Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is an economically important herbivorous pest. Cathepsin D-like aspartic peptidase (LdCD) plays an important role during protein degradation in the midgut of Colorado potato beetle. This work describes the preparation of two expression systems, namely in Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris, for the production of recombinant LdCD. The protocol for refolding of denatured LdCD was designed and optimized. Activation of the inactive LdCD zymogen and cleavage of the propetide (activation peptide) were investigated. This process proceeds autocatalytically at acidic pH or with the assistance of the cysteine peptidase legumain. The proteolytic activity of LdCD was characterized using fluorogenic peptidic substrate and protein substrates, and kinetic parameters and pH optimum were determined. The inhibition specificity of LdCD was analyzed using a panel of peptidase inhibitors. LdCD was significantly inhibited by PDI (potato cathepsin D inhibitor), a protein inhibitor produced in potato leaves. This suggests that PDI is a natural defense protein, which is directed against LdCD in the midgut of Colorado potato beetle in order to block the digestion. The potential application of PDI in the construction of transgenic crops resistant against insects is discussed.

Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Biological and Medical Sciences Title of thesis: Evalution of activity of potentional antimycotic substances through the use of microdilution broth method III Autor of thesis: Alena Zavřelová Supervisor: Mgr. Klára Konečná, Ph.D. Background: The aim of this thesis, due to the growing incidence of fungal diseases and the growing incidence of resistance, was to determine the activity of potentially antimycotic active substances. We tested newly synthesized compoused, structurally based on the substance of pyrazinamide which is significant antituberculotic. Methods: Testing of substances was carried out using a broth microdilution method on eight strains of pathogenic fungi consisting of five yeast strains: Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Candida glabrata, Trichosporon asahii and three strains of filamentous fungi: Aspergillus fumigatus, Absidia corymbifera, Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Results: From the range of tested concentrations and from the total number of the thirty tested substances, the most noticeable antifungal aktivity was revealed in the substance of 5-methyl-6-(2-phenylhydrazinyl)pyrazine-2,3- dicarbonitrile. All strains, except Trichophyton mentagrophytes strain, showed a relatively...

Kateřina Janská Evaluation of the kinetics of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in vitro Diploma thesis Charles University in Prag, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Pharmacy Department of Biological and Medical Sciences Supervisor: Doc. MUDr. Josef Herink, DrSc. Consultant: PharmDr. Vendula Šepsová The aim of the thesis was to determine the type of an inhibition of newly synthesized AChEI and to find out if AChEI structure changes influence the type of an inhibition. Altogether 12 substances (7 tacrine hybrides and 5 7-methoxy- donepezil hybrids) were investigated. The inhibition potential of the tested substances was studied in vitro on the human recombinant AChE. Spectrophotometric Ellman method was utilized as the measurement tool. The noncompetitive type of an inhibition for substances EN 1-5, PC-25 and PC-33, mixed type of an inhibition for substances PC-48 and PC-49, uncompetitive type of an inhibition for substances EN-6, EN-7 and competitive type of an inhibition for the substance PC-37 was determined. The greatest inhibition potential according to Ki values were found for substances EN-7 and PC-37. Substances PC-37 and PC-48 were determined as substances with the biggest affinity to the AChE. The type of an inhibition has been influenced by a substituent position in PC substances and by...

Adéla Dolejšová Testing the efficacy of potential therapeutics for Alzheimer,s disease Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Pharmacy The aim of this thesis was to find out whether already implemented Ellman's method, which is used to analyse irreversible inhibitors AChE, is going to be a suitable technique for measuring reversible inhibitors. Furthermore, the efficiency of newly synthesized AChE inhibitors was established. These inhibitors will be used for treating AD or as prophylaxis against neural paralytic substances. Moreover, it was compared affect the efficacy of AChE inhibitors after intramuscular and intraperitoneal administration. The measurements were done in vivo on potkan species Wistar. In the first experiment standard AChE (tacrin, 7-MEOTA, donepezil, rivastigmin) inhibitors were applied to verify the method. In the second experiment the newly synthesizes AChE (K 298, K 344, K 474) inhibitors were medicine. The results confirmed the effectiveness of the tested method on commonly used inhibitors such as donepezil and rivastigmin. Out of the newly synthesized K 298, K 344 and K 474 inhibitors none was proven to have any significant inhibiting activity. Key words: acetylcholinesterase, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, Alzheimer disease, cholinergic system,...

Charles University in Prague Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of biological and medical sciences Study program: Pharmacy Autor: Klára Kopečná Supervisor: Mgr. Klára Konečná, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: Evaluation of activity of potencional antibiotic substances through the use of microdilution broth method II Background: To evaluate the antibacterial activity of the compounds synthesized by the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug control, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University in Prague under the leadership of prof. PharmDr. Martin Doležal, Ph.D. Methods: Using broth microdilution method was tested antibacterial activity at eight bacterial strains, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus methicilin resistant, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus sp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae ESBL positive and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Results: Test substances were divided into 5 groups according to similarities in the chemical structure. The best antibacterial activity was observed in the group of derivatives of N-benzyl- 6-(alkylamino)pyrazine-2-carboxamide. Conclusion: Antibacterial activity was detected in 10 of 24 tested compounds. From active substances, all but one danced only Gram-positive bacteria. Among...

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology / Sanjeev Narayanan / Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has arisen as one of the most important public health concerns in the last 60 years. AMR results from pathogenic strains of bacteria adapting to antimicrobial-containing environments through mutations or through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of genetic material containing resistance genes. Conjugation machinery offers an efficient method for acquisition of AMR and virulence genes, which may be responsible for propelling the evolution of pathogenic bacteria. This dissertation explores the factors, specifically catecholamines and antimicrobials that influence the conjugation frequencies of enteric bacteria including Salmonella, E. coli and Enterococcus. We found that the catecholamine norepinephrine (NE) at physiological concentrations enhanced conjugation efficiencies of a conjugative plasmid from a clinical strain of Salmonella Typhimurium to an E. coli recipient in vitro. Additional experiments determined the influence of the antimicrobial concentrations above, equal to and below the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) under in vitro conditions on conjugation efficiencies using an Enterococcus to Enterococcus mating pair in addition to the Salmonella to E. coli mating pair. Conjugation occurred in all concentrations, but efficiencies of transfer were consistently low in 0 MIC and 1 MIC, with increased activity both above and below 1 MIC. These data were fit to a previously described mathematical model and the rate constant E that relates the rate of gene transfer to drug concentration was determined. The data showed highly similar patterns of conjugation efficiencies when compared to the rate constant E. A final study we measured conjugation frequencies when donor Salmonella Typhimurium and the E. coli recipient were exposed to both variable concentrations of oxytetracycline and NE. Conjugation was increased pre- and post- MIC, but conjugation frequencies were not enhanced further by the combination of the oxytetracycline and the NE. This dissertation defines the role of outside factors in conjugative gene transfer, and may provide future insight into better control of AMR.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the CFTR gene (CF transmembrane conductance regulator). These mutations result in absent or defective CFTR chloride channel function. The susceptibility to bacterial respiratory infections due to the accumulation of thickened mucus and altered glycosylation in lungs is typical for this disease. Bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a major cause of these infections. Among other virulent factors, the pathogenicity of these bacteria is caused by fucose-specific PA-IIL lectin which plays a role as an adhesin. The effect of anti-PA-IIL egg yolk antibodies and multivalent fucose-based PA-IIL inhibitors on PA adherence to lung epithelial cells was studied in this work. Chicken antibodies were isolated from egg yolks before and after immunization with antigen PA-IIL. Specific anti-PA-IIL antibodies were obtained by affinity chromatography using a column with an immobilized PA-IIL. Reactivity of IgY was verified by ELISA. The presence of PA-IIL in the bacterial culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAK, ST 1763) and the ability of antibodies to recognize this bacterial lectin were verified by Western blotting followed by immunodetection. Appropriate culture conditions have also been found for the expression of this lectin. The...

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are small organic molecules designed for the targeted cancer therapy. They perform the inhibition of activated receptor tyrosine kinases in tumor cells, that defeats tumor growth, proliferation, metastasis and angiogenesis in tumor tissue. Two TKI, lenvatinib and vandetanib, are used in thyroid cancer treatment. This thesis investigates the ways leading to enhancement of efficiency of these anticancer drugs for therapy. One of the studied anticancer drug - lenvatinib - was investigated to be prepared in a nanoform. Nanoparticles were based on protein apoferritin as well as on lipids. Theoretical model of lenvatinib interaction with an apoferritin cavity, as well as the model of its encapsulation obtained by computer modeling indicated that lenvatinib seems not to be suitable for preparation of apoferritin nanoparticles. Since lenvatinib occurs in its neutral form during preparation of nanoparticles, it does not interact with nanoparticle. The unsuccessful experimental preparation of lenvatinib-loaded apoferritin nanoparticles confirmed that lenvatinib is not suitable for its preparation. However, the theoretical model can serve for screening of other potentially suitable drugs before the experimental nanoparticle preparation. Since the experimental preparation of...

In recent years, the inhibiition of tyrosine kinases,which may incorrectly regulate some singaling pathway has been used to treat cancer as so-called biological therapy. An example of such inhibitors are vandetanib and lenvatinib. These two substances are used to treat thyroid gland tumors because they affect vascular growth factor receptor or endothelial growth factor receptor that can regulate tumor growth and metastasis. Ellipticine, which has anti-tumor effects on lots of tumor disease, has been investigated in this study together with vandetanib and lenvatinib. In this diploma thesis, the effect of mentioned tyrosine kinase inhibitors, ellipticine and their combinations on gene and protein expression of CYP1A1, 1A2, 3A1 and 3A2 in rat liver in vivo was determined. Protein expression was studied using Western blot method with imunodetection. Gene expression was assessed by quantitative PCR. Moreover, the effect of tested substances and their combinations on CYP1A activity (measured as 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation), CYP1A2 activity (measured as 7-methoxyresorufin O-demethylation), CYP1A1 activity (measured as Sudan I oxidation), CYP3A specific activity (measured as testosteron 6β-hydroxylation) and ellipticine, vandetanib, lenvatinib metabolism was determined. It has been confirmed that...

O presente estudo teve como principal objetivo avaliar a capacidade de produção contínua de hidrogênio, sob condições termofílicas (55ºC), a partir de diferentes concentrações de vinhaça de cana-de-açúcar em reator anaeróbio de leito fluidificado (RALF) utilizando argila expandida como material suporte para adesão microbiana. Foram utilizados cinco reatores de idêntica configuração, denominados R5, R10, R15, R20 e R30, com variação na concentração afluente de 5000, 10.000, 15.000, 20.000 e de 30.000 mg DQO L-1, respectivamente (com cargas orgânicas volumétricas- TCO entre 15 e 720 kg DQO m-3 d-1). O tempo de detenção hidráulica (TDH) reduziu de 8, 6, 4, 2 e 1 h. Na estratégia de operação de um deles, (R5) investigou-se os efeitos da co-fermentação de porcentagens de glicose e de vinhaça no substrato de alimentação. Os outros quatro reatores foram operados mediante a adição de glicose como co-substrato ao afluente, apenas durante o período de partida operacional. Em todos os reatores, foi observado comportamento de elevação na produção volumétrica de H2 (PVH) a partir da diminuição do TDH. A máxima PVH obtida foi de de 1,96 L h-1 L-1 (R10; TDH de 1h; TCO de 240 kg DQO m-3 d-1). No entanto, verificou-se diminuição do rendimento de H2 (HY) e no conteúdo de H2 no biogás, com a aplicação dos TDH reduzidos, em todos os reatores, alcançando valor máximo de 4,62 mmol g DQOadicionada-1 no TDH de 8 h (R5) e 57.51% de H2 no TDH de 6 h (R20). O reator operado com a maior concentração de vinhaça (R30) apresentou menores valores de produção de H2, atribuídos aos compostos inibitórios (elevada concentração de ácidos voláteis no afluente - butírico e acético). As análises de clonagem e sequenciamento dos consórcios bacterianos termofílicos revelaram semelhanças (99%) com cepas produtoras de H2, como Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum, Clostridium cellulosi, Lactobacillus fermentum e Megasphaera elsdenii. A capacidade de produzir H2, a distribuição dos ácidos e a estrutura da comunidade bacteriana foram fatores influenciados pelo aumento da concentração de vinhaça e das TCO aplicadas. / The present study aimed to evaluate the ability of continuous hydrogen production under thermophilic conditions (55 °C), from different sugar cane vinasse concentrations in anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR) using expanded clay as support material for microbial adhesion. Five reactors of identical configuration were used, denominated R5, R10, R15, R20 and R30, followed by influent variation concentration of 5000; 10,000; 15,000; 20,000 and 30,000 mg COD L-1, respectively (with organic loading rate- OLR varying from 15 to 720 kg COD m-3 d-1). The hydraulic retention time (HRT) decreases from 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 h. The strategy applied to one of those (R5), investigated the co-fermentations effects across the application of different percentages of glucose and stillage in the fed substrate. The other four reactors were operated by adding glucose as co-substrate to the influent just during the start-up period. In all reactors, it was observed a volumetric H2 production (HPR) increase behavior from the HRT decrease. The maximum HPR obtained was 1.96 L h-1 L-1 (R10; HRT of 1h; OLR of 240 kg COD m-3 d-1). However, there was a decrease in H2 yield (HY) and H2 content in biogas, with the application of reduced HRT for all reactors, reaching maximum value of 4.62 mmol g CODadded-1 at HRT of 8 h (R5) and 57.51% of H2 at HRT of 6 h (R20). The reactor operated with the highest concentration of stillage (R30) showed lower values for H2 production, attributed to inhibitory compounds (high concentration of volatile acids in the affluent - butyric and acetic). The cloning and sequencing analyzes of the thermophilic bacterial consortium showed similarity (99%) with H2 producing strains, such as Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum, Clostridium cellulosi, Lactobacillus fermentum and Megasphaera elsdenii. The ability to produce H2, the distribution of organic acids and the bacterial community structure analyzed in all reactors were factors influenced by the increasing stillage concentration and OLR applied.