Germinal center (GC) reactions are central features of T cell-driven B cell responses, and the site where antibody (Ab) producing cells and memory B cells are generated. Within GCs, a range of complex cellular and molecular events occur which are critical for the generation of high affinity Abs. These processes require exquisite regulation not only to ensure the production of desired Abs, but to minimize unwanted autoreactive or low affinity Abs. To assess whether T regulatory cells (Treg) participate in the control of GC responses, immunized mice were treated with either an anti-glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein (GITR) mAb or an anti-CD25 mAb to disrupt Treg activity. In both groups of treated mice, the GC B cell pool was significantly larger compared with control treated animals, with switched GC B cells composing an abnormally high proportion of the response. With these results indicating Tregs influence on GC dynamics, experiments were conducted to determine if Tregs were located in the GC, which subset of Treg was involved and by which mechanisms were their functions being effected. Within the spleens of immunized mice, CXCR5+ and CCR7- Tregs were documented by flow cytometry and Foxp3+ cells were found within GCs using immunohistology. Studies demonstrated administration of either anti-TGF-β or anti-IL-10R blocking mAb to likewise result in dysregulated GCs, suggesting that generation of inducible Tregs is important in controlling the GC response. Blockade of two Treg methods of suppression, PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and CTLA-4, also resulted in disrupted GCs, indicating the possible use of them for suppression by Treg. Collectively, these findings indicate that Tregs contribute to the overall size and quality of the humoral response by controlling homeostasis within GCs.

O número de jovens infectados por HIV vem aumentando nas últimas décadas, o que salienta a necessidade de estratégias vacinais que sejam imunogênicas em fase precoce de vida capazes de induzir resposta de longa duração. A vacina quimérica LAMP-1/p55Gag, associa o gene que codifica a LAMP-1 (proteína de associação da membrana lisossomal) e o gene da gag do HIV-1, direciona o tráfego da proteína viralpara os compartimentos MIIC, possibilitando a apresentação dos peptídeos virais pela classe II do Complexo Principal de Histocompatibilidade (MHC II). Esta vacina quimérica é imunogênica em camundongos BALB/c adultos e neonatos e crucial para induzir resposta T e B de longa duração, com produção de elevados níveis de anticorpos. Contudo, os mecanismos imunológicos envolvidos na indução da resposta humoral da vacina LAMP/Gag, como a geração de células T auxiliares foliculares (TFH), ainda não são conhecidos no período neonatal. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a geração de células TFH, T citotóxicos e B foliculares em camundongos neonatos submetidos à imunização com as vacinas LAMP/Gag (LG) e Gag (G). Inicialmente,avaliamos a imunogenicidade das vacinas gênicas na imunização neonatal aos sete dias de idade em camundongos de linhagem C57BL/6. Os resultados mostram que a imunização neonatal com a vacina LG é capaz de aumentara frequência de células secretoras de IFN-&#978 aos peptídeos imunodominantes da região gag do HIV-1 e de células T CD8&#43IFN-&#978&#43 comparadas a vacina Gag. A imunização neonatal com a vacina LG também levou a produção de títulos elevados de anticorpos IgG1 anti-p24 e aumento da porcentagem de células secretoras de IgG1 Gag-específicas. O priming neonatal com LG é capaz de promover resposta celular e humoral anti-Gag de longa duração. Além disto, a imunização neonatal (ip) com LG foi capaz de induzir células TFH (CD4&#43CXCR5&#43PD-1&#43Bcl-6&#43), linfócitos T CD8&#43 foliculares (TFC) (CD8&#43CXCR5&#43) e formação de centro germinativo (CG) nos linfonodos mesentéricos, contudo, ambas as vacinas induziram células B foliculares (CD19&#43CXCR5&#43). Apesar da menor frequência de TFH dos neonatos em relação a adultos na imunização com LG, houve frequência similar de células TFC. A imunização intradérmica convencional induziu aumento do número de células TFH nos linfonodos inguinais já ao terceiro dia após o reforço vacinal, embora frequência similar de células TFH, TFC e B foliculares. Neste período foi possível observar que a vacina LG também induziu a geração de células B de CG. Outra peculiaridade da vacina LG neonatal foi o aumento da expressão gênica da enzima citidina deaminase (AID). Os resultados mostram que a vacina L/AMP/Gag é imunogênica na fase neonatal de camundongos C57BL/6 quanto à geração de resposta celular e humoral antígeno-específica e resposta de longa duração, similarmente aos camundongos BALB/c. Os dados mostraram que a vacina LG é eficaz na indução de células T foliculares, na maturação de tecidos linfoides com formação de CGs e na indução de transcritos para AID. No conjunto, os achados evidenciam que a estratégia da vacina quimérica L/AMP/Gag é eficaz neste período da vida, e possui importante papel adjuvante na maturação da resposta humoral. / The number of young people infected with HIV has been increasing in recent decades, which highlights the need for vaccine strategies that are immunogenic at early phase of life able of inducing long-term response. The chimeric LAMP-1/p55Gag vaccine, associates the gene encoding LAMP-1 (lysosomal associated membrane protein) and the HIV-1 gag gene, directs the traffic of viral protein to MIIC compartments, leading to presentation of the viral peptides through class II of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC II). This chimeric vaccine is immunogenic in adult and neonatal BALB/c mice and crucial to induce long-term T and B responses, producing high levels of antibodies. However, the immunological mechanisms involved in the induction of the humoral response of the LAMP/Gag vaccine, such as the generation of T follicular helper cells (TFH), are unknown in the neonatal period. The objective of this study was to evaluate the generation of TFH, and follicular cytotoxic T cells and B cells in neonates submitted to immunization with the LAMP/Gag (LG) and Gag (G) vaccines. The results show that neonatal immunization at seven days-old in C57BL/6 mice strain with the LG vaccine is able to increasing the frequency of IFN-&#978-secreting cells to the immunodominant peptides of the HIV-1 gag region and of CD8&#43IFN-&#978&#43 T cells compared to the Gag vaccine. Neonatal immunization with the LG vaccine led to the production of high titers of anti-p24 IgG1 antibodies and the increased percentage of Gag-specific IgG1 secreting cells. Neonatal priming with LG is able to promote long-lasting anti-Gag humoral and cellular response. Moreover, neonatal (ip) immunization with LG was able to induce TFH cells (CD4&#43CXCR5&#43PD-1&#43Bcl-6 &#43), follicular CD8 &#43 T cells (TFC) (CD8&#43CXCR5&#43) and germinal center (GC) formation in the mesenteric lymph nodes, whereas both vaccines induced follicular B cells (CD19&#43CXCR5&#43). Despite the lower frequency of TFH in neonates in relation to adult counterpartin the immunization with LG, a similar percentage of TFC cells was observed. Conventional immunization by intradermal immunization induced an increased number of TFH cells in inguinal lymph nodes on the third day after booster vaccination, despite the similar frequency of follicular TFH, TFC and B cells. In this period the LG vaccine also induced generation of CG B cells. Another peculiarity of the LG neonatal vaccine was the increase in the gene expression of the enzyme activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID).The results show that the LAMP/Gag vaccine is immunogenic in the neonatal phase of C57BL/6 mice for the generation of antigen-specific humoral and cellular response and long-term response, similar to BALB/c mice. The findings showed effective induction of follicular T cells, maturation of lymphoid tissues with formation of GCs and up-regulation oftranscripts for AID. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the LAMP/Gag chimeric vaccine strategy is effective at this time in life, and has an important adjuvant role in the maturation of the humoral response.

A prolonged growth phase of the ovulatory follicle results in follicular aging. Whether follicular aging is detrimental or beneficial to oocyte competence is not fully known. The objective of this thesis is to investigate the effects of follicular aging on oocyte competence and granulosa cell gene expression in cattle. Four sets of experiments were designed to address the objective. The following hypotheses were tested during the course of these studies: 1) oocyte competence will improve by the longer growing phase but will be adversely affected by FSH starvation, 2) follicles that undergo superstimulation will have different gene expression than dominant follicles from a natural cycle, 3) extending the superstimulation protocol by 3 days will allow follicles to mature better and 4) markers of maturity, cellular health and survival will be turned off by FSH starvation. The objective of the first study (Chapter 3) was to determine the effects of extending the length of superstimulation and follicular aging on oocyte competence by in vitro embryo production. Multiple follicles were allowed to grow for 4 (Short FSH) or 7 days (Long FSH) under the treatment of 8 or 14 injections of FSH (at 12-hour intervals), respectively. Multiple follicles in the FSH starvation group were allowed to grow for 7 days but FSH was provided for only the first 4 days of superstimulation. Extending the duration of follicular growth by superstimulation resulted in a greater number of ≥9 mm follicles and in 2.5 more transferable embryos per animal (morulae+blastocysts) at Day 9 of in vitro embryo culture. The FSH starvation resulted in a greater proportion of poor quality oocytes lower cleavage rate and lower embryonic development. Microarray analysis was used to assess the effect of superstimulation (Chapter 4), follicular aging (Chapter 5) and FSH starvation (Chapter 6) on the gene expression profile of superstimulated granulosa cells. Gene expression of granulosa cells from the post-LH preovulatory dominant follicle was compared (Chapter 4) with those from follicles of the same status after a standard 4-day superstimulation (same protocol as Short FSH group from Chapter 3). A total of 190 genes were down-regulated and 280 genes were upregulated in the superstimulated group when compared with the reference (non-superstimulated control). Data analysis showed that superstimulated follicles are still in a growing phase compared to untreated dominant follicles (most of the upregulated genes are related to matrix remodeling due to tissue proliferation) and did not respond to LH properly (down regulation of LH gene markers). Four-day superstimulation also disturbed genes related to angiogenesis and activated oxidative stress response genes. Extending the superstimulation protocol (7 days; same protocol as Long FSH from Chapter 3) allowed more time for follicles to leave the growing stage and properly respond to LH surge (most of the upregulated genes in the Long FSH group are markers of post LH surge) when compared to the standard 4 day superstimulation protocol (Short FSH; reference group) (Chapter 5). Moreover, the follicles from Long FSH show proximity to ovulation. The continuous FSH support during the extended superstimulation protocol is crucial for follicular health since FSH starvation disturbed genes markers of oocyte quality and embryo development (Chapter 6). Granulosa cells that underwent FSH starvation do not respond to LH surge, which could be detrimental to ovulation (Chapter 6). Therefore, follicles from Short FSH are delayed in maturation and differentiation but the oocyte competence is not compromised. Extending superstimulation protocol by 3 d enhanced the ovarian response to FSH treatment and allowed more time for follicles to mature and properly respond to the LH stimulus. A period of FSH starvation after superstimulatory treatment compromised follicular health, ability to respond to LH and ovulate, oocyte quality and the fertilization process.

This study investigates the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of follicular stasis in female veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus). Reproductive status was assessed by enzyme immunoassay of fecal metabolites of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and corticosterone; ultrasonography; and male introduction trials. Ultrasonography and hormone pattern analysis confirmed follicular stasis, while female response to male presence was inconclusive. Hormone patterns of corticosterone metabolites indicated a cyclical pattern consistent with reproductive events, but there was insufficient data to compare peak levels between ovulatory and non-ovulatory cycles. Ovulation induction was unsuccessful using either chicken GnRH-II, or a combination of progesterone and prostaglandin F2α. Feed restriction induced weight loss, but this was not directly related to changes in follicle size. Prevention of follicular development (i.e. contraception) was attempted using Depo-Provera and Lupron Depot, but neither treatment was effective. The outcomes of this study supplement the information on follicular stasis in reptiles, but further research is still needed. / NSERC, Toronto Zoo

Adipositas und das polyzystische Ovarsyndrom (PCOS) sind häufig Gründe für Anovulation, Infertilität und unerfüllten Kinderwunsch. Sowohl Adipositas als auch das PCOS können zu einem Ungleichgewicht zwischen Anti- und Prooxidanzien im menschlichen Körper führen. Durch Übergewicht der Prooxidanzien ensteht oxidativer Stress. Reaktive Sauerstoffspezies (reactive oxygen species, ROS) fallen vermehrt an und oxidieren Lipoproteine zu „oxidized low density lipoproteins“ (oxLDL). Durch Bindung von oxLDL an den „lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1)“ wird Apoptose und Autophagie induziert. Wir vermuten, dass sich diese Prozesse auch in der Follikelflüssigkeit (FF), dem Milieu der Eizelle, abspielen und zum Absterben reifender Follikel und somit zur Anovulation und Infertilität führen. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, zu untersuchen, welchen Einfluss Adipositas, hormonelle Stimulation und PCOS auf die enzymatischen Antioxidanzien Superoxiddismutase (SOD), Katalase, Glutathionperoxidase (GPx) und Glutathionreduktase (GR) sowie auf den oxLDL-Spiegel haben. Es wurden Serum und FF von Frauen unter IVF (in vitro Fertilisation) -Therapie untersucht, die anhand ihres Body Mass Index (BMI), des Taille-Hüft-Quotienten (T/H-Quotient) sowie des PCOS in vier Gruppen eingeteilt wurden. Die Konzentration an oxLDL als Repräsentant des oxidativen Systems und die Aktivität der Enzyme SOD, Katalase, GPx und GR, Repräsentaten des antioxidativen Systems, wurden im Serum vor Stimulationsbeginn und zum Zeitpunkt der Follikelpunktion sowie in der FF gemessen. Adipöse Frauen mit und ohne PCOS hatten höhere Konzentrationen an oxLDL in der FF als normalgewichtige. Die oxLDL-Konzentrationen der FF waren 1000-fach niedriger als die der Seren. Interessanterweise waren auch die Katalase-Aktivitäten in der FF adipöser Frauen mit und ohne PCOS höher als die der normalgewichtigen. Zusammenfassend lässt sich folgern, dass erhöhte oxLDL-Konzentrationen in der FF von adipösen Frauen, unabhängig vom Vorliegen eines PCOS, mit einer gesteigerten Katalase-Aktivität und einer niedrigeren IVF-Erfolgsrate assoziiert sind.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Univ., 2004. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Orientador: Wilter Ricardo Russiano Vicente / Banca: Luiz Fernando de Souza Rodrigues / Banca: César Roberto Esper / Resumo: Avaliou-se macro e microscopicamente os ovários de ovelhas submetidas a sucessivas aspirações foliculares, com o objetivo de se verificar se houve ou não interferência na produção oocitária e morfologia das gônadas; além da avaliação macroscópica do trato genital interno. Dezoito ovelhas da raça Santa Inês, distribuídas aleatoriamente compuseram três grupos experimentais de igual número (n=6). G0, G1, G9 com 0, 1 e 9 repetições, respectivamente. A sincronização do estro foi feita utilizando-se protocolo curto com MAP, seguindo-se estimulação, em dose única, com 80mg de FSHp e 300 UI de eCG (IM) e após 36 horas realizavam-se as aspirações foliculares por vídeolaparoscopia, com intervalo de 7 dias. Os folículos visibilizados, os aspirados e os oócitos recuperados foram contabilizados. Após a última intervenção foi realizada ovariectomia para avaliar os macro e microscopicamente, a existência ou não de lesões causadas pelas punções foliculares, classificando a intensidade do processo em ausente (0), leve (1), moderada (2) e severa (3). Os dados foram expressos em média e desvio padrão, comparados pelo teste one-way ANOVA e teste de Tukey. Os números de folículos visibilizados, aspirados e oócitos recuperados foram de 13,24±2,0, 11,27±3,03 e 5,79±2,3 respectivamente, com taxa de recuperação de 51,69%, não havendo diferenças entre as nove sessões (p>0,05). Também não se verificou, macroscopicamnte, lesões no trato genital interno, nem alterações consideráveis nas análises histológicas, sendo o escore 0±0 para o G0, 0,1±0,4 para o G1 e 0±0 para o G9 (p>0,05). Conclui-se que as nove sessões de superovulação e aspiração folicular não causam lesões ovarianas e não interferiram na produção de folículos em ovelhas da raça Santa Inês / Abstract: We evaluated macroscopically and microscopically the ovaries of ewes to repeated follicular aspiration, in order to verify whether or not there was interference with the production oocyte and gonad morphology, besides the macroscopic evaluation of internal genital tract. Eighteen sheep Santa Ines, randomly distributed three groups composed of equal numbers (n = 6). G0, G1, G9 with 0, 1 and 9 replicates, respectively. Synchronization of estrus was performed using short protocol with MAP, followed by stimulation in a single dose of 80mg FSHp and 300 IU of eCG (IM) and after 36 hours was held at the follicular aspiration by laparoscopy with interval 7 days. The follicles visualized, aspirated and the oocytes recovered were counted. After the last intervention was performed ovariectomy was performed to assess the macro and microscopically, the presence or absence of lesions caused by follicular puncture, classifying the intensity of the process as absent (0), mild (1), moderate (2) and severe (3) . Data were expressed as mean and standard deviation and compared by using one-way ANOVA and Tukey test. The numbers of follicles visualized, aspirated and oocytes recovered were 13.24 ± 2.0, 11.27 ± 3.03 and 5.79 ± 2.3 respectively, with a recovery rate of 51.69%, with no differences among the nine sessions (p> 0.05). Nor is there, macroscopicamnte, internal genital tract injury, or significant changes in histological evaluations, with a score of 0 ± 0 for G0, 0.1 ± 0.4 for G1 and 0 ± 0 for the G9 (p> 0.05). We conclude the nine sessions of superovulation and ovum do not cause ovarian lesions and did not interfere in the production of follicles in Santa Ines sheep / Mestre

BACKGROUND: Previous work has shown that follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) play an important role in selecting B cells such that antigens are responded to in a specific manner. FcγRΙΙB (CD32) is an antibody constant-region receptor found on FDCs and mutation of this receptor in humans is associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). In addition, previous work has demonstrated that autoreactive germinal centers are the product of expression of interferon alpha (ΙFNα) by FDCs, so FcγRIIB signaling may involve modulation of IFNα signaling. OBJECTIVE: Because FcγRIIB mutation is associated with SLE and FDCs have been shown to be important in orchestrating B cell responses, understanding FcγRIIB on FDCs helps characterize B cell repertoire development in response to antigen—whether the antigen is foreign or self, as is the case in autoimmunity. Better characterization of the role of FcγRIIB could have consequences for autoimmune and cancer therapy. This study seeks to determine the role of FcγRΙΙB on FDCs in germinal center B cell selection dynamics within single, autoreactive germinal centers. METHODS: This study compares transplanted wild-type (B6) B cells—that are driven to be autoimmune by simultaneously transplanted autoimmune B cells—in two stromal cell settings: first, in germinal centers containing wild-type FDCs and second, in germinal centers containing FcγRIIB-knockout FDCs. Transplanted B6 B cell populations express photoactivatable protein, which allows for sorting of B cells from individual germinal centers. B cell sequences from single germinal centers were analyzed to determine how focused each germinal center response was and how the B cells differ in maturity and affinity for antigen. Finally, mice expressing a lineage-tracing system were treated with IFNα in order to observe the cytokine’s effect on B cell selection. RESULTS: Cells sorted from germinal centers containing FcγRIIB-knockout FDCs contain a distinguished population of less-developed B cells, as quantified by population-based analysis of their variable heavy chain genes. Overall, the IgM sequences from B cells sorted from germinal centers (GCs) containing FcγRIIB-knockout follicular dendritic cells displayed lower levels of somatic hypermutation (SHM) (p<.05) and shorter hypervariable regions (CDR3) (p<.05) compared to other B cell populations. Values computed to summarize how many different B cell lineages were present in a GC—its “clonality”—did not vary between the two mouse populations, although FcγRIIB-knockout FDC germinal centers displayed a correlation between clonality and immunoglobulin (Ig) isotype expression (R2= .85). Finally, lineage tracing mice receiving injections of interferon alpha (IFNα) displayed no difference in GC clonality compared to those receiving vehicle and assays of IFNα downstream signaling genes also displayed no change. CONCLUSIONS: FcγRIIB encourages more stringent selection of immature B cells in germinal centers as evidenced by survival of less developed B cells as defined by degree of somatic hypermutation and CDR3 length in GCs comprising FcγRIIB-knockout FDCs. In spite of this, sequence-based measures of germinal center clonality as completed here may fail to capture the functional results of B cell selection. In addition, the link between FcγRIIB and IFNα requires further investigation. / 2019-07-03T00:00:00Z