Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-11-19Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:41:26Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 sampaio_rcl_dr_jabo.pdf: 2084812 bytes, checksum: 58460a9359272871dda4cd09bd01ae62 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / As alterações ultra-estruturais ocorridas nas lâminas epidérmicas e dérmicas de eqüinos com laminite são responsáveis pela rotação ou afundamento da falange distal dentro do casco. Com o objetivo de prevenir esta ocorrência foram estudados os efeitos da sobrecarga de carboidratos (SCHO), assim como da utilização de trinitroglicerina na fase prodrômica da laminite, nas lâminas epidérmicas do casco de quinze eqüinos. A indução da laminite por meio da sobrecarga de carboidratos alterou siginificativamente as lâminas epidérmicas primárias e secundárias dos cascos dos eqüinos dos grupos induzidos (Grupo Laminite e Grupo Laminite + Trinitroglicerina) em comparação com o Grupo Controle, causando retração das lâminas epidérmicas primárias, alongamento das lâminas epidérmicas secundárias e estreitamento das lâminas epidérmicas primárias e secundárias. A indução da laminite por meio da sobrecarga de carboidratos diminuiu significativamente a área da célula basal assim como a área do núcleo dos dois grupos induzidos (Grupo Laminite e Grupo Laminite + Trinitroglicerina) em comparação com o grupo controle. Foi observado, pela análise estatística, que o Grupo Laminite obteve maior redução das áreas, tanto da célula como do núcleo, porém a porcentagem de ocupação do núcleo na célula não foi diferente nos dois grupos induzidos. Na avaliação histopatológica, foram observadas lesões lamelares nos grupos Laminite e Laminite + Trinitroglicerina, características de processo degenerativo das lâminas epidérmicas. Ocorreram diminuições nos números de hemidesmossomos dos grupos induzidos quando comparados com o Grupo Controle. A administração de trinitroglicerina não foi capaz de impedir o desenvolvimento de lesões nas lâminas epidérmicas e dérmicas, assim como, nas células basais e membrana basal em cavalos com laminite induzida por sobrecarga de carboidratos. / Disruption of the lamellar ultrastructural is responsible for a cellular failure, that culminates in distal rotation of the distal phalanx within the hoof. Aiming to prevent such debilitating condition, effects of carbohydrate overload and glyceryl trinitrate (TNG) use during the prodromal stages of experimentally induced laminitis in fifteen horses hoof were studied. Laminitis induced by grain overload affected significantly primary and secondary lamellar structure from horse´s hoof (Group II and III), which in turn led to primary epidermal retraction, basal cells became elongated and both primary and secondary epidermal lamellae clump together when compared to control group (GI). Equine that developed laminitis induced by carbohydrate overload had a significant reduction in basal cell nucleus in both GII and GIII groups, when compared to horses from GI. Horses from GII group had higher reduction in areas relative to both cell and nucleus, however, the percentage of nucleus position within cell was not different in both horses groups (GII and GIII). Histophatology of hooves revealed lamellae lesions in both horses groups (GII and GIII), characterized by a degenerative process present on epidermal lamellae. Lower number of hemidesmosome in both GII and GIII groups were observed. The administration of TNG was unable to prevent the development of lesions lamellae epidermal and dermal, as in the epidermal basal cells and the basement membrane in horses with laminitis induced by carbohydrate overload.

Resumo: As alterações ultra-estruturais ocorridas nas lâminas epidérmicas e dérmicas de eqüinos com laminite são responsáveis pela rotação ou afundamento da falange distal dentro do casco. Com o objetivo de prevenir esta ocorrência foram estudados os efeitos da sobrecarga de carboidratos (SCHO), assim como da utilização de trinitroglicerina na fase prodrômica da laminite, nas lâminas epidérmicas do casco de quinze eqüinos. A indução da laminite por meio da sobrecarga de carboidratos alterou siginificativamente as lâminas epidérmicas primárias e secundárias dos cascos dos eqüinos dos grupos induzidos (Grupo Laminite e Grupo Laminite + Trinitroglicerina) em comparação com o Grupo Controle, causando retração das lâminas epidérmicas primárias, alongamento das lâminas epidérmicas secundárias e estreitamento das lâminas epidérmicas primárias e secundárias. A indução da laminite por meio da sobrecarga de carboidratos diminuiu significativamente a área da célula basal assim como a área do núcleo dos dois grupos induzidos (Grupo Laminite e Grupo Laminite + Trinitroglicerina) em comparação com o grupo controle. Foi observado, pela análise estatística, que o Grupo Laminite obteve maior redução das áreas, tanto da célula como do núcleo, porém a porcentagem de ocupação do núcleo na célula não foi diferente nos dois grupos induzidos. Na avaliação histopatológica, foram observadas lesões lamelares nos grupos Laminite e Laminite + Trinitroglicerina, características de processo degenerativo das lâminas epidérmicas. Ocorreram diminuições nos números de hemidesmossomos dos grupos induzidos quando comparados com o Grupo Controle. A administração de trinitroglicerina não foi capaz de impedir o desenvolvimento de lesões nas lâminas epidérmicas e dérmicas, assim como, nas células basais e membrana basal em cavalos com laminite induzida por sobrecarga de carboidratos. / Abstract: Disruption of the lamellar ultrastructural is responsible for a cellular failure, that culminates in distal rotation of the distal phalanx within the hoof. Aiming to prevent such debilitating condition, effects of carbohydrate overload and glyceryl trinitrate (TNG) use during the prodromal stages of experimentally induced laminitis in fifteen horses hoof were studied. Laminitis induced by grain overload affected significantly primary and secondary lamellar structure from horse's hoof (Group II and III), which in turn led to primary epidermal retraction, basal cells became elongated and both primary and secondary epidermal lamellae clump together when compared to control group (GI). Equine that developed laminitis induced by carbohydrate overload had a significant reduction in basal cell nucleus in both GII and GIII groups, when compared to horses from GI. Horses from GII group had higher reduction in areas relative to both cell and nucleus, however, the percentage of nucleus position within cell was not different in both horses groups (GII and GIII). Histophatology of hooves revealed lamellae lesions in both horses groups (GII and GIII), characterized by a degenerative process present on epidermal lamellae. Lower number of hemidesmosome in both GII and GIII groups were observed. The administration of TNG was unable to prevent the development of lesions lamellae epidermal and dermal, as in the epidermal basal cells and the basement membrane in horses with laminitis induced by carbohydrate overload. / Orientador: José Correa de Lacerda Neto / Coorientadora: Silvana Martinez Baraldi Artoni / Banca: Antonio Cezar de Oliveira Dearo / Banca: Raquel Yvonne Arantes Baccarin / Banca: José Wanderley Cattelan / Banca: Marcos Lania de Araujo / Doutor

A presente dissertação aborda o estudo dos efeitos de escavações realizadas acima de túneis já executados. Os trabalhos mais relevantes envolvendo a interação entre escavações e túneis já existentes são apresentados e discutidos. São realizadas simulações numéricas de casos hipotéticos, em estado plano de deformações utilizando o modelo de Mohr-Coulomb, permitindo a identificação dos parâmetros mais relevantes para esse tipo de problema e suas influências nos resultados. É discutido o comportamento mais rígido do maciço durante as trajetórias de descarregamento, bem como qual o módulo de elasticidade mais adequado para representar o fenômeno. Modelagens numéricas de um caso real em São Paulo (a escavação dos subsolos do edifício Stan Paulista, acima de túneis do Metrô) são realizadas, utilizando o modelo e os conceitos estudados. Os resultados obtidos das simulações são discutidos e comparados com os valores de instrumentação. Constata-se que a metodologia utilizada para a análise dos efeitos de escavações acima de túneis já existentes pode ser utilizada na avaliação de outros casos. / The presented research approaches the study of excavations effects above existing tunnels. Some of the most relevant papers related to interaction between excavation and tunnels are presented and discussed. Numerical simulations of hypothetic cases assuming plane strain condition and Mohr-Coulomb model for soil behavior are performed, allowing the study of influence of input parameters in the results. It is discussed behavior of the soil in stress paths that indicates reduction of the mean stress, wich is more rigid than the triaxial compression path. It is also discussed wich is an appropriate elastic modulus to be used in this situation. A real case (basement excavation of Stan Paulista building, above Metrô tunnels) is analyzed with numerical models, utilizing the concepts studied. The results of the simulations are compared with field instrumentation data. It is concluded that the methodology used for the analysis of the effect of excavation above existing tunnels can be utilized in other cases.

O presente estudo foi realizado para esclarecer o surgimento de vesículas subepidérmicas em enxertos de pele comumente descritos como áreas enxertadas. Devido à discrepância existente entre a literatura, que afirma surgirem vesículas nessas áreas, e a nossa experiência clínica, onde não observamos tal fato, decidimos investigar o problema. Para isso, estudamos a transição dermoepidérmica (TDE), em 23 pacientes submetidos à enxertia de pele, para verificar se há ou não alteração dessa estrutura que pudesse justificar a formação de vesículas. Nos 23 pacientes estudados foram feitas duas biópsias: a primeira, imediatamente antes da excisão do enxerto, na área doadora - pele sã, considerada como amostra padrão normal da TDE - Amostra Padrão AD. Após 10 dias, realizou-se uma segunda biópsia, com o mesmo vazador, próxima à área da primeira biópsia - Amostra Teste - ENX. Cada amostra foi dividida em 2 partes iguais (46 amostras) e estudadas por microscopia de luz e por imunofluorescência direta (imunomapeamento), pesquisando-se a possível alteração da zona da membrana basal (ZMB) na TDE através dos antígenos penfigóide bolhoso, laminina, colágeno IV e colágeno VII. Na microscopia de luz estudou-se, em cada biópsia, a relação entre a medida linear do relevo da trasição dermoepidérmica e a medida linear do relevo da superfície da camada granulosa, logo abaixo da camada córnea, equivalente a medida linear da superfície da pele. Nas 46 amostras as análises por microscopia de luz e de imunomapeamento para os quatro antígenos evidenciou-se a manutenção do mesmo padrão morfológico. Não houve diferença no imunomapeamento. Observou-se relações lineares das medidas com médias de 1,17 para a amostra AD e 1,44 para a amostra ENX, diferença que foi estatisticamente significativa, porém conservando a manutenção do padrão da TDE em relação à pele normal. Foi observada a manutenção do padrão do relevo da TDE no enxerto, em relação à pele sã, doadora. / SUMMARY: The present study has been done to elucidate the onset of subepidermal blisters in skin grafts, usually mistaken as grafted sites. Due to the discrepancy between literature - assigning this onset of blisters in grafts and our experience opposite we have decided to carry out this study. To do so we have studied the dermal-epidermal junction in 23 burned patients who underwent skin grafting so that we could verify whether or not there could be any alteration in the dermal-epidermal junction structure that may explain this fact. Among the 23 studied patients, two biopsies were carried out: the first one just before harvesting the skin graft from donor site healthy skin. The so called sample was regarded as an ordinary standard one of the dermal-epidermal junction STANDARD SAMPLE - DS. After graft take, by ten days, a second biopsy was performed with the same punch, close to the first biopsy TEST SAMPLE GS. Both samples were split into two equal parts (46 samples) and studied using light microscopy and direct immunofluorescence (immune mapping), searching for possible alterations in basement membrane zone in the dermal-epidermal junction through bullous pemphigoid, laminin and types IV and VII collagen antigens. On light microscopy, relation between the linear measure of dermal-epidermal junction projection and that of stratum granulosum surface, just underneath the stratum corneum, corresponding to skin surface, was studied in each biopsy. The four analyses of the antigens by light microscopy and direct immunofluorescence in the 46 samples clearly showed the keeping of the same pattern, either for STANDARD SAMPLE DS or TEST SAMPLE GS. There were no differences on the immune mapping. Regarding the relation of the linear measures it was noted a mean of 1.17 for STANDARD SAMPLE DS and a mean of 1.44 for TEST SAMPLE GS. Such difference was statistically significant. Nevertheless, it maintained the keeping of the same pattern of dermal-epidermal junction when compared to healthy skin.

Abstract In this thesis study, the primary structure of the human α1(XVIII) polypeptide was elucidated, its tissue distribution was studied, and the phenotypic changes in the mouse eye due to lack of type XVIII collagen in a knock-out mouse model were studied further. In addition, the consequences of simultaneous lack of both type XVIII and XV collagen were studied in a mouse model lacking both of these proteins. Two variant forms of human α1(XVIII) polypeptide were identified in this study, although, to date, a third form has also been characterized. The analysis of tissue distribution of the two polypeptide forms revealed differences in their tissue distribution, since the longest variant occurs prominently in the liver, while the short form is the major transcript in other tissues studied, e.g. in the kidney. The study of the type XVIII single null mouse eyes revealed abnormalities in the anterior eye segment in addition to the previously reported defects in the posterior eye part. In the type XVIII single null mice the iris was fragmented, pigment deposits could be seen in the pupil, and the pupillary ruff in the edge of a normal mouse iris was missing in these mice. The ciliary body was also abnormal, since the ciliary processes start to show regression in adult animals and eventually the basal infoldings of the non-pigmented ciliary body epithelia become flattened in the null mice. The intraocular pressure stabilizes to a lower level in adult mutant mice compared to controls, most likely reflecting the atrophied ciliary epithelia. The BM zones were also defective in the type XVIII null mouse eyes. The absence of an immunosignal with one of the antibodies detecting laminin γ2 chain in the type XVIII null mouse eyes may implicate conformational changes in the laminin γ2 chain due to lack of type XVIII collagen, and subsequently interaction between type XVIII collagen and laminin γ2 chain in normal mouse eye BMs. The study of the type XVIII and XV double null mice revealed that these mice were viable and fertile and had no major additional abnormalities compared to both single null mice. However, the regression of hyaloid capillaries (vasa hyaloidea propria, VHP) was studied in these mice, and a slight delay in the detachment of these vessels from the retina was noticed. Thus, the two collagens do not function entirely independently from each other. The studies with type XVIII collagen single null mice indicate that in addition to the posterior eye phenotype, this collagen is needed for the normal structural integrity of the anterior eye segment and basement membranes of the eye. The mouse model lacking both type XVIII and type XV collagen indicates that the roles of the two collagens are essentially diverse, although a slight compensatory effect was observed in the detachment of the hyaloid capillaries from the retina.

Abstract Lysyl hydroxylase (E.C. 1.14.11.4) catalyzes the formation of hydroxylysine in collagens and other proteins with collagenous domains. The resulting hydroxylysine residues participate in the formation of collagen crosslinks, and serve as attachment sites for carbohydrate units. They have been regarded as non-essential, since the absence of lysyl hydroxylase 1 activity is not lethal, although it leads to the kyphoscoliotic type of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and since recombinant collagens I and III lacking any hydroxylysine form native-type fibrils in vitro. A novel human lysyl hydroxylase isoenzyme, lysyl hydroxylase 3, was identified, cloned and characterized here. The novel isoenzyme was expressed as a recombinant protein in insect cells, and the protein was shown to catalyze hydroxylation of lysine residues in vitro. No differences were found in the catalytic properties between the recombinant lysyl hydroxylases 3 and 1. The human lysyl hydroxylase 3 gene was shown to be 11.6 kb in size and to contain 19 exons. The introns contain 15 full-length or partial Alu retroposons, which are known to be involved in most human gene rearrangements that occur by homologous recombination. The three recombinant human lysyl hydroxylase isoenzymes were isolated here for the first time as homogenous proteins. Limited proteolysis data suggested that the lysyl hydroxylase polypeptides might consist of at least three distinct domains, A-C. The N-terminal domain A was found to play no role in lysyl hydroxylase activity as a recombinant B-C polypeptide was a fully active hydroxylase. This work also confirmed that lysyl hydroxylase 3 has collagen glucosyltransferase activity as well as trace amounts of collagen galactosyltransferase activity. However, the levels of these activities were so low that their biological significance remains to be determined. In the last part of this work, lysyl hydroxylase 3 knock-out mice were produced and analyzed. The homozygous null embryos were found to die at a very early stage of development due to lack of type IV collagen in the basement membranes. The data demonstrated that hydroxylysine formed by lysyl hydroxylase 3 is essential for early mouse development and that lysyl hydroxylase 1 or 2 cannot compensate for the lack of its function.

Abstract Basement membranes (BM) underlie epithelia and endothelia and surround many tissues. In cutaneous BM epithelial cells are attached to the stroma via multiprotein complexes called hemidesmosomes (HD). Collagen XVII and integrin α6β4 are components of HD and they bind to laminin 332, a component of anchoring filaments, extracellularly. The main interest of this study is the function of collagen XVII and its interactions with these proteins. What is known about the function of collagen XVII is mostly derived from its role as an adhesive component in cutaneous HD. Here we demonstrate for the first time that collagen XVII is expressed by podocytes in the human and murine glomerulus and that mutant mice lacking collagen XVII in addition to small size, blisters and diffuse hair loss, also have deficient glomerular development and a high mortality rate. We also show for the first time at the protein level that collagen XVII is expressed, and probably has a functional interaction with laminin 332, in normal colon epithelia. We demonstrate that collagen XVII is expressed by the invasive cells of human colorectal carcinoma (CRC) samples and its immunostaining is increased in metastasis in CRC. The higher proportion of collagen XVII positive tumor cells correlates with decreased disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival times and we also suggest a functional interaction between collagen XVII and laminin 332 in CRC. Previous studies have suggested that collagen XVII participates in keratinocyte migration by affecting the correlation of HD disassembly and assembly, its expression is increased in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and it may have a role in cell adhesion and migration in SCC carcinogenesis. Here we demonstrate upregulated collagen XVII, integrin β4 and laminin γ2 expression in actinic keratosis, Bowen’s disease and SCC. The expression of collagen XVII was increased with a high degree of variation, especially in samples taken from areas where SCC is particularly invasive. We also demonstrate in the SCC-25 cell line that lack of collagen XVII or integrin β4 severely disrupts the adhesion, migration and invasivity of these cells. Taken together, in this study we show that collagen XVII is needed for normal glomerular development, is expressed in normal colon epithelia and participates in CRC and SCC carcinogenesis together with laminin 332 and integrin β4. / Tiivistelmä Tyvikalvot sijaitsevat epiteelin ja endoteelin alla ja ympäröivät monia kudoksia. Ihon tyvikalvossa epiteelisoluja alla olevaan verinahkaan kiinnittää rakenne, jota kutsutaan hemidesmosomiksi (HD). Kollageeni XVII ja integriin α6β4 ovat HD:n rakenneproteiineja. Ne kiinnittyvät solun ulkopuolella laminiin 332 nimiseen proteiiniin, joka muodostaa ankkurifilamentit. Kollageeni XVII ilmentyminen ja toiminta yhdessä näiden kahden proteiinin kanssa on tämän tutkimuksen keskeisin kohde. Valtaosa tutkimuksista, jotka käsittelevät kollageeni XVII:ää, koskevat sen toimintaa ihon keratinosyyteissä. Tässä tutkimuksessa osoitimme ensi kertaa, että hiiren ja ihmisen munuaiskerästen podosyyttisolut ilmentävät kollageeni XVII. Geenimanipuloidut hiiret, joilta kollageeni XVII oli poistettu, olivat pieniä, kehittivät rakkuloita ja karvattomuutta, niillä oli korkea kuolleisuus ja niiden munuaiskerästen kehitys oli häiriintynyt. Kollageeni XVII esiintymistä proteiinitasolla, sekä mahdollista toiminnallista yhteyttä laminiin 332:een, ei aiemmin ole osoitettu paksusuolen epiteelissä. Havaitsimme, että paksu- ja peräsuolen adenokarsinooman (CRC) invasiivinen solukko ilmentää kollageeni XVII:ää, kollageeni XVII esiintyminen on merkittävän voimakasta CRC:n metastasoinnin yhteydessä ja lisääntynyt kollageeni XVII esiintyminen lyhentää syöpävapaata aikaa ja heikentää syöpäspesifistä selviytymistä. Myös CRC:ssä kollageeni XVII toiminta voi liittyä laminiini 332:een. Aiempien tutkimusten mukaan kollageeni XVII osallistuu keratinosyyttien migratioon vaikuttamalla toimivien HD:ien määrään. Sen määrän on havaittu olevan korkeampi okasolusyövässä (SCC) ja sen on ehdotettu osallistuvan syöpäsolujen adheesioon ja migraatioon SCC:n kehittyessä. Me osoitimme kohonneen kollageeni XVII, integriini β4 ja laminiini γ2 ilmenemisen aktiinisessa keratoosissa, Bowenin taudissa sekä SCC:ssä. Kollageeni XVII määrä oli korkea, mutta vaihteli paljon, sekä hiiren että ihmisen invasiivisilla SCC alueilla. Havaitsimme myös SCC-25 solulinjalla, että kollageeni XVII tai integriini β4 puutos häiritsee vakavasti solujen adheesiota, migraatiota ja invaasiota. Yhteenvetona tässä työssä osoitimme, että kollageeni XVII:ää tarvitaan munuaiskerästen kehittymisessä, sitä esiintyy paksusuolen epiteelissä, ja että kollageeni XVII osallistuu CRC:n ja SCC:n kehittymiseen yhdessä integriini β4:n ja laminiini 332:n kanssa.

A côté de leur rôle structural au sein des tissus, les protéines de la matrice extracellulaire sont impliquées dans un grand nombre de processus cellulaires au cours de divers évènements biologiques. En revanche, leur rôle au cours de la régénération reste étonnamment peu étudié à ce jour. Pourtant, mieux comprendre le rôle de la MEC dans la régénération a de nombreuses applications en médecine régénérative et reconstructrice. Mon projet de thèse vise précisément à répondre à cette question. Pour cela, nous avons utilisé le modèle bien établi de la régénération de la nageoire caudale du poisson zèbre qui présente de nombreux avantages tels qu’une structure simple, facile d’accès et un régénération rapide, en seulement quelques jours. Une approche globale de transcriptomique sans a priori a permis d’établir l’importance de la matrice extracellulaire au cours de la régénération. Une première étape a consisté à établir la liste des gènes de la matrice extracellulaire du poisson zèbre par orthologie, appelé matrisome. Notre étude a fait émerger le rôle inattendu d’un collagène dans la reconstruction de la membrane basale de l’épiderme, une structure importante pour l’attachement de l’épiderme au derme dans la peau. Cette protéine, exprimée uniquement chez l’embryon, est ré-exprimée dans l’épiderme en régénération et déposée au niveau de la membrane basale. Par stratégie anti-sens in vivo, j’ai montré par microscopie à force atomique et microscopie électronique que l’absence de ce collagène impacte la structure et les propriétés biomécaniques de cette membrane basale en reconstruction. Ces résultats ont été confirmés sur une lignée de poisson, invalidée pour ce gène que nous avons créée par la technologie CRISPR/Cas9. Cette lignée a permis d’établir que ce collagène agit transitoirement comme un « spacer » moléculaire nécessaire à l’organisation tridimensionnelle des autres composants de la membrane basale pendant la régénération. / In addition to their role within tissues, extracellular matrix proteins are implicated in a large number of cellular processes. However, their role in regeneration is not well studied at the moment. A better understanding of the extracellular matrix proteins involvement in regeneration can have several future applications for regenerative and reconstructive medicine. The aim of my PhD project is to answer this question.To do this, we used the well-established zebrafish caudal fin model which have many advantages such as a simple structure, easily accessible and a quick regeneration in only few days. A global transcriptomic approach without a priori showed us that extracellular matrix proteins are playing a key role in regeneration. A first step of my work was to use an orthology-based approach to create the first list of extracellular matrix genes in zebrafish, called the matrisome. Our study revealed the unexpected role of a collagen during epidermal basement membrane reconstruction, an importance structure for the dermo-epidermal cohesion in skin. This protein which is expressed only during embryogenesis, is re-expressed in the regenerating epidermis and deposited in the basement membrane. Using an anti-sense strategy in vivo, I have demonstrated by atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy that the absence of this collagen impacts the biomechanics of this reconstructing basement membrane. These results were confirmed on a zebrafish line invalidated for this collagen that I have generated using the genome editing CRISPR/Cas9 technic. We showed that this collagen acts as a molecular spacer needed for the correct tridimensional organization of the other basement membrane components during regeneration.

Abstract Collagen XIII is a type II transmembrane protein, which has a short intracellular domain and a large, mainly collagenous ectodomain. It is located at many cell-matrix junctions and in focal adhesions in cultured cells and it has a function in cell adhesive processes. Overexpression of collagen XIII molecules with an 83 amino acid deletion in part of the ectodomain leads to fetal lethality in Col13a1del transgenic mice. Doppler ultrasonography was performed at 12.5 days of gestation on fetuses resulting from heterozygous matings and matings between heterozygous and wild-type mice. Some fetuses had atrioventricular valve regurgitation (AVVR) and all of them were transgene positive. In addition, fetuses had pathological changes in functional parameters. Histological analysis showed the trabeculation of the ventricles to be reduced and the myocardium to be thinner in the fetuses with AVVR. Based on in situ hybridization (ISH), collagen XIII mRNA are normal constituents of these structures. Overexpression of mutant collagen XIII results in mid-gestation cardiac dysfunction in fetuses, and these disturbances in cardiac function may lead to death in utero. The heterozygous mice that were initially of normal appearance had an increased susceptibility to develop B cell lymphomas, which originated in the mesenteric lymph node. Collagen XIII protein was not detected in normal lymph nodes or in the lymphomas. The incidence of lymphomas was higher in conventional conditions than in a specific pathogen-free facility. In addition, the expression of collagen XIII was localized in the intestine and the basement membrane was highly abnormal. These findings suggest that collagen XIII is a critical determinant of lymphanogenesis. Using ISH, antibody staining and RT-PCR techniques collagen XIII expression was analyzed during carcinogenesis in mice and in man. Collagen XIII expression increased during carcinogenesis in mice and in man. In the malignant process collagen XIII mRNA localized in the basal epithelium and in the invasive cells. According to antibody staining malignant invasive cells were positive. Results may reflect the disturbed adhesion of epithelial cells and ECM and that may affect the behaviour of the malignant cells, suggesting that collagen XIII has a significant role in the initiation of the invasion.

Abstract Lysyl hydroxylases (E.C. 1.14.11.4, LHs) have three isoenzymes that are found in humans and mice, and they hydroxylate lysine residues in collagens and other proteins containing collagenous sequences. The hydroxylysines formed are crucial for the intermolecular collagen crosslinks that stabilise collagen fibres, thereby providing the stiffness and stability required by various tissues. In addition, hydroxylysines serve as attachment sites for carbohydrates, whose functions on collagen molecules are not completely understood yet. In humans, lack of LH1 causes Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) VIA, which is characterised, for example, by severe progressive kyphoscoliosis and muscular hypotonia with joint laxity. Mutations in the LH2 gene are associated with Bruck syndrome, which is characterised by fragile bones with congenital joint contractures. In the present work recombinant human lysyl hydroxylases were produced in insect cells and purified to homogeneity. Limited proteolysis revealed that LHs consist of at least three structural domains. The N-terminal domain plays no role in the lysyl hydroxylase activity, but instead, is responsible for the recently reported glucosyltransferase activity of LH3, and the galactosyltransferase activity reported here for the first time. The LH polypeptide lacking the N-terminal domain is a fully active LH with Km values identical to those of full-length enzyme. In addition, direct evidence is shown that LH2, but not LH1 or LH3, hydroxylates the telopeptide lysine residues of fibrillar collagens. All three recombinant LHs were able to hydroxylate the synthetic peptides representing the helical hydroxylation sites in types I and IV collagens, with some differences in the Vmax and Km values. In addition, all three LHs hydroxylated the collagenous domain of coexpressed type I procollagen chain to similar extend. In this study mouse lines lacking LH3 or LH1 were created and analysed. Unexpectedly, the LH3 null mice died during the embryonal period due to fragmentation of basement membranes. Type IV collagen, one of the major components in basement membranes, aggregates on its way to extracellular space and is absent from the basement membranes making them fragile. This is most probably caused by abnormal processing of type IV collagen due to decreased glucosyltransferase activity of the LH3 null embryos. The first mouse model for human EDS VIA is presented here. The LH1 null mice did not have kyphoscoliosis characteristic of EDS VIA, but showed gait abnormalities due to muscular hypotonia and possible joint laxity, as also seen in EDS VIA patients. In addition, the null mice died occasionally from aortic ruptures. Ultra structural analysis revealed degradation of smooth muscle cells and abnormal collagen fibres even in non-ruptured aortas of LH1 null mice. The hydroxylation of lysine residues and crosslinking in LH1 null mice were also abnormal, as in human EDS VIA patients. The LH1 null mouse line provides an excellent tool for analysing several aspects of human EDS VIA, including muscular hypotonia, abnormalities in collagen fibres and their crosslinking.