Calcium (Ca2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase 2 (CaMK-II) is a multifunctional member of a family of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent serine/threonine protein kinases that respond to transient intracellular calcium signaling. CaMK-II has been reported to be involved with transcription regulation, cell motility, neuronal development, cell cycle regulation, and more recently early development of vertebrates (Easley et al., 2008; Rothschild et al., 2009; Francescatto et al., 2010). Through previous work in the lab using tandem mass spectrometry and “substrate-trapping mutants”, tumor suppressor protein 53 (p53) was identified as a novel CaMK-II binding partner in tissue culture. In this study, I sought to provide characterization of the functional interaction of p53 and CaMK-II. First, a stable p53 knockdown human cell line (HEK) was established through lentiviral transduction of p53 shRNA and verified with immunoblots and immunostaining assays. Next, the localization of CaMK-II and the cell growth rate in these cells was determined. In wild type HEK cells, catalytically inactive CaMK-II inhibited cell growth, which is consistent with previous studies in mouse fibroblasts with pharmacological inhibition. p53-deficient cells were less sensitive to CaMK-II deficiencies using dominant negative CAMK-II, but not pharmacological disruption. The overall results of this study have provided significant clues to the mechanism between CaMK-II and p53 in the control of cell cycle progression.

Aspects of the asymptotic behaviour of cell-growth models described by partial differential equations, and systems of partial differential equations, are considered. The models considered describe the evolution of the size-distribution or age-distribution of a population of cells undergoing growth and division. First, the relationship between the behaviour, with and without dispersion, of a single-compartment size-distribution model of cell-growth with fixed-size cell division (where cells can only divide at a single, critical size) is considered. In this model dispersion accounts for stochastic variation in the growth process of each individual cell. Existence, uniqueness and the asymptotic stability of the solution is shown for a size-distribution model of cell-growth with dispersion and fixed-size cell division. The conditions for the analysis to hold for a more general class of division behaviours are also discussed. A class of nonlocal ordinary differential equations is studied, which contains as a subset the nonlocal ordinary differential equations describing the steady size-distributions of a single-compartment model of cell-growth. Existence of solutions to these equations is found to be implied by the existence of 'upper' and 'lower' solutions, which also provide bounds for the solution. A multi-compartment, age-distribution model of cell-growth is studied, which describes the evolution of the age-distribution of cells in different phases of cell-growth. The stability of the model when periodic solutions exist is examined. Sufficient conditions are given for the existence of stable steady age-distributions, as well as for stable periodic solutions. Finally, a multi-compartment age-size distribution model of cell-growth is studied, which describes the evolution of the age-size distribution of cells in different phases of cell-growth. Sufficient conditions are given for the existence of steady age-size distributions. An outline of the analysis required to prove stability of the steady age-size distributions of the model is also given. The analysis is based on ideas introduced in the previous chapters.

Recent observations have demonstrated that Insulin-like Growth Factors (IGFs) are able to form complexes with the extracellular matrix protein Vitronectin (VN). These complexes of VN:IGFBP:IGF-I significantly enhance the proliferation and migration of various cell lines including skin and corneal epithelial cells, as well as primary cells derived from human skin and corneal tissue. These enhanced effects arise from co- activation of the IGF-binding type-1 IGF receptor (IGF-1R) as well as activation of the VN-binding αv-integrins. Further studies suggest that these complexes can replace the requirement for serum in the ex vivo expansion of cells. In order to translate the VN:IGFBP:IGF-I technology into techniques for the improved culture of cells, we have designed, expressed and purified synthetic chimeric molecules, consisting of various domains of VN and mature IGF-I, using a baculovirus based expression system. The recombinant VN:IGF-I (rVN:IGF-I) chimeras were secreted into conditioned media of transfected Sf9 insect cells. Purification of the chimeras was achieved via methods including heparin-sepharose chromatography, Q-sepharose ion-exchange chromatography and Ni2+-NTA affinity chromatography. The rVN:IGF-I chimeras were detectable by Western blot analysis using a poly-clonal anti-VN antibody. Functional characterisation studies indicate that the chimeras promote cellular growth and migration to a similar extent as the VN:IGFBP:IGF-I complexes at 10x and 30x molar ratios. Additionally, function blocking antibodies directed to the IGF-1R and the VN binding αv-integrin were able to abolish this effect indicating that co-activation of these receptors is critical to the migratory effect of the chimeras. A functional chimera may lead to the development of cell culture techniques and methodologies that are devoid of xenogeneic or allogeneic support systems, thus paving the way to approved tissue engineering therapeutics that incorporate ex vivo expanded adult stem and progenitor cells.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. Online version available on the World Wide Web.

The present work concerns the regulation of B cell activation, growth and terminal differentiation of helper T cells. T cell dependent (TD) B cell activation requires physical cell to cell contact between competent helper T cells (TH) and B cells and the recognition of MHC Class II antigens. The involvement of immunoglobulin receptors in TD B cell induction and maturation of B cells to plasma cells, however, are still unclear. Long term helper T cell lines and clones were raised against naturally expressed minor transplantation antigens. Using such antigen specific TH lines and clones, the mechanisms controlling growth and maturation of B cells to plasma cells were studied. Specific TH cells against both H-Y and C3H/Tif "minor" antigens were able to polyclonally induce small, resting B lymphocytes to proliteration and high rate antibody secretion. This observation definitively excludes an obligatory role of membrane immunoglobulin molecules in TD B cell triggering. In contrast to other similarly derived TH clones, a variant clone, was isolated which was fully competent to activate B cells to proliferation but did not induce PFC in T cell depleted "target" spleen cells. This defect could, however, be fully reconstituted by cell culture supernatants derived from competent TH clones (but not from the variant clone). These results indicated the presence of two distinct factors in such supernatants, controlling either growth or maturation in TD B cell responses, and lead to further efforts in their characterization. A B cell growth factor (BSF-pI) derived from such supernatants, with a Mr of 15-20 kD, displayed no mitogenicity on small, resting B lymphocytes and failed to induce PFC in prol iterating B cells. On the other hand, two distinct species of B cell maturation factors (BMA) were separated from the supernatants with Mr of 60 kD and 30 kD, respectively. These factors induced PFC of several antibody isotypes in assays were only maturation activity was limiting, but only the 60 kD species induced Ig-secretion, in pure populations of lymphoma cells (WEHI-279.1). Finally, neonatal B cells were shown to be inducible to growth but not to immunoglobulin secretion by competent TH cells, in the absence of suppressive effects in the neonatal spleen cell population. These results suggest that "early" B lymphocytes are intrinsically defective in the reception or processing of maturation signals. / <p>Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 1984, härtill 5 uppsatser</p> / digitalisering@umu

Le développement du fruit de tomate s’accompagne d’un phénomène d’endopolyploïdisation(amplification de l’ADN en l'absence de mitose) associé à la croissance cellulaire. Au stade vert mature huit niveaux de ploïdie sont présents (2C à 256C) dans le péricarpe.Une première partie du travail a porté sur l’étude de la distribution spatiale des niveaux de ploïdie dans ce tissu. Cet objectif a nécessité la mise au point d’une méthode originale de détermination de la ploïdie in situ reposant sur la technique de BAC-FISH. Nous avons montré que les cellules les plus polyploïdes se situent dans les assises internes du péricarpe, et qu’elles sont aussi les plus grandes. Ces cellules semblent déjà formées au moment de l’anthèse. Cette cartographie de la ploïdie associée à une analyse de la taille cellulaire a également montré que la taille finale des cellules ne dépend pas uniquement de leur niveau de ploïdie mais également de leur position dans le péricarpe. Enfin, nos résultats suggèrent que l’endopolyploïdisation précède la croissance cellulaire.Dans une deuxième partie du travail, nous avons étudié la structure des noyaux en microscopie à fluorescence et électronique. L’endopolyploïdisation affecte profondément la taille et la forme des noyaux, qui acquièrent un volume important et une forme complexe avec de profondes invaginations. La taille du nucléole augmente avec celle du noyau, ce qui suggère une activité de transcription accrue. De plus, la présence de nombreuses mitochondries à proximité des noyaux polyploïdes suggère une forte activité métabolique en lien avec l’endopolyploïdisation. L’utilisation de la méthode BAC-FISH a permis également de montrer que la polyploïdie se faisait par endoreduplication avec la formation de chromosomes polytènes.Dans une troisième partie nous avons cherché, en criblant une banque de mutants Micro-Tom, à identifier des lignées affectées dans l’endoreduplication afin d’étudier l’impact de ce phénomène sur la vitesse de croissance du fruit. Nous avons caractérisé plusieurs familles dont les niveaux moyens de ploïdie variaient par rapport à la lignée de référence. Une de ces familles présente un phénotype stable au cours de deux générations, avec une augmentation d’au moins 30 % de la ploïdie moyenne et une augmentation de la taille des cellules du péricarpe. Cependant cette famille présentant aussi un développement relativement parthénocarpique de ses fruits, sa caractérisation n’a pas pu être poursuivie dans le cadre de ce travail. / Tomato fruit development includes massive endopolyploidisation events (DNA duplication inthe absence of mitoses) within pericarp cells, in which 8 DNA levels from 2 C to 256 C are detected atmature green stage.The first part of this work dealt with the study of the spatial distribution of ploidy levels inpericarp. To achieve this purpose, a new method for in situ ploidy assessment was set up using aBAC-FISH protocol. The main results are 1/ the most polyploid cells are located in central mesocarpcell layers; 2/ the most polyploid cells are also the largest cells; 3/ these cells are likely to be alreadypresent in ovary at anthesis. Ploidy mapping has also shown that the final cell size does not dependonly on ploidy level but also on cell location in pericarp, and that endopolyploidization is likely set up intissues before cell expansion.The structure of the polyploid nucleus was studied by using fluorescence microscopy andelectron microscopy. Endopolyploidization profoundly modifies the size and shape of nuclei, whichbecome much larger and acquire a complex shape with deep invaginations. Nucleolus size increases,which is likely related to transcriptional increase. Moreover, the presence of numerous mitochondria inthe close vicinity of the nuclear membrane reinforces the hypothesis of increased nuclear andmetabolic activity in polyploid cells. The BAC-FISH in situ method for ploidy assessment also revealedthat endopolyploidization proceeded through polyteny.In the last part of this work, we screened a tomato Micro-Tom tilling bank for mutants affectedin endopolyploidization. The aim was to use tomato lines with distinct ploidy levels to check theinfluence of ploidy on fruit growth rate. Several mutant families were identified with moderatelyincreased ploidy levels. One of these families exhibited transmissible phenotype through 2generations, with ploidy increased by ca. 30 % and increased pericarp cell size. As these mutants hadalso a strongly pronounced parthenocarpic phenotype, their characterization could not be furtheradvanced in the frame of this work.

In the present study, we have examined the expression of protease-activated receptors (PARS) and characterized their signaling pathways in rabbit gastric muscle cells. Immunoblot analysis revealed expression of PARl and PAR2 but not PAR3 or PAR4 in smooth muscle. The PARl agonist TFLLR activated Gq, G12, and Gi3, but not Gil, Gi2, G13, Gs or Gz, whereas the PAR2 agonist SLIGRL activated Gq, G13, Gil, and Gi2, but not Gi3, G12, Gs, or Gz. Both PARl and PAR2 agonists stimulated PI hydrolysis and Rho kinase activity and inhibited cAMP formation. PAR1-stimulated PI hydrolysis was abolished in cells expressing Gαq minigene, but was not affected in cells expressing Gαi minigene or in cells treated with pertussis toxin (PTx). PAR2-stimulated PI hydrolysis was partially inhibited in cells expressing Gαq or Gαi minigene and in cells treated with PTx. PAR1- and PAR2-stimulated Rho kinase activity was abolished in cells expressing Gα12 or Gα13 minigene, respectively. Both PARl and PAR2 agonists induced a transient initial contraction that was selectively blocked by the inhibition of PI hydrolysis with U73122 and MLC kinase activity with ML-9. PAR1-induced sustained contraction was preferentially inhibited by the PKC inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide and to a minor extent by the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632, whereas PAR2-induced sustained contraction was preferentially inhibited by Y27632. Activation of both PARl and PAR2 induced MLC20 phosphorylation, whereas phosphorylation of MYPTl and CPI-17 are receptor-specific: only PARl induced CPI-17 phosphorylation and only PAR2 induced MYPTl phosphorylation.Activation of PARl and PAR2 also induced IκBα degradation and NF-κB activation; the effects were abolished by the blockade of RhoA activity by Clostridium botulinum C3 exoenzyme suggesting NF-κB is downstream of RhoA. PAR1- and PAR2-stimulated Rho kinase activity was significantly augmented by the inhibitors of PKA (PKI), IKK2 (IKKIV), or NF-κB (MG132), and in cells expressing dominant negative mutants of IKK (IKK(K44A), IκBα (IκBα (S32A/S36A)), or phosphorylation-deficient RhoA (RhoA(S188A)). In addition, activation of PARl induced Gα12 phosphorylation, which was abolished by bisindolylmaleimide, suggests that phosphorylation was mediated by PKC derived from the activation of RhoA. Only PAR1-stimulated Rho kinase activity was significantly augmented by the PKC inhibitor. The effect of PKC inhibitor was additive to that of the PKA inhibitor.

A fototerapia com laser em baixa intensidade tem sido utilizada na odontologia em várias patologias bucais para o controle de dor e cicatrização. O objetivo do estudo foi comparar o efeito da fototerapia no crescimento de fibroblastos de polpa dentária humana usando irradiações com energia total aplicada de uma vez ou fracionada. Após a determinação da metodologia, a linhagem celular FP5 (1 x 103 células por poço) cresceu em placas de cultivo de 96 poços (1 para cada grupo experimental) em déficit nutricional (meio suplementado com 5 % de SFB). A irradiação laser foi realizada com laser de diodo InGaAlP (comprimento de onda 685 nm, 40mW, área do feixe 0,0028cm2) usando a técnica pontual, no modo contínuo e em contato. As energias totais foram aplicadas em irradiações únicas de 0,12 J (G1), 0,24J (G2), 0,36 J (G3). Essas energias totais foram fracionadas em múltiplas irradiações de 0,12 feitas com intervalos de 6 horas: duas para G4 e três para G5. Grupos não irradiados de células cultivadas em déficit nutricional (5 % SFB, G6) e em condições nutricionais regulares (10 % SFB, G7) foram usadas como controles negativo e positivo respectivamente. O número de células foi indiretamente obtido pela mensuração da atividade celular mitocondrial 24 horas após a primeira irradiação. Os dados em quadruplicata foram comparados pelo teste ANOVA complementado pelo teste de Tukey (p <= 0,05). Houve diferença significante entre os grupos. O controle positivo (G7) apresentou número de células significantemente maior quando comparado ao controle negativo (G6). Esse número foi similar aos dos grupos submetidos a irradiações múltiplas (G4 e G5). Os grupos irradiados uma única vez (G1 a G3) apresentaram número de células significantemente menores que aqueles do controle positivo e dos grupos com múltiplas irradiações. Com base na metodologia empregada concluiu-se que o fracionamento das energias de irradiação potencializa o efeito bioestimulador da fototerapia com laser em baixa intensidade no crescimento de fibroblastos de polpa dentária humana. / Phototherapy with low intensity lasers has been used in dentistry in several oral pathologies for pain and healing control. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of phototherapy on human dental pulp fibroblasts growth using irradiations with whole energy delivered at once or fractioned. After the determination of the methodology, the FP5 cell line (1x 103 cells per well) was grown in 96 wells-microtritation plates (one for each experimental group) in nutritional deficit (medium supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum-fbs). Laser irradiation was carried out with an InGaAlP diode laser (?-685nm, 40 mW, spot size 0.028 cm2) using the punctual technique, at continuous mode and in contact. The whole energies were delivered in single irradiations of 0.12J (G1), 0.24J (G2), 0.36J (G3). These whole energies were fractioned in multiple irradiations of 0.12J done with 6h-intervals: two for G4 and three for G5. Non-irradiated groups of cell cultured in nutritional deficit (5% fbs; G6) and in nutritional regular condition (10 % fbs; G7) were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. The number of cells was indirectly assessed by measuring the cell mitochondrial activity 24 hours after the first irradiation. The data from four replicates were compared by the ANOVA complemented by the Tukey\'s test (p <= 0.05). There were significant differences amongst the groups. The positive control (G7) presented significantly higher number of cells when compared to the negative control (G6). This number was similar to those of multiple irradiation groups (G4 and G5). The single irradiated groups (G1 to G3) presented cell numbers significantly smaller than those of positive control and multiple irradiated groups. Under the conditions of this study it was concluded that multiple irradiations of fractioned energies improve the biostimulatory effect of the phototherapy with low intensity laser on the growth of dental pulp fibroblasts.

Tanto hormônios glicocorticóides (GCs) como o gene supressor de tumor TP53, medeiam a resposta celular a uma diversidade de condições fisiológicas de estresse, sendo reguladores fundamentais do processo de vida/morte de diversos tipos celulares. A interação funcional entre estes fatores vem sendo explorada, recentemente, revelando que GCs exercem um efeito dual sobre p53. O modelo celular ST1/P7 de glioma de rato é particularmente interessante para investigar o papel de p53 na ação de GCs, já que estas linhagens apresentam respostas distintas a GCs. O tratamento com Hidrocortisona (Hy) leva as células ST1 a uma complexa reversão fenotípica tumoral&#8594;normal, enquanto as células P7 são altamente resistentes ao tratamento. Foi possível observar que a ativação de p53 por Hy ocorre apenas em células ST1, mas não em P7. Esta ativação é mediada pela indução de fosforilação da Ser15 de p53 e seu acúmulo nuclear, o que resulta no aumento de sua ligação a elementos responsivos a p53 no DNA e na sua capacidade de transativação de p53, levando a um aumento da expressão de alguns de seus genes-alvo. Contudo, o bloqueio de p53 através de siRNA não foi suficiente para alterar a resposta de células ST1 a GCs, indicando que a regulação positiva de p53 por GCs pode ser um evento secundário, mas não essencial, para a resposta anti-tumoral exercida por estes hormônios em células ST1. / Both glucocorticoid hormones (GCs) and the TP53 tumor suppressor gene mediate cellular responses to a diversity of physiological stress conditions, acting as crucial regulators of the life/death process in a wide variety of cell types. The ST1/P7 rat glioma model cell system is particularly interesting to investigate the role of p53 in the action of GCs, since these cell lines display opposite responses to GCs. Treatment with Hydrocortisone (Hy) leads ST1 cells to a complete tumoral&#8594;normal phenotypic reversion, while P7 cells are highly resistant to this treatment. It was possible to observe that activation of p53 by Hy occurs only in ST1 cells, but not in GC-resistant P7 cells. This activation is mediated by induction of phosphorylation of the Ser15 residue of p53 and its accumulation in the nucleus, resulting in increased binding of p53 to its responsive elements on the DNA and in activation of its transactivating potential, leading to increased expression of some of its target genes. However, blocking of p53 through siRNA was not sufficient to alter ST1 cells response to GCs, indicating that the positive regulation of p53 by GCs may be a secondary, non-essential, event for the anti-tumor response exerted by these hormones in ST1 cells.

Immobilization is an effective method to increase ethanol production, as proven by previous research. Results almost exclusively demonstrate an increase in ethanol production by and decrease in reproduction rate of immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. Recently, research has been conducted to determine the cause of this change. The extreme variance in results due to lack of technology makes it difficult to determine the cellular changes induced by immobilization. With the advent of new technology, specifically gene expression analysis, the RNA content of cells can be easily and rapidly analyzed. S. cerevisiae cells were immobilized in 3% (w/v) calcium alginate beads and grown inside of a packed bed reactor for comparison to planktonic cells growing in batch and chemostat cultures. Temperature inside of the reactor was maintained at 33 C with a pH of 5.5. Cell concentration inside of the beads was monitored periodically in order to create growth curves. Bud scar numbers of immobilized cells were also counted and compared to suspended cells. Scanning electron microscopy images of the alginate beads were taken to determine cell growth inside of the beads. Affymetrix Yeast 2.0 gene chips were used, and the data retrieved was analyzed with GeneSpring software using the Bioconductor packages. Results indicated changes in expression of 3,559 genes with significant difference among treatments by a factor of 2-fold or greater. One-way ANOVA of the filtered data yielded 380 highly significantly different genes between immobilized and suspended cells. Many of the genes pertaining to glycolysis exhibited increased expression levels. Several genes necessary for reproduction were expressed at lower levels in the immobilized cells than in their planktonic counterparts. Many different gene ontologies are discussed, and the expressed genes are mapped onto biochemical pathways.