Antibodies passively administered together with their specific antigen can enhance or suppress the specific antibody response. This phenomenon is known as antibody feedback regulation. Whether this modulation causes up- or downregulation of the antibody response depends both on the antibody isotype and the antigen used. IgG antibodies passively administered together with particulate antigens, e.g. erythrocytes, can completely prevent the induction of an antibody response to the antigen. The suppressive capacity of IgG has been routinely used in the clinic since the 1960’s in RhD-prophylaxis to prevent hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. Although studied for decades, the underlying mechanism of IgG-suppression has remained elusive. The main focus of this thesis has been to elucidate the mechanism behind IgG-suppression of antibody responses in vivo in mouse models using intravenous immunization with specific IgG together with native or haptenated sheep red blood cells, SRBC. We show that IgG-suppression of IgM and long-term serum IgG-responses operates independently of activating FcγRI, III, IV, or the inhibitory FcγRIIB, thus confirming and extending previous findings. Moreover, we demonstrate for the first time that C1q, C3 and CR1/2 are dispensable for IgG-suppression of antibody responses. These findings strongly argue against the involvement of Fc-dependent mechanisms as the explanation for IgG-suppression. Interestingly, GC formation occurs in IgG-suppressed mice although the antibody response to surface SRBC epitopes are completely suppressed. The data suggests that these GCs develop in response to intracellular SRBC epitopes as well as to the passively administered suppressive IgG. Moreover, we demonstrate that passively administered IgG suppresses several parameters of an antibody/B cell response including antigen specific GC and non-GC B cells, extra-follicular antibody secreting cells, long-lived plasma cells and induction of immunological memory. Before the onset of the present study, two mechanisms appeared compatible with the majority of experimental findings: IgG-mediated antigen clearance and epitope masking. Herein we show that the contribution of IgG-mediated antigen clearance is negligible and that suppression of IgG-responses is strictly epitope specific. This provides compelling evidence that a very important mechanism underlying IgG-suppression is epitope masking.

Accurate smoltification and disease management in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are key issues for the aquaculture industry. Due to their anadromous lifecycle the transfer of salmon from fresh water (FW) to seawater (SW) is crucial to their survival; too early can cause mortality, too late can cause desmoltification and long-term health problems. Both scenarios can increase susceptibility to four viral diseases: Salmon alphavirus (SAV), Infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV), orthoreovirus (PRV), and Piscine myocarditis virus (PMCV). They all show similar clinical and histopathological symptoms and can easily spread throughout farms. Understanding the initial innate immune response to these viruses may provide biomarkers that could help identify and monitor infections. An in house and onsite Na+/K+ ATPase (NKA) qRT-PCR assay was developed for the salmon biomarker ATPase to test smoltification readiness in salmon smolts. Tested against NKA enzymatic assays it showed a similar success rate over 3 years: NKA qRT-PCR (57%), NKA activity assay (60%). Onsite tests confirmed that the ATPase mRNA transcript is a useful biomarker for smoltification detection. An in-lab and mobile multiplex qRT-PCR assay was developed for detection of SAV, PRV and PMCV. The analytical sensitivity of the SAV (86.5% SE 0.11), PRV (90.94%, SE 0.09) and PMCV (100.46%, SE 0.19) assays was 102 copies for PMCV and 103 for SAV and PRV. Initial results suggest individual assays could be run on site at farms. Addition of an internal control, probit analysis and viral positive tests are still required for multiplex assay integration. Salmon erythrocytes were infected with ISAV, SAV and Poly I:C to investigate whether they induce and up-regulate innate immune response genes. All genes were expressed at low levels in all parameters investigated including non-infected control erythrocytes. These findings suggest erythrocytes act as an initial buffer to viral infections and may help stimulate the innate immune response.

The effect of fish consumption on the risk of cardiovascular disease has been extensively studied. Omega-3 fatty acids present in fish, namely eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been found to have beneficial effects through several mechanisms. In addition, selenium, an antioxidant, may be protective. Fish also represents the main human exposure source to the pollutant methylmercury (MeHg), which is associated with elevated cardiovascular risk in previous studies. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate whether MeHg is associated with the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke, whether EPA+DHA or selenium (Se) have protective associations, and if the overall association between fish consumption and risk of stroke or MI is detrimental or protective. A prospective incident case-control study design was used to study effects on stroke or MI. Three hundred and sixty-nine cases with twice as many matched controls were included in the study on stroke, while 431 cases with 499 controls participated in the MI study, all from the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study. The data was collected from health examinations of the population from 1986 until 1999. Also, time trends in burdens of mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in erythrocytes (Ery) from 1990 to 1999 were examined. The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) used in the case-control studies was correlated with measurements of fatty acids in erythrocyte membranes as biomarkers of intake. In this northern Swedish population, levels of Ery-Hg and Ery-Pb decreased during the 1990´s, but Ery-Cd decreased only in smoking men. No significant associations were found between Ery-Hg or levels of EPA+DHA and the risk of stroke. Men reporting fish consumption >3 meals/week had an elevated risk of stroke. In the MI study, higher levels of Ery-Hg were associated with lower risk of MI. No clear associations were found for reported fish consumption, levels of EPA+DHA or Ery-Se. The validated FFQ has a fair reliability in estimating intake of fatty acids EPA and DHA. However, the low variation in fish consumption in the general population in combination with different versions of the FFQ (with pre-defined, multiple choice alternatives) decreased the reliability of self-reported fish consumption in the case-control studies on risk of stroke or MI. In conclusion, MeHg has no harmful association regarding the risk of stroke or MI in this population with generally low exposure levels. The protective association regarding risk of MI is probably due to Ery-Hg being a biomarker for consumption of fish, a source of other beneficial nutrients. Thus, in this population the benefits of the nutrients in fish appear to overcome the potential harm of MeHg. The finding of elevated stroke risk related to high fish consumption in men will be investigated further. / PHIME; Public health impact of long-term, low-level mixed element exposure in susceptible population strata

A new lattice-Boltzmann finite-element method is used to simulate large numbers of deformable red blood cells and platelets in suspension for the investigation of stress-mediated platelet-deposition mechanisms in blood. The coupled lattice-Boltzmann finite-element method provides the novel ability to simulate hundreds of realistic and deformable red blood cells and produce continuum-scale physics at physiologic hematocrit and low arterial-shear rates. The new method is developed and shown to produce single red blood cell deformation consistent with experimental results in flow chambers. Simulations of 77 to 216 cells in unbounded shear flow produce bulk and micro-rheological behavior consistent with experimental results in viscometers and tubes, including shear-thinning behavior at various shear rates. Investigation of the local stress environment in blood indicates that, although the majority of platelets experience a time-averaged shear stress equal to the suspension stress, 25% of platelets experience a localized shear stress greater than twice the suspension stress. The lattice-Boltzmann finite-element method developed in this work has been shown capable of investigating the fundamental gap between cell-level processes and continuum-level function. The complex stress environment in whole blood has been described for simple shear flow and the methodology may be extended to more complex flow geometries and incorporate platelet-adhesion models for adhesion studies. Thus, this research fits into the greater objective of prediction and control of platelet deposition in clinical and engineering applications. Furthermore, the ability to bridge the gap between cell-level processes and continuum-level function is useful in other important cardiovascular areas including leukocyte adhesion, platelet aggregate embolization, and artheriogenesis.

No description available.

La pollution croissante des milieux aquatiques nécessite la mise au point de nouvelles technologies permettant d'optimiser la surveillance de la qualité de l'eau. Dans ce contexte, nous avons développé un biomarqueur de susceptibilité du degré de la pollution globale des milieux aquatiques intitulé " Sentinelle ". Le principe du biomarqueur Sentinelle est basé sur le niveau de coexpression de deux protéines " Multidrug Resistance " (MDR), la protéine ABCG2-like et la P-gp, dans les érythrocytes de la truite Salmo trutta fario. Le biomarqueur sentinelle a été validé en conditions in vitro grâce au développement des cultures primaires d'érythrocytes de truite. Après l'exposition des globules rouges de truites à des concentrations croissantes d'un polluant modèle, le Benzo-a-pyrène, l'expression de la protéine ABCG2-like et de la P-gp augmente d'une manière dose dépendante. Le biomarqueur Sentinelle a ensuite été validé en milieu naturel sur des truites fario en provenance de différents cours d'eau d'Auvergne. En milieu naturel, les deux protéines MDR sont exprimées différemment dans les érythrocytes de truites fario selon le degré de contamination du cours d'eau. En effet, dans une rivière où la pollution est faible voire nulle, seule la protéine ABCG2-like est exprimée, alors que dans une rivière présentant une contamination plus importante, la P-gp et l'ABCG2-like sont toutes les deux coexprimées par une réponse de type relais. Les expériences menées en conditions in vitro et en milieu naturel, laissent supposer que la protéine ABCG2-like assure une fonction de garde alors que la P-gp assurerait une fonction de protection défensive. En conséquence, selon le niveau d'expression de la protéine de garde et de la protéine de défense, le degré de contamination de la rivière pourrait être évalué. L'intérêt de l'utilisation du biomarqueur Sentinelle a aussi été validé sur des Salmonidés en provenance de pisciculture. Ce nouvel outil biologique apporte des informations plus intégratives et plus précoces sur la qualité des milieux aquatiques, informations essentielles pour une meilleure gestion des ressources en eau.

Διάφορες ρεολογικές διαταραχές των ερυθροκυττάρων, μεταξύ των οποίων η αυξημένη συσσωμάτωση και η μειωμένη ικανότητα ελαστικής παραμόρφωσης, έχουν παρατηρηθεί στο σακχαρώδη διαβήτη και πιστεύεται ότι εμπλέκονται στην ανάπτυξη της διαβητικής μικροαγγειοπάθειας. Δομικές μεταβολές των πρωτεϊνών της μεμβράνης των ερυθρών αιμοσφαιρίων, ως αποτέλεσμα της διαβητικής διαδικασίας, μπορεί να βρίσκονται πίσω από αυτές τις ρεολογικές διαταραχές. Στην παρούσα μελέτη, διερευνήθηκε η ύπαρξη μεταβολών των πρωτεϊνών της μεμβράνης των ερυθρών αιμοσφαιρίων σε ασθενείς με διαβητική αμφιβληστροειδοπάθεια. Εξετάστηκαν δείγματα περιφερικού αίματος 40 ασθενών με σακχαρώδη διαβήτη τύπου 2 και διαβητική αμφιβληστροειδοπάθεια ποικίλης βαρύτητας (19 άνδρες και 21 γυναίκες με μέση ηλικία 66,8 έτη: Ομάδα Α) και συγκρίθηκαν με δείγματα από 19 ασθενείς με σακχαρώδη διαβήτη τύπου 2 χωρίς αμφιβληστροειδοπάθεια (13 άνδρες και 6 γυναίκες με μέση ηλικία 66,5 έτη: Ομάδα Β) και από 16 υγιείς μάρτυρες (8 άνδρες και 8 γυναίκες με μέση ηλικία 65,6 έτη: Ομάδα Γ). Ερυθροκυτταρικές μεμβράνες από όλα τα δείγματα απομονώθηκαν και υποβλήθηκαν σε ηλεκτροφόρηση πηκτώματος γέλης SDS – πολυακρυλαμίδης και, σε κάθε δείγμα, έγινε μελέτη της ηλεκτροφορητικής κινητικότητας των διαμεμβρανικών πρωτεϊνών και των πρωτεϊνών του υπομεμβρανικού σκελετού. Η ποσοτική ανάλυση κάθε ηλεκτροφορητικής ζώνης επιτεύχθηκε με σάρωση και ψηφιακή ανάλυση. Στις Ομάδες Β και Γ παρατηρήθηκαν μη σημαντικές αποκλίσεις από τη φυσιολογική ηλεκτροφόρηση, εκτός από μια αύξηση στη ζώνη 8 σε δύο δείγματα της Ομάδας Β (11%). Αντίθετα, σε 14 δείγματα της Ομάδας Α (35%) διαπιστώθηκε αύξηση της πρωτεϊνικής ζώνης 8 ή/και της αιμοσφαιρίνης της συνδεδεμένης με τη μεμβράνη παράλληλα με μείωση της σπεκτρίνης. Επιπρόσθετα, σε 10 δείγματα της Ομάδας Α (25%) παρατηρήθηκαν αυξημένη κινητικότητα της ζώνης 3, μια παθολογική ζώνη υψηλού μοριακού βάρους (>255 kDa) και μια παθολογική ζώνη χαμηλού μοριακού βάρους (42 kDa). Οι γλυκοφορίνες εμφάνισαν αλλοιώσεις στο 46% των ασθενών της Ομάδας Α έναντι 38% των ασθενών της Ομάδας Β. Οι γυναίκες και οι ασθενείς με μεγάλη διάρκεια του διαβήτη εμφάνισαν τις περισσότερες ηλεκτροφορητικές διαταραχές. Δομικές μεταβολές των πρωτεϊνών της μεμβράνης των ερυθρών αιμοσφαιρίων σε συσχέτιση με διαβητική αμφιβληστροειδοπάθεια παρουσιάζονται για πρώτη φορά στη διεθνή βιβλιογραφία. Η ανίχνευση των μεταβολών αυτών θα μπορούσε να χρησιμεύσει ως αιματικός δείκτης για την ανάπτυξη διαβητικής μικροαγγειοπάθειας. Περαιτέρω μελέτες είναι απαραίτητες ώστε να διερευνηθεί αν ενδεχόμενη φαρμακευτική παρέμβαση στη ρεολογία των ερυθρών αιμοσφαιρίων μπορεί να προλάβει ή να μετριάσει τις επιπλοκές της διαβητικής μικροαγγειοπάθειας. / Several rheological disorders of the erythrocytes, such as increased aggregation and decreased deformability, have been observed in diabetes mellitus and have been implicated in the development of diabetic microangiopathy. Structural alterations of the erythrocyte membrane proteins caused by the diabetic process may be at the origin of these observations. In the present study, we searched for erythrocyte membrane protein alterations in diabetic retinopathy. We examined peripheral blood samples from 40 type-2 diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy of variable severity (19 males and 21 females, mean age 66.8 years, Group A) and we compared them with samples from 19 type-2 diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy (13 males and 6 females, mean age 66.5 years, Group B) and 16 healthy volunteers (8 males and 8 females, mean age 65.6 years, Group C). Erythrocyte membrane ghosts from all samples were subjected to SDS-PAGE, and the electrophoretic pattern of transmembrane and cytoskeletal proteins was analysed for each sample. The protein quantification of each electrophoretic band was accomplished through scanning densitometry. No significant deviations from normal electrophoresis were observed in Groups B and C, apart from an increase in band 8 in two samples from Group B (11%). In contrast, in 14 samples from Group A (35%) we detected increases in protein band 8 and/or membrane-bound haemoglobin along with a decrease in spectrin. Moreover, increased mobility of band 3, an aberrant high molecular weight (>255 kDa) band and a low molecular weight (42 kDa) band were evident in 10 samples from Group A (25%). Glycophorins were altered in 46% of Group-A patients versus 38% of Group-B patients. Females and patients with long duration of diabetes presented more electrophoretic abnormalities. Structural alterations of the erythrocyte membrane proteins are shown for the first time in association with diabetic retinopathy. Their detection may serve as a blood marker for the development of diabetic microangiopathy. Further studies are needed to assess whether pharmaceutical intervention to the rheology of erythrocytes can prevent or alleviate microvascular diabetic complications.

A contagem de células vermelhas do sangue desempenha um papel importante no diagnóstico de animais silvestres e domésticos. Apesar da existência de muitas tecnologias em diferentes contadores automatizados para análise de sangue, quando se trata do sangue de animais silvestres ainda é difícil encontrar uma solução simples e economicamente viável para múltiplas espécies. O objetivo deste estudo é desenvolver um contador automático de células vermelhas. Amostras de sangue (1 jaguatirica - Leopardus pardalis, 1 macaco - Cebus apella, 1 quati - Nasua nasua, 62 cães - Canis familiaris e 5 cavalos - Equus caballus) foram analisadas usando três métodos: 1-contagem manual, 2-contagem automática por imagem e 3-contagem semiautomática por imagem; as amostras de cães e cavalos foram analisadas por um quarto método: 4-contagem automática por impedância. As contagens dos métodos 2 e 3 foram obtidas usando o contador de células vermelhas proposto. Os resultados foram comparados usando a correlação de Pearson e gráficos com diferentes métodos como valor de referência. As contagens dos métodos 1, 2 e 3 correlacionaram muito bem com as contagens do método 4 (r ≥ 0.94). As contagens produzidas pelo método 2 apresentaram alta correlação com o método 3 (r = 0.998). Os resultados indicam que o contador proposto pode ser usado como um método de contagem automática ou semiautomática em clínicas que usam o método manual para contagem de células vermelhas do sangue de animais. / A RBC count plays an important role in the diagnostic of wild and domestic animals. Despite the many technologies available in different automated hematology analyzers, when it comes to blood of wild animals it is still difficult to find an easy and affordable solution for multiple species. This study aims to develop an automatic red blood cell counter. Blood samples (1 ocelot - Leopardus pardalis, 1 monkey - Cebus apella, 1 coati - Nasua nasua, 62 dogs - Canis familiaris and 5 horses - Equus caballus) were analyzed using three methods: 1-manual count, 2automatic count by image and 3-semi-automatic count by image; blood from dogs and horses were also analyzed by a fourth method: 4-automatic count by impedance. The counts of methods 2 and 3 were produced by the proposed red blood cell counter. Results were compared using Pearson’s correlation and plots with different methods as the criterion standard. RBC counts of methods 1, 2 and 3 correlated very well with those on the method 4 (r ≥ 0.94). RBC counts produced by method 2 were highly correlated with method 3 (r = 0.998). The results indicate that the proposed method can be used as an automatic or semi-automatic counting method in clinics that are currently using the manual method for RBC assessment.

Human erythrocyte glucose sugar transport displays a complexity that is not explained by available models. Sugar transport was examined in resealed red cell ghosts under equilibrium exchange conditions (intracellular [sugar] = extracellular [sugar]). Exchange 3-O-methylglucose (3MG) import and export are monophasic in the absence of cytoplasmic ATP but are biphasic when ATP is present. Biphasic exchange is observed as the rapid filling of a large compartment (66% cell volume) followed by the slow filling of the remaining cytoplasmic space. Two models for biphasic sugar transport are presented in which 3MG must overcome a sugar-specific, physical (diffusional) or chemical (anomerization) barrier to equilibrate with cell water. The anomerization model was rejected through several lines of direct experimental investigation. 1) The sizes of the fast and slow phases of sugar transport do not correlate with the equilibrium anomer distributions of all GLUT1 sugar substrates. 2) Increasing the rate of anomerization by addition of exogenous intracellular mutarotase has no effect on biphasic transport kinetics. 3) Direct measurement of initial rates of sugar uptake or exchange demonstrates that GLUT1 shows no anomer preference. The physical barrier model was further refined by the use of the counterflow condition (intracellular [sugar] >> extracellular [sugar]). The presence of a physical barrier alone was unable to explain the complex counterflow time courses observed. As a result, the model was modified to include the action of a specific sugar export that is compartmentalized from rapidly equilibrating, GLUT1-mediated uptake and exit.

The interest in organochalcogen chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology has increased in the last two decades mainly due to the fact that a variety of organochalcogen compounds possess biological activity and due the use of these compounds in industrial applications. However, literature data showed that these compounds present pro-oxidant properties, causing tissue damage and inhibition a variety of enzymes. Oxidative stress can induce complex alterations of membrane proteins in erythrocytes. Erythrocytes represent a good model to investigate the damage induced by oxidizing agents. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the toxicity induced by a variety of chalcogens at concentrations of 10, 40, 100 e 200 μM using erythrocytes in vitro. The present results showed that organotellurium compounds were toxic to erythrocytes for a hematocrit of 45%. The hemolytic effect of tellurides was not positively correlated with thiobarbituric acidreactive substance (TBARS) production suggesting that lipid peroxidation is not involved in the hemolysis provoked by organotellurium compounds. However, for a hematocrit of 1% the organoselenium and organotellurium compounds increased the hemolysis rate and these results suggest a relationship between the oxidation of intracellular glutathione (GSH) and subsequent generation of free radicals with the hemolysis by chalcogen compounds. Therefore, the results presented in this study suggest that organochalcogen compounds presented toxicity for the erythrocytes. / Nos últimos anos, os compostos organocalcogênios têm sido alvos de interesse em síntese orgânica em virtude da descoberta de suas aplicações industriais e de suas propriedades farmacológicas. No entanto, dados da literatura têm demonstrado que estes compostos apresentam atividade pró-oxidante ocasionando danos teciduais e inibição da atividade de enzimas. Sabe-se que o estresse oxidativo pode causar alterações em proteínas da membrana de eritrócitos, logo estas células representam um bom modelo para investigar danos induzidos por agentes oxidantes. Desta forma, no presente trabalho investigou-se a toxicidade de uma variedade de calcogênios sobre eritrócitos in vitro nas concentrações de 10, 40, 100 e 200 μM. Os resultados deste trabalho mostraram que para um hematócrito de 45% apenas os compostos de organotelúrio foram tóxicos causando hemólise e estes efeitos não foram correlacionados com a produção de substâncias reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico, sugerindo deste modo não haver relação com a peroxidação lipídica. No entanto, utilizou-se um hematócrito de 1% e os compostos de organoselênio e organotelúrio testados apresentaram toxicidade causando hemólise. Esta hemólise foi relacionada com a oxidação da glutationa intracelular (GSH) e uma possível produção de radicais livres. Portanto, os resultados apresentados nesta tese sugerem que os compostos orgânicos contendo selênio ou telúrio apresentaram toxicidade para os eritrócitos.