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Contexte : Les maladies pulmonaires comme l'asthme ou la mucoviscidose représentent des problèmes majeurs de santé publique. Elles se manifestent par une inflammation chronique avec une production accrue de cytokines pro-inflammatoires et à terme une dégradation de la fonction respiratoire. Les efforts thérapeutiques tentent, d'un côté, de contrôler la réaction inflammatoire et aussi d'améliorer la biodisponibilité médicamenteuse. Objectif : Notre objectif est d'explorer l'implication des phospholipases dans l'inflammation et le rôle des transporteurs peptidiques dans le transport des antibiotiques dans la mucoviscidose. Nous avons aussi cherché à comprendre l'effet d'une supplémentation en cobalamine sur l'efficacité de la dexaméthasone dans un contexte inflammatoire. Méthodes : Des techniques immunologiques, électrophorétiques, de culture cellulaire, d'immunoprécipitation et d'expression génique sont utilisées sur des lignées bronchiques humaines normales ou mucoviscidosiques. Résultats : 1) La PC-PLC est constitutivement suractivée dans les cellules mucoviscidosiques et conduit à une surproduction d'arachidonate, à une surexpression de Cox-2, une surproduction de PGE2, une surexpression d'interleukine-8, et au défaut de régulation beta-adrénergique de la sécrétion. L'inhibition de cette enzyme par le D609 permet de corriger tous ces défauts. 2) L'activité du transporteur peptidique, impliquée dans le transport d'antibiotiques, PEPT2, a été caractérisée dans les cellules bronchiques normales (Vm = 115 pmol/106 cellules/min ; Km = 15µM). Ce transporteur n'est pas influencé par un contexte inflammatoire. Ce transporteur est inactif dans les cellules CF. 3) La cobalamine potentialise l'effet de la déxaméthasone sur la sécrétion et l'expression des cytokines pro-inflammatoires induite par le TNFa et l'histamine. Conclusions/perspectives : Cette étude devrait permettre 1) de mettre en lumière l'importance de la PC-PLC comme cible pharmacologique potentielle dans la mucoviscidose. 2) de comprendre la relative faible efficacité de l'antibiothérapie dans cette maladie et 3) de mettre en évidence une possible participation du cycle de la méthionine dans le processus inflammatoire / Background: Lung diseases such as asthma or cystic fibrosis are major public health problems. They are manifested by chronic inflammation with increased production of proinflammatory cytokines leading to respiratory failure. Current therapeutic is aimed at controling the inflammatory response and also at improving drug bioavailability. Objective: The objective is to explore the involvement of phospholipases in inflammation and the role of peptide transporters in the transport of antibiotics in cystic fibrosis. We also sought to understand the effect of cobalamin supplementation on the effectiveness of dexamethasone in an inflammatory context. Methods: immunological techniques, electrophoresis, cell culture, immunoprecipitation and gene expression are used on normal or cystic fibrosis human bronchial cell lines. Results : 1) PC-PLC is constitutively overactivated in cystic fibrosis cells and leads to overproduction of arachidonate, to overexpression of Cox-2 , an overproduction of PGE2 , an interleukin -8 overexpression , and to alteration of beta-adrenergic secretion. Inhibition of this enzyme by D609 corrects these defects. 2) The activity of the dipeptide carrier involved in the transport of antibiotics, PEPT2, was characterized in normal bronchial cells (Vm = 115 pmol/106 cells / min, Km = 15µM). This transporter is not affected by an inflammatory context. However, it was shown to be inactive in CF cells. 3) Cobalamin potentiates the effect of dexamethasone on the expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by TNFa and histamine. Conclusions : This study should help 1) to highlight the importance of PC-PLC as a potential pharmacological target in cystic fibrosis. 2) to understand the relative ineffectiveness of antibiotics in this disease , and 3) to highlight a possible involvement of methionine cycle in the inflammatory process

O endométrio é a mucosa que reveste o útero. A receptividade uterina é definida como um estado em que o endométrio se encontra receptivo à implantação do blastocisto. E, a preparação do endométrio para a implantação não é somente uma questão de estimulação hormonal adequada, depende da interação entre o blastocisto e o endométrio. Esta interação envolve uma complexa sequência de eventos de sinalização e uma variedade de moléculas. As concentrações de interleucina-8 (IL-8) e interleucina-1β (IL-1β) estão correlacionadas com o processo de implantação. Em humanos, a taxa de insucesso desse processo é alta e ocasionada por diversos fatores. A síndrome dos ovários policísticos (SOP) é um distúrbio endócrino-ginecológico que afeta de 6 a 8 % das mulheres em idade reprodutiva, e se caracteriza, principalmente, por anovulação crônica e hiperandrogenismo, estando diretamente relacionada à infertilidade feminina. Apesar da incerteza sobre a causa primária da SOP, há relatos sobre a importância da hiperinsulinemia na sua promoção. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estabelecer um modelo de hiperinsulinemia e hiperandrogenismo em células estromais endometriais in vitro, simulando características de SOP; identificar o melhor gene normalizador para estudos de expressão gênica em amostras das células em cultivo; avaliar o efeito da metformina sobre a proliferação celular e expressão gênica da IL-8 e IL-1β no modelo proposto. O tecido endometrial foi obtido de pacientes submetidas a histerectomia. A cultura primária das células estromais foi padronizada e as células foram divididas em sete grupos de tratamento: estradiol (G1); estradiol e progesterona (G2); estradiol, progesterona e insulina (G3); estradiol, progesterona e diidrotestosterona (G4); estradiol, progesterona e metformina (G5); estradiol, progesterona, insulina e diidrotestosterona (G6); estradiol, progesterona, insulina, diidrotestosterona e metformina (G7). Foi realizada análise de imunocitoquímica para vimentina para confirmação do cultivo com células estromais. Para avaliar a viabilidade e proliferação celular ao longo do tempo foi utilizado o ensaio de MTT em dois tempos diferentes de cultivo. As extrações de RNA foram realizadas e o cDNA obtido das amostras foi utilizado para a amplificação do mRNA de cinco genes candidatos a normalizadores e para avaliar a expressão dos genes da IL-8 e IL-1β através de PCR em tempo real.O estabelecimento da cultura de células estromais foi confirmado através da coloração positiva para a proteína vimentina. As células mantiveram-se viáveis durante todo o período de cultivo, apresentando aumento significativo na proliferação celular no tempo 8 em relação ao tempo 4 em todos os grupos. O grupo G7 (tratado durante 48 horas com metformina) apresentou uma menor taxa de proliferação em relação aos grupos G2, G3 e G6. Para análise de expressão gênica nestas células, o gene que mostrou os melhores parâmetros de estabilidade de expressão no modelo celular proposto foi o gene HPRT1. Observamos uma maior expressão do gene da IL-8 no grupo G5 tratado durante 48 horas em relação ao mesmo grupo tratado durante o período de 24 horas. Verificou-se maior expressão do gene da IL-1β no grupo G5 quando comparado a todos os outros grupos no período de 48 horas de tratamento com metformina. Entretanto, o grupo G7, também tratado com metformina, não apresentou diferença estatística em relação ao tempo de tratamento em nenhum dos genes estudados. Esses resultados demonstram que o modelo de hiperinsulinemia e hiperandrogenismo em cultura de células estromais endometriais é viável. Neste modelo, em que foram testados cinco genes em relação à sua estabilidade de expressão, o gene HPRT1 apresentou uma boa estabilidade, ao contrário de outros genes frequentemente utilizados como genes de referência. O tratamento com metformina apresentou um efeito antiproliferativo nas células do grupo hiperinsulinêmico e hiperandrogênico. No período de 48 horas aumentou a expressão do gene da IL-1β no grupo tratado somente com o medicamento. Sugerindo uma ação inibitória da insulina sobre a expressão dos genes da IL-8 e IL-1β no grupo hiperinsulinêmico e hiperandrogênico. Mais estudos são necessários para melhor entendimento do efeito da metformina nos fatores envolvidos durante a implantação. / The endometrium is the mucosa lining the uterus. The uterine receptivity is defined as a condition in which the endometrium is receptive to implantation of the blastocyst. The preparation of the endometrium for implantation is not only a matter of proper hormonal stimulation, it depends on the interaction between the blastocyst and the endometrium. This interaction involves a complex sequence of events and a variety of signaling molecules. The concentrations of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) are correlated to the implantation process. In humans, the failure rate of this process is high and caused by several factors. The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine-gynecological disorder that affects from 6 to 8 % of women of reproductive age. It is characterized mainly by chronic anovulation and hyperandrogenism and directly related to female infertility. Despite the uncertainty about the primary cause of PCOS, there are reports about the importance of hyperinsulinemia in promoting it. The aim of this study was to establish a model of hyperinsulinemia and hyperandrogenism in endometrial stromal cells in vitro, simulating features of PCOS; to identify the best housekeeping gene for gene expression studies in the cultured cells; to evaluate the effects of metformin on cell proliferation, as well as IL-8 and IL-1β gene expression in the proposed culture model. The human endometrial tissue was obtained from patients undergoing hysterectomy. The primary culture of stromal cells was standardized and divided into seven treatment groups: estradiol (G1); estradiol and progesterone (G2); estradiol, progesterone and insulin (G3); estradiol, progesterone and dihydrotestosterone (G4); estradiol, progesterone and metformin (G5); estradiol, progesterone, insulin and dihydrotestosterone (G6); estradiol, progesterone, insulin, dihydrotestosterone and metformin (G7). Immunocytochemistry analysis for vimentin were performed. Cell viability and proliferation were evaluated by MTT assay at two days in different times of cultivation. RNA extractions were performed and the cDNA obtained from primary culture was used to amplify five candidates to housekeeping genes mRNA and to evaluate IL-8 and IL1β expression by real time PCR. The stromal culture cell establishment was confirmed by positive staining for vimentin. The cells remained viable throughout the cultivation period, with significant cell proliferation increase at day 8 compared to day 4 in all groups. The G7 group (metformin treated for 48 hours) showed lower proliferation rate than G2, G3 and G6 groups. For gene expression analysis in these cells, the gene showing the best parameters of stability of expression was HPRT1. Increased gene expression of IL-8 was observed in G5 group treated for 48 hours compared to the same group during 24 hours. Similarly, the G5 group showed higher IL-1β gene expression when compared to all other groups treated with metformin for 48 hours. However, the G7 group, also metformin treated, did not show statistically significant difference in treatment time of any studied genes. These results suggest that model of hyperinsulinemia and hyperandrogenism in endometrial stromal cells is viable and provides a good cell sampling to molecular analysis under different experimental conditions. In this model, several genes were tested for expression stability. HPRT1 presented the best values, unlike others classical housekeeping genes. The metformin treatment showed an antiproliferative effect on cells in hyperinsulinemic and hyperandrogenic group and at 48 hours increased IL-1β gene expression in the treated group with the drug alone. It suggests an inhibitory action of insulin on these genes expression in the hyperinsulinemic and hyperandrogenic group. More studies are needed to better understand the effect of metformin on the factors involved during implantation.

Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Darstellung der Einflüsse verschiedener Interleukine auf die HDGF-Expression in verschiedenen Kolonzelllinien. HDGF stellt einen Wachstumsfaktor dar, der nicht nur physiologisch bei der Entwicklung einiger Gewebe wie der Niere, der Leber und des Darms von Be-deutung ist, sondern auch eine wichtige Rolle in der Karzinogenese verschie-dener Tumoren spielt. Hierzu zählen unter anderem das hepatozelluläre Karzi-nom, das NSCLC und das Melanom. Von besonderer Relevanz ist seine Rolle in der Pathogenese des kolorektalen Karzinoms. Die verwendeten Interleukine (1beta, 4, 5, 8 und 13) zeigen sowohl inhibierende als auch fördernde Eigenschaften in Bezug auf die Karzinogenese von kolorektalen Tumoren. Dies steht im Einklang mit früheren Resultaten der Literatur. Die vier verschiedenen Zelllinien, eine Adenomzelllinie, zwei Adenokarzinomzelllinien sowie eine Zelllinie aus Lymphknotenmetastasenzellen wurden mit den verschiedenen Interleukinen inkubiert und mittels REAL TIME-RT-PCR analysiert. Die Ergebnisdarstellung in Blockdiagrammen zeigt semiquantitativ die relative HDGF-Expression. So lassen sich Aussagen über Anstieg oder Abfall der Expression durch den Einfluss der verschiedenen Interleukine machen. Die hier gezeigten Ergebnisse lassen, wie auch schon teilweise in der Literatur beschrieben, für alle Interleukine außer für IL 1beta, sowohl hemmende als auch tumorunterstützende Effekte beobachten. Interleukin 1beta zeigt in Kongruenz der vorbeschriebenen Studien, im Gegensatz zu den anderen Zytokinen, in allen Zelllinien tumorfördernde Eigenschaften. Für IL 4 ist zunächst in den Adenomzellen ein antitumoröser Effekt zu erkennen, dieser kehrt sich in der Metastasenzelllinie in eine förderndene Wirkung um. In den Adenokarzinomzelllinien sind weder eindeutige suppressive noch unterstützende Wirkungen zu verzeichnen. Über einen Zusammenhang zwischen dem Grad der malignen Transformation und unterschiedlichem Ansprechen auf IL 4 lässt sich jedoch bisher nur spekulieren. Für IL 5 ist ein ähnliches Verhalten zu beobachten. Eine anfängliche inhibitorische Wirkung auf die HDGF-Expression in den Adenomzellen sowie Adenokarzinomzellen kehrt sich in der Metastasenzelllinie in den gegenteiligen Effekt um. Auch hier lässt sich eine Umkehr der ausgelösten Effekte mit fortschreitender maligner Transformation vermuten. IL 8 zeigt kongruente Effekte zu IL 4 und IL 5, jedoch lassen sich für IL 8 in der Literatur bisher nur tumorunterstützende Wirkungen finden. Hier lässt sich in den Adenomzellen eine suppressive Wirkung verzeichnen, wohingegen in den beiden Adenokarzinomzelllinien fördernde Effekte beobachtet werden. In der Metastasenzelllinie lassen sich jedoch weder positive noch negative Auswirkungen feststellen. Des Weiteren spiegeln auch die Ergebnisse des Einflusses von IL 13 die Vielgestaltigkeit der Wirkweisen dieses Interleukins dar, mit tumorhemmenden Effekten in den Adenom- sowie Metastasenzellen und fördernder Wirkung in den HT29-Zellen. Über die genauen Mechanismen, inwiefern ein Interleukin die Expression von HDGF hochreguliert oder supprimiert, kann zum momentanen Zeitpunkt nur spekuliert werden. Es kann jedoch vermutet werden, dass ein gewisser Zu-sammenhang zwischen dem Grad der malignen Transformation und der Wirk-weise der Interleukine existiert. Entscheidend sind hier sicherlich klonal erwor-bene Alterationen einzelner Signalkaskaden. Festzuhalten ist zum einen, dass bis auf IL 1beta für alle Zytokine der Einfluss auf HDGF vom jeweiligen Zellsystem abhängt. Diese Ergebnisse machen eine Schlüsselrolle von HDGF eher unwahrscheinlich, vielmehr scheint seine Regulation hier in teilweise komplexe Regulationsmechanismen mit eingebunden zu sein. Dass diese Alterationen möglicherweise auch im Rahmen der Karzinogenese bzw. der Akquise der Metastasierungsfähigkeit entstehen könnten, zeigen die teilweise bestehenden Unterschiede zwischen der verwendeten Adenomzelllinie und den Karzinomzelllinien respektive zwischen Karzinom- und Metastasenzelllinie. Die beschriebenen Ergebnisse geben einen Anhaltspunkt, in welche Richtung die einzelnen Interleukine wirken, zumindest in wie weit hier ein Einfluß auf die Transkription von HDGF als Surrogatmarker der Mitogenese erfolgt. Um die Komplexität und Vielfalt der Effekte von Interleukinen in Bezug zu Tumorstadium, Invasivität sowie Metastasierungsfähigkeit in Einklang zu bringen, bedarf es jedoch weiterführender Studien. Es lies sich zeigen, dass die angewendeten Interleukine generell Einfluss auf die Expressionshöhe von HDGF in verschiedenen Kolonzelllinien haben und als exogene Faktoren in die Regulation eingreifen können. Dies könnte ein weiterer Ansatz zur Etablierung immunmodulatorischer Therapieoptionen in soliden Neoplasien in der Zukunft sein. / Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a growth factor which plays a role in physiological development of some organ tissues and in the carcinogensis of a few tumors like colorectal cancer, hepatocellular cancer, NSCLC. For this study especially the role of HDGF with regard to colorectal cancer is important. The main focus is set on the influences that different interleukins have on the expression of HDGF in different gut-tissues and colon cancer-tissues. To this end, five interleukins (1beta, 4, 5, 8 and 13) with different effects on the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer (inhibition/promotion) were investigated. It is known from the literature that all five interleukins show different behavior. Four cell lines–one adenoma cell line, two different cell lines of adenoma carcinoma of intestine, one cell line of lymph node metastase of adenoma carcinoma of intestine–were incubated with the five interleukins and analyzed with Real Time-RT-PCR. This method allows for an observation of changes of the relative HDGF-expression. The results show that all interleukins have an influence on the HDGF-expression. The most pronounced effects are observed in dependency of the concentration of the interleukins under investigation. Interleukin 1beta exhibits throughout a tumor supporting behavior. In contrast to this, all other interleukins showed that their influence depends on the probed cell line. This suggests that there is a connection between the effect of the interleukin and the degree of malign differentiation. This complex interplay manifests itself, for instance, in a totally inversion of the effects, with depression of the HDGF-expression in the cell line of adenoma and a promotion in the cell line of metastasis in some experimental runs. These findings are partly concurrent with known properties described in the literature related to colorectal cancer. ln summary the results show that interleukins as exogenous factor can influence the HDGF-expression. However, the data do not allow to derive final statements on the mechanism of regulation. It is imaginable that an alteration of the signal pathways, presumably acquired clonal, determine whether an interleukin shows effects of inhibition or promotion on the cell lines. Therefore, further studies are required to clarify in how far interleukins influence the HDGF-expression.

Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), the main ligand for the endothelial cell (EC)-selective Tie-2 receptors, promotes survival, proliferation, migration and differentiation of these cells. Despite its importance in various aspects of vascular biology, the mechanisms of action of the Ang-1/Tie-2 receptor pathway have not been fully explored. / To identify the downstream modulators of Ang-1, we evaluated changes in the transcriptome of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with Ang-1 protein for four hours by employing the oligonucleotide rnicroarray technology. Eighty-six genes were significantly upregulated by this treatment and forty-nine genes were significantly downregulated. These genes are involved in the regulation of cell cycle, proliferation, apoptosis, transcription and differentiation. Furthermore, we found that the Erk1/2, PI3-Kinase and mTOR pathways are implicated in promoting gene expression in HUVECs in response to Ang-1. Analysis of the microarray data employing the Ingenuity Pathways analysis software to place the regulated genes in the context of biological networks revealed several highly connected nodes including the chemokine Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and the transcription factor Early growth response-1 (Egr-1). Due to the importance of these genes in promoting angiogenesis, we decided to evaluate their roles in Ang-1/Tie-2 receptor signaling and biological effects. / Ang-1 induced IL-8 expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner in ECs through both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. To study the functional role of Ang-1-induced IL-8, we generated HUVECs that overexpress Ang-1. In these cells, neutralizing IL-8 significantly reduced EC proliferation and migration. IL-8 promoter activity experiments and gel shift assays revealed the involvement of the transcription factor AP-1 in Ang-1-induced IL-8. Ang-1 stimulated the phosphorylation of c-Jun through activation of Erk1/2, JNK and PI-3 kinase pathways. Similarly, Ang-1 provoked the expression and DNA binding of Egr-1 in HUVECs. Employing siRNA and DNAzyme to specifically knock-down Egr-1, we found that Ang-1-induced Egr-1 also promotes EC proliferation and migration. / We conclude that Ang-1 provokes a coordinated response intended to promote EC survival, proliferation, and angiogenesis and to inhibit EC apoptosis. Ang-1 induces EC proliferation and migration in part through the secretion of the soluble mediator Interleukin-8 and through induction of the transcription factor Egr-1.

The increase in ASMC mass is a major structural change described in airway remodeling in asthma. This increase has been attributed to ASMC hyperplasia and hypertrophy. The distance between ASMC and the epithelium is reduced suggesting expansion of the muscle bundle towards the epithelium. Recent studies have suggested a role of epithelial derived chemokines in ASMC migration toward the epithelium. We hypothesized that chemokines (Eotaxin, RANTES, MIP-1alpha and IL-8) can directly influence ASMC mass by increasing the rate of proliferation or enhancing survival. ASMCs were exposed to different concentrations of eotaxin, RANTES, IL-8 or MIP-1alpha. To test for proliferation, stimulated ASMC were pulsed with 3H-thymidine or stained with BrdU and then analyzed with flow cytometry. Apoptosis was measured using Annexin V and flow cytometry. Expression of phosphorylated p42/p44 and MAPKinases was assessed by Western analysis. In a concentration-dependent manner, chemokines such as Eotaxin, RANTES, IL-8 and MIP-lalpha increased ASMCs 3H-thymidine incorporation and DNA synthesis. Eotaxin, RANTES and IL-8 decreased the number of apoptotic ASMCs compared to the matched controls. A significant increase in phosphorylated p42/p44 MAPKs was seen after treating ASMCs with RANTES and eotaxin. We conclude that chemokines might contribute to airway remodeling by increasing the number of ASMCs.