Des études récentes ont relevés que les CSMn pouvaient être in vivo des cellules périvasculaires avec des caractéristiques des péricytes. Pour évaluer cette hypothèse, nous avons cultiver des CSMn issues de MO dans des conditions spécifiques pour l'expansion des péricytes puis nous avons testé leur potentiel de souchitude. De plus, nous les avons comparées avec des CSMs cultivées dans des conditions standards en maintenant les même donneurs. Des échantillons de MO ont été cultivés dans un milieu pro-Pericytaires (milieu EGM2) ou dans un milieu standard. Après culture, les cellules ont été caractérisées. Les cellules de caractère péricytaire avaient exprimé une upregulation des marqueurs de souchitude d’OCT4, NANOG et SOX2 pour un potentiel neuronal. Ces cellules ont démontré un grand potentiel in vivo. / Native mesenchymal stem cells were found tore perivascular cells with pericyte features. This suggests that pericyte phenotype is crucial for the stenness of MSC. We cultured MSC from bone marrow upon in vitro conditions (EGM2 versus standard mediums). They all express MSC, markers and character. Cells cultivated into ECM2 were found to be more immature than cells obtained from standard conditions (expressed OCT4, NANOG and SOX2), with high neuronal and engraftment potential

Die Regulation von Effektor-T-Zellen ist ein wichtiger Mechanismus zur Kontrolle organspezifischer Entzündungen. Dabei sind regulatorische T-Zellen (Treg) maßgeblich an der Aufrechterhaltung peripherer Immuntoleranz und parenchymaler Immunhomöostase beteiligt. Eine neue Population von humanen, natürlich vorkommenden Treg Zellen wurde durch ihre konstitutive Expression des immuntolerogenen Moleküls HLA-G identifiziert. Im ersten Teil dieser Arbeit wurden die Mechanismen, durch die CD4+ HLA-Gpos Treg Zellen ihre Zielzellen (autologe HLA-Gneg T-Zellen) modulieren, aufgeklärt. Unter Verwendung eines Suppressionsansatzes in Abwesenheit von antigenpräsentierenden Zellen (APC) wurden T-T-Zell-Interaktionen, die die Proliferation von HLA-Gneg T-Zellen hemmen, demonstriert. Diese Suppression, die durch die Stimulierung des T-Zell-Rezeptors auf HLA-Gpos Treg Zellen verstärkt wurde, war unabhängig vom Zell-Zell-Kontakt. Die HLA-Gneg T-Zellen erlangten nach Entfernung der HLA-Gpos Treg Zellen und einer erneuten Stimulierung ihrer T-Zell- Rezeptoren ihre Fähigkeit zur Proliferation wieder. Dies wies auf die Umkehrbarkeit dieser Suppression hin. Darüber hinaus war die HLA-Gpos Treg-vermittelte Suppression entscheidend von der IL-10- Sekretion, nicht jedoch von TGF-β abhängig. Zusammengefasst beschreibt dieser Teil der Arbeit eine detaillierte Charakterisierung der Mechanismen, wie HLA-Gpos Treg HLA-Gneg TZellen supprimieren. Das tiefere Verständnis der Wirkmechanismen von HLA-Gpos Treg könnte in therapeutischen Strategien verwendet werden, in denen die regulatorische Funktion der T-Zell-Suppression verstärkt oder moduliert werden soll. Im zweiten Teil dieser Arbeit wurde die potenzielle Rolle von HLA-Gpos Treg bei der Multiplen Sklerose (MS) untersucht, einer klassischen Autoimmunerkrankung des Zentralnervensystems (ZNS). Im Gegensatz zu Vergleichspatienten mit nicht-entzündlichen Erkrankungen konnte im Liquor von MS Patienten eine erhöhte Anzahl von HLA-Gpos Treg gefunden werden. Diese aus dem Liquor isolierten HLA-Gpos Treg wiesen phänotypische Merkmale von zentralen Gedächtnis-T-Zellen (CD45RA- CD27+) auf, exprimierten den Aktivierungsmarker ICOS sowie deutlich höhere Level des Chemokinrezeptors (CCR) CCR5 und agierten als starke Suppressoren der autologen CD4+ T-Zellproliferation. Durch Verwendung eines in vitro Modells der humanen Bluthirnschranke konnte demonstriert werden, dass HLA-Gpos Treg eine starke Neigung zur Migration haben, die durch die CCR5- Liganden MIP1α und RANTES, nicht jedoch durch MIP3β (Ligand von CCR7) unterstützt wird. Diese Chemokin-induzierte Migration von HLA-Gpos Treg war auch mit einer Steigerung der suppressiven Kapazität nach Zelltransmigration assoziiert. Im Gegensatz zu CD4+CD25+, FoxP3-exprimierenden Treg zeigten HLA-Gpos Treg von MS-Patienten keine beeinträchtigte Funktionalität. Dies deutet auf eine selektive Rekrutierung von HLA-Gpos Treg zu Entzündungsherden im ZNS und ihre Beteiligung an der Bekämpfung der destruktiven Entzündung hin. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studien tragen zum weitergehenden Verständnis der Rolle und Funktion HLA-Gpos Treg Zellen bei und stellen somit ein wichtiges pathophysiologisches Beispiel „gutartiger“ T-Zell-Entzündung während der ZNS Autoimmunität dar, das sowohl aus pathophysiologischer als auch therapeutischer Sicht interessant ist. / Regulation of effector T cells is an important mechanism to control organ-specific inflammation. Thereby regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are essential for maintaining peripheral immune tolerance and for establishing parenchyma immune homeostasis. A novel population of natural human Treg characterized by the constitutive expression of the immune-tolerogenic human HLA-G molecule has been identified. In the first part of the study, we elucidated the mechanism(s) by which CD4+ HLA-Gpos Treg modulates their cellular targets namely autologous HLA-G negative responder T cells (HLAGneg Tresp). Using a suppression system free of antigen-presenting cells (APC), we demonstrate a T-T cell interaction resulting in suppression of HLA-Gneg Tresp. We could also show that this suppression was independent of cell-cell contact. Importantly, stimulus of T cell receptor (TCR) on HLA-Gpos Treg facilitated their suppressive capacity. We also observed that removal of HLA-Gpos Treg from the established co-cultures could restore the ability of HLA-Gneg Tresp to proliferate upon TCR re-stimulation, indicating that the suppression was reversible. Further, HLA-Gpos Treg–mediated suppression was critically depending on the secretion of IL-10 but not TGF-β. Taken together, this part of the work provides an in-depth characterization of the mechanisms of how HLA-Gpos Treg suppresses T responder cells in direct T-T interactions. Understanding the suppressive mechanism used by HLA-Gpos Treg may help to develop therapeutic strategies to modulate regulatory arms of T-cell suppression. In the second part of this study, the potential role of HLA-Gpos Treg in the pathophysiological process of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a prototypic autoimmune inflammatory central nervous system (CNS), has been investigated. We found that HLA-Gpos Treg are enriched in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from MS patients, but not in non-inflammatory controls. CSFderived HLA-Gpos Treg showed predominance of central memory (CD45RA-CD27+) phenotype, exhibited markers of activation (ICOS), and had significantly higher expression of the inflammatory chemokine receptor CCR5. Importantly, these cells demonstrated as potent suppressors to autologous CD4+ T-cell proliferation. Using an in vitro model of human blood brain barrier, we showed that HLA-Gpos Treg have a strong propensity to migrate, which could be facilitated by MIP1α and RANTES (ligands of CCR5) but not MIP3β (a ligand of CCR7). The HLA-Gpos Treg migration triggered by chemokines was also associated with a gain of suppressive capacity upon cellular transmigration. In contrast to CD4+CD25+ naturally occurring FoxP3-expressing Treg, HLA-Gpos Treg from patients with MS did not exhibit impaired function, suggesting that HLA-Gpos Treg are selectively recruited to the sites of CNS inflammation in an effort to combat destructive inflammation during MS. Our results contribute to the understanding of the role and function of HLA-Gpos Treg and provide an important example of “beneficial” T-cell inflammation in CNS autoimmunity- interesting both from a patho/-physiological and a therapeutically point of view.

Regulatory T cells represent a specialized subpopulation of T lymphocytes that may modulate spontaneous HIV-1 disease progression by suppressing immune activation or inhibiting antiviral T cell immune responses. While effects of classical \(CD25^{hi}FoxP3^+CD4^+\) regulatory T cells during HIV-1 infection have been analyzed in a series of recent investigations, very little is known about the role of non-classical regulatory T cells that do not express intracellular FoxP3. Here I evaluated two groups of non-classical Treg cells. One is phenotypically identified by the surface expression of HLA-G, an HLA class Ib molecule. The other Treg cell population is characterized by the surface expression of latency-associated peptide (LAP), a membrane-bound form of \(TGF-\beta\). Both HLA-G and LAP-expressing T cells are present in small proportions in peripheral blood of healthy individuals. I performed a systematic study on the phenotypic and functional profile of HLAG- and LAP- expressing regulatory T (Treg) cells in patients with different stages of HIV-1 infection. I found that HLA-G-expressing Treg cells were highly susceptible to HIV-1 infection, and were significantly reduced in individuals with progressive HIV-1 disease courses. Moreover, the proportion of \(HLA-G^+\) CD4 and CD8 T cells was positively correlated with CD4 T cell count and inversely correlated with markers of HIV-1 associated immune activation. Mechanistically, this correlation corresponded to a substantially increased ability of \(HLA-G^+\) Treg cells to inhibit bystander immune activation, while only minimally affecting functional properties of HIV-1-specific T cells. In contrast, no significant change in \(LAP^+\) Treg cell frequencies was found in progressive HIV-1 infection, and these frequencies were not correlated with immune activation. This observation was consistent with functional analysis, which indicated that \(LAP^+\) Treg cells did not suppress bystander activation. These investigations indicate an important role of \(HLA-G^+\) Treg cells for balancing bystander immune activation and anti-viral immune activity in HIV-1 infection, and suggest that the loss of these cells during advanced HIV-1 infection may contribute to immune dysregulation and HIV-1 disease progression. In the meantime, \(LAP^+\) Treg cells do not appear to play an important role in determining HIV-1 disease outcome.

Dendritic cells (DC) are potent antigen presenting cells involved in the initiation of the alloimmune response and organ transplant rejection. This thesis, has investigated pharmacological and genetic approaches to manipulate DC in order to generate tolerogenic DC which elicit poor allostimulatory activity as potential cell therapy agents to treat allograft rejection. In the first aspect of this study, human monocyte-derived DC were used to study the influence of Rapamycin (RAPA) on DC phenotype and function. This study showed that RAPA when added to monocytes prior to DC differentiation or after DC maturation generated tolerogenic DC as evidenced by the ability of these cells to induce T cell hyporesponsiveness. However, T cell hyporesponsiveness was associated with downregulation of costimulatory molecules only when added prior to differentiation and surprisingly was not influenced by the induction of CD4 ⁺FoxP3 ⁺ T cells. To assess the effects of RAPA on DC function in the transplant setting an in vivo chimeric model of ovine vascularised skin allograft transplantation was established in immunocompromised NOD/SCID mice as a host. This model was established as a preliminary model to acquire in vivo data prior to testing the effect of pharmacologically modified DC in the preclinical ovine model of renal allograft transplantation, also established in the host laboratory. Firstly, comparison of ovine DC obtained from cannulation of the prefemoral lymphatic vessels in sheep demonstrated that RAPA-modified ovine DC acted as poor stimulators of allogeneic ovine T cells similar to human DC treated with RAPA. Secondly, in NOD/SCID mice engrafted with ovine skin, the infusion of allogeneic ovine T cells together with RAPA-modified ovine DC reduced histological rejection in comparison to control DC. In the second aspect of this study, the effects of genetic manipulation of DC were investigated. In order to investigate the effects of genetic modification of DC, two isoforms of the human HLA-G molecule, HLA-G1 (membrane bound) and HLA-G5 (soluble isoform) were used to generate adenoviral vectors. Unexpectedly, both HLA-G isoforms expressed by human DC transfectants were unable to induce allogeneic T cell hyporesponsiveness in the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Surprisingly, in the MLR the allogeneic T cells acquired HLA-G1, but not HLA-G5, indicating that direct cell contact and membrane transfer from DC to T cells occurred (Trogocytosis). In addition to HLA-G1, costimulatory molecules (CD40, CD80, CD86 and MHC Class II) were also cotransferred from DC to allogeneic T cells. Accordingly, in secondary proliferation assays T cells immunoselected after co-culture with allogeneic untransfected DC (TUT) demonstrated potent antigen presenting activity when used as stimulators of autologous T cells (analogous to the indirect pathway of antigen presentation). In contrast to TUT, immunoselected T cells that acquired HLA-G1 (THLA-G1) upon co-culture with DCtransfectants showed poor stimulatory capacity. Thus the data reported in this thesis supports the proposed novel concept that HLA-G acquired by T cells through genetically modified DC, functions to autoregulate T cells via T-T cell interaction through the HLA-G receptor ILT2 (negative signalling receptor) expressed on T cells. In conclusion, this thesis has firstly provided supportive evidence that the pharmacological modification of human and ovine DC with RAPA has potential therapeutic effects on allograft rejection. Secondly, the genetic modification of DC to induce expression of HLA-G has specifically allowed the transfer of this molecule to T cells by trogocytosis and the inhibition of alloreactive T cell expansion. / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Medicine, 2009

There is an urgent need for novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for graft versus host disease (GvHD) occurring after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). T-cell-based immunotherapies have been developed, however there are still some hurdles for the use of currently availably regulatory T-cells in clinical practice (naturally occurring FOXP3 + nTregs and inducible regulatory T cells), mainly owing to the lack of specific cell surface markers. The hypomethylating agent azacytidine (5-aza-dC) has been shown to generate immunoregulatory T-cells ex vivo. Interestingly, it has been shown that genes other than FOXP3 are responsible for the suppressor function of 5-aza-dC induced T-regs. HLA-G is a surface molecule with potent immunoregulatory functions which is normally expressed during pregnancy protecting the “semi-allogeneic” fetus from maternal immune attack and then is epigenetically repressed. The aim of this study was the induction of HLA-G expression in T-lymphocytes with the use of the demethylating agent 5-Aza-dC and investigation of their possible immunoregulatory properties. Our results showed that short in vitro treatment of peripheral blood T-cells with 5-aza-dC induces HLA-G expression and, more importantly, these induced HLA-G + T-cells could suppress lymphoproliferation when added as third party cells in mixed lymphocyte cultures. This suppression seems to be reduced after HLA-G neutralization and cell-to-cell contact independent. Furthermore, these induced HLA-G + T-cells show a reduced proliferation to allogeneic stimuli. Taken together, our results indicate the ex vivo production of HLA-Gpos T-lymphocytes with immunoregulatory properties. Our long term goal is the use of this population as adoptive cellular therapy for GvHD and other T-cell mediated diseases. / -

Orientadora : Profª Drª Maria da Graça Bicalho / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética. Defesa: Curitiba, 27/02/2012 / Inclui bibliografia / Resumo: O cancer cervical (CC) e o segundo cancer que mais afeta mulheres no mundo todo, ele progride a partir de lesoes no cervix uterino causadas pelo virus HPV, estas lesoes sao denominadas neoplasias intraepiteliais cervicais (NIC). As NICs são classificadas em lesao e baixo grau (NIC I) e lesoes de alto grau (NIC II e III). O desenvolvimento do CC depende da persistencia do virus no organismo e esta persistencia esta diretamente relacionada com a eficiencia da resposta imune contra as celulas infectadas. O antigeno leucocitario humano (HLA)-G e um gene HLA de classe I nao classico que apresenta um papel imunorregulatorio. Ele e capaz de inibir a resposta imune quando interage com receptores inibitorios presentes nas celulas Natural Killer e em Linfocitos T. A proteina HLA-G pode ser expressa na forma ligada a membrana celular, ou soluvel (sHLA-G). A expressao de HLA-G ja foi relacionada com diversas patologias e diferentes tipos de canceres como uma estrategia de escape do sistema imune. Neste estudo o objetivo foi investigar a associacao de polimorfismos do gene HLA-G e sua expressao soluvel com o desenvolvimento de lesoes cervicais. A amostra constitui de 100 mulheres diagnosticadas com NIC II, 101 NIC III, e 106 mulheres saudaveis, negativas para NIC. Foi feito a tipagem alelicas para o gene HLA-G e para o polimorfismo de 14 pb presente no exon 8 deste gene; alem disso foi realizada a quantificacao serica de sHLA-G. Nao foi registrada associacao entre a frequencia dos alelos identificados na amostra, ou do polimorfismo de 14 pb e a quantificacao de sHLA-G com predisposicao ou protecao ao desenvolvimento de lesoes cervicais. Tambem nao foi possivel definir associacoes entre os niveis sericos de sHLA-G com os alelos, ou com a presenca ou ausencia dos 14 pb. Palavras chave: HLA-G, sHLA-G, HPV, NIC e cancer cervical. / Abstract: Cervical cancer (CC) is the second cancer that most affects women worldwide, it progresses from lesions in the uterine cervix caused by HPV virus, these lesions are called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). CINs are classified in low-grade (CIN I) and high-grade lesions (CIN II and III). The development of the CC depends on the persistence of the virus in the body and this persistence is directly related to the efficiency of the immune response against infected cells. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G is an HLA class I non-classic that presents an immunoregulatory role. It is able to inhibit the immune response when interacting with inhibitory receptors present on natural killer cells and T lymphocytes The HLA-G protein can be expressed in the membrane bound form, or soluble (sHLA-G). The expression of HLA-G has been associated with several diseases and different types of cancers as a strategy to escape from the immune system. In this study the aim was to investigate the association of polymorphisms of the HLA-G gene and its soluble expression with the development of cervical lesions. The sample consisted of 100 women diagnosed with CIN II, 101 with CIN III, and 106 healthy women negative for CIN. Allele typing for the gene HLA-G and for the 14 bp polymorphism present in exon 8 of this gene was done, also serum sHLA-G was quantified. No association was recorded between the frequency of the alleles identified in the sample, or 14 bp polymorphism and quantification of sHLA-G with predisposition or protection to the development of cervical lesions. Nor was it possible to define associations between serum levels of sHLA-G with the alleles, or the presence or absence of 14 bp. Keywords: HLA-G, sHLA-G, HPV, NIC and cervical cancer.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:25:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-02-17Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:26:27Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 silva_tga_me_arafcf.pdf: 517069 bytes, checksum: e270cb299dd3824977df108c4a566669 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O câncer de laringe é a segunda neoplasia mais comum da região de cabeça e pescoço em todo o mundo. Além dos fatores de risco como fumo e consumo de àlcool, o desenvolvimento do câncer de laringe parece estar associado à infecção pelo Papilomavírus Humano (HPV). As moléculas HLA-G e HLA-E são moléculas HLA de classe I não- clássicas, que desempenham um papel no estabelecimento da manutenção da tolerância imunológica através da inibição de funções de células imunocompetentes. O presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar a expressão de HLA-G e HLA-E pela técnica imunohistoquímica em biópsias laríngeas de 109 pacientes, 27 lesões benignas (papiloma laríngeo), 17 lesões pré- malignas (displasia leve, moderada ou acentuada), 10 carcinomas in situ de laringe, 27 carcinomas invasores sem metástase, 28 carcinomas invasores com metástase. Além das biópsias avaliadas, também foram analisadas 28 linfonodos cervicais dos pacientes com metástases. A molécula de HLA-G foi detectada em 45% das biópsias analisadas. Dentre os diferentes graus histológicos, a expressão da molécula HLA-G aparece aumentada nas lesões benignas, lesões pré- malignas e carcinomas in situ de laringe, e essa expressão diminui nos carcinomas invasores sem metástase, carcinomas invasores com metástase e nos linfonodos. HLA-E foi detectado em 62,04% das lesões como um todo, havendo um aumento da expressão de HLA-E nas lesões invasivas e nos linfonodos. Esta molécula parece estar associada com a instalação do carcinoma laríngeo. A freqüência do DNA do HPV foi baixa, sugerindo que o câncer de laringe esteja associado a outros fatores de risco. / Laryngeal carcinoma is a second common malignant tumor of the head and neck around the world. Besides well-established risk factors like smoking and alcohol abuse, the development of laryngeal carcinoma is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HLA-G and HLA-E are two non-classical class I molecules. Their antigens play a role in the establishment and maintenance of immune tolerance by inhibiting the functions of immunocompetent cells. The aim of the present retrospective study was to determine the expression of HLA-G and HLA-E immunoperoxidase in laryngeal biopsies from 109 patients, 27 in benign lesions (laryngeal papillomas), 17 premalignant lesions (low, moderate or severe dysplasia), 10 in situ laryngeal carcinomas, 27 laryngeal carcinomas without metastases, 28 laryngeal carcinomas with metastases. Besides all biopsies evaluated, were also analyzed 28 biopsies of patients with cervical lymph node metastases. The HLA-G molecule was detected in 45% of biopsies analyzed. Among the different histological grades, the expression of HLA-G molecule is increased in benign lesions, premalignant lesions and in situ laryngeal carcinomas, and this expression decreases in invasive carcinoma without metastasis, invasive carcinoma with metastasis and lymph nodes. HLA-E was detected in 62.04% of the lesions as a whole, with increased expression of HLA-E in invasive lesions and lymph nodes. This molecule seems to be associated with the installation of laryngeal carcinoma. The frequency of HPV DNA was low, suggesting that cancer of the larynx is associated with other risk factors.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-08-30Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:51:17Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 monfre_erm_me_arafcf.pdf: 1147104 bytes, checksum: 534bfc5215b124d9a99b52e9e8577b57 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O câncer cervical é um problema de saúde pública mundial, especialmente nos países em desenvolvimento representando 12% de todos os tipos de neoplasias malignas que acometem as mulheres, configurando a segunda neoplasia ginecológica mais freqüente no mundo. Estudos epidemiológicos e moleculares demonstram a forte associação entre a etiologia do câncer cervical associado à infecção pelo HPV, especialmente para os tipos de alto risco oncogênico (HP-V16 e HPV-18). A cancerologia experimental, utilizando cultura de células, é de grande valia para se estudar os diversos aspectos relacionados aos processos neoplásicos cervicais. Alguns fármacos usados na quimioterapia são oriundas de espécies vegetais ou derivadas de um protótipo natural. Os produtos naturais têm contribuído intensamente para o desenvolvimento da terapêutica moderna. A quimioprevenção envolve o uso de substâncias naturais ou sintéticas para reduzir o risco de desenvolvimento de câncer. Por esta razão, o presente estudo foi inserido no Projeto de Bioprospecção BIOTA-FAPESP para a avaliação de dois compostos isolados da planta Pterogyne nitens, uma planta com conhecida atividade citotóxica, antioxidante e antifúngica que está distribuída do sudeste ao sul do Brasil, principalmente na Mata Atlântica e no Cerrado. No presente estudo, o potencial inflamatório, antitumoral e quimiopreventor de pteroginina e pteroginidina foram estudados em cultura de células normais e tumorais de câncer cervical (HeLa, SiHa e C33A), queratinócito normal de pele (HaCaT), corioncarcinoma (JEG-3), hepatocarcinoma murino (Hepa1c1c7) e hepatocarcinoma murino mutado (TAOc1BPrc1). Portanto foram realizados ensaios de citotoxicidade por MTT, de determinação de citocinas: IL1-β, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α e IFN-γ por ELISA, da atividade antitumoral... / Cervical cancer is a public health problem worldwide, mainly in developing countries, representing 12% of all types of malignancies that affect women, and the second common gynecologic malignancy in the world. Molecular and epidemiological research showed a strong association between infection, with HPV, especially high-risk HPV, and the etiology and progression of cervical cancer. Cell culture based on experimental oncology is valuable for study of various features of neoplasic processes. Several drugs used in chemotherapy were isolated from plants species or derived from a natural prototype. Natural products have contributed to the development of modern therapeutics. Chemoprevention involves the use of natural or synthetic substances to reduce the risk of developing cancer. Thus, this study, Bioprospecting Project BIOTA-FAPESP was aimed at assessing two compounds from Pterogyne nitens, a plant with known antiinflammatory and antioxidant activities, is distributed from southeast to southern Brazil, mainly in the Forest Atlantic and Cerrado biomes. The anti-inflammatory, antitumor and quimiopreventor potentials of the compounds pterogynine and pterogynidine was studied in normal and tumor cell lines: cervical cancer (HeLa, SiHa and C33A), normal skin keratinocytes (HaCaT), chorioncarcionoma (JEG-3), murine hepatocellular carcinoma (Hepa 1c1c7) and mutated murine hepatocellular carcinoma (TAOc1BPrc1). These compounds were assesmet for of cytotoxicity (MTT), determination of inflammatory cytokines IL1-β, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ (ELISA), antitumor activity with sHLA-G molecule (ELISA) and chemoprevention with quinone reductase (QR). The results showed that both tested compounds exhibited high concentration-dependent cytotoxicity to the three cervical carcinoma cell... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a major complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and is highly influenced by the degree of HLA matching between recipient and donor. The HLA-class Ib molecule HLA-G has been shown to promote tolerogenicity through its interaction with inhibitory receptors found on several immunocompetent cells. We hypothesized that in an allo-HSCT setting, HLA-G mismatches may negatively impact the HLA-G-mediated tolerogenicity either due to inefficient interaction with the inhibitory receptors of the transplanted immune cells or due to direct allorecognition of mismatched HLA-G on host cells by the immune cells of the donor.

Apžvelgiami klinikiniai tyrimai atlikti VU Imunologijos institute Molekulinės imunologijos laboratorijoje, bendradarbiaujant su Vilniaus universitetinės Greitosios pagalbos ligoninės Bendrosios chirurgijos centro Ginekologijos skyriumi bei „Vaisingumo klinika“. Tyrimams atlikti buvo gauti du Lietuvos Bioetikos komiteto leidimai. Darbo tikslas - nustatyti gimdos gleivinės imunines ląsteles bei įvertinti jų vaidmenį reprodukcijos procese. Medžiaga ir metodai. Tyrimuose dalyvavo vaisingos moterys (kontrolinė grupė) (n=142), nevaisingos moterys (121), moterys patyrusios savaiminį persileidimą (n=35) ir endometrioze sergančios moterys (n=181). Naudoti tyrimo metodai: ląstelių morfologiniam įvertinimui - citologinis, imuninių ląstelių fenotipo nustatymui - tėkmės citometrijos, tirpių medžiagų (citokinų, HLA-G molekulių) koncentracijos nustatymui – imunofermentinis metodas. Rezultatai ir išvados. Menstruacinio ciklo metu kito endometriumo imuninių ląstelių sudėtis, limfocitų ir makrofagų aktyvacijos molekulių ekspresija: priešmenstruaciniu periodu daugėjo makrofagų (proliferacijos fazėje – 7,3±2,8%, vėlyvos sekrecijos fazėje - 13,7±3,1%) ir NK ląstelių (proliferacijos fazėje – 18,3±5,8%, vėlyvos sekrecijos fazėje – 51,1±9,8%). Didžiausias skaičius aktyvuotų makrofagų gimdos gleivinėje, ekspresuojančių CD69 ir CD54 molekules, buvo randamas proliferacijos fazėje (14,3±5,6% ir 26,2±4,8% atitinkamai). Decidualiniame audinyje nustatėme ypatingo fenotipo intensyviai CD56... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Clinical tests performed in the Laboratory of Molecular Immunology of the Institute of Immunology of Vilnius University in cooperation with the Gynaecological Department of the General Surgery Center of Vilnius University Emergency Aid Hospital and Fertility Clinic, Vilnius are reviewed. Two permissions have been obtained from the Lithuanian Committee of Bioethics for carrying out the tests. The aim of the study was to determine endometrial immune cells and to evaluate their role in the reproduction process. Materials and methods. The following groups of women took part in our study: fertile women (they formed control group) (n=142), infertile women (n=121), women after miscarriage (n=35) and women with endometriosis (n=181). The following laboratory methods were used: cytological (to define the morphology of cells); flow cytometry (for detection of the phenotype of immune cells) and immunoenzyme assay – to quantify the concentration of soluble substances, such as cytokines and HLA-G molecules. Results and Conclusions. Composition of the endometrial immune cells, expression of lymphocyte and macrophage activation molecules has been changing during the menstrual cycle. In the pre-menstrual period the number of macrophages and NK cells has increased: in the stage of proliferation-7.3±2.8%; in the late stage of secretion – 13.7±3.1% and in the stage of proliferation – 18.3±5.8%, in the late stage of secretion – 51.1±9.8, respectively. The highest amount of activated macrophages... [to full text]