Dans l’industrie agro-alimentaire, l’adhésion de micro-organismes altérants ou pathogènes sur les surfaces induit des effets néfastes à la fois en termes de qualité, d’hygiène et de santé publique. Les vêtements professionnels constituent un des vecteurs de contamination par le personnel. Ce travail de thèse concerne l’évaluation de l’activité antimicrobienne de textiles antimicrobiens développés pour le secteur hospitalier et le secteur agro-alimentaire et rentre dans le cadre du projet collaboratif Actiprotex. Trois méthodologies ont été employées pour le dépôt d’agents antimicrobiens sur les textiles : méthodologie plasma (PVD/PECVD) ou sol-gel pour le dépôt d’argent, foulardage avec une solution contenant du laurylsulfate et du Poly Hexaméthylène Biguanide (PHMB) pour provoquer une co-précipitation du PHMB. Les activités antimicrobiennes de chaque textile ont été évaluées après 24 h de contact (suivant la norme ISO 20743-2005). Les quantités d’agent antimicrobien à la surface des textiles ont été évaluées par 2 techniques d’analyses de surface : la spectroscopie photoélectronique par rayons X (XPS) et la spectrométrie de masse d’ions secondaires (ToF-SIMS). Les textiles traités par plasma à l’argent se sont avérés être efficaces vis-à-vis de Listeria innocua LRGIA 01. Pour le traitement sol-gel, les textiles testés étaient également très actifs vis-à-vis de L. innocua LRGIA 01 et d’Escherichia coli XL1 blue. Cependant, E. coli XL1 blue est apparue plus sensible à l’argent que L. innocua LRGIA 01. Les textiles traités au PHMB se sont également avérés être très actifs vis-à-vis de L. innocua LRGIA 01 et de Staphylococcus aureus méthi-R nosoco 3011 cependant des cellules viables mais non cultivables (VNC) ont également été mises en évidence après contact de ces 2 souches avec le textile traité au PHMB. Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15742 s’est quant à elle avérée être plus résistante que ces 2 souches. La tenue aux lavages industriels ou ménagers des dépôts plasma d’argent et de PHMB par foulardage a également été évaluée. Les dépôts plasma d’argent résistent mal au lavage alors que le dépôt PHMB par foulardage s’est avéré résister à 10 lavages industriels. Pour mieux comprendre le mécanisme d’action du PHMB vis-à-vis de L. innocua LRGIA 01 en milieu liquide, trois approches ont été mises en oeuvre : la microscopie à épifluorescence en présence de marqueurs fluorescents pour évaluer l’état de la membrane des cellules, la spectrofluorimétrie en présence de sondes fluorescentes (DPH et TMA-DPH) pour évaluer la fluidité de la membrane des cellules et enfin la spectroscopie infrarouge à transformée de Fourier (IRTF) pour évaluer les changements de conformation de la membrane. Les résultats obtenus par ces 3 méthodes permettent de proposer un mode d’action du PHMB de type « carpet », c’est à dire une fixation de l’agent antimicrobien en surface puis une désorganisation de la membrane conduisant à des changements de sa conformation puis à la formation de pores et à la mort cellulaire / Adhesion of pathogenic or spoilage microorganisms on the surfaces present in food industry can lead to contaminations of foods. Besides the economical impact for this industrial sector, these contaminations might alleviate food quality and hygiene and affect public health. Professional clothes constitute one of the vectors of contamination by the staff of food-processing industry. This work is a part of a collaborative project (Actiprotex) and concerns the evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of antimicrobial textiles developed for the hospital sector and the food-processing industry. Three methodologies were employed to obtain deposits of antimicrobial agents on textiles surfaces: plasma (PVD / PECVD) or sol-gel methodologies for the silver deposit and spin coating with a solution containing laurylsulfate and PolyHexamethylene Biguanide (PHMB). The antimicrobial activities of functionalized textiles were estimated after 24 hours of contact (according to the standard ISO 20743- 2005). The quantities of antimicrobial agent at the extreme surface of the textiles were estimated by two techniques of analyses of surface: the photoelectronic spectroscopy by X-rays (XPS) and the mass spectrometry of secondary ions (ToF-SIMS). Textiles functionalized by plasma methodology with silver were effective against Listeria innocua LRGIA 01. For the textiles functionalized by sol-gel methodology, the tested textiles were also very active towards L. innocua LRGIA 01 and Escherichia coli XL1 blue. However, E. coli XL1 blue seemed to be more sensitive to the silver on textiles than the L. innocua LRGIA 01 strain. Textiles treated with the PHMB also turned out to be very active towards L. innocua LRGIA 01 and Staphylococcus aureus methi-R nosoco 3011, however viable but not cultivable cell (VNC) were also revealed after contact of these 2 strains with the PHMB treated textile. Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15742 was more resistant to PHMB than these 2 strains. The washing resistance of silver- or PHMB-deposits was also estimated. Most of the silver deposit following plasma treatment was washed out while the PHMB deposit turned out to resist to 10 industrial washes. To understand the mechanism of action of the PHMB against L. innocua LRGIA 01, three approaches were considered: the epifluorescence microscopy in the presence of fluorescent dyes to estimate the state of the membrane cells, spectrofluorimetry in the presence of fluorescent probes (DPH and TMA-DPH) to estimate the membrane fluidity of cells and finally the infrared transformed Fourier spectroscopy (IRTF) to estimate the changes of conformation of the membrane

The cyto-protective compositions and effects of antiviral Maillard reaction products (MRPs) derived from roots of Isatis indigotica F. were examined using biochemical and biophysical methods. The Maillard reaction was identified as the main source of compounds with antiviral activity, an observation which has led to the proposal of a new class of active compounds that protect cells from influenza virus infection. In the roots, arginine and glucose were revealed to be the predominant reactants for the Maillard reaction. Significant anti-influenza virus effects were demonstrated in the RIE MRPs derived from the roots (RIE refers to the ‘radix Isatidis extracts’), and in Arg-Glc MRPs which are synthesised with arginine and glucose. Arg-Glc MRPs were confirmed as suitable models for the study of the antiviral effects of the root extracts. Furthermore, RIE MRPs and Arg-Glc MRPs were found to bind to the plasma membranes of erythrocytes and MDCK cells, and altered their properties. A novel antiviral mechanism was proposed: that MRPs achieve their cyto-protective effects by binding to the cell membrane rather than by direct action on viral particles. To validate the proposed mechanism, the interaction between MRPs and membrane lipids was investigated by biophysical experiments with phospholipids bilayers. Arg-Glc MRPs affected the rigidity of lipid packing in monolayers and bilayers, while RIE MRPs enhanced the fluidity. Both types of MRPs inserted into the hydrophobic core of bilayers, to differing extents, and induced the stabilisation or destabilisation of bilayers in a concentrationdependent manner. At certain concentrations, MRPs prevented the lamellar structure of bilayers from being destabilised by a viral fusion peptide, improved the lipid order and thereby inhibited cell-virus membrane fusion. The mechanism of the anti-influenza virus activity of RIE was therefore correlated to the interaction between MRPs and phospholipid bilayers, an integral component of the plasma membrane.

O quelóide é um processo cicatricial, com freqüência aumentada em regiões com maior tensão na pele ou onde a pele é mais espessa, caracterizado por exceder-se além dos limites da lesão que o originou e pela tendência à recidiva após sua ressecção. Ambos os sexos são acometidos, com maior incidência entre a primeira e a terceira década de vida e em indivíduos de etnia negra. A relação familial é sugerida como herança autossômica dominante. O quelóide apresenta características moleculares distintas da pele normal envolvendo uma variedade de sinalizações ainda pouco compreendidas e um aumento da expressão de componentes da matriz extracelular, como o colágeno, os glicosaminoglicanos e os proteoglicanos. Este estudo analisou a expressão gênica dos proteoglicanos de superfície celular sindecam-2 e sindecam-4 e dos de matriz extracelular decorim e versicam no tecido derivado de quelóide de indivíduos não tratados em comparação com a pele clinicamente normal. Participaram desse estudo 10 indivíduos portadores de quelóides (grupo Q) e 10 indivíduos não portadores dessa cicatriz (grupo N). A expressão gênica dos proteoglicanos foi amplificada pela reação em cadeia da polimerase por transcrição reversa e analisada através de eletroforese em gel de agarose. Foi realizada a localização dos proteoglicanos nos tecidos através de reação imunohistoquímica com anticorpos para os sindecans-2 e 4. Os grupos foram comparados pelo teste t de Student. Os proteoglicanos de superfície celular mostraram-se aumentados no grupo Q (93% para o sindecam-2 e 152,5% para o sindecam-4) em comparação com o grupo N (P<0,01). Não foram observadas diferenças significativas para os proteoglicanos de matriz extracelular entre os dois grupos. A análise imunohistoquímica mostrou uma distribuição marcante dos sindecans-2 e 4 no componente epitelial, conectivo, vascular e nervoso de toda a casuística. Concluímos que o quelóide apresenta aumento significativo da expressão gênica de sindecam- 2 e sindecam-4, mas não apresenta aumento significativo da expressão gênica de decorim e versicam, em relação à pele normal. / Keloid is a cicatricial process, with frequency increased in regions with bigger tension in the skin or where the skin is thicker, characterized for exceeding beyond the limits of the injury that originated it and for the tendency to relapse after its ressection. Its occurs in both genders, with bigger incidence between the first and the third decade of life and in individuals of black ethnia. The familial relation is consistent with an autosomal dominant inheritance. The keloid presents distinct molecular characteristics of the normal skin involving a variety of still little understood signallings and an increase of the expression of components of the extracellular matrix, as the collagen, the glicosaminoglycans and the proteoglycans. This study analyzed the gene expression of the proteoglycans of cell surface syndecan-2 and syndecan-4 and the ones of extracellular matrix decorin and versican in the keloid tissue from not treated individuals in comparison with the normal skin. Tissue samples was obtained from 10 individuals with keloid (Q group) and 10 individuals with normal skin (N group). The gene expression of the proteoglycans was amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and analyzed through agarose gel electrophoresis. The localization of the proteoglycans in the tissues was performed through immunohistochemical reaction using panels of antibodies for syndecans-2 and 4. The groups was compared by the Student?s t test. The proteoglycans of cell surface revealed increased in Q group (93% for sydecan-2 and 152,5% for syndecan-4) in comparison with N group (P<0,01). Significant differences for the proteoglycans of extracellular matrix between the two groups was not observed. The immunohistochemical analysis showed a major distribution of syndecans-2 and 4 in epithelial, connective, vascular and neural components in both groups. We conclude that keloid reveal significant increase of the gene expression of syndecan-2 and syndecan-4, but does not present significant increase of the gene expression of decorin and versican, in relation to the normal skin.

INTRODUÇÃO: As malformações do desenvolvimento cortical (MDC) resultam de distúrbios no dinâmico processo de corticogênese cerebral e são importante causa de epilepsia grave, atraso do desenvolvimento, déficits motores e cognitivos. O papel do metabolismo na epilepsia humana tem sido extensamente debatido, e há inúmeras evidências que apontam para disfunções bioenergéticas como fatores-chave na ictogênese. Distúrbios metabólicos foram identificados nas malformações corticais com outras modalidades de neuroimagem, tais como a espectroscopia de prótons por ressonância magnética. Para o nosso conhecimento, entretanto, o metabolismo de fósforo em pacientes com epilepsia secundária a MDC não foi extensamente investigado até o momento. OBJETIVOS: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o metabolismo de fosfolipídios in vivo em uma série de pacientes com epilepsia e MDC. MÉTODO: Trinta e sete pacientes com MDC e 31 voluntários foram estudados usando espectroscopia de fósforo por ressonância magnética (31P-ERM) tridimensional em aparelho de 3,0 Tesla. Os voxels nas lesões foram comparados ao córtex frontoparietal dos controles (volumes efetivos de 12,5 cm3). O parênquima aparentemente normal foi avaliado em voxels homólogos de pacientes e controles, abrangendo cinco regiões cerebrais: regiões nucleocapsulares direita e esquerda, córtex frontoparietal parassagital, e centros semiovais direito e esquerdo. Foram utilizados métodos de quantificação para ajustar os dados no domínio do tempo para as seguintes ressonâncias: fosfoetanolamina (PE), fosfocolina (PC), glicerofosfoetanolamina (GPE), glicerofosfocolina (GPC), fosfato inorgânico (Pi), fosfocreatina (PCr), e a-, b- e g-adenosina trifosfato (ATP). Também foram calculados o ATP total (ATPt=a-+b-+g-ATP), fosfodiésteres (PDE=GPC+GPE), fosfomonoésteres (PME=PE+PC), e as razões PME/PDE, PCr/ATPt, e PCr/Pi. O magnésio (Mg2+) e os níveis de pH foram calculados com base nos desvios químicos da PCr, Pi, e -ATP. RESULTADOS: Comparativamente aos controles, e assumindo um valor de p < 0,05 estatisticamente significativo, as lesões apresentaram redução dos valores de pH e aumento de Mg2+. Também foram encontrados redução significativa de GPC e PDE, e aumento da relação PME/PDE nas MDC. O parênquima aparentemente normal também demonstrou redução dos valores de pH no córtex frontoparietal e no centro semioval bilateral. As diferenças nos valores de pH, tanto nas lesões como no parênquima aparentemente normal, permaneceram estatisticamente significativas nos subgrupos individuais de MDC (displasia cortical ou hemimegalencefalia; heterotopia; polimicrogiria e/ou esquizencefalia). Não houve correlação entre o tempo da última convulsão e as alterações do pH. CONCLUSÕES: O Mg2+ e o pH são parâmetros muito importantes na regulação bioenergética e estão envolvidos em múltiplas vias da atividade elétrica cerebral. Nossos dados corroboram a ideia de que distúrbios metabólicos ocorrem nas lesões focais de MDC, com propagação para áreas remotas aparentemente normais. As anormalidades de GPC, PDE, e da razão PME/PDE sugerem que há deficiências na renovação das membranas celulares nas lesões dos pacientes com epilepsia e MDC. / INTRODUCTION: Malformations of cortical development (MCD) result from disruptions in the dynamic process of cerebral corticogenesis and are important causes of severe epilepsy, neurodevelopmental delay, motor deficits and cognitive impairment. Metabolism in human epilepsy has been intensely debated, and there are several evidences pointing to brain bioenergetic disturbances as key factors in ictogenesis. Metabolic impairments in cortical malformations have been identified with other neuroimaging tools, such as proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. To our knowledge, however, phosphorus metabolism in epilepsy caused by MCD has not been thoroughly investigated hitherto. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate phospholipids metabolism in vivo in a series of patients with epilepsy and MCD. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with MCD and 31 control subjects were studied using three-dimensional phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS) at a 3.0 T scanner. The voxels in the lesions were compared to the frontoparietal cortex of the control subjects (the effective volumes were 12.5 cm3). Normal appearing parenchyma was evaluated in homologous voxels of patients and controls encompassing five cerebral regions: right and left nucleocapsular regions, midline frontoparietal cortex and right and left semioval centers. Quantification methods were applied to fit the time-domain data to the following resonances: phosphoethanolamine (PE), phosphocholine (PC), glycerophosphoethanolamine (GPE), glycerophosphocholine (GPC), inorganic phosphate (Pi), phosphocreatine (PCr), and a-, b-, and g-adenosine triphosphate (ATP). We also estimated the total ATP (ATPt=a-+b-+g-ATP), phosphodiesters (PDE=GPC+ GPE), phosphomonoesters (PME=PE+PC), and the PME/PDE, PCr/ATPt, and PCr/Pi ratios. The magnesium (Mg2+) levels and pH were calculated based on PCr, Pi, and -ATP chemical shifts. RESULTS: Compared to controls and assuming that a p-value < 0.05 indicates significance, the MCD lesions exhibited lower pH values and higher Mg2+ levels. The lesions also presented significant reduction of GPC and PDE, and an increased PME/PDE ratio. The otherwise normal appearing parenchyma also demonstrated lower pH values in the frontoparietal cortex and bilateral centrum semiovale. The differences in pH values, both in the lesions and in the normal appearing parenchyma, remained statistically significant in individual subgroups of MCD (hemimegalencephaly or cortical dysplasia; heterotopia; polymicrogyria and/or schizencephaly). There was no correlation between the time of the last seizure and the pH abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: Mg2+ and pH are very important in the regulation of bioenergetics and are involved in many electrical activity pathways in the brain. Our data support the idea that metabolic impairments occur in the lesions of MCD, with propagation to remote normal appearing parenchyma. The GPC, PDE, and PME/PDE abnormalities suggest that there are membrane turnover disturbances in MCD lesions.

Seto Tai Chi. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-138). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Thesis Committee --- p.ii / Statement --- p.iii / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Abstract (in English) --- p.v / Abstract (in Chinese) --- p.vii / Table of Contents --- p.ix / List of Tables --- p.xvi / List of Figures --- p.xv / Chapter Chapter 1 --- General Introduction and Literature Review --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Tobacco seed as bioreactor --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Advantages of using tobacco seed to produce bioactive human lysosomal enzyme --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Disadvantages and potential problems of using tobacco seed to produce bioactive human lysosomal enzyme --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.2.1 --- Difference of asparagine-linked N-glycosylation between plant and human protein --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.2.2 --- Immunogenicity of recombinant protein with plant-derived N-glycan to human --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.2.3 --- "Strategy to ""humanize"" plant-derived recombinant human lysosomal enzyme" --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.2.4 --- Lack of specific glycan structure一mannose-6-phosphate (M6P) tag addition --- p.11 / Chapter 1.2.2.5 --- Strategy for M6P tag addition on plant-derived human lysosomal enzyme --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3 --- The plant secretory pathway --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Plant vacuole in tobacco seed --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Soluble protein trafficking in plant cell --- p.17 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Integral membrane protein trafficking in plant cell --- p.17 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- Components involved in integral membrane protein trafficking to PSV crystalloid --- p.19 / Chapter 1.3.4.1 --- BP-80 (80-kDa binding protein) --- p.19 / Chapter 1.3.4.2 --- α-TIP (α-tonoplast intrinsic protein) --- p.20 / Chapter 1.3.5 --- Using specific integral membrane protein trafficking system to target recombinant human lysosomal enzyme to tobacco seed PSV --- p.21 / Chapter 1.4 --- Homo sapiens α-L-iduronidase (hIDUA) --- p.21 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Global situation of lysosomal storage disease一hIDUA deficiency --- p.21 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Physiological role --- p.22 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Molecular property --- p.24 / Chapter 1.4.3.1 --- Mutation and polymorphism --- p.24 / Chapter 1.4.4 --- Lysosomal secretory pathway --- p.24 / Chapter 1.4.5 --- Biochemical property --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4.6 --- Clinical application --- p.27 / Chapter 1.4.6.1 --- Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) --- p.27 / Chapter 1.4.6.2 --- Clinical trial --- p.28 / Chapter 1.4.6.3 --- Economic value --- p.29 / Chapter 1.4.7 --- Expression system --- p.29 / Chapter 1.4.7.1 --- Production (overexpression) of rhIDUA in CHO cell system --- p.30 / Chapter 1.4.7.2 --- Production of rhIDUA in tobacco plant leaf --- p.30 / Chapter 1.5 --- Project objective and long-term significance --- p.30 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Project objective --- p.30 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Long-term significance --- p.31 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Generation and Characterization of Anti-IDUA Antibodies --- p.32 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.33 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials --- p.33 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Chemical --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3 --- Methods --- p.35 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Generation of polyclonal anti-IDUA antibody --- p.35 / Chapter 2.3.1.1 --- Design of synthetic peptide --- p.35 / Chapter 2.3.1.2 --- Conjugation of synthetic peptide to carrier protein --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.1.3 --- Immunization of rabbit --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Characterization of polyclonal anti-IDUA antibody in rabbit serum --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.2.1 --- Dot-blot analysis --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Purification of polyclonal anti-IDUA antibody --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.3.1 --- Construction of anti-IDUA antibody affinity column --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.3.2 --- Affinity-purification of anti-IDUA antibody --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Western blot detection of denatured rhIDUA --- p.42 / Chapter 2.4 --- Results --- p.43 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Characterization of polyclonal anti-IDUA antibody --- p.43 / Chapter 2.5 --- Discussion --- p.51 / Chapter 2.6 --- Conclusion --- p.51 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Generation and Characterization of Transgenic Tobacco Plants Expressing rhIDUA Fusions --- p.52 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.53 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Signal peptide of hIDUA (hIDUA SP) --- p.54 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Signal peptide of proaleurain (Pro. SP) --- p.54 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Hypothesis to be tested in this study --- p.54 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Chemical --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Primers --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Bacterial strain --- p.58 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- The insert-Homo sapiens α-L-iduronidase (hIDUA) cDNA used in this study --- p.58 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- The vector-pLJ526 used in this study --- p.59 / Chapter 3.3 --- Methods --- p.61 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Construction of chimeric gene construct --- p.61 / Chapter 3.3.1.1 --- Restriction endonuclease´ؤPfIMIl --- p.61 / Chapter 3.3.1.2 --- Recombinant DNA and molecular cloning techniques used in this study --- p.61 / Chapter 3.3.1.3 --- Cloning of pSPIDUA-FLAG --- p.62 / Chapter 3.3.1.4 --- Cloning of pSPIDUA-control --- p.62 / Chapter 3.3.1.5 --- Cloning of a universal construct (pUniversal) --- p.62 / Chapter 3.3.1.6 --- Cloning of pSP-IDUA-T7 --- p.66 / Chapter 3.3.1.7 --- Cloning of pSP-IDUA-control --- p.66 / Chapter 3.3.1.8 --- Cloning of chimeric gene construct into Agrobacterium binary vector --- p.66 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Expression of chimeric gene construct in tobacco plant --- p.73 / Chapter 3.3.2.1 --- Tobacco plant --- p.73 / Chapter 3.3.2.2 --- Electroporation of Agrobacterium --- p.73 / Chapter 3.3.2.3 --- Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of tobacco plant --- p.74 / Chapter 3.3.2.4 --- Selection and regeneration of tobacco transformant --- p.75 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Characterization of transgenic tobacco plant expressing rhIDUA fusion --- p.75 / Chapter 3.3.3.1 --- Genomic DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) --- p.75 / Chapter 3.3.3.2 --- Southern blot analysis --- p.76 / Chapter 3.3.3.3 --- Total RNA reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) --- p.77 / Chapter 3.3.3.4 --- Northern blot analysis of tobacco leaf --- p.78 / Chapter 3.3.3.5 --- Western blot analysis --- p.79 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Purification of plant-derived rhIDUA fusion --- p.81 / Chapter 3.3.4.1 --- Construction of affinity column with anti-IDUA antibody --- p.81 / Chapter 3.3.4.2 --- Affinity-purification of rhIDUA fusion from tobacco mature seed --- p.81 / Chapter 3.3.5 --- Confocal immunoflorescence study --- p.82 / Chapter 3.3.5.1 --- Preparation of paraffin section --- p.82 / Chapter 3.3.5.2 --- Single immunocytochemical labeling --- p.82 / Chapter 3.3.5.3 --- Double labeling with one monoclonal and one polyclonal antibodies --- p.83 / Chapter 3.3.5.4 --- Double labeling with two polyclonal antibodies --- p.83 / Chapter 3.3.5.5 --- Image collection --- p.84 / Chapter 3.4 --- Results --- p.85 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Chimeric gene construction and confirmation --- p.85 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Selection and regeneration of tobacco transformant with kanamycin- resistance --- p.86 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Genomic DNA PCR screening of tobacco transformant --- p.88 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Southern blot analysis of tobacco transformant --- p.91 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- Total RNA RT-PCR screening of tobacco transformant --- p.93 / Chapter 3.4.6 --- Northern blot analysis of tobacco transformant --- p.93 / Chapter 3.4.7 --- Western blot analysis --- p.96 / Chapter 3.4.7.1 --- Western blot analysis of pSP-IDUA-T7-121 transformant leaf --- p.96 / Chapter 3.4.7.2 --- Western blot analysis of pSP-IDUA-T7-121 transformant mature seed --- p.98 / Chapter 3.4.8 --- Affinity-purification of rhIDUA fusion --- p.98 / Chapter 3.4.9 --- Expression level of rhIDUA fusion --- p.102 / Chapter 3.4.10 --- Subcellular localization of rhIDUA fusion --- p.102 / Chapter 3.5 --- Discussion --- p.111 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Summary and Future Perspectives --- p.117 / References --- p.122 / Appendix 1 --- p.139 / Appendix II (List of Abbreviations) --- p.141

Red blood cells (RBC) have been shown to mediate plaque development seen in coronary artery disease (CAD). This study determined whether differences in RBC fatty acid (FA) composition were related to CAD risk. FAs were extracted from RBCs of 38 individuals who have undergone cardiac catheterization, 9 of whom had obstructive CAD, and analyzed via gas chromatography. Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay was used to determine oxidative stress. Food frequency questionnaires were used to correlate RBC omega-3 FA to daily intake of omega-3 FA. No correlation was found between RBC content and intake of omega-3 FA. FRAP values and RBC FA composition did not differ between the 2 groups with exception of the saturated FA, palmitic acid (p=0.018). These results suggest that RBC FA composition may differ between individuals with or at risk for CAD. Additional research is needed to validate this biomarker as a predictor of CAD.

Today, cancer is the world’s deadliest disease. Despite significant progress to find a cure, especially over the last decade, with immunotherapy rapidly becoming the state of the art, major open questions remain. Each successful therapy is not only limited to a few cancers but also has relatively low specificity to target cancer cells; although cancer cells can indeed be eradicated, many normal cells are sacrificed as collateral damage. To fill this gap, we have developed a class of multiferroic nanostructures known as magnetoelectric nanoparticles (MENs) that can be used to enable externally controlled high-specificity targeted delivery and release of therapeutic drugs on demand. First, the underlying physics of MENs was studied, as it relates to different externally applied sequences of a.c and d.c. magnetic fields to facilitate (i) high-specificity targeting driven by a physical force rather than antibody matching, (ii) a delivery mechanism that enhances cellular uptake (via nanoelectroporation) of therapeutic drugs across the cellular membrane of cancer cells only, and (iii) an externally controlled mechanism that releases the therapeutic drug on-demand. Secondly, the application of MENs as a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) nanoprobe was explored. The intrinsically coupled ferromagnetic and ferroelectric phases allowes the nanoparticle to be used as sensitive nanoprobe detectors of biological cells; based on the knowledge that the cellular membrane is an electrically charged medium which creates an ideal environment for MENs to distinguish between cancer and normal cells. Lastly, through in-vivo and in-vitro studies, MENs were used as drug delivery vehicle capable of crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB) and delivering recently discovered MIA690 peptide drug (via nanoelectroporation) to glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain cancer cells. Glioblastomas are tumors that arise from astrocytes in the brain; that are highly malignant and reproduces quickly due to their large network of blood vessels. In the following study, we report the binding efficacy of MIA690 to magnetoelecric nanoparticles as well as present an unprecedented targeted and on-demand release to glioblastoma cells through special sequences of a.c. and d.c. magnetic fields. The potential therapeutic and diagnostic impact of MENs for future medicine is beyond the scope of this study, as MENs can be used to treat any type of cancer.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Feb. 10, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

In response to extra-cellular cues, cells activate signal transduction pathways to elicit a biological response. Cell surface growth factor receptors such as the Met receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) activate signals that result in cellular proliferation, survival, migration, as well as epithelial morphogenesis. In order for signal transduction to occur, docking proteins are recruited to the activated RTK, become phosphorylated on tyrosine residues, which then serve as docking sites for the recruitment of other signaling proteins. Docking proteins function to diversify the signal by assembling multi-protein complexes. The Gab1 docking protein is the most tyrosine phosphorylated protein upon Met receptor activation and is required for Met mediated signaling and biology. / Gab1 belongs to a family of docking proteins including the highly related Gab2 protein. Gab1 promotes signals for epithelial morphogenesis downstream of the Met receptor, however Gab2 is unable to do so. Insertion of the Gab1 Met binding Motif (MBM) which confers direct binding to the Met receptor, as well as membrane targeting of Gab2 is sufficient to switch the capacity of Gab2 to activate the morphogenic program, cell scatter and lamellipodia formation. This is achieved via activation of sustained signaling pathways, and redistribution of the Gab protein, and associated molecules to sites of lamellipodia formation at the peripheral edge of the cell. / Activation of the Met RTK, promotes the formation of dorsal ruffles on the apical surface of epithelial cells. The Met receptor, Gab1 and Gab1 associated molecules Shp2, Crk, and p8S subunit of PI3K, are localized to these structures, however only the Gab1erk complex is required to drive dorsal ruffle formation. Gab1 is required for Met induced dorsal ruffles as well as downstream the PDGF and EGF RTKs. These are a signaling micro-environment which results in enhanced receptor degradation. Inhibition or enhancement of Met mediated dorsal ruffle formation correlates with receptor stability. / Dorsal ruffle formation downstream of Met requires the enzymatic activity of PI3K and PLCgamma, both enzymes that metabolize PIP2, and form complexes with Gab1 downstream of Met. PLCgamma and the PIP3 lipid product of PI3K are co-localized with Gab1 in dorsal ruffles. Gab1 engages with elements of the cytoskeleton, actin and cortactin, providing a link between growth factor signaling and remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton. Gab1 is localized to membrane protrusions of the basal surface in organoid cultures and is required for actin protrusions of the basal surface of breast cancer cells.

Malignant gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors in adults. Patients with these highly malignant tumors have an extremely poor prognosis. The situation with a highly proliferative tumor in a non-proliferating tissue should favor cytostatic treatment but so far the role of conventional chemotherapy has been adjunctive. The concentrations of three sex steroids, estradiol, progesterone and testosterone, were analyzed by radioimmunoassay after celite chromatography in brain tumor samples. Some malignant gliomas had high tissue concentrations of estradiol. Low progesterone levels may suggest steroid consumption. Estramustine (EM), a conjugate of estradiol-17ß and nornitrogen mustard had a dose-dependent antiproliferative effect on several human malignant glioma cell lines. At equimolar concentrations the inhibitory effects of the EM complex were clearly more pronounced than those of estradiol and nornitrogen mustard given alone or in combination. A specific binding protein (EMBP) is important for the cytotoxic action of EM. Using a mouse monoclonal antibody and an indirect antibodyperoxidase technique, EMBP was demonstrated in human glioma cells. Significant amounts of EMBP were also detected in human brain tumor tissue by radioimmunoassay. The mean concentrations (ng/mg protein) in 16 astrocytomas (2.6) and 7 meningiomas (5.1) were higher (p&lt;0.001) than in 18 samples of normal brain (0.5). The presence of the specific binding protein may suggest a selective binding and effect of EM in human brain tumor tissue. Human glioma cells displayed significant uptake, retention and metabolism of estramustine phosphate (EMP). After incubation with ^H-EMP a progressive uptake of radioactivity was recorded during 24 hours. Metabolism of parent EMP into estramustine and estromustine, which is a well known part of the metabolic pathway in man, was also demonstrated. A dose- dependent increase in DNA strand breaks was recorded at EMP- concentrations ranging 10-40 yg/ml. The uptake of ®^Rb, used as a tracer for potassium to study ion transport and membrane permeability, was reduced after incubation with EMP. Scanning electron microscopy gave further evidence for membrane damage. According to flow cytometric analyses exponentially growing glioma cells were accumulated in the G2/M stage and the fraction of Gi/Gq was reduced. EM seems to attack malignant cells in a multifocal fashion on several vital functions including the microtubule, the nucleus, and the cell membrane. The intact EM complex may be important for effects related to microtubule function which add to the cytotoxic potential of its constituents. These experimental findings justify further investigations on the role of sex hormones in brain tumor growth and development and of hormone-linked cytostatics in clinical treatment. / <p>Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 1990, härtill 6 uppsatser.</p> / digitalisering@umu