<p>Protein tyrosine kinases play an important role in the regulation of various cellular processes such as</p><p>growth, differentiation and survival. GTK, a novel SRC-like cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase, was recently cloned from a mouse insulinoma cell line and the present work was conducted in order to find a biological function of GTK in insulin producing and neuronal cells. It was observed that kinase active GTK-mutants, expressed in RINm5F cells, transferred to the cell nucleus and increased the levels of the cell cycle regulatory protein p27^KIP1, reduced cell growth and stimulated glucagon mRNA expression. Furthermore, wild type GTK induces neurite outgrowth in the rat adrenal pheochromocytoma PC12 cell line, through activation of the RAP1-pathway, suggesting a role of GTK for cell differentiation. Studies using transgenic mice, expressing GTK under the control of the rat insulin 1 promoter, demonstrated a dual role of GTK for β-cell growth: Whereas GTK increases the β-cell mass and causes enhanced β-cell proliferation in response to partial pancreatectomy it also induced β-cell death in response to proinflammatory cytokines and impaired the glucose tolerance in mice treated with the β-cell toxin streptozotocin suggesting a possible role of GTK for β-cell destruction in Type 1 diabetes. We have also observed that GTK-transgenic islets and GTK-expressing RINm5F cells exhibit a reduced insulininduced activation of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS-1 and IRS-2)-pathways, partly due to an increased basal activity of these. GTK was found to associate with and phosphorylate the SH2 domain adapter protein SHB, which could explain many of the GTK-dependent effects both in vitro and in vivo. In summary, the present work suggests that the novel tyrosine kinase GTK is involved in various signal transduction pathways, regulating different cellular responses, such as proliferation, differentiation and survival.</p>

Protein tyrosine kinases play an important role in the regulation of various cellular processes such as growth, differentiation and survival. GTK, a novel SRC-like cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase, was recently cloned from a mouse insulinoma cell line and the present work was conducted in order to find a biological function of GTK in insulin producing and neuronal cells. It was observed that kinase active GTK-mutants, expressed in RINm5F cells, transferred to the cell nucleus and increased the levels of the cell cycle regulatory protein p27KIP1, reduced cell growth and stimulated glucagon mRNA expression. Furthermore, wild type GTK induces neurite outgrowth in the rat adrenal pheochromocytoma PC12 cell line, through activation of the RAP1-pathway, suggesting a role of GTK for cell differentiation. Studies using transgenic mice, expressing GTK under the control of the rat insulin 1 promoter, demonstrated a dual role of GTK for β-cell growth: Whereas GTK increases the β-cell mass and causes enhanced β-cell proliferation in response to partial pancreatectomy it also induced β-cell death in response to proinflammatory cytokines and impaired the glucose tolerance in mice treated with the β-cell toxin streptozotocin suggesting a possible role of GTK for β-cell destruction in Type 1 diabetes. We have also observed that GTK-transgenic islets and GTK-expressing RINm5F cells exhibit a reduced insulininduced activation of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS-1 and IRS-2)-pathways, partly due to an increased basal activity of these. GTK was found to associate with and phosphorylate the SH2 domain adapter protein SHB, which could explain many of the GTK-dependent effects both in vitro and in vivo. In summary, the present work suggests that the novel tyrosine kinase GTK is involved in various signal transduction pathways, regulating different cellular responses, such as proliferation, differentiation and survival.

INTRODUÇÃO: A ventilação mecânica é uma terapia importante, mas com possíveis complicações. Uma das mais relevantes é a lesão pulmonar induzida pelo ventilador (VILI do inglês Ventilator-induced lung injury). Devido à hiperdistensão alveolar, o pulmão inicia um processo inflamatório, com infiltrado neutrofílico, formação de membrana hialina, fibrogênese e prejuízo de troca gasosa. Nesse processo, a mecanotransdução do estímulo da hiperdistensão celular se faz através do citoesqueleto da célula e de suas interações com a matriz extracelular e com as células vizinhas. Apesar desse papel fundamental no processo da VILI, não existem estudos in vivo sobre as alterações do citoesqueleto e de suas proteínas associadas durante esse processo patológico. O objetivo desse estudo foi descrever as alterações no citoesqueleto e em duas de suas principais proteínas associadas (FAK e paxilina) durante esse processo. MÉTODOS: Nesse estudo experimental foram feitos três grupos (n = 4 6): um controle e dois ventilados por quatro horas com PEEP de 5 cmH2O. Um grupo foi ventilado com volume corrente de 8 ml/kg (BV) e o outro com 24 ml/kg (AV). Dados de mecânica respiratória foram calculados no início e no final do período experimental. Os pulmões foram avaliados por histomorfometria quanto à área proporcional de parênquima, índice de infiltrado neutrofílico e índice de edema perivascular, quanto à quantidade de fosfo-FAK, fosfo-paxilina, paxilina total, actina músculo liso e alfa-tubulina por Western Blot, quanto à imunofluorescência para paxilina total com microscopia confocal a laser e com microscopia eletrônica de transmissão. RESULTADOS: os grupos foram semelhantes nas características basais. Houve aumento da elastância dinâmica (Edin) no grupo BV e redução no grupo AV (Edin inicial e final: 0,76 ± 0,4 vs 1,02 ± 0,47 respectivamente, em cmH2O/ml; p = 0,001). Não houve diferença na área proporcional de parênquima ou índice de edema perivascular entre os grupos estudados. A ventilação mecânica induziu infiltrado neutrofílico pulmonar nos animais, tanto no grupo BV como no AV em relação ao controle (p < 0,001). O infiltrado foi mais importante no grupo AV que no BV (p = 0,003). Houve um aumento de 40% na fosfo-FAK pelo Western Blot no grupo AV em relação ao controle (p=0,069) e aumento significativo de fosfo-paxilina no grupo AV em relação ao controle (p<0,001) e ao BV (p<0,001). Não se observaram diferenças para paxilina total, actina músculo liso e alfa-tubulina. A microscopia confocal demonstrou marcação para paxilina total nos septos alveolares. A microscopia eletrônica sugeriu reorganização do citoesqueleto nas zonula adherens do grupo AV. CONCLUSÕES: A ventilação mecânica promove lesão pulmonar com infiltrado neutrofílico numa relação dose-dependente. A ventilação com alto volume corrente promove fosforilação da FAK e de paxilina. As alterações no citoesqueleto em modelo in vivo de VILI são possíveis de serem descritas utilizando-se de métodos de microscopia confocal, Western Blot e microscopia eletrônica. / INTRODUCTION: Mechanical ventilation is an important therapy, but is associated with complications. One of the most relevant is ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). Due to alveolar hyperdistension, the lung initiates an inflammatory process, with neutrophilic infiltration, hyaline membrane formation, fibrogenesis and gas exchange impairment. In this process, cellular mechanotransduction of the overstretching stimulus is mediated through the cytoskeleton and its cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. But, although the cytoskeleton has this important role in the pathogenesis of VILI, there are no in vivo models for the research of cytoskeletal and cytoskeleton-associated proteins modifications during this pathological process. Our objective was to describe the immunohistochemical modifications during this process on the cytoskeleton and on two of its associated proteins (FAK and paxillin). METHODS: in this experimental study, three groups (n = 4 6) were studied: a control group and two ventilated for four hours with PEEP of 5 cmH2O. One group was ventilated with tidal volume of 8 mL/kg (LV) and the other with 24 mL/kg (HV). Data of respiratory mechanics were obtained at the beginning and the end of the experimental period. The lungs were evaluated with histomorphometry for parenchymal proportional area, neutrophilic infiltrate and perivascular edema, with Western Blot for phospho-FAK, phospho-paxillin, total paxillin, alpha-smooth muscle actin and alpha-tubulin, with confocal laser scanning microscopy for total paxillin, and with transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: the groups were similar at the baseline. Dynamic elastance (Edin) increased in LV group and decreased in HV group (Edin initial to final: 0.76 ± 0.4 vs. 1.02 ± 0.47 respectively, in cmH2O/ml; p = 0.001). There was no difference in the parenchymal proportional area or the perivascular edema in the three groups. Mechanical ventilation induced pulmonary neutrophilic infiltration, both in the LV group and the HV group in comparison with control (p < 0.001). The infiltrate was more important in the HV group than in the LV group (p = 0.003). Phospho-FAK increased 40% in the HV group in Western Blot in comparison with control (p=0.069). Phosphopaxillin increased significantly in HV group compared with control (p<0.001) and with LV (p<0.001). Total paxillin, alpha-smooth muscle actin and alpha-tubulin did not show any differences. Confocal microscopy showed total paxillin labeling at alveolar septa. Electron microscopy suggested cytoskeleton reorganization at the zonula adherens in the AV group. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical ventilation induces pulmonary injury with neutrophilic infiltrate in a dose-dependent relationship. Ventilation with high tidal volume promotes FAK and paxillin phosphorilation. The alterations in cytoskeleton in an in vivo model of VILI are possible to be studied with confocal microscopy, Western Blot and electron microscopy.

Orientador: Kleber Gomes Franchini / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T09:40:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Costa_AnaPaulaDalla_M.pdf: 3504258 bytes, checksum: c5455cd7943b5dcb62c07cb63be2f681 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Mudancas dinamicas que ocorrem no intersticio do coracao contribuem diretamente para o remodelamento miocardico decorrente de doencas cardiacas tais como infarto do miocardio, cardiopatia hipertensiva e cardiomiopatias. As metaloproteinases de matriz extracelular (MMPs) sao importantes no remodelamento destas doencas. Estimulos mecanicos e neuro-humoral regulam a expressao e atividade de MMPs atraves de multiplos processos. Em estudos previos verificamos que o silenciamento da FAK no VE de camundongos inibe a fibrose e reduz a atividade de MMP2. Objetivamos avaliar o papel da FAK no controle da ativacao de fibroblastos cardiacos de ratos(FCRNs), induzidos por estiramento mecanico. Os FCRNs foram cultivados em placas Bioflex e submetidos a estiramento ciclico (10%) por ate 8 horas, exceto os controles. A expressao e atividade da FAK foram avaliadas por imunoblottings com anticorpos especificos para FAK ou pFAK Tyr397, respectivamente. A expressao das MMPs 2 e 9 foi avaliada em imunoblottings e a atividade por zimografia ambas no sobrenadante da cultura. O estiramento provocou aumento de 2.4 vezes da quantidade de FAK fosforilada em Tyr397, alem da expressao e a atividade de MMP 2 e 9. Alem disto, modificou os parametros de proliferacao dos FCRNs, mostrando aumento de celulas positivas para Ki67 e BrdU. Do mesmo modo, a diferenciacao em miofibroblastos foi ativada(celulas positivas para a-actina de musculo liso (a-SMA). A inibicao genica da FAK atraves da tecnica de interferencia de RNA (siRNAFAK), nos FCRNs, inibiu a expressao de a-SMA, a atividade e a expressao das MMPs 2 e 9. Alem disso, a deplecao da FAK em FCRNs promoveu a diminuicao da fosforilacao em AKT Ser473, TSC-2 Thr1462, e S6 quinase Thr389 em resposta ao estiramento mecanico. A ativacao dos FCRNs foi impedida pelo pre-tratamento com o inibidor do complexo mTOR, rapamicina. Assim mostramos que a FAK medeia a ativacao de FCRNs invocado pelo estresse mecanico, possivelmente atraves da coordenacao da via de sinalizacao mTOR. Os resultados do presente estudo indicam a ativacao da FAK pode ter um papel critico na proliferacao e diferenciacao, e na ativacao de MMPs em FCRNs quando submetidos a estiramento, e ainda o knockdown da FAK apresenta efeitos contrarios, logo, infere-se o papel da FAK na ativacao de fibroblastos cardiacos. / Abstract: Dynamic changes that occur in the heart interstitium contribute directly to the myocardial remodeling due to heart disease such as myocardial infarction, hypertensive heart disease and cardiomyopathies. The extracellular matrixmetalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in remodeling in these diseases. Mechanical and neuro-humoral stimuli regulate the MMPs expression/activity through several processes which include the control of expression, activation by cascades of own MMPs and endogenous inhibitors. In recent studies from our laboratory showed that the FAK silencing in the left ventricle of mice inhibits the fibrosis development, and in parallel reduced the MMP2.activity and expression. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of FAK in controlling the MMP 2 and 9 expression and activity in rat cardiac fibroblasts. Cardiac fibroblasts from neonatal rat (FCRNs) were grown on silicon plates and then subjected to cyclic stretch (10%) for up to 8 hours, except the controls. The FAK expression and activity were assessed for imunoblottings through with specific antibodies to FAK or phospho -FAK Tyr397, respectively. The expression of MMP 2 and 9 was evaluated with specific antibodies in imunoblottings and activity through zimography both in the supernatant culture. Furthermore, FCRNs depleted of FAK was defective in AKT Ser473, TSC-2 Thr1462, and S6 kinase Thr389 phosphorylation in response to cyclic stretch. The activation of CF-P3/80 invoked by cyclic stretch was prevented by pre-treatment with the mTOR complex inhibitor rapamycin. These findings demonstrate that FAK signaling plays a critical role in mediating the activation of cardiac fibroblasts invoked by mechanical stress possibly by coordinating the downstream mTOR signaling pathway. The results of this study indicate that the activation of FAK can have a critical role to MMPs activation in cardiac fibroblasts, as well as, the proliferation and differentiation of these cells when subjected to stretching, and the FAK knockdown presents contrary effects, therefore, to corroborate infer the FAK role in differentiation and proliferation cell, and the MMPs balance in cardiac fibroblasts. / Mestrado / Biologia Estrutural, Celular e do Desenvolvimento / Mestre em Fisiopatologia Médica

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 80–85% of all lung cancers and is associated with significant mortality. As epidermal-growth-factor receptor (EGFR) is over-expressed in 80-90% of NSCLC, its inhibition via EGFR-Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) is a main therapeutic strategy. However, patients with mutations in KRAS are resistant to EGFR-TKIs. A study in mutant KRAS-driven lung cancer in transgenic mice showed that tumor growth was dependent on the activity of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Therefore, we hypothesized that KRAS-mutant NSCLC will be sensitive to FAK-TKIs and, given known FAK-EGFR cross-talk, FAK inhibition will sensitize KRAS-mutant NSCLC to EGFR-TKIs. We performed cell viability assays of WT versus mutant KRAS NSCLC cell lines following treatment with FAK-TKI alone or in combination with a clinically relevant EGFR-TKI. We found that KRAS-mutant cells were more sensitive to FAK-TKI than KRAS-WT NSCLC. In addition, we found that the combination treatment including FAK and EGFR TKIs resulted in reduced tumor cell viability as compared to treatment with either drug alone. This enhanced anti-tumor response could be due to FAK-TKI’s ability to down-regulate EGFR downstream targets. Our preliminary data suggests that in KRAS-mutant cells the drug combination appears to more effectively inhibit Akt activity than single drug treatment alone. This suggests an enhanced ability to impair cell survival following treatment with the drug combination. We also found that treatment with FAK TKI in KRAS mutant NSCLC cells resulted in increased activation of EGFR which was due in part to modulation of EGFR recycling and production of endogenous EGFR ligands. Thus, the combination of FAK- and EGFR-TKIs may be more effective in KRAS mutant NSCLC as treatment with EGFR-TKI overcomes the unexpected ‘side effect’ of treatment with FAK-TKI, namely activation of the EGFR pathway by this drug. The findings of our study are novel and have uncovered previously unrecognized outcomes of FAK inhibition on EGFR activity. Moreover, our data support the notion that the combination of FAK- and EGFR-TKIs could be an effective treatment for KRAS mutant NSCLC patients.

No description available.

Orientador: Wilson Nadruz Júnior / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T15:00:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fernandes_MaruskadoRocioNeufert_D.pdf: 2265410 bytes, checksum: 8aea5cb9fd86986cff8999d0e81b40fc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: O aumento do estresse circunferencial ou mecânico é um dos principais estímulos responsáveis pela aterogênese induzida por hipertensão arterial, além de ser um determinante para a localização das placas ateroscleróticas na árvore arterial. Neste contexto, moléculas mecano-sensíveis ou responsivas ao estresse mecânico podem exercer um papel fundamental no desenvolvimento do fenótipo pró-aterogênico em células vasculares. A quinase de adesão focal (FAK) tem sido considerada uma proteína central na mecanotransdução em diversos tipos celulares, por seu papel potencial na ativação de vias de sinalização envolvidas no crescimento celular, anti-apoptose e inflamação. Neste trabalho, nós inicialmente caracterizamos a ativação da FAK em linhagem de célula endotelial de aorta de coelho (RAEC) submetida a estiramento mecânico pulsátil e, em seguida, investigamos a influência da inibição desta proteína, por meio de oligodeoxinucletídeo-antisense e pelo inibidor farmacológico PP2, sobre a expressão de moléculas pró-aterogênicas e a adesividade leucocitária neste modelo experimental. Nossos resultados mostraram que a FAK é ativada precocemente por estiramento mecânico e é fundamental para a expressão de TLR2, TLR4, VCAM-1 e E-selectina induzida por sobrecarga mecânica em células endoteliais. A inibição da FAK endotelial com PP2 e oligodeoxinucletídeo-antisense bloqueou a adesão de células monocitóides THP1 às células endoteliais induzida por estiramento in vitro. O próximo passo foi avaliar o impacto da FAK sobre expressão de moléculas pró-aterogênicas induzida por sobrecarga hemodinâmica in vivo, utilizando o modelo de coarctação da aorta em ratos Wistar. Os resultados dos estudos in vivo demonstraram que a FAK é ativada nas primeiras horas após instituição da sobrecarga pressora em segmentos de aorta. Após 7 dias de coarctação, os segmentos aórticos proximais à estenose apresentaram aumento na expressão de TLR2, TLR4, VCAM-1, E-selectina, metaloproteinases de matriz 2 e 9, além de maior adesividade às células THP1. Estes fenômenos foram inibidos por meio de tratamento prévio dos animais com small interference RNA direcionado especificamente contra a FAK. Em conjunto, estes dados indicam que a FAK exerce um papel fundamental na resposta pró-aterogênica de células vasculares ao estresse mecânico in vitro e in vivo / Abstract: The increase in circumferential or mechanical stress is a major stimulus by which hypertension stimulates atherogenesis and a main determinant for the location of atherosclerotic plaques in the arterial tree. Mechano-sensitive molecules can play a key role in the development of pro-atherogenic vascular cell phenotype. Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) has been considered a central protein in mechanotransduction, because of its potential role in the activation of cell signaling pathways involved in cell growth, anti-apoptosis, and inflammation. In this work, we initially evaluated the activation of FAK in rabbit aortic endothelial cell (RAEC) lineage subjected to cyclic mechanical stretch and then investigated the impact of FAK inhibition, by transfection with specific oligodeoxynucleotide antisense and pre-treatment with the pharmacological inhibitor PP2, on the expression of pro-atherogenic molecules and leukocyte adhesion in this experimental model. Our results showed that FAK was rapidly activated by mechanical stretch and was critical to stretch-induced expression of TLR2, TLR4, VCAM and E-selectin in endothelial cells. FAK endothelial inhibition also blocked the adhesion of THP1 monocytoid cells to endothelial cells induced by stretch in vitro. The next step was to investigate the role of FAK in load-induced expression of pro-atherogenic molecules in vivo, by subjecting Wistar rats to aortic constriction. The results of in vivo assays revealed an early activation of FAK in aortic segments subjected to pressure overload. After 7 days of aortic constriction, vascular segments subjected to high pressure exhibited increased expression of TLR2, TLR4, VCAM-1, E-selectin, matrix metalloproteinases 2 e 9, and higher adhesion to THP-1 monocytoid cells. These events were inhibited by pre-treatment of rats with small interference RNA designed to silence FAK expression. In general these findings indicate that FAK is critical do stretch-induced expression of pro-atherogenic molecules in vascular cells in vitro and in vivo / Doutorado / Ciencias Basicas / Doutor em Clínica Médica

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Pyk2: Potential Regulator of Post-Menopausal Bone Loss H.W. LARGURA1,2*, P. ELENISTE2, S. HUANG2, S. LIU1, M. ALLEN3, A. BRUZZANITI2. 1Indiana University School of Dentistry Department Orthodontics and Oral Facial Development, 2Indiana University School of Dentistry Department of Oral Biology, 3Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Osteoporosis is a pathologic condition of bone, commonly found in post-menopausal women, which occurs from an imbalance between bone formation and resorption. Following menopause, the bone resorbing activity of osteoclasts exceeds bone formation by osteoblasts, resulting in decreased trabecular and cortical bone and a subsequent decrease in bone mass. Reduced bone mass increases the risk of pathologic fracture of bones. Due to adverse effects associated with current treatment protocols for bone loss, alternative treatment modalities with reduced adverse effects are needed. Estrogen plays a role in maintaining balance in the bone remodeling cycle by controlling remodeling activation, osteoblast and osteoclast numbers, and their respective effectiveness in formation and resorption. With declining estrogen levels, this elegantly balanced interaction is altered and bone resorption exceeds bone formation, resulting in bone loss and increased bone fragility. Pyk2 is a protein tyrosine kinase that plays an important role in regulating bone resorption by osteoclasts, as well as osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. Deletion of the Pyk2 gene in mice leads to an increase in bone mass, in part due to dysfunctional osteoclast and osteoblast activity. In this study, we examined the role of Pyk2 in the effects of estrogen on bone mass. We used wild type (WT) and Pyk2 knock-out (KO) mice that had been ovariectomized (OVX) and treated with or without estrogen (E2)-releasing pellets. Control mice included sham OVX surgery receiving placebo pellet. We found that deletion of Pyk2 conferred increased bone mass in sham, OVX and OVX+E2 mice. In addition, Pyk2 KO mice supplemented with 17estradiol exhibited a marked increase in bone volume/trabecular volume, trabecular number, and trabecular thickness, but not cortical bone parameters compared to WT mice. Results of this study provide evidence for the role of Pyk2 in the effects of estrogen on bone mass. Understanding the role of Pyk2 in bone could lead to the development of new pharmaceutical targets for the treatment of bone loss associated with osteoporosis.

No description available.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). / The abysmal five year pancreatic cancer survival rate of less than 6% highlights the need for new treatments for this deadly malignancy. Cytotoxic drugs normally target rapidly dividing cancer cells but unfortunately often target stem cells resulting in toxicity. This warrants the development of compounds that selectively target tumor cells. An inhibitor of the mitotic kinase, MPS1, which has been shown to be more selective towards cancer cells than non-tumorigenic cells, shows promise but its effects on stem cells has not been investigated. MPS1 is an essential component of the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint and is proposed to be up-regulated in cancer cells to maintain chromosomal segregation errors within survivable limits. Inhibition of MPS1 kinase causes cancer cell death accompanied by massive aneuploidy. Our studies demonstrate that human adipose stem cells (ASCs) and can tolerate higher levels of a small molecule MPS1 inhibitor than pancreatic cancer cells. In contrast to PANC-1 cancer cells, ASCs and telomerase-immortalized pancreatic ductal epithelial cells did not exhibit elevated chromosome mis-segregation after treatment with the MPS1 inhibitor for 72hrs. In contrast, PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells exhibited a large increase in chromosomal mis-segregation under similar conditions. Furthermore, growth of ASCs was minimally affected post treatment whereas PANC-1 cells were severely growth impaired suggesting a favorable therapeutic index. Our studies, demonstrate that MPS1 inhibition is selective towards pancreatic cancer cells and that stem cells are less affected in vitro. These data suggest MPS1 inhibition should be further investigated as a new treatment approach in pancreatic cancer.