Gammaaminosmörsyrareceptorer typ A (GABAAR) är pentameriska ligandstyrda kloridkanaler som uppvisar neurohämmande egenskaper. Därmed är de primära läkemedelsmål för flera ångestdämpande och lugnande läkemedel som används för att minska förekomsten av aktionspotential i neuroner. Trots vikten av dessa receptorer har strukturen av öppen receptor för GABAAR inte lösts hittills, på grund av deras snabba desensibiliseringskinetik. Diazepambindande hämmare (DBI) är en neuropeptid som tidigare rapporterats vara en positiv modulerare för α5β3 GABAAR. I denna studie framställdes DBI genom rekombinant proteinexpression, och den positiva moduleringen undersöktes och karakteriserades med hjälp av voltage-clamp med två elektroder på Xenopus laevis oocyter. För att kunna studera DBI moduleringen skapades GABA dos-responskurvan, och dess karakteristik undersöktes. Baserat på resultaten verkar den positiva moduleringen av DBI vara koncentrationsberoende. Vidare orsakar moduleringen en 2,16-faldig ökning av GABA-framkallad ström vid dess maximala modulationskoncentration. Trots att ström signaler från voltage-clamp uppvisar en viss grad av variabilitet stämmer resultaten överens med tidigare rapporterade observationer som utredde DBI moduleringen respektive GABA dos-responskurvan för α5β3 GABAAR. Dessa resultat kan utnyttjas för att stödja framtida strukturella studier av GABAAR genom att använda denna kunskap om DBI för att potentiellt kunna stabilisera den öppna receptorn, såväl som för att förstå mekanismen för interaktionen mellan DBI och GABAAR. / γ-Aminobutyric acid type-A receptors (GABAARs) are pentameric ligand-gated chloride channels which exhibit neuro inhibitory effects. Hence, they are the primary drug-targets of multiple anxiolytic and sedative drugs used to inhibit the firing rate of neurons. Despite the importance of these receptors, the open structure of GABAAR has not been resolved, owing to their rapid desensitization kinetics. Diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI) is a neuropeptide previously reported to positively modulate the α5β3 GABAARs. In this study, DBI was recombinantly expressed, and this positive modulation was further investigated and characterized by using two-electrode voltage clamp of Xenopus oocytes. For the purpose of studying DBI modulation, GABA dose-response curve was generated, and its characteristics were assessed. Based on the results, the positive modulation of DBI appears to be concentration dependent. Furthermore, the modulation causes a 2.16-fold increase in GABA-elicited current at its maximum modulatory concentration. Although the current traces present some degree of variability, the results are supported by being consistent with previously reported findings investigating DBI modulation and the dose-response curve for α5β3 GABAARs, respectively. These findings can be used to support future structural studies of GABAARs by utilizing this knowledge of DBI to potentially stabilize the open structure of the receptor, as well as in understanding the mechanism of interaction between DBI and GABAARs.

To improve the efficacy of the dendritic cell vaccine Alv B DC from Alv B, the PD-L1 expression in cancer cells was attempted to be reduced through a transfection with a custom designed siRNA. Before transfecting the dendritic cells, the siRNA functionality had to be tested through flow cytometry, that resulted in negative results and therefore led to a RT-qPCR protocol that indicated that the siRNA was functional. Protocols for the two methods were developed and a cell line expressing PD-L1 was set up as a tool for testing. The final goal of testing the effects in Alv B DC was never performed due compromising time but the positive result from the PCR provides a promising start to further testing.

Giardia intestinalis is a unicellular protozoan parasite responsible for 280 million gastrointestinal infections every year. When colonizing its host, Giardia interacts closely with the small intestine epithelium by attaching to enterocytes and releasing multiple proteins to the extracellular environment. Some of the released proteins have been shown to aid the parasite’s survival in the intestine by disrupting various host defense mechanisms. Here, we attempt to characterize the specific localization of five proteins after their secretion by Giardia. In parallel we aim to produce and identify parasite’s molecules potentially working as triggers of the immune response built during infection. To study the localization of specific secreted proteins during in vitro interactions with differentiated Caco-2 cells, we started by creating transgenic parasites expressing the ADI, EF1α and G3PD proteins with a downstream detectable tag. To identify candidate proteins from Giardia, thought by our lab to be involved in immune system activation, we established a mammalian expression system for the production of recombinant versions of the selected candidate giardial PAMPs. We achieved the expression of the VSP1267 protein, natively present on the parasite’s surface. However, we found that this protein was not secreted after expression, thus complicating its purification and later use in TLR-activation experiments. In the future, we aim to localize the tagged proteins, expressed by the produced transgenic trophozoites, and optimize the mammalian expression system in order to identify candidate immune triggers during giardiasis.

Hundens domesticering är en av de äldsta och tros ha startats 35000 f.n. Under domesticeringen från varg till hund, har hunden utvecklat både morfologiska och beteendemässiga skillnader så som bredare snot, högre skallar och minskat risktagande. Många av dessa skillnader tros bero på skillnader i aktiva regulatoriska regioner mellan arternas genom. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att kartlägga genomiska interaktioner för hjärnvävnader hos både hund och varg för att identifiera regulatoriska skillnader mellan arterna. Förhoppningsvis kan detta leda till nya insikter i genomiska skillnader som utvecklats under hundens domesticering. För att jämföra arternas regulatoriska regioner användes metoden Capture Hi-C (HiCap) på vävnadsprover av både hypotalamus och prefrontala cortex för varg och hund. HiCap är en metod utvecklad från chromosome conformation capture-metoden 3C. I HiCap så fixeras interagerande delar av DNA:t så att promotor-enhancerinteraktioner förblir. Dessa interagerande regioner ligeras sedan samman och biblioteksbereds för sekvensering. Genom sekvensering fastställs vilka promotorer som aktivt regleras av enhancers i cellkärnan. Hi-C bibliotek förberedes för alla vävnader för båda arterna. I vissa av biblioteken upptäcktes längre DNA-fragment som kan renas bort. På grund av avsaknad av probes för sequence capture så kunde laborationen ej fullföljas och därmed inga särskilda resultat erhållas. Om laborationen fullföljs kan resultaten förhoppningsvis ge nya epigenetiska insikter i hundens domesticering. / The domestication of dog to wolf started around 35000 BP and is believed to be the oldest domestication event among both plants and animals. During this event, dogs have developed differences in morphological and behavioural traits to their ancestors, such as wider snouts, higher skulls, and lower tendencies to taking risks. It is now suggested that many of these differences can be explained by differences in active regulatory regions. The main objective of this thesis is to map chromatin interactions in the genome of wolf and dog brain tissues to annotate regulatory variants between the canine species. This will hopefully provide novel information regarding genomic changes mediating traits gained through domestication. We will perform Capture Hi-C (HiCap) on tissue samples of hypothalamus and prefrontal cortex of wolf and dog. HiCap is a method derived from the chromosome capture method 3C. In HiCap, the interacting regions of the DNA are crosslinked, ensuring that promoter-enhancer interactions will not be lost. These interacting regions are then ligated together, followed by sequencing library preparation. Subsequently, sequencing of these libraries will provide information of which promoters are actively regulated by enhancers in the nucleus. We successfully prepared Hi-C libraries for all tissues and animals. However, there were longer fragments in some libraries which can be removed. Due to lack of necessary probes for sequence capture, the laboratory work was cut short and no major results were obtained. By continuing the laboratory work, hopefully these libraries will result in novel insights in the domestication of the dog.

In this work, the identification of the promoter for c-cytochromes Cyt c Id-1 in Ideonella dechloratans has been investigated. Additionally, the study examined investigating whether gene expression is affected by the presence and absence of oxygen. This was investigated by amplifying the promoter region of Cyt c Id-1 (389 bp) and then cloning it into a reporter vector lacking a functional promoter for the upstream gene β-galactosidase. The reporter vector was transformed into E. coli RM101 and grown under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. To examine the gene expression of Cyt c Id-1 the activity of β-galactosidase has been measured in both the aerobic and anaerobic cultures. The result showed that the gene is induced more in an anaerobic environment than in an aerobic environment, by comparing the activity of β-galactosidase under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. / I detta arbete har identifiering av promotorn för c-cytokromer Cyt c Id-1 i Ideonella dechloratans undersökts, samt att undersöka om genuttrycket påverkas av närvaro och frånvaro av syre. Detta är undersökts genom att amplifiera promotorregionen för Cyt c Id-1 (389 bp) för att sedan klona in den in i en reportervektor som saknar en fungerande promotor för uppströms genen β-galaktosidas. Reportervektorn transformerades till E. coli RM101 och odlades under både aeroba och anaeroba förhållanden.  För att undersöka genuttrycket av Cyt c Id-1 har aktiviteten hos β-galaktosidas uppmätts i både de aeroba och anaeroba odlingarna. Resultatet visat att genen induceras mer i anaerob miljö än i aerob miljö, genom att jämföra aktiviteten av β-galaktosidas under både aerob och anaerob förhållande.

Bovint β-laktoglobulinprotein (bLG) är ett litet globulärt protein med 162 aminosyrarester, som vanligtvis finns i mjölkvassle. Under sura förhällanden dissocierar dessa dimera proteiner och bildar amyloidliknande fibriller. Studien av β- laktoglobulinfibriller kan vara ett värdefullt verktyg för att förstå strukturen och dynamiken hos patogena amyloidproteiner och relaterade sjukdomar (t.ex. Alzheimers). Det är dessutom viktigt att förstå den korrekta formationen och elucideringen av dessa protein-nanofibriller (PNF) och deras sammansättningutgör också en grund för vidare design av nya biobaserade material. Således är framställningen av en signifikant homogen morfologi av nano-fibriller från bLG för proteinstrukturstudier huvudsyftet med detta projekt. Studien omfattar också användning av rekombinant β-laktoglobulin renat från Escherichia coli Origami (DE3) - celler. Omfattningen av bildandet av dessa PNF kan påverkas genom att variera experimentets olika förhållanden. Huvudsyftet med denna avhandling är att modifiera reaktionsparametrarna såsom inkubationstid, temperatur, koncentrationer, såningsanalyser och även hitta nya för att maximera homogeniteten hos den beredda PNF. En detaljerad analys av alla effekter av olika förhållanden på reaktionsprocessen och vilken provtyp eller beredningsprocess som leder till ökad mängd fibriller är huvudresultatet av denna avhandling. Detta kan i sin tur fungera som en bas för framtida modeller eller proteiner som kan användas för att få en bättre förståelse för amyloidrelaterade patologier eller andra associerade applikationer, till exempel i livsmedelsindustrin eller design av nya material. I slutet av studien visade det sig att den högsta mängden fibriller bildades för de prover som inkuberades vid 70 ℃, förvarades i 48 timmar, vid 300 rpm, med 10 % fröprov som sonikerades två gånger med ett intervall på 60 minuter . / Bovine β-lactoglobulin protein (bLG) is a 162 residue small globular protein, usually found in the whey component of milk. These dimeric proteins under acidic conditions and high temperatures dissociates and form amyloid-like fibrils. The study of bLG fibrils can be a valuable tool for understanding the structure and dynamics of pathogenic amyloid proteins and related diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s). Also, proper formation and elucidation of these protein nano-fibrils (PNF’s) and their assembly provides a foundation for further design of new bio-based materials. Thus, producing a significant homogenous morphology of the nano-fibrils from bLG for protein structure study is the main objective of this project. The study involves also the use of recombinant β- lactoglobulin purified from Escherichia coli Origami (DE3) cells. The extent of formation of these PNF’s can be influenced by varying the different conditions of the experiment. The main aim of this thesis is to modify the reaction parameters such as the incubation time, temperature, concentrations, seeding assays and also find new ones so as to maximize the homogeneity of the prepared PNF. A detailed analysis of all the effects of different conditions on the reaction process and which sample type or preparation process leads to increase in the amount of fibrils is the main outcome of this thesis. This can in turn serve as a base for future models or proteins that can be used to gain a better understanding of amyloid-related pathologies or any other associated applications such as in food industries or design of new materials. In the end of the study, it was found that highest amount of fibrils were formed for those samples incubated at 70 ℃, kept for 48 hours, at 300 rpm, with the 10 % seed sample that was sonicated twice at an interval of 60 minutes.

Since the first human spaceflight in 1961, hundreds of humans have been in space. Microgravity and high radiation are the main spaceflight hazards. The space environment is known to impact several aspects of human health, such as bone density and cognitive performance. However, the effects of long­duration spaceflights on a cellular and molecular level, utilizing biosamples and multiomic approaches, is poorly studied. In this project, the method Spatial Transcriptomics has been utilized to compare brain tissue from the hippocampus region of mice that have been in space with a control group of mice that have stayed on Earth. Spatial Transcriptomics allow for the quantification of gene expression, while maintaining the spatial information of the transcriptome. The results of this study suggest that spaceflights cause mitochondrial stress.   This thesis work is part of a more extensive study in collaboration with NASA, and more studies will be conducted to investigate the effects of spaceflights further. If these findings are confirmed, medicines used on Earth to treat patients with mitochondrial dysfunction could increase the well­being of astronauts in space. / Sedan den första människan skickades till rymden år 1961, har hundratals astronauter lämnat jordens atmosfär.   De mest signifikanta hälsoriskerna i rymden är mikrogravitation och hög strålning och rymdmiljön har stor påverkan på oss. Exempelvis upplever astronauter ofta minskad benmassa och nedsatt kognitiv funktion. Men kunskapen kring hur människor påverkas av långtidresor i rymden är begränsad. Särskilt få experiment har genomförts på stora dataset från biologiska prover, på en molekylär och cellulär nivå. I detta projekt har genuttryck hos möss som varit i rymden jämförts med en kontrollgrupp av möss som stannat på jorden. Metoden Spatial Transcriptomics (ST) har använts för att undersöka vävnadssnitt från hippocampus i mushjärna. Med ST är det möjligt att undersöka RNA­molekyler och kartlägga deras position i vävnaden. Resultatet från denna studie indikerar att miljön i rymden leder till dysfunktion i mitokondrierna. Detta arbete är en del av en större studie i samarbete med NASA och fler experiment kommer genomföras för att undersöka hur vi påverkas av miljön i rymden. Om fler studier stödjer detta resultat, kan mediciner som använts på jorden för att behandla patienter med dysfunktion i mitokondrierna, användas i förebyggande syfte för astronauter.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and deadly cancers in the western world. The incidence of CRC shows the tendency to rise with the increase of obesity, which is caused by current increase in fat intake, suggesting the correlation between CRC and high-fat diet (HFD). HFD-induced obesity causes gut inflammation which is also noticed in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and CRC and can be seen as an important factor in CRC development. Moreover, it has been demonstrated, that while both sexes are at risk of developing CRC, men have higher incidence compared to women, showing the protective effect of estrogen. In addition, since gut microbiome is first to respond to colon inflammation, we hypothesized, that intestinal estrogen signaling could contribute to reduced initiation and progression of colon cancer by modifying the microbiota composition. For that, two experiments with two different mouse models were conducted. First part of the study concentrated on the effect of (HFD, 60%) and different estrogenic ligands (17-β estradiol, and DPN) on microbiota. Bioinformatics analysis on whole genome sequencing (WGS) data and qPCR validation were used as the methods. Here we found that estrogenic ligands achieved restoration of close-to-normal microflora after significant change initiated by HFD. We also found that microbiome in males showed stronger reaction to HFD than female microbiome, implying protective actions in females. Furthermore, the effect of ligands also proved to be stronger in males. Second part of the study concentrated on the effect of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) on microbiota for which ERβ knockout mice were used in addition to cancerogenic AOM/DSS treatment. Bioinformatics analysis on WGS data was used as the method. We found that female mice were more affected by AOM/DSS treatment compared to males, especially the mice with knockout gene. The genotype alone, however, resulted in very few differences. In summary, this project shows the effect of HFD, estrogen and ERβ expression on gut microbiota diversity. It shows that microbiome of male mice is more susceptible to dietary changes and estrogen supplementation. Likewise, it demonstrates, that the microbiome of females reacts strongly to combination of carcinogenic treatment and lack of iERβ.

Current T-cell tracking techniques in vivo are limited. The ability to successfully target a gene in vivo in T-cells and track movement throughout its life cycle provides an exciting opportunity to elucidate the functions of genes. The aim of this study was to test an optogentically inducible Cre recombinase as well as a self-cleaving gRNA which can find and associate with Cas9 in vivo. Mouse T-cells which consecutively produce Cas9 (Cas 9, Jackson laboratory) were transduced and transplanted in immunodeficient mice (TCRb-/-, Jackson laboratory). The optogenetic component of the system is activated upon blue light stimulation and is introduced to the T-cell through a mouse stem cell virus (MSCV). The TCRb-/- mice underwent surgery which exposed their lymph nodes to blue light pulses from a fibre optic wire, this process is referred to as blue light surgery. BLU-VIPR T-cells which express self-cleaving gRNAs reduced the relative abundance of the target protein (Thy1.2), after blue light surgery in vivo. Furthermore, the optogenetic system showed minimal leakiness when used for gene targeting using gRNAs. This suggests that the gRNAs had associated with Cas9 and were able to successfully target the Thy1.2 gene. Results from the optogentically induced Cre recombinase showed that Cre was expressed in significant amounts without blue light stimulation, suggesting some background leakiness in the BLU-VIPR system.

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) was first identified as a chromatin-associated protein and later discovered to initiate and regulate inflammation by inducing cytokine production, cell migration and cell differentiation. HMGB1 forms complexes with a variety of proteins (e.g. C1q, LPS, CXCL12, IL-1a, IL1b, Beclin-6, p53) that in turn play a role in different cellular mechanisms. However, most HMGB1-protein complexes identified are found in the extracellular space whereas intracellular HMGB1-protein complexes are far less defined.  Firstly, data of HMGB1 interactome was previously generated by Rebecka Heinbäck, Erlandsson Harris group at KI. The HMGB1 interactome was identified in resting and in LPS-stressed THP-1 cells using a method called BioID.  The objective was to explore possible intracellular HMGB1 protein-protein interactions during resting and inflammatory conditions. HMGB1 in complex with other proteins have been known to exhibit crucial functions, therefore our investigation can lead to important knowledge in developing promising future therapeutics targeting HMGB1 in addition to further knowledge on intracellular functions of HMGB1. In this project, we used a combination of different computational analysis tools to explore the roles of HMGB1 and its interactome. Thereafter, we selected proteins within the BioID dataset that were further investigated for direct protein-protein interactions with HMGB1 using computational modelling as well as laboratory techniques, such as co-immunoprecipitation.  Our data reveals functional and biological differences of HMGB1 in resting and LPS activated THP-1 cells. Within resting cells, the HMGB1 interactome is involved in transduction and transcription processes whereas under LPS-stressed conditions HMGB1 is indicated in apoptosis, HATs, and processes in antiviral mechanisms, mainly when localised in the cytosol. Additionally, we revealed potential direct interaction of HMGB1 to S100A6 and HCLS1, in which both can induce different functionalities. Finally, we have further explored the interaction possibilities of HMGB1:S100A6 complex to RAGE, where we found interesting, preliminary results that should be further explored.  To conclude, this thesis suggests new direct, intracellular interaction partners to HMGB1 and indicates a shift in the HMGB1 interactome following LPS stress.