R5-tropic HIV-1 is predominantly transmitted during unprotected sexual contacts, rendering CCR5 antagonist as an attractive agent not only for antiretroviral therapy but also for prevention. Here, we report two 1,3,3,4-tetrasubstituted pyrrolidine embodied compounds, TD-0232 and TD-0680, as novel small molecule CCR5 antagonists and investigate their specificities, potencies and underlying mechanisms. We found that both TD-0232 and TD-0680 inhibited a diverse group of R5-tropic HIV-1 and SIV strains in both single-cycle infectivity assays and live viral PBMC assays. When compared to other CCR5 antagonists, such as TAK-779 and the only FDA-approved Maraviroc, TD-0680 displayed the highest potency with EC50 values at the subnanomolar levels (range 0.09nM-2.29nM). TD-0232 and TD-0680, but not Tenofovir, a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, completely blocked envelope-mediated cell-cell fusion and subsequent viral transmission. Critically, TD-0680 was potent at inhibiting the replication of a TAK-779/Maraviroc-resistant HIV-1 variant in PBMCs at a subnanomolar concentration. Interestingly, despite binding to a similar transmembrane pocket of CCR5, TD-0232 and TD-0680 functioned differently as revealed by site-directed mutagenesis and drug combination assays. Based on the sequence homology, we constructed a CCR5 molecule model using the crystallized CXCR4 as a template. By docking of CCR5 antagonists with CCR5, we identified a unique binding mode of TD-0680, which has not been described previously. TD-0680, with an exo-configuration, extended its interaction with the ECL-2 region of CCR5 in a protruding manner, thereby interrupting the interaction between the virus and its co-receptor more effectively. In an antibody recognition assay, we confirmed that TD-0680 had an enhanced inhibitory activity against the anti-ECL2 monoclonal antibodies binding. Furthermore, we investigated the antiviral activities of TD-0232 and TD-0680 that were formulated into a thermo-reversible acidic microbicide gel. Both drugs were stable in the acidic gels and could be released rapidly for long lasting and potent antiviral activities. Although human semen could enhance the infection of HIV-1, it did not seem to affect the potencies of the TD-0232 and TD-0680 gels. In summary, our findings suggest that TD-0232 and TD-0680 can be further developed not only as anti-HIV-1 agents for therapeutic purposes but also as potent microbicides for the prevention of sexual transmission of R5-tropic HIV-1. / published_or_final_version / Microbiology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

<p>The interactions between the brain and the immune system are extensive and each has a profound influence on the other. The hippocampus is a brain region that is strongly impacted by the immune system, especially considering its large population of microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain. Cytokines and chemokines, the signaling molecules from immune cells, signal within the central nervous system (CNS) as well, and they are critical in hippocampal function. The relationship between the immune system and the hippocampus may underlie its particular vulnerability to diseases and disorders of the nervous system and the periphery. Conversely, immune signaling within the hippocampus is affected by alterations in hippocampal resilience and flexibility, such that increased hippocampal plasticity reduces vulnerability to immune challenges. The balance between risk and resilience in the hippocampus is modulated by immune signaling, especially by microglia.</p><p> The hippocampus is vulnerable to immune challenges, disease and injury, but it is simultaneously a region capable of profound plasticity and flexibility. The following dissertation experiments were designed to assess the roles of microglia and their signaling molecules, cytokines and chemokines, during normal hippocampal processes, such as learning and memory and response to immune challenge. The first set of experiments examined the effects of a neonatal bacterial infection in rats on hippocampal-dependent learning and memory as well as neuronal and microglial signaling in adulthood. In the first experiment, neonatally infected rats have impaired memory during fear conditioning following an immune challenge in adulthood. The impairment is caused by the exaggerated expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-1&#946;, within the hippocampus during learning. Hippocampal microglia are the primary source of IL-1&#946; and the microglia in neonatally infected rats are "primed" by the infection into adulthood. In the second experiment, neonatally infected rats are more accurate on a Morris Water maze task following minimal training in adulthood, but have significantly impaired memory for a reversal platform location. In addition to improved accuracy, they have lower neural activation as measured by Arc protein expression within the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. The next set of experiments assessed the effects of increasing hippocampal plasticity on immune signaling within the hippocampus. Following 7 weeks of environmental enrichment (EE), enriched rats had an attenuated pro-inflammatory response within the hippocampus in response to an in vivo peripheral immune challenge. The reduced immune response was specific to a subset of cytokines and chemokines and occurred only within the hippocampus and not adjacent cortical regions. Enrichment increased glial antigen expression within the DG as well. In another group of enriched rats, an ex vivo stimulation of isolated hippocampal microglia from EE rats demonstrated that the reduced microglial reactivity observed in vivo requires influence of other neural cell types on microglia phenotype, such that microglia within the DG of EE rats are smaller than controls. Taken together, these experiments define cellular and molecular mechanisms of hippocampal vulnerability and resilience as a function of interactions between the brain and the immune system.</p> / Dissertation

Chemokines are responsible for directing leukocyte migration and triggering firm arrest by activating integrins on leukocytes. It is now apparent that chemokines have critical biological roles beyond chemo-attraction. Throughout this thesis, I describe the importance of the CCL5/CCR5 axis in the context of the immune response and cancer biology. Specifically, CCL5 invokes dose-dependent distinct signalling events downstream of CCR5 activation in T cells. I show that nM concentrations of CCL5 mediate CD4+ T cell migration that is partially dependent on mTOR activation. CCL5 induces phosphorylation and de-activation of the repressor 4E-BP1, resulting in its dissociation from the eukaryotic initiation factor-4E to initiate protein translation. I provide evidence that CCL5 initiates rapid translation of cyclin D1 and MMP-9, known mediators of cell migration. The data demonstrated that up-regulation of chemotaxis-related proteins may “prime” T cells for efficient migration. During an immune response, recently recruited T cells are exposed to high CCL5 concentrations. The propensity of CCL5 to form higher-order aggregates at high, µM concentrations, prompted studies to investigate their effects on T cell function. I show that at these high doses, CCL5 induces apoptosis in PM1.CCR5 and MOLT4.CCR5 T cell lines. CCL5-induced cell death involves the cytosolic release of cytochrome c and caspase-9/-3 activation. Furthermore, I identified Tyrosine-339 as a critical residue within CCR5, suggesting that tyrosine phosphorylation signalling events are important in CCL5-mediated apoptosis. Our data suggest that CCL5-induced cell death, in addition to Fas/FasL mediated events, may contribute to clonal deletion of T cells during an immunological response. I subsequently examined the possible pathological consequence of aberrant CCL5/CCR5 signalling in breast cancer. Exogenous CCL5 enhances MCF-7.CCR5 proliferation, which is abolished by anti-CCR5 antibody and rapamycin. CCL5 induces the formation of the eIF4F translation initiation complex, and mediates a rapid up-regulation of cyclin D1, c-Myc and Dad-1 protein expression. Thus, our data demonstrate the potential for breast cancer cells to exploit downstream CCL5/CCR5 signalling pathways for their proliferative and survival advantage. Taken altogether, each of these studies reinforces the notion that chemokines are not only potent chemotactic mediators, but are key effectors in diverse developmental, immunological and pathological processes.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-161). Also available in electronic version.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Univ., 2003. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, San Francisco, 2004. / Bibliography: leaves 97-129. Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Cornell University, January, 2009. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-136).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Virginia, 2005. / CD-ROM has .tiff and .mov files. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 129-132). Also available online through Digital Dissertations.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Virginia, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-130). Also available online through Digital Dissertations.

A polpa dental é formada de tecido conjuntivo frouxo sendo constituída por diversas células, dentre as quais os fibroblastos são as mais numerosas. Ao serem submetidas a agressões diversas, estas células respondem com a liberação de substâncias, tais como citocinas e quimiocinas, que participam de maneira ativa no processo inflamatório. Assim sendo, este trabalho teve como proposição: 1. avaliar a capacidade de fibroblastos de polpa dental humana em cultura em produzirem as quimiocinas MIP-l\'alfa\' /CCL3 e SDF-1/CXCL12; 2. avaliar a produção destas quimiocinas pelos fibroblastos quando estimulados por Enterococcus faecalis morto por calor com relação à quantidade de bactérias por célula e 3. avaliar a liberação destas quimiocinas com relação ao tempo de estímulo. Para o estabelecimento das culturas, foi coletada a polpa de terceiro molar hígido de um paciente saudável. O tecido foi extraído, armazenado e picotado em meio de cultura para fibroblastos (DMEM), os quais foram utilizados a partir da quarta passagem. Após adesão das células a placas de 24 poços, o meio de cultura contendo Enterococcus .faecalis morto por calor numa concentração correspondente a 1, 10 e 100 bactérias por fibroblasto foi adicionado aos poços. Após 1, 6 e 24 horas, o sobrenadante das células foi coletado para a análise por ELISA. A análise estatística foi realizada aplicando-se o teste Kruskal-Wallis com nível de significância de 5%. A produção de MIP-l\'alfa\' /CCL3 e SDF-l/CXCL12 pelas células pôde ser detectada por ELISA. Os fibroblastos pulpares se mostraram capazes de produzir SDF-1 constitutivamente sendo que o estímulo bacteriano levou a uma diminuição estatisticamente significativa desta produção. A produção de MIP-l\'alfa\' também foi detectada tanto de maneira constitutiva como em resposta ao desafio microbiano. Enquanto a concentração intermediária de bactéria por fibroblasto (10:1) mostrou uma produção semelhante ao grupo controle, as concentrações de 1 e 100 bactérias por fibroblasto induziram aumento maior na primeira hora de estímulo. Essas diferenças, entretanto, não foram estatisticamente significativas. A capacidade dos fibroblastos secretarem quimiocinas, como MIP-l\'alfa\' e SDF-1, reforça a importância dessas células dentro do contexto de imunidade e inflamação pulpar, principalmente por serem as células mais numerosas deste microambiente. / Dental pulp is a connective tissue structure constituted by many different cell types. Among them, the fibroblasts are the most frequent ones. When challenged by different aggressive agents, these cells are able to release some substances like cytokines and chemokines, which are essential to trigger the inflammatory process. The aims of this study were: 1. to evaluate the ability of fibroblasts to produce the chemokines MIP-l\'alfa\'/CCL3) and SDF-1/CXCL12; 2. to evaluate the expression of these chemokines by fibroblasts when challenged by heat killed Enterococcus. faecalis in gradual concentrations and 3. to evaluate the production of these chemokines in a time course manner. The dental pulp from non-carious third molar was collected from a healthy patient. Explants were made and stocked in culture medium (DMEM) for fibroblasts growth. The cells were used since passage four. In a 24-well plate and after reaching confluence, culture medium alone or containing heat killed E. faecalis at proportion 1:1, 10:1 and 100:1 bacteria:fibroblast, were added to the fibroblasts. After 1, 6 and 24 hours, the supernatants were collected for analysis. The protein detection of MIP-l\'alfa\'/CCL3 and SDF-1/CXCL12 was performed by ELISA. For statistical analysis, data were assessed by Kruskal-Wallis followed by Miller post-test. Significance levels of 5% were adopted. Production of both chemokines was detected by ELISA. Pulp fibroblasts were able to produce SDF-1 constitutively. This production decreased with the increase in the number of heat killed E. faecalis increased (p < 0.05). Production of MIP-l\'alfa\' was detected in unchallenged and challenged cells. The median bacterial concentration (10:1) presented a profile production similar to that of unstimulated cells. Bacterial concentrations of 1 and 100 microrganisms/cell showed a highly enhanced production of MIP-l\'alfa\' at the first hour of stimulum; however, these data were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Fibroblasts ability to produce chemokines, like MIP-l\'alfa\' and SDF-1, confirms their importance at immune and inflammatory events in dental pulp, specially being fibroblasts the most abundant cells at this microenvironment .