Abstract Human mitochondria contain a circular genome called mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). It encodes subunits of the respiratory chain enzymes involved in energy conservation in oxidative phosphorylation and the necessary RNA needed for their expression. Errors in these genes have been shown to cause diseases, called mitochondrial diseases, which mainly affect tissues with high energy-demand, such as brain, heart, and skeletal muscle, or to lead to the production of harmful by-products in the form of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during cellular respiration. ROS damage lipids, proteins, and DNA, especially mtDNA. Accumulation of mtDNA mutations has also been associated with aging. Mitochondrial complex I is located in the inner mitochondrial membrane and catalyzes NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreduction coupled to the translocation of four protons from the inside of the mitochondrion to the intermembranous space. Bacteria contain a homologous but simpler enzyme, NDH-1, with the same catalytic mechanism and which is therefore considered the catalytical core of mitochondrial complex I. Seven of the conserved membranous subunits in complex I are encoded in the mtDNA and are targets for mutations causing mitochondrial diseases, like MELAS syndrome or Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). We used Paracoccus denitrificans and Escherichia coli NDH-1 enzymes to reveal the role of selected conserved charged residues and MELAS or LHON amino acid substitutions in enzyme catalysis. The growth phenotypes and NDH-1-dependent activities in mutant bacterial membranes were characterized, in addition to the sensitivity to selected complex I inhibitors. In order to enable ROS production measurements in the bacterial model of human mitochondrial diseases, we evaluated the reliability of two superoxide detecting probes, lucigenin and coelenterazine. Elimination of the acidic residue in ND1 (position E228) previously found to cause MELAS, was found detrimental for NDH-1 assembly and activity. Also, elimination of the acidic residue at position E36 in ND4L resulted in an inactive enzyme. ND1-E216A, ND4L-E72Q and -E36Q/I39D/A69D/E72Q substitutions decreased NDH-1 activity somewhat (normal activity in the last mutant), but displayed a negative growth phenotype under NDH-1 dependent conditions, suggestive of impaired energy conservation in these mutants. ND1-Y229, whose substitution causes MELAS, charged residues in loop five of ND1, and ND1-E157, whose substitution causes LHON, were also found important for the enzyme activity. Coelenterazine was found a reliable probe for quantitative superoxide production measurement in mitochondrial or bacterial membranes, and its sensitivity is not affected by the reduction level of the respiratory chain. Therefore, coelenterazine is suitable for quantitative superoxide production measurements.

Orientador: Edi Lucia Sartorato / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-23T07:24:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AmaralFernandes_MarcelaScabello_D.pdf: 2548021 bytes, checksum: 4a1e103fa460381f99df5a845fdfec67 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: A neuropatia óptica hereditária de Leber (LHON) é uma doença mitocondrial, com herança materna, caracterizada pela perda (sub) aguda, indolor e bilateral da visão, escotoma central ou cecocentral e discromatopsia, devido à degeneração do nervo óptico por apoptose das células parvo ganglionares da retina. As três mutações primárias G11778A, T14484C e G3460A são responsáveis por 90 a 95% dos casos da LHON e acometem subunidades dos genes MT-ND4, MT-ND6 e MT-ND1, respectivamente, que codificam proteínas para o complexo I da cadeia respiratória. Somente 5% dos pacientes possuem uma das demais mutações secundárias. A presença da mutação é fundamental para que LHON ocorra, no entanto, a penetrância incompleta e predileção pelo gênero masculino sugerem que fatores genéticos, epigenéticos e ambientais possam modular a expressão fenotípica da doença. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar clínica e molecularmente para LHON 63 pacientes com neuropatia óptica, sendo 25 com quadro clínico típico de Leber (grupo I) e 38 com neuropatia óptica de etiologia a esclarecer (grupo II), assim como verificar a relação entre os agentes tóxicos tabaco e álcool e uma possível suscetibilidade genética entre os pacientes que faziam uso abusivo destes agentes. Estes pacientes foram submetidos à avaliação oftalmológica completa no ambulatório de neuroftalmologia do HC-UNICAMP e tiveram suas amostras de sangue coletadas e analisadas no CBMEG. A pesquisa das três mutações primárias foi realizada pelas técnicas de restrição enzimática e sequenciamento direto, e confirmada pelo PCR-multiplex e Plataforma Sequenom. Os pacientes que não apresentaram uma das mutações primárias foram rastreados pelo sequenciamento direto e pela Plataforma Sequenom, para oito principais mutações secundárias: G3733A e C4171A (MT-ND1), T10663C (MT-ND4L) e G14459A, C14482G, C14482A, A14495G e C14568T (MT-ND6). Os haplogrupos dos pacientes mutantes foram pesquisados pela Plataforma Sequenom. Dos 63 pacientes com neuropatia óptica foram encontrados 18 pacientes mutantes, sendo 14 do grupo I (11 com G11778A e 3 com T14484C) e 4 do grupo II (3 com G11778A e 1 com T14484C). Os haplogrupos encontrados nestes pacientes mutantes foram: C, D, M, U, e, principalmente L1/L2 e L3, que mostra a presença de ancestral comum de origem asiática, européia e, predominantemente, africana. Nenhum dos pacientes apresentou a mutação primária G3460A, assim como não foi encontrada nenhuma das 8 mutações secundárias rastreadas. Na análise estatística das variáveis estudadas houve diferença significativa para recorrência familiar materna, campo visual e presença de mutação, dentre os 63 pacientes com neuropatia óptica, sendo que achados mostraram que o quadro clínico clássico da doença descrito por Leber há mais de um século tem boa confiabilidade. Ao comparar as mesmas variáveis entre os 14 mutantes do grupo I com os 4 mutantes do grupo II, não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa para nenhuma das variáveis, evidenciando que o diagnóstico de LHON é molecular, através do rastreamento das mutações (inicialmente as primárias). Não foi possível estabelecer relação entre o uso abusivo do tabaco e álcool e uma suscetibilidade genética de base, isto é, a mutação da LHON, entre os pacientes com neuropatia óptica de etiologia a esclarecer e com consumo abusivo destes agentes / Abstract: Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is maternally inherited mitochondrial disease, characterized by painless, bilateral, (sub) acute loss of vision, central or cecocentral scotoma and dyschromatopsia, due to the degeneration of optic nerve by the apoptosis of the p-retinal ganglion cells. The three primary mutations G11778A, T14484C and G3460A account for 90 to 95% of the cases of LHON and affect subunits of genes MT-ND4, MT-ND6 and MT-ND1, respectively, which encode proteins of the complex I of the respiratory chain. Only 5% of patients have one of the other secondary mutations. The mutation in mtDNA is essential for LHON occurs, however, the incomplete penetrance and the male predominance of the disease suggests that genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors may modulate the phenotypic expression of LHON. The aim of this study was to analyze clinical and molecularly for LHON 63 patients with optic neuropathy, 25 with classical clinical symptoms of Leber (group I) and 38 with optic neuropathy of unknown etiology (group II), as well as to investigate the relationship between toxic agents tobacco and alcohol and a possible genetic susceptibility among patients who were abusing these agents. These patients underwent complete ophthalmologic evaluation in the Neuro-Ophthalmoloy Outpatient HC-UNICAMP, had their blood samples collected and analyzed in CBMEG. The research of the three primary mutations was performed by restriction analysis and direct sequencing and confirmed by multiplex-PCR and Sequenom Platform. Patients who did not have one of the primary mutations were screened by direct sequencing and by Sequenom Platform for 8 major secondary mutations: G3733A and C4171A (MT-ND1), T10663C (MT-ND4L) and G14459A, C14482G, C14482A, A14495G and C14568T (MT -ND6). The haplogroups of mutant patients were screened by Sequenom Platform. Of 63 patients with optic neuropathy 18 patients were found to be mutants, 14 in group I (11 with G11778A and 3 with T14484C) and 4 in group II (3 with G11778A and 1 with T14484C). The haplogroups found in these mutants patients were: C, D, M, U, and especially L1/L2 and L3, which shows the presence of the common ancestor of Asian, European and, predominantly, African. None of the patients had a primary mutation G3460A, and nor it was found any of the eight secondary mutations screened. Statistical analysis of the variables studied showed significant differences for maternal familial recurrence, visual field and the presence of mutation among the 63 patients with optic neuropathy, demonstrating a good reliability to the classical clinical picture of the disease described by Leber over a century ago. When comparing the same variables among 14 mutants of group I with 4 mutants of group II, there was no statistically significant difference for any of the variables, indicating that the diagnosis of LHON is molecular, by tracking the mutations (initially the primaries ones). No relationship between abusive use of tobacco and alcohol and a genetic-based susceptibility, that is, the mutation for LHON could be correlated in patients with optic neuropathy of unknown etiology and history of heavy consumption of these agents / Doutorado / Oftalmologia / Doutora em Ciências Médicas

Inborn errors of metabolism represent a heterogenous group of rare conditions, most having an incidence of less than 1 in 100,000 births. Because of their low prevalence, they are on the margin of attention of general research and even more so of large pharmaceutical companies. Study of rare diseases is the only way to design therapeutic options in order to improve quality of life of affected patients. Present Thesis particularly focuses on disturbances in mitochondrial energy metabolism. The main goals were the characterization of mitochondrial biogenesis within foetal development, as well as in childhood and adulthood. Another aim was to define clinical, biochemical and molecular aspects of mitochondrial optic neuropathies in childhood and adulthood. This work supported the earlier observations that gestational week 22 is the edge of viability, which has to be taken into account in upcoming discussions about guidelines on resuscitation of preterm neonates. Secondly, over last four years, we managed to examine and describe large cohort of patients with optic neuropathies based on a mitochondrial dysfunction. We have managed to characterize the biochemical and molecular-genetic background in more than 200 patients, and both selected cases (LHON/MELAS overlap syndrome) and cohort studies (MELAS,...

Abstract NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) is one of the largest enzymes in mammals. Seven (ND1-ND6 and ND4L) of its 45 subunits are encoded in mitochondrial DNA, mutations of which are usually behind mitochondrial diseases such as Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) and MELAS-syndrome. The rest of the genes are located in the nucleus. Bacterial homologs of complex I (NDH-1) consist of only 13–14 subunits, comprising the catalytic core of the enzyme. These complexes are simpler but perform a similar function. Escherichia coli NDH-1 was employed here to generate amino acid replacements at conserved sites in NuoH, NuoJ and NuoK, counterparts of ND1, ND6 and ND4L, to elucidate their role in complex I. Consequences of homologous amino acid substitutions brought about by ND1-affecting LHON/MELAS-overlap syndrome-associated m.3376G>A and m.3865A>G mutations and the ND6-affecting m.14498T>C substitution associated with LHON were also studied to validate their pathogenicity. Effects of the site-directed mutations were evaluated on the basis of enzyme activity, inhibitor sensitivity and growth phenotype. Highly conserved glutamate-residues 36 and 72 within transmembrane helices of NuoK in positions similar to proton translocating transmembrane proteins were found essential for electron transfer to ubiquinone and growth on medium necessitating normal proton transfer by NDH-1. NuoH and NuoJ replacements at sites corresponding to targets of m.3376G>A and m.14498T>C decreased ubiquinone reductase activity and altered the ubiquinone binding site, while the counterpart of m.3865A>G was without a major effect. Other NuoH and NuoJ mutations studied also affected the interactions of ubiquinone and inhibitors with NDH-1. The results corroborate the pathogenicity of the m.14498T>C and m.3376G>A mutations and demonstrate that the overlap syndrome-associated modification affects complex I in a pattern which appears to combine the effects of separate mutations responsible for LHON and MELAS. Change in ubiquinone binding affinity is a likely pathomechanism of all LHON-associated mutations. Effects of the NuoH, NuoJ and NuoK subunit substitutions also indicate that ND1 and ND6 subunits contribute to the ubiquinone-interacting site of complex I and the site is located in the vicinity of the membrane surface, while ND4L is likely involved in proton pumping activity of the enzyme. / Tiivistelmä 45 alayksiköstä muodostuva NADH-ubikinoni oksidoreduktaasi (kompleksi I) on nisäkkäiden suurimpia entsyymejä. Sen mitokondriaalisessa DNA:ssa koodattujen alayksiköiden ND1-ND6 ja ND4L geeneihin liittyvät mutaatiot ovat yleisiä mitokondriosairauksien, kuten Leberin perinnöllisen näköhermoatrofian (LHON) ja MELAS-oireyhtymän, syitä. Bakteerien vastaava entsyymi (NDH-1) koostuu vain 13–14 alayksiköstä. Tästä huolimatta sen katalysoima reaktio on samankaltainen kuin kompleksi I:n. NDH-1:n katsotaankin edustavan entsyymin katalyyttistä ydintä. Tässä työssä tutkittiin ND1, ND6 ja ND4L alayksiköiden tehtävää kompleksi I:ssä niiden Escherichia coli bakteerissa olevien vastineiden (NuoH, NuoJ ja NuoK) kohdennetun mutageneesin avulla. Samaa lähestymistapaa käytettiin LHON/MELAS-oireyhtymässä todettujen ND1 alayksikön mutaatioiden, m.3376G>A ja m.3865A>G, ja LHON:ssa havaitun ND6:n m.14498T>C mutaation aiheuttamien aminohappomuutosten seurauksien selvittämiseen. Tehtyjen mutaatioiden vaikutuksia arvioitiin entsyymiaktiivisuus-mittauksin ja kasvukokein. NuoK:n solukalvon läpäisevissä rakenteissa olevien kahden glutamaatti-aminohappotähteen sijainti muistuttaa protoneita kalvon läpi kuljettavissa proteiineissa todettua. NuoK:n glutamaattien havaittiinkin olevan tärkeitä elektronien ja protonien kuljetukselle kompleksi I:ssä. m.3376G>A ja m.14498T>C mutaatioiden aiheuttamien aminohappomuutosten vastineet NDH-1:ssä alensivat NDH-1:n elektroninsiirtoaktiivisuutta ja heikensivät ubikinonin sitoutumista, kun taas m.3865A>G mutaatiolla ei ollut vaikutusta. Muut NuoH ja NuoJ alayksiköihin tehdyt aminohappovaihdokset johtivat huonontuneeseen ubikinonin ja kompleksi I:n inhibiittoreiden sitoutumiseen. Saadut tulokset vahvistavat m.3376G>A ja m.14498T>C mutaatioiden patogeenisyyden. Ne myös osoittavat, että LHON/MELAS-oireyhtymään liitetyn mutaation biokemiallisissa vaikutuksissa yhdistyvät sekä LHON:ssa että MELAS-oireyhtymässä todettujen mutaatioiden seuraukset. Esitetyt tulokset tukevat näkemystä siitä, että ubikinonin ja kompleksi I:n välisessä vuorovaikutuksessa tapahtuva muutos on kaikille LHON:aan liitetyille mutaatioille yhteinen vaikutusmekanismi. NuoH:n, NuoJ:n ja NuoK:n kohdennetusta mutageneesista saatujen tulosten perusteella ND1 ja ND6 alayksiköt ovat osa ubikinonin sitoutumispaikkaa entsyymikompleksissa, kun taas ND4L osallistuu protoninkuljetukseen.