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Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio (fiscina@bahia.fiocruz.br) on 2012-07-19T20:54:41Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Giselle Calasans de Souza Costa. Investigação de Polimorfismos no gene humano da Glut1 - CPqGM - Dissertação de Mestrado - 2008.pdf: 901999 bytes, checksum: f8d18c6846f38a411006c2e451309767 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-07-19T20:54:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Giselle Calasans de Souza Costa. Investigação de Polimorfismos no gene humano da Glut1 - CPqGM - Dissertação de Mestrado - 2008.pdf: 901999 bytes, checksum: f8d18c6846f38a411006c2e451309767 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, Bahia, Brasil / O HTLV-1 é o agente etiológico da Paraparesia Espástica Tropical/Mielopatia Associada ao HTLV-1 (TSP/HAM) e da Leucemia/Linfoma das Células T do Adulto (ATLL). No entanto, o desenvolvimento de manifestações clínicas associadas ao HTLV-1 ocorre em 2-4% da população infectada e ainda não se sabe por que esta infecção permanece assintomática na maioria dos portadores. Tem sido sugerido que o desfecho da infecção pode ocorrer devido a variações (mutações) em genes do hospedeiro e/ou do vírus. Recentemente, foi demonstrado que o HTLV é capaz de utilizar a glicoproteína transportadora de glicose do tipo 1 (GLUT1) para infectar linfócitos T CD4+. Diversos estudos têm demonstrado uma associação entre mutações em regiões regulatórias de genes humanos e manifestação de doença. Polimorfismos no gene da GLUT1 foram associados à susceptibilidade a nefropatia diabética, em pacientes com diabetes mellitus dos tipos 1 e 2 em diferentes populações. Com o objetivo de verificar possíveis correlações entre polimorfismos nas regiões regulatórias e codificante do gene humano da GLUT1 com o desenvolvimento de TSP/HAM, analisamos os polimorfismos -2841A>T, XbaIG>T e HaeIIIT>C em indivíduos infectados pelo HTLV-1 e em indivíduos não-infectados de Salvador. Os SNPs XbaIG>T e HaeIIIT>C foram verificados por PCR/RFLP e o SNP -2841A>T, por seqüenciamento. Além disso, a carga proviral do HTLV-1 foi quantificada por PCR quantitativo em tempo real. Com o intuito de verificar a freqüência dos polimorfismos em GLUT1 na população brasileira com diferentes etnias, foi realizada a análise dos polimorfismos XbaIG>T e HaeIIIT>C em Ameríndios da tribo Tiriyó; descendentes de europeus da região Sul do Brasil; descendentes de japoneses, descendentes de europeus e afro-descendentes da região Sudeste. As freqüências genotípicas para os polimorfismos analisados estavam de acordo com o esperado pelo Equilíbrio de Hardy- Weinberg. O polimorfismo HaeIIIT>C estava em desequilíbrio de ligação com os polimorfismos XbaIG>T (χ2=37,555, p=0,003, 4 d.f.) e -2841A>T (χ2=∞, p=0,000, 4 d.f.). A freqüência do genótipo T/T do polimorfismo XbaIG>T foi mais elevada nos indivíduos assintomáticos e com TSP/HAM do que nos indivíduos oligosintomáticos. Em relação ao polimorfismo HaeIIIT>C, nós observamos uma maior freqüência do genótipo T/C nos pacientes com TSP/HAM. Quanto ao polimorfismo -2841A>T, foi verificada uma distribuição similar dos genótipos analisados em todos os grupos estudados. Não foram observadas diferenças estatisticamente significantes nas distribuições genotípicas e alélicas entre os indivíduos infectados e não-infectados pelo HTLV-1, assim como em relação ao status clínico dos pacientes infectados pelo HTLV- 1 nos polimorfismos XbaIG>T, HaeIIIT>C e -2841A>T. Em relação ao seqüenciamento de 339pb da região promotora de GLUT1, foi observada uma nova mutação G>T na posição -2807 em 6 indivíduos (1 assintomático, 2 com TSP/HAM e 3 não-infectados), caracterizando esta mutação como um polimorfismo. Nossos resultados indicam que os polimorfismos XbaIG>T, HaeIIIT>C e -2841A>T, apesar de, possivelmente, estarem relacionados com a entrada de glicose na célula (XbaIG>T e -2841A>T) não estão relacionados com a infecção pelo HTLV-1 nem com o desenvolvimento de TSP/HAM, sugerindo que as diferentes atividades realizadas pela proteína GLUT1 (transporte de glicose e recepção do HTLV-1) são mediadas por diferentes domínios da mesma. Quanto ao estudo de base populacional, nós confirmamos que as freqüências alélicas dos polimorfismos XbaIG>T e HaeIIIT>C variaram de acordo com a etnia. / The HTLV-1 is the etiological agent of Tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-1 associated mielopathy (TSP/HAM) and Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). However, the development of HTLV-1 associated clinic manifestations occurs in 2-4% of the infected population and it is still an answered question why this infection remains asymptomatic at the most of the infected carriers. It has been suggested that the outcome of HTLV-1 associated disease manifestations may occur by individual and/or viral genetic variations (mutations). Recently, it was demonstrated that HTLV is able to use the Glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) to infect T CD4+ lymphocytes. Many studies have demonstrating an association between mutations in regulatory regions of human genes and disease manifestations. Polymorphisms in the GLUT1 gene were associated with susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy in patients with types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus in different populations. To evaluate the role of GLUT1 gene polymorphisms in the development of TSP/HAM in HTLV-1 infected individuals, we had analyzed the -2841A>T, XbaIG>T and HaeIIIT>C polymorphisms in HTLV-1 infected and non-infected individuals from Salvador. The XbaIG>T and HaeIIIT>C SNP were analyzed by PCR/RFLP and the -2841A>T polymorphism, by sequencing. The proviral load of the HTLV-1 infected patients was analyzed by Real Time Quantitative PCR. We also analyzed the XbaIG>T and HaeIIIT>C polymorphisms in distinct Brazilian populations with different ethnic backgrounds: Amerindians from Tiriyó tribe, European descendants from Brazil South region; Japanese descendants, Europeans descendants and African descendants from Southeast region. Genotypic frequencies of the polymorphisms analyzed were in agreement with the expected by the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. The HaeIIIT>C polymorphism was in linkage disequilibrium with the XbaIG>T (χ2=37.555, p=0.003, 4d.f.) and -2841A>T polymorphisms (χ2=∞, p=0.000, 4d.f.). T/T genotypic frequency of the XbaIG>T polymorphism was higher in asymptomatic and TSP/HAM individuals than in oligosymptomatics. Concerned to the HaeIIIT>C polymorphism, we observed a higher frequency of the T/C genotype in TSP/HAM patients. In relation to the -2841A>T polymorphism, it was verified a similar distribution of the analyzed genotypes in all studied groups. Genotypic and allelic frequencies of the three sites analyzed did not differ significantly for controls and HTLV-1 infected individuals. There were no differences in genotypic and allelic distribution among patients for either the presence or absence of HTLV-1 associated clinic manifestations. In relation to the sequencing of 339 bp of GLUT1 promoter region, it was observed a new mutation G>T at -2807 position in 6 individuals (1 asymptomatic, 2 with TSP/HAM and 3 non-infected). Regarding the quantification of the provirus load according to GLUT1 genotypes, we did not observe any differences. These results suggest that the XbaIG>T, HaeIIIT>C and -2841A>T polymorphisms, although possibly related with cell glucose entry (XbaIG>T and -2841A>T), do not contribute to HTLV-1 infection and to the genetic susceptibility of TSP/HAM in Brazilian HTLV-1 infected individuals, suggesting that different activities performed by GLUT1 protein (glucose transport and HTLV-1 entry) are mediated by its different domains. Concerned to the population study, we confirmed that the allelic frequencies from the XbaIG>T and HaeIIIT>C are influenced by ethnicity among the six Brazilian ethnic groups studied.

L’activation des cellules T est initiée suite à la rencontre avec un antigène spécifique. Les études réalisées pour mieux comprendre ce processus d’activation se sont principalement focalisées sur le rôle des cellules présentatrices d'antigènes et des cytokines. Toutefois, des données récentes soulignent également l'importance du microenvironnement métabolique pour soutenir l’augmentation des besoins énergétiques et biosynthétiques liés à la stimulation antigénique. Cette reprogrammation métabolique est conditionnée par la disponibilité en nutriments et la teneur en oxygène qui peuvent être altérés en conditions pathologiques, comme dans des tumeurs. En effet, plusieurs groupes dont le nôtre ont montré qu’en cas de faible disponibilité en nutriments, une compétition peut se créer entre les cellules tumorales et les cellules T, impactant de ce fait négativement leurs fonctions anti-tumorales. Cet effet est dû, du moins en partie, aux profils métaboliques distincts des sous-populations de cellules T; alors que les cellules T effectrices (dont les cellules Th1) sont fortement glycolytiques, les cellules T régulatrices suppressives (Treg) présentent un métabolisme plus mixte avec des niveaux accrus d'oxydation lipidique. Il est donc important de déterminer comment les changements métaboliques des cellules T anti-tumorales affectent leur persistance et leur fonctionnalité. Ainsi, j'ai entrepris des travaux afin d’évaluer si le niveau d’expression du transporteur de glucose Glut1 permettait d’identifier et de sélectionner des cellules T ayant des fonctions effectrices distinctes. Nous avons confirmé cette hypothèse et notamment montré que les cellules T exprimant un niveau élevé de Glut1 possèdent un potentiel de sécrétion d’IFNg accru.De plus, nos travaux montrent que la disponibilité en nutriments extracellulaires est un élément clé pour la différenciation terminale des cellules Th1. En effet, l'activation des cellules T CD4 naïves en conditions limitantes en glutamine induit leur différenciation en cellules Treg Foxp3+. Plus surprenant encore, cette carence induit un blocage de la différenciation Th1 même lors d’une polarisation vers ce lignage. De plus, en conditions de carence en glutamine, nous avons découvert que l'alpha-cétoglutarate (aKG), un métabolite dérivé de la glutamine, rétablit cette différenciation terminale Th1. J'ai ensuite évalué l'impact de l’aKG dans les processus de différenciation Th1/Treg en condition non limitante en glutamine. Mes données montrent que, dans des conditions de polarisation Th1, l’ajout d’aKG améliore la différenciation des cellules T CD4 naïfs en cellules Th1 et augmente la production d’IFNg. A l’inverse, l’ajout d’aKG s’accompagne d’une diminution des cellules Foxp3+ et d’une augmentation de la sécrétion de cytokines inflammatoires dans des conditions de polarisation Treg. L'altération de la différenciation des cellules T médiée par l'aKG est notamment associée à une phosphorylation oxydative (OXPHOS) accrue ; ainsi, l'ajout d’un inhibiteur du cycle de Krebs et du complexe mitochondrial II /succinate déshydrogénase, atténue le blocage de la différenciation Treg induit par l'aKG. De façon remarquable, ces modifications de l'équilibre Th1/Treg médiées par l'aKG sont maintenues in vivo et impactent le devenir de cellules T exprimant un récepteur chimérique anti-tumoral (CAR) injectées chez des souris porteuses de tumeurs. En résumé, nos données montrent qu'une faible teneur en aKG intracellulaire liée à une disponibilité limitée en glutamine, favorise un phénotype Treg, alors que des niveaux élevés d’aKG modifient l'équilibre vers un phénotype Th1.En conclusion, les données générées au cours de ma thèse devraient permettre le développement de stratégies permettant de sélectionner des cellules T ayant des propriétés effectrices anti-tumorales améliorées. / T cells are stimulated upon interaction with their cognate antigen. While much research has focused on the role of antigen presenting cells (APC) and cytokines as important components of the T cell microenvironment, recent data highlight the importance of the metabolic environment in sustaining the energetic and biosynthetic demands that are induced upon antigen stimulation. The subsequent metabolic reprogramming of the T cell is conditioned by the nutrient composition and oxygen levels. Notably, this environment can be altered by pathological conditions such as tumors and data from our group, as well as others, have shown that the competition of T cells and tumor cells for limiting amounts of nutrients has a negative impact on T cells, inhibiting their anti-tumor effector functions. This effect is due, at least in part, to the distinct metabolic profiles of T lymphocyte subsets; T effector cells (including Th1 cells) are highly glycolytic while suppressive Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) display a mixed metabolism with increased levels of lipid oxidation. It is therefore important to determine how changes in the metabolic programming of anti-tumor T cells impacts on their persistence and function. Indeed, in the context of my PhD research, I found that high levels of the glucose transporter Glut1 was associated with a significantly increased level of IFNγ secretion by both CD4 and CD8 T cells. Furthermore, there was a bias of CD8 over CD4 lymphocytes in the Glut1-hi T cell subset. These data point to the importance of metabolic alterations in the fate and effector function of T lymphocytes and during my PhD, I focused on elucidating the metabolic parameters that regulate effector and regulatory T cells, with the goal of improving the efficacy of anti-tumor T cells. In this context, I contributed to initial studies from our group, revealing a critical role for extracellular nutrient availability in terminal CD4+ T cell differentiation. Activation of naïve CD4+ T cells under conditions of glutamine deprivation caused them to differentiate into induced Treg (iTreg). Moreover, the skewing of glutamine-deprived naive CD4+ T cells to a Foxp3+ fate occurred even under Th1-polarizing conditions, blocking terminal Th1 differentiation. Under glutamine-deprived conditions, we found that alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG), a glutamine-derived metabolite, rescued Th1 differentiation. I then evaluated the impact of aKG under glutamine-replete conditions in the Th1/iTreg differentiation processes. My studies showed that, under Th1-polarizing conditions, aKG markedly enhanced naïve CD4+ T cell differentiation into Th1 cells and increased IFNg secretion. Moreover, under Treg-polarizing conditions, αKG decreased Foxp3 expression and increased the secretion of inflammatory cytokines such as IFNg, GM-CSF and IL-17. Notably, the aKG-mediated alteration in T cell differentiation was associated with an augmented oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), and inhibiting the citric acid cycle and the mitochondrial complex II with malonate, an inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), alleviated the αKG-mediated block in Treg differentiation. Impressively, these aKG-mediated changes in the Th1/Treg balance were maintained in vivo, promoting a Th1-like profile in T cells expressing an anti-tumor chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) in tumor-bearing mice. Thus, our data show that low intracellular aKG content, caused by limited external glutamine availability, imposes a Treg phenotype while high aKG levels shift the balance towards a Th1 phenotype.Altogether, the data generated during my PhD will promote the development of metabolic strategies aimed at modulating T cell function and foster the design of nutrient transporter-based approaches that can be used to select T lymphocytes with enhanced anti-tumor effector properties.

GLUT1-mediated, facilitated sugar transport is proposed to be an example of transport by a carrier that alternately presents exofacial (e2) and endofacial (e1) substrate binding sites, commonly referred to as the alternating access carrier model. This hypothesis is incompatible with observations of co-existent exo- and endofacial ligand binding sites, transport allostery, and e1 ligand (e.g. cytochalasin B) induced GLUT1 sugar occlusion. The fixed-site carrier model proposes co-existent, interacting e2 and e1 ligand binding sites but involves sugar translocation by geminate exchange through internal cavities. Demonstrations of membrane-resident dimeric and tetrameric GLUT1 and of e2, e1 and occluded GLUT conformations in GLUT crystals of monodisperse, detergent-solubilized proteins suggest a third model. Here, GLUT1 is an alternating access carrier but the transporter complex is a dimer of GLUT1 dimers, in which subunit interactions produce two e2 and two e1 conformers at any instant. The crystallographic structures in different conformations can be utilized to further understand the transport cycle, ligand binding behavior and complex kinetics observed in GLUT1. Specifically, the GLUT1 crystal structure and homology models based upon related major facilitator superfamily proteins were used in this study, to understand inhibitor binding, ligand binding induced GLUT1 transport allostery and the existence of helix packing/oligomerization motifs and glycine induced flexibility. These studies suggest that GLUT1 functions as an oligomeric allosteric carrier where cis-allostery is an intramolecular behavior and trans-allostery is an intermolecular behavior. Additionally, mutations of a dynamic glycine affect the turnover of the transporter while mutations to helix packing motifs affect affinity.

Mouse brain expresses three principal glucose transporters. Glut1 is an endothelial marker and is the principal glucose transporter of the blood-brain barrier. Glut3 and Glut6 are expressed in glial cells and neural cells. A mouse line with a null allele for Glut3 has been developed. The Glut3-/- genotype is intrauterine lethal by 7 days post-coitis, but the heterozygous (Glut3+/-) littermate survives, exhibiting rapid post-natal weight gain, but no seizures or other behavioral aberrations. At 12 weeks of age, brain uptake of tail vein-injected 3 H-2-deoxy glucose in Glut3 +/- mice was not different from Glut3+/+ littermates, despite 50% less Glut3 protein expression in the brain. The brain uptake of injected 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy glucose was similarly not different from Glut3+/- littermates in the total amount, time course, or brain imaging in the Glut3+/- mice. Glut1 and Glut6 protein expressions evaluated by immunoblots were not affected by the diminished Glut3 expression in the Glut3+/- mice. We conclude that a 50% decrease in Glut3 is not limiting for the uptake of glucose into the mouse brain, since Glut3 haploinsufficiency does not impair brain glucose uptake or utilization.

Les carcinomes rénaux (RCC) sont subdivisés en plusieurs sous-types, définis selon des critères histologiques, phénotypiques et génétiques. Le diagnostic différentiel de ces tumeurs est primordial avec des conséquences pronostiques et thérapeutiques. Génétique et diagnostic : Nous avons étudié les données cliniques, histologiques, immunohistochimiques et génétiques d'une série de RCC papillaires (PRCC) de type 1 et 2. Une caractérisation génomique exhaustive complétée par NGS nous a permis de classer les PRCC de type 2 dans plusieurs groupes d'évolution variable. Nos résultats fournissent des informations inédites sur la pathogenèse des PRCC qui donnent des pistes pour un traitement personnalisé. Métabolisme, grade tumoral et phénotype : Dans une série de RCC à cellules claires (ccRCC), nous avons analysé les caractéristiques de ces tumeurs et l'expression des protéines impliquées dans le métabolisme et les isoformes de HIF. Cette étude nous a permis de mettre en évidence quantitativement une corrélation entre l'expression de MCT1, GLUT1 et CAXII et le grade de Fuhrman, et qualitativement une localisation périphérique de HIF2alpha et la co-localisation des protéines HIF2alpha et HAF. Stratégies théranostiques : Dans l’optique de définir les traitements les plus appropriés pour les patients atteints de RCC, nous avons fait un parallèle entre la sensibilité aux thérapies ciblées des patients (in vivo) et de cellules dérivées de la tumeur initiale (in vitro). Nous avons démontré que la réponse chez les patients et dans les cellules était équivalente et donc que des tests in vitro sont une piste pour définir des traitements personnalisés des patients atteints de ccRCC. / Renal carcinomas (RCC) are divided into several subtypes, defined by histological, genetic and phenotypic criteria. The differential diagnosis of these tumors is important with prognostic and therapeutic implications. Genetics and diagnosis: We studied the clinical, histological, immunohistochemical and genetic of papillary RCC (PRCC) type 1 and 2 cohort. An extensive genomic characterization completed by NGS has allowed us to classify type 2 PRCC in several groups of variable clinical evolution. Our results provide new information on the pathogenesis of PRCC that provide perspectives for personalized treatment. Metabolism, tumor grade and phenotype: In a series of clear cell RCC (ccRCC), we analyzed the characteristics of these tumors and the expression of proteins involved in the metabolism and isoforms of HIF. This study allowed us to demonstrate quantitative correlation between the expression of MCT1, GLUT1 and CA XII and Fuhrman grade, and qualitatively peripheral HIF2alpha localization and co-localization of proteins HIF2alpha and HAF. Theranostic strategies: In order to define the most appropriate treatment for patients with RCC, we made a parallel between sensitivity to targeted therapies of patients (in vivo), and cells derived from the original tumor (in vitro). We have demonstrated that the response in patients and in cells and was similar, thus in vitro assays are a way to define personalized treatment for ccRCC.

Le rétrovirus HTLV-1 (Human T-cell Leukemia Virus type 1) est l'agent responsable de la leucémie T de l'adulte (ATL) et de la paraparésie spastique tropicale (TSP/HAM). Le HTLV est présent de manière endémique au Japon, en Afrique centrale, en Océanie, en Amérique du sud et aux Caraïbes. Chez les patients, le HTLV est détecté principalement dans les lymphocytes T CD4+. Le récepteur du HTLV est présent chez tous les vertébrés, et toutes les lignées cellulaires de vertébrés semblent l'exprimer in vitro. L'organisation de la glycoprotéine d'enveloppe (Env) du HTLV est similaire à celle des MLV (Murine Leukemia Virus), avec un domaine de liaison au récepteur situé dans la partie N-terminale.<br />Au cours de cette thèse, nous avons dérivés des produits tronqués de l'Env, sur la base de cette organisation, nous permettant de mesurer l'expression de surface du récepteur HTLV. Nous avons ainsi pu mettre en évidence que le récepteur HTLV n'est pas détectable à la surface des lymphocytes T CD4+, mais que son expression est induite par l'activation lymphocytaire. Nous avons également montré qu'un traitement à l'IL-7 des lymphocytes T de sang de cordon, qui provoque la prolifération, induit l'expression du récepteur HTLV. Ces observations nous ont permis de conclure que le récepteur HTLV est un marqueur d'activation des lymphocytes associé à l'état prolifératif.<br />Par la suite, nous avons montré que l'expression de l'Env HTLV induit un blocage de la production de lactate. Nous avons pu établir que ce blocage est dû à l'inhibition par l'Env HTLV du transport de glucose dans la cellule, induisant un blocage de la glycolyse. Ces observations nous ont conduit à évaluer si le principal transporteur du glucose GLUT1 pouvait être un récepteur pour le virus HTLV. Effectivement, nous avons pu démontrer que GLUT1 permet à la fois la liaison à l'Env HTLV et l'entrée de particules virales.<br />Afin de comprendre cette interaction, nous avons construit des molécules chimériques entre GLUT1 et GLUT3. Nous avons ainsi observé que 7 acides aminés de la 6ème boucle extracellulaire de GLUT1 confèrent l'activité de liaison à l'Env. Cependant cette propriété n'est pas suffisante pour permettre l'entrée virale, et la présence concomitante de la 1ère, la 5ème et la 6ème boucle extracellulaire est requise pour permettre l'entrée virale, suggérant l'existence d'une nouvelle activité associée à la notion de récepteur rétroviral.<br />L'ensemble de ces données nous a enfin conduit à proposer de nouveaux modèles de pathogenèse. La prise en compte de l'inhibition de l'activité de transport de GLUT1 par l'Env autorise en effet de nouvelles hypothèses pour expliquer l'émergence de clones leucémiques et la démyélinisation associée à la TSP/HAM.

<p>Rod photoreceptors are specialized neurons responsible for capturing photons and translating visual information into electrical signals. Visual signal transduction in rods is confined to the unique outer segment organelle, a modified primary cilium consisting of a stack of hundreds of flattened disc membranes enveloped by a single plasma membrane. By concentrating important signaling molecules on disc membranes, the outer segment provides an ideal biochemical environment for the production of vision with high sensitivity and temporal resolution.</p><p>This dissertation focuses primarily on a molecular dissection of two multifunctional outer segment proteins, R9AP and rhodopsin, and also reassesses the localization of Glut1, a third protein formerly believed to reside in the outer segment. All three experimental lines relied on in vivo expression of novel protein constructs in vertebrate rods using several gene delivery strategies: conventional transgenics, retinal electroporation, and retinal infection with recombinant adeno-associated virus.</p><p>The tail-anchored protein R9AP, in conjunction with RGS9-1 and G-beta5, comprises the transducin GTPase activating complex, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in rod photoresponse recovery. In addition to maximizing the enzymatic activity of the complex, R9AP is responsible for both the post-translational stability and outer segment targeting of RGS9-1-G-beta5. We investigated the mechanism behind R9AP's poorly understood function in protecting RGS9-1-G-beta5 from proteolysis and found that it is performed simply by recruiting the complex to cellular membranes and can be entirely dissociated from R9AP's outer segment targeting function. Furthermore, we demonstrated that replacement of R9AP's transmembrane domain with a lipid anchor preserves the ability of the GTPase activating complex to function in outer segments.</p><p>Rhodopsin, the visual pigment of rods, has a second important, yet poorly defined, function as a rod outer segment building block: outer segments disc membranes fail to form in the absence of rhodopsin. Our goal was to identify the molecular features of rhodopsin mechanistically involved in outer segment morphogenesis by designing artificial membrane proteins that could fully substitute for rhodopsin in performing this function. We observed that rhodopsin's C-terminal VXPX outer segment targeting motif is unnecessary for outer segment disc formation since it could be replaced with a targeting motif from an unrelated protein, peripherin. Furthermore, we obtained surprising evidence that rhodopsin's role in this process is limited to providing an abundance of transmembrane protein material to disc membranes.</p><p>Finally, while attempting to find a targeting motif to substitute for the VXPX motif of rhodopsin, we made an unexpected observation that the facilitative glucose transporter Glut1, long thought to reside in the outer segment, is actively excluded from this organelle. This revises our understanding of the energy flow in rods by showing that the outer segment is entirely dependent on the inner segment for its energy supply.</p> / Dissertation

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No. of bitstreams: 1 castro_tb_dr_sjrp.pdf: 17135465 bytes, checksum: 7e68f8d98ca4ec7d64be1f324b5e48d7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-10-31 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O câncer de mama é a principal causa de mortes relacionadas ao câncer em mulheres e pesquisas têm sido focadas em identificar e validar biomarcadores que podem ser utilizados para confirmar o diagnóstico e determinar o prognóstico. Mudanças no ritmo circadiano podem contribuir para o desenvolvimento do câncer e sendo assim, a melatonina, um hormônio sintetizado pela glândula pineal à noite, na ausência de luz e seus metabolitos AFMK e AMK são sugeridos como potenciais biomarcadores. A melatonina pode atuar através do receptor MT1 regulando cinases e a expressão de genes específicos relacionados a proliferação, angiogênese, diferenciação celular e transporte de glicose. A expressão elevada de GLUT1 (Glucose Transporter-1) está associada ao prognóstico ruim no câncer. Os objetivos deste estudo foram comparar os níveis de melatonina, AFMK e AMK em mulheres recentemente diagnosticadas com câncer de mama, mulheres em quimioterapia adjuvante, enfermeiras que trabalham à noite em comparação com mulheres saudáveis e hábitos normais e avaliou-se a expressão do receptor MT1 e GLUT1 em tumores de mama e correlacionou com os subtipos moleculares, características patológicas e prognóstico. Foi coletado sangue de 53 mulheres com câncer de mama sendo 47 sem tratamento e 6 em quimioterapia adjuvante, 19 mulheres saudáveis sendo 1 O enfermeiras de turno noturno e 9 mulheres de hábitos normais. Os compostos foram quantificados por espectrometria de massas. Para a expressão de MT1 e GLUT1 foi realizada imunohistoquímica em 42 tumores de mama. Os resultados mostraram que mulheres com câncer de mama tiveram níveis menores de melatonina em comparação com mulheres de hábitos normais (p< 0.01 ), níveis ainda mais baixos em enfermeiras que trabalham no período noturno e em pacientes em quimioterapia adjuvante (p<0.01). Não houve diferença significativa nos níveis de AFMK e AMK entre os grupos (p>0.05). Além disso, pacientes com metástase apresentaram níveis elevados de melatonina e AFMK (p=0.02 e p=0.01, respectivamente) e altos níveis de AFMK estavam presentes quando linfonodos estavam acometidos (p=0.04), pacientes com tumores maiores que 20mm e que dormem com luz à noite (p=0.02 e p=0.007, respectivamente). Na análise imunohistoquímica, alta expressão do MT1 foi associada ao subtipo Luminal A, melhor prognóstico (p<0.05) e em tumores RE+ (p=0.002), enquanto que a expressão elevada de GLUT1 foi associada ao triplo­negativo, pior prognóstico (p<0.05), tumores maiores que 20mm 9p=0.004) e baixa em tumores RE+ (p=0.003). Em conclusão, nossos resultados mostram menores níveis de melatonina em pacientes com câncer de mama e apontam para o benefício da suplementação de melatonina como proteção para mulheres que trabalham à noite o que poderia reduzir o risco de desenvolvimento de câncer de mama. Os resultados da imunohistoquímica indicam que o MT1 e o GLUT1 podem ser utilizados como marcadores prognósticos e são potenciais alvos para o tratamento do câncer de mama. De acordo com os resultados pode­se concluir que a quebra do ciclo circadiano e, portanto, alterações nos níveis de melatonina e a expressão de MT1 e GLUT1 podem estar relacionadas com o risco de desenvolvimento e prognóstico do câncer de mama. / Breast cancer is the Jeading cause of cancer-related deaths in women and researches has been focused on identify and validate biomarkers that can be used to confirm the diagnosis and determine the prognosis. Changes in circadian rhythm may contribute to the development of cancer and thus melatonin, a hormone synthesized by the pineal gland at night, in the absence of light and its metabolites AFMK and AMK are suggested as potential biomarkers. Melatonin can act through the MT1 receptor by regulating kinases and the expression of specific genes related to proliferation, angiogenesis, ce/1 differentiation and glucose transport. High GLUT1 (Glucose Transporter-1) expression is associated with poor prognosis in cancer. The objectives of this study were to compare the leveis of melatonin, AFMK and AMK in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, women on adjuvant chemotherapy, health nurses which work at night compared to healthy women and normal habits and the expression of MT1 receptor and GLUT1 in breast tumors and correlated with molecular subtypes, pathological features and prognosis. Blood from 53 women with breast cancer was colletcted, 47 of them without treatment and 6 in adjuvant chemotherapy, 19 healthy women, 1 O of them night shift nurses and 9 women of normal habits. Compounds were quantified by mass spectrometry. For the expression of MT1 and GLUT1, immunohistochemistry was performed in 42 breast tumors. The results showed that women with breast cancer had lower leveis of melatonin compared to normal women (p <0.01), even Jower leveis in nurses working at night and in adjuvant chemotherapy (p <0.01). There was no significant difference in AFMK and AMK leveis between groups (p> 0.05). ln addition, patients with metastasis had high leveis of melatonin and AFMK (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively) and high leveis of AFMK were present when lymph nades were affected (p = 0.04), patients with tumors larger than 20mm and who sleep with light at night (p = 0.02 and p = 0.007, respectively). ln the immunohistochemical analysis, high MT1 expression was associated with the Luminal A subtype, with a better prognosis (p <O.OS) and in ER + tumors (p = 0.002), whereas high GLUT1 expression was associated with tripie negative, worse prognosis (p<0.05), tumors greaterthan 20mm (p= 0.004) and low in ER + tumors (p = 0.003). ln conclusion, our results show Jower leveis of melatonin in breast cancer patients and point to the benefit of melatonin supplementation as protection for women who work at night which could reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. The results of immunohistochemistry indicate that MT1 and GLUT1 can be used as prognostic markers and are potential targets for the treatment of breast cancer. According to the results it can be concluded that the breakdown of the circadian cyc/e and, therefore, changes in melatonin leveis and the expression of MT1 and GLUT1 may be related to the risk of development and prognosis of breast cancer / FAPESP 2015/02935-2

Integral membrane proteins (IMPs) assume critical roles in cell biology and are key targets for drug discovery. Given their involvement in a wide range of diseases, the structural and functional characterization of IMPs are of significant importance. However, this remains notoriously challenging due to the difficulties of stably purifying membrane-bound, hydrophobic proteins. Compounding this, many diseases are caused by IMP mutations that further decrease their stability. One such example is cystic fibrosis (CF), which is caused by misfolding or dysfunction of the epithelial cell chloride channel cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Roughly 70% of CF patients world-wide harbor the ΔF508-CFTR mutation, which interrupts CFTR’s folding, maturation, trafficking and function. No existing treatment sufficiently addresses the consequences of ΔF508, and the substantial instability that results from this mutation limits our ability to study ΔF508-CFTR in search of better treatments. To that end, my colleagues at Sanofi generated homology models of full-length wild-type and ΔF508-CFTR +/- second-site suppressor mutations (SSSMs) V510D and R1070W, and performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for each model. Using information obtained from this analysis, I tested several hypotheses on the mechanism by which ΔF508 destabilizes full-length CFTR and how SSSMs suppress this effect. Leveraging studies of the purified NBD1 subdomain and of full-length CFTR in a cellular context, I confirmed the prediction of a key salt-bridge interaction between V510D and K564 important to second-site suppression. Furthermore, I identified a novel class of SSSMs that support a key prediction from these analyses: that helical unraveling of TM10, within CFTR’s second transmembrane domain, is an important contributor to ΔF508-induced instability. In addition, I developed a detergent-free CFTR purification method using styrene-maleic acid (SMA) copolymer to extract the channel directly from its cell membrane along with the surrounding lipid content. The resulting particles were stable, monodisperse discs containing a single molecule of highly-purified CFTR. With this material, I optimized grid preparation techniques and carried out cryo-EM structural analysis of WT-hCFTR which resulted in 2D particle class averages which were consistent with an ABC transporter shape characteristic of CFTR, and a preliminary 3D reconstruction. This result establishes a foundation for future characterization of ΔF508-CFTR in its native state. I have also applied this SMA-based purification method to the facilitated glucose transporter GLUT1 (SLC2A1). SLC2A1 mutations contribute to a rare and developmentally debilitating disease called GLUT1-deficiency syndrome. Using SMA, I successfully extracted GLUT1 in its native state. With the application of this method, I was able to purify endogenous GLUT1 from erythrocytes, in complex with several associated proteins as well as the surrounding lipids, in its monomeric, dimeric and tetrameric forms without the use of cross-linking or chimeric mutations. These results point to the potential for studying isolated IMPs without the use of destabilizing detergents and thereby offer a pathway to analysis of wild-type and mutant membrane protein structure, function and pharmacodynamics.