eine entscheidende Rolle bei der Erkennung von A. fumigatus zukommt, wurde in der vorliegenden Arbeit die Reaktion dieser Zellen auf A. fumigatus und andere Pathogene auf MikroRNA Ebene untersucht. Dazu wurden dendritische Zellen mit verschiedenen Formen von A. fumigatus und LPS über Zeiträume von bis zu zwölf Stunden stimuliert. Anschließend wurde die Expression von miR-132, miR-146a und miR-155 mittels Real-Time PCR bestimmt. Dabei zeigte sich, dass nach Stimulation mit A. fumigatus die miR-132 Level in dendritischen Zellen deutlich anstiegen, wohingegen eine Inkubation mit LPS keinen Einfluss auf diese MicroRNA hatte. Die relative Expression von miR-146a war nach Stimulation mit LPS leicht erhöht, zeigte allerdings keine Veränderung nach Ko-Kultur mit A. fumigatus. Die Expression von miR-155 wurde durch beide Stimuli stark induziert. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen, dass abhängig vom Stimulus eine differentielle Expression von MicroRNAs in dendritischen Zellen stattfindet. Unter den drei untersuchten MicroRNAs, zeigte miR-155 die höchsten und stabilsten Expressionswerte. Daher wurde der Schwerpunkt weiterer Experimente auf diese MicroRNA gesetzt. Dabei ergab sich, dass das Ausmaß der miR-155 Induktion vom Entwicklungsstadium des Pilzes abhängig ist. Konidien von A. fumigatus führten lediglich zu einer schwachen Hochregulation von miR-155, wohingegen Hyphen und insbesondere Keimschläuche ein starke Induktion von miR-155 verursachten. Die Dynamik der miR-155 Hochregulation korrelierte außerdem mit der multiplicity of infection (MOI), wobei eine höhere MOI mit einer stärkeren miR-155 Antwort einherging. Die dargestellten Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass miR-132 und miR-155 eine wichtige Rolle bei der Immunreaktion von DCs gegen A. fumigatus spielen und eine weitere Charakterisierung dieser MicroRNAs v.a. im Hinblick auf ihre spezielle Funktion in DCs einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Verständnis der biologischen Grundlagen der Aspergillosen erbringen könnte.

Der humanpathogene Pilz Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) kann in immunsupprimierten Patienten zum Teil schwere invasive Infektionen auslösen. Trotz Fortschritten in den Behandlungsmöglichkeiten und der medikamentöser Prophylaxe bleibt die Sterblichkeitsrate bei invasiven Erkrankungen hoch. Aus diesem Grund ist die Entwicklung von spezifischeren Immuntherapien von Nöten. Ein Ansatz ist die genetische Modifikation von T Zellen, durch den Transfer von A. fumigatus spezifischen T Zell Rezeptoren (TCRs), für eine adoptive Therapie. Um dieses Konzept zu evaluieren wurden TCRs, die für die extrazellulären Zellwandglykonase Crf1 (Crf1/p41) spezifisch sind, auf primäre T Zellen transferiert und die Effektor-Funktion analysiert. Das Crf1/p41 Epitop induziert bei gesunden Spendern eine funktionelle TH1 Immunantwort gegen A. fumigatus und führt zur Produktion hoher Mengen von Interferon γ (IFN-γ). Für die Identifikation von A. fumigatus spezifischen TCRs wurden siebenunddreißig Crf1/p41 spezifische T Zellklone von drei HLA DRB1*04 Spendern generiert. Anschließend wurden die TCR β Ketten über die sehr variable komplementaritätsbestimmende Region 3 (CDR3) bestimmt. Es konnten zwölf unterschiedliche TCRs ermittelt werden, von denen vor allem die variablen β (Vβ) Kette 18 sehr dominant, während die Vβ Ketten 1 und 6 nur in wenigen Klonen vertreten waren. Zur weiteren Charakterisierung der Crf1/p41 spezifischen TCRs wurden die variablen α (Vα) Ketten bestimmt (Vα 3, Vα 15 und Vα 26). Somit liegt eine polyklonale T Zell Immunantwort vor. Anschließend wurden die Crf1/p41 spezifischen TCRs in den retroviralen Vektor pMP71 kloniert und auf Jurkat 76 Zellen, welche keinen endogenen TCR exprimieren, und auf primäre CD4+ T Zellen transferiert. Die Expression von Crf1/p41 spezifischen TCRs, transduziert in CD4+ T Zellen, zeigten spenderspezifische Unterschiede und die Expression war niedriger im Vergleich zu den transduzierten Jurkat 76 Zellen. Daher wurde auf Optimierungsstrategien zurückgegriffen, die für den adoptiven Transfer mit TCR-modifizierten T Zellen zur Behandlung von Krebs entwickelt wurden. Angewandt wurden die Codonoptimierung der TCR codierenden Sequenz, Murinisierung der TCR konstanter Ketten, Induktion einer weiteren Disulfidbrücke. Ebenfalls wurde das Vektorsystem optimiert. Der Optimierungsprozess der Crf1/p41 spezifischen TCR 1 führte zu einer erhöhten Oberflächenexpression des TCR sowohl in Jurkat 76 (3 bis 5fach) als auch in primären CD4+ T Zellen (2fach). In funktionellen Analysen wurde die Proliferationsfähigkeit und IFN-γ Produktion, durch die Stimulation von transduzierten CD4+ T Zellen (TCR 1 optimiert) mit Crf1/p41 beladenen dendritischen Zellen (DCs), bestätigt. Diese Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass der Transfer von A. fumigatus spezifischen TCRs eine protektive anti-fungale Immunantwort fördern könnte. Demzufolge auch als ein geeignetes Mittel in einer potentiellen Immuntherapie gegen A. fumigatus Infektionen in immunsupprimierten Patienten, eingesetzt werden könnte. / The human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) can cause severe invasive infections in immunosuppressed patients. Despite progresses in the treatment and prophylaxis of invasive infections the mortality rate remains high. On that account the development of a more specific immune therapy seems necessary. One approach is genetic modification of T cells by transfer of A. fumigatus specific T cell receptors (TCR) for an adoptive therapy. To evaluate this concept, TCRs specific for a peptide derived from extracellular cell wall glucanase Crf1 (Crf1/p41) were transferred to primary T cells. Than their effector function was analyzed. In healthy donors the epitope Crf1/p41 induces a functional TH1 immune response towards A. fumigatus combined with a high Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production. To identify A. fumigatus specific TCRs, thirty-seven Crf1/p41 specific T cell clones were generated from three HLA-DRB1*04 positive healthy donors. Afterwards, the TCR β chains were analyzed by sequencing the most variable complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3). Twelve different TCRs were detected whereas variable β (Vβ) 18 was very dominant, and Vβ 1 and Vβ 6 were present only in some clones. For further characterization of Crf1/p41 specific TCRs, variable α (Vα) chains were identified (Vα 3, Vα 15 and Vα 26). Thus, the T cell response is polyclonal. Subsequently Crf1/p41 specific TCRs were cloned into the retroviral vector pMP71 and transduced into Jurkat 76 cells that lack the expression of endogenous TCR, and into primary CD4+ T cells. The expression of Crf1/p41 specific TCR transduced in CD4+ T cells was donor-dependent and the expression was lower compared to transduced Jurkat 76 cells. Consequently, optimizing strategies engineered for TCR-modified adoptive T cell transfer in cancer therapy were used to induce a higher TCR expression on T cells. Those strategies include codon-optimization of the TCR coding sequence, murinization of constant chains of TCR, induction of an additional disulfide bond. Additionally the vector system was optimized. The optimization process of Crf1/p41 TCR 1 led to a higher surface expression in Jurkat 76 (3-5x) and primary CD4+ T cells (2x). Functional analyses revealed proliferation and IFN-γ production after the stimulation of transduced CD4+ T cells (TCR 1 optimiert) with Crf1/p41 pulsed mature dendritic cells (mDC). These data suggest that the transfer of A. fumigatus specific TCRs might foster protective anti-fungal immune responses. Therefore this might be a suitable tool for immunotherapeutic use against A. fumigatus infections in immunosuppressed patients.

Pilze sind in unserer Umwelt allgegenwärtig und besiedeln im Fall von Candida albicans (C. albicans) sogar bei über 50% der Menschen die Schleimhäute, während Sporen von Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) täglich über die Atmung in die Lunge des Menschen gelangen. Dennoch sind Erkrankungen, die durch diese zwei Pilze ausgelöst werden, bei gesunden Menschen selten. Ist jedoch das Immunsystem beeinträchtigt, können diese Pilze zu systemischen und damit lebensbedrohlichen Erkrankungen wie der invasiven Aspergillose und der systemischen Candidiasis führen. Für eine Verbesserung der Behandlung solcher Infektionen ist das genaue Verständnis der Immunabwehrmechanismen entscheidend. Da A. fumigatus über die Lunge in den Körper gelangt, wurden in dieser Arbeit die häufigsten Immunzellen der Lunge, die Makrophagen, und deren Immunantwort auf A. fumigatus untersucht. Parallel hierzu wurden dendritische Zellen (DCs) verwendet, die als Brücke zwischen dem angeborenen und adaptiven Immunsystem wirken. Ein besonderes Augenmerk wurde hierbei auf A. fumigatus induzierte Genexpressionsänderungen und deren Regulationsmechanismen gelegt. Dabei wurden kurze, regulatorische RNAs, die sogenannten miRNAs, untersucht, die eine wichtige Rolle in der post-transkriptionalen Genregulation spielen. Bislang ist nur wenig über die miRNA-abhängigen Genregulationen in DCs, die auf eine Infektion mit A. fumigatus oder C. albicans reagieren, bekannt. Um alle durch A. fumigatus und C. albicans regulierten miRNAs zu identifizieren, wurden DCs mit A. fumigatus und C. albicans ko-kultiviert und anschließend eine Komplettsequenzierung der kurzen RNAs durchgeführt. Die Pilz-spezifische Induktion der miRNA-Regulation wurde zudem mit der miRNA-Regulation durch den bakteriellen Zellwandbestandteil Lipopolysaccharid verglichen. Durch die Stimulation mit Keimschläuchen von A. fumigatus wurden die miRNAs miR-132-3p/5p, miR-155-5p, miR129-2-3p, miR-129-5p, miR-212-3p/5p und miR-9-5p in DCs induziert. Diese wurden ebenfalls durch C. albicans induziert, zudem noch die miRNAs miR-147a und miR-147b. Spezifisch für A. fumigatus war die Regulation der miR-129-2-3p. Neben dem miRNA-Profiling wurde auch das mRNA-Transkriptom über Microarrays analysiert und dadurch 18 potentielle Zielgene der Pilz-induzierten miRNAs identifiziert. Neben den Elementen der Translationsregulation wurden auch die Transkriptionsfaktoren untersucht. Als einziger unter den 60 regulierten Transkriptionsfaktoren zeigte KLF4 eine veränderte Expressionsrichtung in DCs, die mit Pilzen oder LPS behandelt waren. Während die Stimulation mit LPS die Expression von KLF4 induzierte, wurde es durch die Pilze A. fumigatus und C. albicans reprimiert. In einer Untersuchung der unterschiedlichen A. fumigatus-Rezeptoren, wurde deren Einfluss auf die KLF4-Regulation gezeigt. Während TLR4-Liganden KLF4 induzierten, führten Liganden, die an die Rezeptoren TLR2/TLR1 und Dectin-1 binden, zu einer Reduktion von KLF4. Nach einem erfolgreich etablierten KLF4-knock-down mittels RNA-Interferenz wurden KLF4-Zielgene untersucht. Während kein bzw. nur ein geringer Effekt auf die Genexpression von CCL2, RANTES, CXCL10 und TNF beobachtet wurde, sorgte der KLF4 knock-down für eine hoch signifikante Reduktion der IL6-Genexpression in LPS-stimulierten DCs. Um die KLF4-Regulation weiter zu untersuchen, wurde zudem eine weitere Zellpopulation des angeborenen Immunsystems, die Makrophagen, verwendet. Auch hier wurde die Immunantwort gegen A. fumigatus analysiert. Zudem wurde die Rolle der Thrombozyten als Immunmediatoren betrachtet. Zuerst wurde ein Zytokinprofil des plättchenreichen Plasmas (PRP), das mit A. fumigatus stimuliert wurde, erstellt. In diesem konnte nur RANTES in hoher Konzentration nachgewiesen werden. Daraufhin wurde der Einfluss von PRP auf die Reifung von DCs, die Phagozytosefähigkeit von Makrophagen und DCs sowie der Einfluss von DCs und Makrophagen auf die metabolische Aktivität von A. fumigatus in An- und Abwesenheit von plättchenreichem Plasma untersucht. Es konnte eine gering verstärkte Reifung der DCs durch PRP gezeigt werden. Isolierte Thrombozyten konnten die Phagozytose von DCs steigern, während Makrophagen durch PRP verstärkt Konidien phagozytierten. In einem genomweiten Transkriptomprofiling wurde die Immunantwort von DCs und Makrophagen verglichen. Zudem wurde untersucht, wie PRP die Immunantwort dieser Immunzellen beeinflusst. Es wurden 2 bzw. 24 Gene identifiziert, die signifikant in A. fumigatus-stimulierten DCs und Makrophagen reguliert waren. Hierbei wurde gezeigt, dass KLF4 durch die Zugabe von PRP herabreguliert wurde. Das zuvor beschriebene Zielgen IL6 wurde durch PRP in A. fumigatus-stimulierten DCs gegenüber stimulierten DCs ohne PRP deutlich reduziert, wodurch sich eine immunmodulatorische Fähigkeit des PRP zeigte. Die Induktion von IL-6, weiteren Zytokinen und der Reifemarker durch A. fumigatus in DCs wurden zudem in einem Booleschen Modell simuliert. Dieses Modell soll in Zukunft Vorhersagen über experimentelle Ergebnisse und dadurch eine optimale Versuchsvorbereitung ermöglichen. / Fungi are ubiquitously distributed and around 50% of human mucosae are colonized by Candida albicans. Spores of Aspergillus fumigatus, called conidia, reach the human lung by inhalation of normal air. Still, fungi normally do not cause severe diseases in healthy individuals. Immunosuppression, however, predisposes to systematic and therefore life-threatening infection like invasive aspergillosis and systemic candidiasis. The treatment of those infections can only be improved by a detailed insight in immune defense mechanisms. The most prominent cell type in the lung, the location where A. fumigatus conidia can germinate and grow into tissue, are macrophages. Furthermore, the immune response of DCs that bridge innate and adaptive immunity was compared to macrophages. The main focus was on A. fumigatus induced changes in gene expression and their regulatory mechanisms. Especially the regulation of small, regulatory RNAs, called miRNAs, that are important in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, was examined. So far, little is known about miRNA regulations in DCs, confronted with A. fumigatus or C. albicans. Therefore a complete sequencing of small RNAs was performed to discover all regulated miRNAs. The fungi-induced regulation was compared to DCs, stimulated with the bacterial cell membrane component lipopolysaccharide (LPS). An A. fumigatus and C. albicans dependent regulation of miR-132-3p/5p, miR-155-5p, miR129-2-3p, miR-129-5p, miR-212-3p/5p and miR-9-5p was observed. In C. albicans simulated DCs miR-147a and miR-147b were additionally regulated, whereas miR-129-2-3p was specifically regulated by A. fumigatus. Furthermore a genome wide transcriptome profiling was performed and 18 potential miRNA targets were identified. Beside post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, an analysis of transcriptional regulators, called transcription factors, was conducted. The transcription factor KLF4 was identified as the only of all 60 differentially regulated transcription factors that was oppositely regulated comparing fungi and LPS. KLF4 was induced by LPS, but strongly down-regulated by A. fumigatus and C. albicans stimulation. Specific Toll-like receptor 4 activation by LPS and ultra-pure LPS induced KLF4. However, ligands to TLR2/TLR1 and Dectin-1 significantly reduced KLF4 mRNA and protein. A KLF4 knock-down by RNA interference was established to analyze KLF4 target genes. Little or no effect was observed on the expression of CCL2, RANTES, CXCL10 and TNF. However, KLF4 knock down induced a significant reduction of IL6 gene expression and IL-6 release by LPS treated DCs. To further examine the KLF4 regulation another cell type of the innate immune system, called macrophages, was used. The A. fumigatus-induced immune response of macrophages was compared to DCs. Furthermore, the role of platelets as immune mediators was examined. At first, a cytokine profile of untreated and A. fumigatus stimulated platelet-rich plasma was performed. RANTES was identified as the only detectable cytokine. Then the influence of PRP on DC maturation, DC and macrophages phagocytosis as well as the metabolic activity of A. fumigatus was determined. Only a weak, but still significant, influence of PRP on DCs maturation induced by A. fumigatus was observed. In the analysis of phagocytosis of A. fumigatus conidia, DCs and macrophages were reacting differently to the addition of PRP and isolated platelets. Isolated platelets were able to enhance the phagocytosis of DCs. On the other hand, PRP and plasma without platelets increased phagocytosis of macrophages. In a genome wide approach the immune response of DCs and macrophages was compared and additionally examined, if PRP alters the DC and macrophage gene expression. PRP induced a significant regulation of 2 and 24 genes of A. fumigatus treated DCs and macrophages. Furthermore, an influence of PRP on the KLF4 expression was monitored. The previously described KLF4 target gene IL6 was significantly down-regulated in PRP and A. fumigatus stimulated DCs and macrophages, compared to A. fumigatus stimulated cells. In conclusion, PRP has only a weak but detectable influence on cell function and gene expression. Furthermore a Boolean model was established to analyze the influence of A. fumigatus stimulation on the cytokine release, especially of IL-6, IL-1B and TNF, and the induction of maturation markers. This model will be used for predictions and optimizations of experimental settings.