<p>Many pro-apoptotic signals trigger mitochondrial cytochrome c release, leading to caspase activation and ultimate cellular breakdown. Cell survival pathways, including the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, promote cell viability both by impeding mitochondrial cytochrome c release and by inhibiting subsequent activation of caspases. Cytosolic cytochrome c is directly responsible for initiating formation of the caspase-activating apoptosome, which, in many cell types, plays a crucial role in the apoptotic process. Given the important role of cytochrome c in dismantling the dying cell, we wanted to investigate the process of cytochrome c-induced apoptosis with the goal of understanding how this mechanism is altered in certain malignant conditions. </p> <p> First, we examined cytochrome c-induced caspase activation in normal and tumorigenic mammary epithelial cells. Although most tumor types have developed mechanisms for evading apoptosis, we surprisingly discovered that breast cancer cells were hypersensitive to cytochrome c when compared with their normal counterpart. Specifically, breast cancer cells show increased binding of caspase-9 to the Apaf-1 caspase recruitment domain. This altered apoptosome formation is mediated by overexpression of the protein PHAPI in the malignant mammary epithelial cells. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that protein levels of PHAPI are also elevated in human breast tumors. These results suggest a novel paradigm where breast cancer cells are refractory to cytochrome c release in response to certain stimuli, but they are quite sensitive to apoptosis downstream of the mitochondria. </p> <p> Secondly, we describe a mechanism for the inhibition of cytochrome c-induced caspase activation by MAPK signaling, identifying a novel mode of apoptotic regulation exerted through Apaf-1 phosphorylation by the 90-kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (Rsk). This Apaf-1 phosphorylation results in impaired apoptosome formation, thereby inhibiting caspase activation. The Rsk effect on Apaf-1 is antagonized by protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), which promotes Apaf-1 dephosphorylation. High endogenous levels of Rsk in PC3 prostate cancer cells leads to Apaf-1 phosphorylation and renders them relatively insensitive to cytochrome c, suggesting a role for Rsk signaling in the apoptotic resistance of certain cancers. These results identify a novel locus of apoptosomal regulation wherein MAPK signaling promotes direct Rsk-catalyzed phosphorylation of Apaf-1, resulting in decreased cellular responsiveness to cytochrome c. Collectively, this work provides insight into novel mechanisms of regulation for cytochrome c-induced apoptosis.</p> / Dissertation

Bidens pilosa L. is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine of which was considered as a potential COX2 inhibitor and anti-inflammatory agent. The objective of this study is to discriminate the protective effect of aqueous extract of Bidens pilosa L. leaves (BPLAE) against TAA-induced live fibrosis using an animal model. The herb extracts were administrated via intraperitoneal injection once per week (1.25, 2.5 g/kg), and thioacetamide (200 mg/kg) was injected three times per week and the mice were sacrificed at week 4 and week 8, respectively. Immunohistochemistry staining, Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Sirius red staining were carried out to evaluate the pathological alterations of mouse livers; in addition, Western blotting was performed to measure the differential expression of £\-smooth muscle actin (£\-SMA) between different treatment groups (vehicle, week 4 and week 8). Hepatic hydroxyproline was also detected in order to compare difference in collagen formation of each group. The results showed that Bidens pilosa L. effectively reduced amount of hepatic hydroxyproline and £\-SMA protein in mice with fibrotic liver induced by TAA. Moreover, in histiopathological exam, the BPLAE treated mice demonstrated a lower collagen and £\-SMA expression, which indicated that BPLAE might reduce degree and severity of liver fibrosis in mice. In conclusion, these results suggested that BPLAE potentially against fibrogenesis in TAA- induced mice liver fibrosis. Additionally, we found that BPLAE might involve in the signaling pathway of MAPK (ERK1/ERK2), which reduced the phosporylation level of p44 but not p42. Further studies using cell base assay to confirm the inhibiting role of BPLAE against cell proliferation or migration is warrant.

Most of tumor consists of a heterogeneous population of tumor cells among a tumor initiating and chemo or radiation resistant subpopulation, called cancer stem cells (CSCs), which have become increasingly important new anticancer targets. CD133 has been recently identified as a prominent marker for CSCs in pancreatic and other tumors; however, the signaling cascade of this cancer stem cell marker has not been fully explored. This study shows increased cell proliferation, colony formation, adhesion, and migration following CD133 overexpression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells. Signaling studies have indicated that CD133 overexpression increases the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation and phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ ERK pathways. An in vivo xenograft study confirmed that overexpression of CD133 has higher tumorgentic ability than control mice. Molecular studies have found that CD133 physically associates with EGFR and promotes EGFR protein level and its phosphorlyation, which might be critical for PDAC tumor progression and chemoresistance. The data also showed that CD133 overexpression suppresses the EGF mRNA expression, which may imply that CD133 induces EGFR activation through an EGF ligand-independent process. The findings here point to an important mechanism of action for CD133 in PDAC. The EGFR inhibitor has potent anti-CD133 activity, and the current results have important implications for developing targeting CD133 activity as a novel cancer therapy strategy and the inhibitor approach presented here identifies the inhibition of CD133 activity by the EGFR inhibitor and sheds light on developing a new cancer therapeutic that functions by targeting CD133 activity in human cancer.

This dissertation research was aimed at investigating an interesting class of 1,2-dialkynylimidazoles as: 1. irreversible p38 MAP kinase α-isoform (p38α) inhibitors; 2. p38α docking site probes; 3. anti-cancer agents. Based on the mild, thermal rearrangement of 1,2-dialkynylimidazoles to reactive carbene or diradical intermediates, a series of 1,2-dialkynylimidazoles was designed as potential irreversible p38α inhibitors. The synthesis of these dialkynylimidazoles and their kinase inhibition activity were reported. Interestingly, one of the 1-ethynyl-substituted dialkynylimidazoles is a potent (IC50 = 200 nM) and selective inhibitor of p38α. Additionally, this compound covalently modifies p38α as determined by ESI-MS after 12 h incubation at 37 °C. The unique kinase inhibition, covalent kinase adduct formation, and minimal CYP450 2D6 inhibition by this compound demonstrate that dialkynylimidazoles are a new, promising class of p38α inhibitors. Blocking docking interactions between kinase network partners is a promising alternative approach for selectively inhibiting kinases. The second project involves the identification of a new class of small molecules, covalent p38α MAP kinase docking site probes. We proposed that the mechanism may involve the addition of a thiol to the N-ethynyl group. Moreover, we demonstrated that such probes can be used fluorescently to label p38α both in vitro and in cells via azide-alkyne “Click” chemistry. This serves as the basis of an assay that can be used to identify inhibitors that specifically target the substrate docking site of p38α. The last project was focused on evaluating a new class of 1,2-dialkynylimidazoles as anti-cancer agents. One 1,2-dialkynylimidazole analog was found to be cytotoxic against a range of human cancer lines and to induce apoptosis in the human non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549. In order to elucidate the relationship between the structural basis and role of the thermal generation of diradical or carbene intermediates, a series of dialkynylimidazoles and related N-alkynylimidazoles was prepared and their cytotoxicity was determined against A549 cell line. Although the experimentally determined activation energy is in excellent agreement with that predicated from the DFT calculation, there is no correlation between the rate of Bergman cyclization and cytotoxicity to A549 cells. An alternative mechanism was proposed involving the unexpected selective thiol addition to the N-ethynyl group of certain 1,2-dialkynylimidazoles. / text

Apoptosis is a conserved program of cell death that promotes organism homeostasis in all stages of life. Two main pathways activate caspases, which are cysteinyl-aspartate proteases that execute apoptosis. The extrinsic pathway is initiated by cell surface death receptors, while the intrinsic pathway is initiated by intracellular signals that cause permeabilization of the outer mitochondrial membrane (MOMP). The Bcl-2 protein family regulates MOMP, which causes the release of several pro-apoptotic proteins (such as cytochrome c, Smac) into the cytosol. Bcl-2 proteins share homology in up to four "BH" domains and are subdivided into three subgroups. Pro-apoptotic Bax and Bak catalyze pore formation in the mitochondria, while anti-apoptotic members (Bcl-2, Mcl-1) inhibit MOMP. The third subgroup, termed BH3-only, promotes MOMP by either antagonizing Bcl-2 proteins or by directly activating Bax/Bak, and initiate apoptosis in response to various stressors, including heat shock (HS). Hyperthermia or acute HS reportedly induces apoptosis through caspase-2-mediated cleavage of BID, engaging the intrinsic pathway. However, additional evidence suggests that this pathway could represent an amplification loop. Thus we hypothesized that during HS, another BH3-only protein such as BIM, that does not require cleavage, could engage MOMP. Herein, we report that BIM mediates an alternative HS-induced apoptosis pathway. Cells lacking BIM are resistant to HS and exhibit better short and long-term survival than either Bid[superscript -/-] or Bax[superscript -/-]Bak[superscript -/-]. Moreover, caspase-2 induces apoptosis in Bim[superscript -/-] but not Bid[superscript -/-] cells, implying that caspase-2 kills exclusively through BID. Interestingly, Bim[superscript -/-] and Bax[superscript -/-]Bak[superscript -/-] cells are entirely resistant to MOMP, but the Bax[superscript -/-]Bak[superscript -/-] cells still undergo caspase-3 activation and remain partially sensitive to HS, indicating that BIM triggers caspase-3 activation upstream of mitochondria. Thus, BIM plays an important role in HS-induced apoptosis. Hyperthermia has clinical applications for the treatment of solid tumors. Unfortunately, a practical limitation is the development of thermotolerance, which confers resistance not only to subsequent HS but also to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Therefore, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved both in heat-induced apoptosis and thermotolerance could lead to new therapeutic interventions. Here we also show evidence for a putative role for the stress kinase JNK signaling pathway in the regulation of thermotolerance. / text

No description available.

Cocaine is interrelated with the opioid system on many levels, especially via the mu opioid receptor (MOR). Also, cocaine has been involved in modulating nitric oxide (NO) actions within the cell. The effect of cocaine was first assessed on the MOR, and then on transcription by the use of 1 µg/ mL actinomycin D inhibitor. Several signaling pathways that cocaine may exert its action in modulating the MOR up-regulation in protein expression were also explored. Two dosage regimens were used in cocaine treatment, single continuous treatment (SCT), and repeated intermittent treatment (RIT). Different pathway inhibitors were used on PC12 cells, as follows: the PLC-PKC inhibitors 5 µM U-73122 and 10 µM BIS-1 used to investigate the involvement of the PKC signaling pathways in MOR expression levels, the evaluation of MAPK pathway by the use of 50 µM U0126 inhibitor, and the 10 µM LY94002 inhibitor was used to investigate the PI3K/Akt pathway. Moreover, the effect of NO on these signaling pathways was investigated by the use of 20 mM nonselective L-NAME inhibitor and qualitatively by DAF-2 florescence. Western blot analysis indicated that cocaine up-regulated MOR protein expression. Also, RIT cocaine treatment increased MOR protein levels via transcription. All three signaling pathways, MAPK, Akt and PKC modulated cocaine-induced increase of MOR following SCT cocaine treatment (post-transcriptional). Both MAPK and Akt have been found to modulate the cocaine-induced transcription of MOR via the two dosage regimens of cocaine, SCT and RIT. Also, inhibition of both PLC and PKC did not prevent cocaine-induced increase in MOR transcription, according to RIT of cocaine. Furthermore, Akt and PKC appeared to modulate cocaine-induced NO production while MAPK did not. NO seemed to be involved with the PKC and Akt pathways in up-regulating MOR in RIT of cocaine directly by the Akt pathway, and indirectly by the PKC pathway. On the other hand, NO and MAPK modulated the MOR up-regulation expression simultaneously, but in an individual/parallel manner. Furthermore, signaling pathway activation levels were tested using L-NAME which concluded that NO modulated cocaine-induced increase in total Akt protein levels, but did not appear to have an effect on phosphorylated MAPK activation levels. In conclusion, different treatment regimens of cocaine activate different pathways; SCT of cocaine activated all three signaling pathways, however, RIT of cocaine activated only the MAPK and Akt pathways. / Saudi Bureau in Canada

Le Récepteur de chimiokine CCR7 joue un rôle important dans la migration des cellules immunitaires, permettant ainsi l'initiation de la réponse immunitaire. Des études ont démontré qu'une déficience dans l'expression de ce récepteur ou de ces ligand CCL19 et CCL21 a un impact considérable sur la mise en place de la réaction immunitaire suite a un stimulus. D'autre part la prostaglandine de série E 2 a été identifié comme un agent régulateur important sur l'expression et la fonctionnalité du récepteur CCR7 dans l'établissement de la réponse immunitaire, principalement au niveau des cellules dendritiques. L'élévation du niveau de prostaglandine E 2 , lors de certaine infection, induit une augmentation importante de la migration des cellules immunitaires, lors de l'activation du récepteur CCR7. Ces cellules vont alors migrer vers ses ligands qui sont produit principalement au niveau des ganglions lymphatique, permettant ainsi la présentation antigénique aux cellules du système immunitaire adaptatif. Récemment, des travaux ont permis de mettre en évidence l'expression du récepteur CCR7 chez les monocyte et du rôle important de la PGE 2 dans l'expression et la fonctionnalité du récepteur chez ces cellules. Les travaux réalisés dans le cadre de cette maîtrise avaient pour but, dans un premier temps, de déterminer les mécanismes moléculaires permettant la migration cellulaire des monocytes suite à l'activation du récepteur CCR7 par la présence de son ligand CCL19. Nous avons également vérifié l'implication de la PGE 2 dans ce processus. Partant des mécanismes connus chez les cellules dendritiques et des cellules T, nous avons établi que la participation des MAPK p38, ERK et JNK sont importantes dans ce processus. La présence de PGE2 permet une phosphorylation plus rapide de ses MAPK. Nous avons ensuite vérifié la participation de la voie RhoA/ROCK, importante dans le réarrangement du cytosquelette d'actine. L'activation du récepteur CCR7 par son ligand CCL 19 permet une activation de RhoA. Cette activation survient plus rapidement lorsque les cellules sont en présence de PGE 2. Lorsque ces voies métaboliques sont bloquées par des inhibiteurs pharmacologiques, la migration des monocytes est alors inhibée, démontrant l'importance de ses voies pour la migration des monocytes vers les ligands CCL191 Dans un second temps, nous avons étudié l'impact de la maturation des monocytes en macrophage sur le récepteur CCR7. Jusqu'à maintenant, il est connu que la PGE2 permet une augmentation de l'expression de CCR7 chez les monocytes et augmente la réponse chimiotactique des cellules vers les ligands de CCR7. De plus on sait que lors de la maturation des monocytes en cellules dendritique mature, une forte augmentation de l'expression du récepteur CCR7 est observé et que la présence de PGE 2 est essentielle pour assurer la fonctionnalité du récepteur. Toutefois, l'impact de la maturation des monocytes en macrophage sur le récepteur CCR7 est encore inconnu. Nous avons alors démontré que lors de la maturation des monocytes en macrophages, il y a une importante perte de l'expression du récepteur CCR7 et que la présence inflammatoire de la PGE 2 ne permet pas une augmentation de l'expression du récepteur et de la migration des cellules chers les ligands de CCR7. La migration des macrophages vers les ganglions lymphatique ne serait alors pas attribuée à la chimiotaxie de CCR7 vers ses ligands. Ces travaux ont permis de mettre en lumière les principaux acteurs moléculaires impliqué dans la migration des monocytes suite à l'activation du récepteur CCR7 et que la PGE2 permettrait aux monocytes de migrer préférentiellement vers ses ligands au lieu de transmigrer vers les tissus où ils se différencieraient en macrophage. Suite à la différenciation des monocytes en macrophages, nous avons également pu démontrer qu'ils n'ont plus la capacité d'exprimer le récepteur CCR7 et amorcer leur migration vers les ligands CCL19 et CCL21 exerçant ainsi leur fonction en tant que cellules résidente des tissus.[ symboles non conformes]

Durant ma thèse, j'ai participé à une étude fonctionnelle qui a démontré que p120-RasGAP, une protéine appartenant à la famille GAP (GTPase-activating protein), est le médiateur cytoplasmique de l'éphrine lors de l'atténuation d'ERK1/2. Pour confirmer cela, j'ai réalisé une expérience de co-immunoprécipitation et j'ai démontré que p120-RasGAP s'associe au récepteur de l'éphrine, Eph3, quand celui-ci est activé par un ligand éphrine. Ce résultat indique fortement que les signaux FGF et éphrine convergent au niveau de Ras et qu'ils contrôlent de manière antagoniste son activité. Dès lors, j'ai analysé les autres événements de spécification cellulaire impliquant l'antagonisme FGF/éphrine. Chez l'embryon d'ascidie, le signal FGF est décrit comme inducteur du destin neural dans les cellules ectodermiques qui, en absence du signal FGF, adoptent le destin épidermique. L'induction neurale des ascidies a lieu au stade 32 cellules et se traduit par la spécification de quatre précurseurs neuraux (ERK+) parmi les 16 cellules ectodermiques. J'ai démontré que le signal éphrine/Eph/RasGAP antagonise le signal FGF pour générer une activation d'ERK1/2 de type tout ou rien parmi les cellules ectodermiques. Enfin, en collaboration avec Philip Abitua, doctorant dans le laboratoire du Dr. Mike Levine (UC Berkeley), nous démontrons que l'antagonisme entre les signaux éphrine et FGF est impliqué dans la régionalisation antéro-postérieure de la plaque neurale

IL-12, an immunoregulatory cytokine, plays a key role in the development of cell-mediated immune responses. However, very little is known about the regulation and induction of the other members of this family, particularly IL-23 and IL-27. The regulation of these cytokines was studied in the human primary monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) as they play a key role in innate and adaptive immune responses. THP-1 promonocytic cells were employed as a model system to confirm the results obtained with monocytes and MDMs. Two stimuli IFN-γ and LPS were used as both are strong inducers of IL-12 family cytokines. My results show that IFN-γ induced the production of IL-12/23p40 and IL-23p19 mRNA as well as IL-12p40 and IL-23 proteins in primary human monocytes isolated by positive selection. IFN-γ-induced IL-23 and IL-12/23p40 expression was positively regulated by the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), independent of the Janus kinase (Jak)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) signaling. In contrast, IL-12 and IL-23 were negatively regulated by the Jak/STAT, phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) and the c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) MAPKs in IFN-γ-stimulated monocytes. LPS significantly stimulated IL-23p19 and IL-12/23p40 mRNA expression as well as IL-12/23p40 and IL-23 protein production in THP-1 cells, while IFN-γ stimulation alone did not affect IL-23 mRNA or protein levels. THP-1 cells were pre-treated with ERK, JNK or p38 MAPK inhibitors and then stimulated with LPS. LPS-induced IL-12p40 and IL-23 proteins were positively regulated by the p38 and JNK MAPKs and PI3K, whereas LPS-induced IL-23p19 mRNA expression was negatively regulated by these kinases. These results were confirmed using siRNA in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells. My results also show that IFN-γ/LPS-induced IL-23 expression is not regulated through MAPK or PI3K signaling pathways in human MDMs. My results also show for the first time that IFN-γ alone without any second stimulus induced IL-27p28 gene expression and IL-27 protein production in human monocytic cells. I investigated the signalling pathways governing the regulation of IL-27 protein and its subunit IL-27p28 following stimulation with IFN-γ in primary human monocytic cells. IFN-γ-mediated IL-27 protein, but not IL-27p28 gene expression was positively regulated by JNK MAPK and PI3K, independent of JAK/STAT signaling in primary human monocytes. I also investigated the signalling pathways governing the regulation of IL-27 and its α subunit, IL-27p28 following stimulation with IFN-γ alone or IFN-γ-primed LPS-stimulated macrophages (IFN-γ/LPS) and THP-1 cells. A differential regulation of IL-27p28 and IL-27 in response to stimulation by either IFN-γ or IFN-γ/LPS was observed. IFN-γ- and IFN-γ/LPS induced IL-27 expression was positively regulated by the JNK, p38 MAPK and PI3K, independent of Jak/STAT signaling in human MDMs and THP-1 cells. Taken together, my results show that IL-23 induction is differentially regulated by different pathways in response to different stimuli, whereas IL-27 expression is regulated by JNK, p38 MAPK and PI3K regardless in the stimulus in human myeloid cells. These results may provide additional strategies aimed at targeting disease, autoimmune disorders and cancer.