Xenoestrogens are compounds, foreign from the body, that can enter cells and interact with the estrogen receptors (ER) to produce an estrogenic response. Many additives used in plastics are compounds with estrogenic activity. Some of these additives are known to slowly leach from the plastics. When using plastic containers as lunchboxes for reheating or food storage, these additives can leach from the plastics and end up in the food. In this project, food simulates were cooked in six different thermoplastic containers, made of polypropylene, in an oven at 100 °C for 15 minutes. Three of the thermoplastic containers were lunchboxes marketed to be able to withstand cooking in a microwave. The other three were provisional lunchboxes made from various food storing containers originally made for refrigeration purposes. The estrogenic activity in the different samples was measured using an ER-CALUX in vitro assay. The results were measured in 17β-estradiol equivalent (Bio-EEQ) values in pg/ml. The purpose of this project was to investigate whether or not these plastic containers leach xenoestrogens that can be measured with an ER-CALUX assay, and compare the results with the results from other existing toxicological studies, and also to see if there is a difference in Bio-EEQ levels between the plastic containers made for microwave usage and those made for refrigerated purposes. The results from this project indicate that most of these plastic containers do leach estrogenic compounds that can be detected in the ER-CALUX, even the ones made for microwave usage. Fortunately, compared to other toxicological studies, the Bio-EEQ levels in these food samples cooked in plastic containers are low. However the potential adverse effects in prenatally exposed children cannot be ignored as other studies have shown that very low levels of xenoestrogens are enough to potentially cause a disturbance in the reproductive development and fertility.

In evolutionary robotics there has been research about the pursuit problem with different numbers of predators and prey: (i) one predator and one prey, (ii) many predators against one prey, and (iii) many predators against many prey. However, these different experiments are only involving food chains with two populations (two trophic levels). This dissertation uses three trophic levels to investigate if individuals in the middle trophic level perform equally or better than those that are been evolved in a two trophic level environment. The investigation was done in a simulator called YAKS. A statistical analysis was conducted to evalutate the results. The result indicated that a robot with two tasks gets better at hunting and evading than robots with one task (either hunt or evade). Robots from the middle trophic level that are moving in the same direction as the camera is facing, were the best predators and prey. This dissertation is a step towards more complex and animal-like behaviours of robots.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing dramatically worldwide. Type 2 diabetes is a major health and socio-economic burden. Genetic predisposition and the obesity epidemic, due to sedentary life style and high caloric food intake, are associated with development of type 2 diabetes. Circulating free fatty acids (FFAs), in particular saturated FFAs, are linked with insulin resistance and β cell dysfunction. Following this background we performed RNA sequencing of human pancreatic islets treated with the saturated FFA palmitate to acquire a global image of the islet response to this insult. We identified several stress pathways induced by palmitate with a major induction of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response. The ER stress response, in particular the PKR-like ER kinase (PERK) branch, has been shown to be induced by saturated FFA. It leads to increased β cell apoptosis both in fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) purified rat β cells and human islets. We further clarified the role of this pathway by studying the involvement of the constitutive repressor of eIF2α phosphorylation (CReP) in a monogenic form of diabetes. CReP is a repressor of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) phosphorylation. A direct target of PERK, eIF2α is involved in translational attenuation and induction of apoptosis. We have shown that CReP loss-of-function leads to a new syndrome of young onset diabetes, intellectual disability and microcephaly. The identified R658C mutation abrogated CReP activity leading to increased eIF2α phosphorylation and β cell apoptosis. To further demonstrate the importance of eIF2α dysregulation in β cell demise, we used guanabenz, a chemical inhibitor of growth arrest DNA damage inducible 34 (GADD34). GADD34 is an ER stress-induced repressor of eIF2α phosphorylation. Guanabenz potentiated FFA-mediated ER stress and apoptosis in clonal and primary rat β cells and in human islets through the activation of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), downstream of eIF2α. Guanabenz administration in mice impaired glucose tolerance and led to β cell dysfunction. In ex vivo experiments guanabenz also induced β cell dysfunction in mouse and rat islets.In conclusion our data demonstrate that the dysregulation of signaling in the PERK/eIF2α pathway is crucial for β cell demise. Together with previously reported monogenic diabetes caused by loss-of-function mutations in PERK in man and the eIF2αS51A mutation in mice, our findings suggest that a narrow regulation of PERK/eIF2α signaling is central for proper β cell function and survival. / Doctorat en Sciences biomédicales et pharmaceutiques (Médecine) / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Abstract Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA) are essential molecules that take part in many different cellular processes such as membrane pore stabilization, membrane trafficking and signaling pathways. The fatty acid elongation pathway in yeast has been studied for about a decade. As part of our work on cellular VLCFA elongation, we identified and characterized the condensing enzyme as well as ketoacyl reductases of the elongation pathway in cotton. In order to identify the yeast 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydratase, we introduced a redundancy in this function by engineering a chimera consisting of the two first predicted transmembrane domains of Elo3p and the hydratase2 domain of Candida tropicalis Mfe2p. Yeast harboring the chimeric construct were subjected to random mutagenesis, and screened for mutants whose survival was dependent on the chimera. The mutants isolated contained RFT1 mutations and exhibited a defect in protein glycosylation, but no VLCFA deficiencies. The N-linked glycosylation pathway is well conserved in eukaryotes. Glycan synthesis occurs on the ER membrane; first on the cytoplasmic side up to Dol-PP-GlcNAc2Man5, which is then translocated to the ER luminal side in an Rft1p-dependent flipping process. The core glycan is further extended to Dol-PP-GlcNAc2Glc3Man9, and then transferred to an asparagine side chain of the nascent polypeptide to be glycosylated. It was found that the Elo3'-hydratase2 chimera acts as a multicopy suppressor of the Rft1p deficiency. The subsequent studies elucidated new aspects of Rft1p function, as well as a hitherto under-appreciated role of the ER associated protein degradation process in the maintenance of ER integral membrane complexes and the physical integrity of the membrane. The functionality of the human Rft1p homologue was demonstrated using a yeast complementation assay. A mutant variant from a patient was analyzed, aiding in the identification and characterization of the first reported case of a glycosylation deficiency in humans caused by a defective RFT1 allele.

Die GABA-ergen Neurone als Teil des GnRH-Netzwerkes spielen eine Rolle bei den Veränderungen der altersabhängigen Prozesse der Reproduktionsfunktion. Um die Regulation der gonadalen Steroide auf die Expression von GAD in reproduktionsabhängigen Regionen zu untersuchen, wurde im ersten Teil der vorliegenden Arbeit das männliche Rattenmodell gewählt. Nach der Untersuchung des endokrinen Zustands der Tiere anhand der Radioimmunoassay-Methode (RIA) wurden die zellulären Gentranskripte der beiden Isoformen von GAD, GAD65 und GAD67, mittels der Methode der in situ Hybridisierung in der POA, im Nukleus suprachiasmaticus (SCN), im mediobasalen Hypothalamus (MBH) und im Gyrus dentatus bestimmt. In allen untersuchten Regionen konnte nach der Kastration und einer anschließenden dreiwöchigen Erholungszeit kein Effekt beobachtet werden. Die Administration von Estradiol bewirkt in der POA eine signifikante Erhöhung der Expression von GAD65 und GAD67 um nahezu 40%. In den restlichen Regionen konnte dagegen kein Effekt gemessen werden. Die Testosteronbehandlung zeigte eine negative Wirkung auf die Regulation nur von GAD67: Eine 30%-ige Abnahme in der POA und eine 15%-ige im SCN. Im Gegensatz dazu trat im MBH und im Gyrus dentatus eine Verminderung der Expression nur bei GAD65 auf. Aus den hier vorgestellten Ergebnissen kann folgendes abgeleitet werden: Testosteron und Estradiol regulieren in unterschiedlicher Weise die Expression von GAD und so wiederum die inhibitorische Funktion von GABA. Da in der SCN, im MBH und im Gyrus dentatus im Gegensatz zu Estradiol eine Testosteron-Wirkung gemessen wurde, existiert eine eigene androgene Regulation von GAD. Weil die Estradiol-Zugabe eine Zunahme der Expression von GAD bewirkte und dieser Effekt von einer Abnahme der LH-Konzentration im Serum der betroffenen Tiergruppe begleitet wurde, ist die These bestätigt, dass GABA mit ihren inhibitorischen Funktionen zur Übermittlung der positiven Rückkopplung von Estradiol auf die LH-Freisetzung auf der Ebene der POA und nicht auf der Ebene der Axone agiert. Im Gegensatz zu Estradiol kann eine Progesteronbehandlung bei persistent östrischen Ratten einen LH-Peak auslösen und somit den Östrus-Zyklus wieder in Gang bringen. Aufgrund dieser Tatsache wurde im zweiten Teil der vorliegenden Arbeit ein Tiermodell zur Untersuchung der molekularbiologischen altersabhängigen Veränderungen entwickelt. Dabei wurden drei Monate alte proöstrische Ratten (Y) und 12 Monate alte persistent östrische Ratten (MA) benutzt. Die MA-Ratten wurden mit Progesteron behandelt. Sowohl die MA-Ratten als auch die Y-Ratten wurden um 13 Uhr und um 17 Uhr getötet. Eine unbehandelte MA-Gruppe, deren Tiere um 10 Uhr getötet wurden, diente hier als Kontrollgruppe. Anhand der LH-Messung der untersuchten Gruppen wurde ein Kontrollwert (5 ng/ml LH) für die positive Reaktion der Tiere auf Progesteron (responding animals) festgestellt. Es konnte bei 44% der persistent östrischen Ratten ein erhöhter LH-Spiegel erfolgreich wieder erreicht werden. In den Gruppen dieses Modells entstand eine Analogie zwischen den Gruppen der behandelten MA-13-Uhr und Y-13-Uhr Tiere sowie zwischen den responding animals und den Y-17 Uhr-Tieren. Um aussagekräftige statistische Veränderungen entlang der hypothalamo-hypophysio-ovariellen Achse in individuellen Tieren zu erhalten, wurde die Taqman®-PCR und die quantitative, kompetitive RT-PCR eingesetzt. Dabei wurden die folgenden Gene untersucht: ER α und ER β, GnRH, GnRH-R, GAD65 und GAD67, sowie FSH-β. In der POA, Hypophyse und im Ovar wurde altersabhängigen Genexpression beobachtet: Eine signifikante Abnahme der Expression von ER β sowohl in der Gruppe responding animals als auch in deren analoger Gruppe wurde in der POA (34 %), Hypophyse (44 %) und im Ovar (um die 30 %) gemessen. In der Hypophyse verzeichneten die mRNA-Transkripte von ER α bei der Gruppe der behandelten mittelalten Ratten der 13 Uhr-Gruppe eine Zunahme von 55% und bei der 13-Uhr-Gruppe der jungen Ratten einen Anstieg von 153 %. Ebenso nehmen die mRNA-Konzentrationen von FSH-β sowohl bei den responding animals als auch bei deren analoger Gruppe in gleichem Masse (ungefähr 300 %) zu. Da die Veränderungen der Expression von ER β, ER α und FSH-β bei den zwei analogen Gruppen auftritt, ist zu vermuten, dass diese Gene altersabhängig expremiert und an der Zyklusregulation ursächlich beteiligt sind. Die restlichen Gene zeigten entlang der Achse keine altersrelevanten Veränderungen. Da ER β-Expressionsveränderungen in der POA, in der Hypophyse und im Ovar gemessen wurden, konnte der wichtigste Schluss der hier vorgestellten Untersuchungen gezogen werden, dass nämlich ER β für den Erhalt des Zyklus essentiell sein kann. In diesem Teil der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde ein Tiermodell zur molekular biologischen Untersuchung der altersabhängigen Veränderungen mit sehr zufriedenstellender Ausbeute zur Wiederherstellung des Östrus-Zyklus (44%) erfolgreich entwickelt. Dieses Modell ermöglichte darüber hinaus die Untersuchung einer relativ hohen Anzahl an Genen entlang der hypothalamo-hypophysio-ovariellen Achse.

An increasing body of evidence points to a key role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in chronic and acute neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, markers of ER stress are common features of neurons destined to die in these conditions. In the present study we demonstrate that PUMA, a BH3-only member of the Bcl-2 family is essential for ER stress-induced cell death. PUMA is known to be a key transcriptional target of p53, however we have found that ER stress triggers PUMA induction and cell death through a p53-independent mechanism involving instead the ER stress inducible transcription factor ATF4. Specifically, we demonstrate that ectopic expression of ATF4 sensitizes neurons to ER stress induced apoptosis, and that ATF4-deficient neurons exhibit markedly reduced levels of PUMA expression and cell death. However, chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments suggest that ATF4 does not directly regulate the PUMA promoter. Rather, we found that ATF4 induces expression of the transcription factor CHOP, and that CHOP in turn directly activates PUMA induction. Specifically, we demonstrate that CHOP binds to the PUMA promoter during ER stress and that CHOP knockdown attenuates PUMA induction and neuronal apoptosis. In summary, we have identified a key signaling pathway in ER stress induced neuronal death involving ATF4-CHOP mediated transactivation of the pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member PUMA. Protein aggregates and markers of ER stress response have also been observed in dying neurons in several animal models of cerebral ischemia. Therefore, to decipher the significance of the ER stress apoptotic response, we investigate the role of ATF4-CHOP signaling pathway in ischemic neuronal injury. Ischemic stroke results from a transient or permanent reduction in cerebral blood flow in the brain. In spite of much research in trying to develop therapeutic strategies, most clinical trials have failed. These failures demonstrate that effective treatments require a more complete understanding of molecular signals that lead to neuronal death. However, stroke is a complex scenario since distinct mechanisms may involve in rapid and/or delayed neuronal death. The signaling pathways regulating these mechanisms however are not fully defined. Previous studies had suggested that ER stress playing a pivotal role in post-ischemic neuronal death. Yet, the relevance of ER stress signals was not fully known in ischemic neuronal injury. Accordingly, this thesis research attempts to explore the functional role of ER stress -inducible pathway, ATF4-CHOP axis, in different models of neuronal death (delayed and excitotoxic cell death) evoked by ischemia. The data indicates that ATF4 is essential in delayed type of death in vitro. In focal ischemia model (tMCAO) ATF4 also plays a role as a mediator of death signal in vivo. However, CHOP function looks more complex, and our data did not support the role of CHOP in ischemic neuronal death.

This thesis deals with the linkages between data models from conceptual models to physical design of information bases, used for implementation. The aim is to analyze the modern approach to design systems and specify how detailed the conceptual modeling and impact on the quality of the final form of application or system, including processes that take place in advance to the next level of design. Approximated the techniques the transition between these levels and will take into account structural features and limitations of selected platforms and requirements for their design and mutual coherence level view of the system. For the purpose of the thesis the well known data modeling methods are being analyzed together with their applicabilities.