No / Human aging involves a gradual decrease in cellular integrity that contributes to multiple complex disorders such as neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) play a key role in discovering genetic variations that may contribute towards disease vulnerability. However, mostly disease-associated SNPs lie within non-coding part of the genome; majority of the variants are also present in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with the genome-wide significant SNPs (GWAS lead SNPs). Overall 600 SNPs were analyzed, out of which 291 returned RegulomeDB scores of 1-6. It was observed that just 4 out of those 291 SNPs show strong evidence of regulatory effects (RegulomeDB score < 3), while none of them includes any GWAS lead SNP. Nevertheless, this study demonstrates that by combining ENCODE project data along with GWAS reported information will provide important insights on the impact of a genetic variant-moving from GWAS towards understanding disease pathways. It is noteworthy that both genome-wide significant SNPs as well as the SNPs in LD must be considered for future studies; this may prove to be crucial in deciphering the potential regulatory elements involved in complex disorders and aging in particular.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Thesis (Ph.D. in Pharmacology) -- University of Colorado Denver, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-147). Free to UCD Anschutz Medical Campus. Online version available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations;

Orientador: Antonio Condino Neto / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T22:05:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Talero_LuisAlbertoPedroza_D.pdf: 1538530 bytes, checksum: 6dc94ec71cdd6f03d096be015a2b1757 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: A Poliendocrinopatia autoimune associada a candidíase e distrofia ectodérmica (APECED) é um síndrome caracterizado pela presença de pelo menos dois sintomas clínicos, endocrinopatia autoimune, sendo que as mais comuns são hipoparatiroidismo, doença de Addison, além de candidíase mucocutânea crônica. É também comum nos pacientes o desenvolvimento de distrofia ectodérmica, como distrofia nas unhas ou alopécia. O APECED é produzido por mutações no gene AIRE, que codifica uma proteína com propriedades reguladoras na transcrição de proteínas ectópicas no timo, o que estaria envolvido na seleção negativa de células T auto-reativas, e conseqüentemente no desenvolvimento da doença autoimune. No entanto a associação da deficiência da proteína AIRE com a suscetibilidade a candidíase ou a distrofia ectodérmica permanecem obscuras. No presente trabalho, investigamos a possibilidade que esta associação esteja envolvida com a expressão e função da proteína AIRE no ambiente extra-tímico. Usando células de sangue periférico de pacientes com mutações no AIRE, e a técnica de SiRNA para silenciar este gene em células de linhagem mielomonocítica THP-1, demonstramos que a proteína AIRE é importante para a resposta via KF-kB dos TLRs e Dectina-1, sendo que AIRE está presente num complexo com Dectina-1, Syk e Card-9, formado após o estímulo com Curdlan. Além disso demonstramos que a formação deste complexo pode acontecer no citoplasma ou membrana citoplasmática, uma vez que após este estímulo, a proteína AIRE é exportada do núcleo permanecendo temporariamente na membrana. Finalmente usando a técnica de espectroscopia de massa e microscopia confocal, mostramos que AIRE interage com a proteína Queratina 17, tanto em células THP-1 como em células HaCaT (linhagem de queratinócitos), quando as células entram num estágio de espraiamento e migração. Assim, a presença da proteína AIRE na via de sinalização da Dectina-1, pode estar relacionada com a susceptibilidade a infecções crônicas por C. albicans observada nestes pacientes. A resposta imune via Dectina-1 é importante na resposta a este fungo e defeitos na molécula CARD9 e Dectina-1 podem estar associados a Candidíase mucocutânea crônica. Por outro lado, a descrição da associação de AIRE com K17 pode ser relevante, já que pacientes com mutações no gene que codifica para a proteína K17 desenvolvem uma doença chamada paquioníquia congênita, caracterizada por distrofia das unhas e alopécia, características clínicas observadas também nos pacientes com APECED. Deste modo, neste trabalho apresentamos evidências que apontam para um novo papel funcional da proteína AIRE no ambiente extratímico, que poderia explicar em parte algumas características clínicas dos pacientes com APECED, como a elevada suscetibilidade a infecções por C. albicans, e a distrofia ectodérmica / Abstract: The autoimmune polyendocrinopathy candidiasis and ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is characterized by the presence of two from three major clinical symptoms: Addison's disease, and/or hypoparathyroidism, and/or chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. These patients develop also ectodermal dystrophies like nail dystrophy and alopecia. APECED is caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator gene (AIRE). This gene encodes a protein with DNA binding capacity that can transcriptionally modulate ectopic peripheral tissue antigen (PTA) expression in the thymus, facilitating T cell negative selection. Defects in AIRE may be related with the development of multipleendocrine failure of autoimmune origin in patients with APECED. In spite of this, the role of AIRE deficiency in the C. albicans susceptibility or ectodermal dystrophy, common features in APECED patients, remains to be elucidated. In the present work we explored the hypothesis that candidiasis and ectodermal dystrophy are associated with the extra-thymic role of AIRE. For this we used peripheral blood mononuclear cells from APECED patients, and also THP-1 cells treated with SiRNA for AIRE gene to obtain AIRE deficient cells. We demonstrated that AIRE is required for Dectin-1- and TLR-ligand-induced inflammatory response and complexes with Dectin-1, Syk, and CARD9 after Curdlan stimulation. In addition, we showed that this complex formation takes place outside the nucleus, once that after Curdlan stimulation AIRE seems to be exported to the cytoplasm and transiently locate at the cytoplasmic membrane. Finally using mass spectra and confocal microscopy, we showed an interaction between AIRE and the intermediate filament protein Keratin-17, in both THP-1 cells and the keratinocyte cell line HaCaT. Therefore, the presence of AIRE protein in Dectin-1 pathway seems to be important on the C. albicans response, and the absence of this protein could be a risk factor important for developing candidiasis, commonly observed in APECED patients. This observation is supported by the fact that Dectin-1 is important for C albicans response, and also the recently description of mutations in Dectin-1 and CARD9 and its association with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. On the other hand, the description of AIRE and K17 association is important, since patients with defects on K17 gene develop congenital pachyonychia, a disease characterized by nail dystrophy and alopecia, also observed in APECED patients. Thus we provided evidence for a new role of AIRE protein in the extrathymic environment, which in may explain, at least in part, some of the common clinical features other than autoimmunity, observed in APECED patients / Doutorado / Saude da Criança e do Adolescente / Doutor em Saude da Criança e do Adolescente

Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein (CPEB) is a sequence-specific RNA-binding protein that promotes polyadenylation-induced translation. While a CPEB knockout (KO) mouse is sterile but overtly normal, embryo fibroblasts derived from this mouse (MEFs) do not enter senescence in culture as do wild-type MEFs, but instead are immortal. Exogenous CPEB restores senescence in the KO MEFs and also induces precocious senescence in wild-type MEFs. CPEB cannot stimulate senescence in MEFs lacking the tumor suppressors p53, p19ARF, or p16INK4A; however, the mRNAs encoding these proteins are unlikely targets of CPEB since their expression is the same in wild-type and KO MEFs. Conversely, Ras cannot induce senescence in MEFs lacking CPEB, suggesting that it may lie upstream of CPEB. One target of CPEB regulation is myc mRNA, whose unregulated translation in the KO MEFs may cause them to bypass senescence. Thus, CPEB appears to act as a translational repressor protein to control myc translation and resulting cellular senescence. CPEB is a sequence-specific RNA binding protein that regulates cytoplasmic polyadenylation-induced translation. We report here that CPEB KO mice are hypersensitive to LPS-induced endotoxic shock, which correlates with elevated serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8 and IL-12. Peritoneal macrophages from the KO mice, as well as a CPEB-depleted macrophage cell line, not only secrete more IL-6 than control cells in response to LPS, but also have prolonged retention of NFϰB in the nucleus, which is responsible for elevated IL-6 transcription. The amount of nuclear NFϰB correlates with reduced levels of IϰBα, which is hyperphosphorylated and rapidly degraded. Collectively, these data suggest that CPEB deficiency enhances the inflammatory response via delayed resolution of NFϰB signaling.

The innate immune system is the first line of defense against infectious agents. It is essential for protection against pathogens and stimulation of long-term adaptive immune responses. Therefore, deciphering the mechanisms of the innate immune system is crucial for understanding the integrated systems of host defense against microbial infections, which is conserved from insects to humans. Despite lacking a conventional adaptive immune system, insects can mount a robust immune response against a wide array of microbial pathogens. These innate immune mechanisms have been widely studied in Drosophila melanogaster, because of the model system’s powerful genetic, genomic and molecular tools. The Drosophila immunity relies on cellular and humoral innate immune responses to fight pathogens. The hallmark of the Drosophilahumoral immune response is the rapid induction of antimicrobial peptide genes in the fat body, the homolog of the mammalian liver. Expression of these antimicrobial peptide genes is controlled by two distinct immune signaling pathways, the Toll pathway and the IMD (immune deficiency) pathway. The Toll pathway is activated by fungal and Gram-positive bacterial infections, whereas the IMD pathway responds to Gram-negative bacteria. Both pathways culminate in activation of the Rel/NF-кB transcription factors DIF (Dorsal-related immunity factor), Dorsal and Relish, which in turn translocate to the nucleus to induce the antimicrobial peptide genes. DIF and Dorsal are activated by the Toll pathway and control induction of antimicrobial peptide genes such as Drosomycin. The NF-кB precursor Relish, which is composed of an N-terminal Rel homology domain and a C-terminal IкB-like domain, is activated by the IMD pathway and initiates transcription of antimicrobial peptide genes such as Diptericin. Although many components of the Drosophila immune signaling pathways have been identified, the detailed mechanisms of signal trans

The cytokine tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) stimulates the NF-кB, SAPK/JNK, and p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways by recruiting Rip1 and Traf2 proteins to the tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1). Genetic studies have revealed that Rip1 links the TNFR1 to the IкB kinase (IKK) complex, whereas Traf2 couples the TNFR1 to the SAPK/JNK cascade. We found TNFα-induced p38 MAP kinase activation and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production is impaired in rip1-/- murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) but unaffected in traj2-/- MEF, demonstrating that Rip1 is also a specific mediator of the p38 MAP kinase response to TNFα. Moreover, we demonstrate that endogenous Rip1 associates with the MAP3K, Mekk3 in response to TNFα and that TNFα-induced p38 MAP kinase activation is impaired in mekk3-/- cells, indicating that Rip1 may mediate the p38 MAP kinase response to TNFα by recruiting Mekk3. We also demonstrate that Rip1 is phosphorylated and ubiquitinated in response to Tnfα and that Rip1 phosphorylation is not required for ubiquitination of Rip1. Furthermore, TNFα-induced ubiquitination of Rip1 is impaired in Traf2-/- cells, suggesting that Traf2 is the E3 ubiquitin ligase responsible for the TNFα-dependent ubiquitination of Rip1. Finally, recruitment of the ubiquitinated Tak1 complex is dependent on the presence of Rip1, suggesting that Rip1 ubiquitination rather than its phosphorylation is critical in TNFR1 signaling.

The Rip2 kinase contains a caspase recruitment domain (CARD) and has been implicated in the activation of the transcriptional factor NF-кB downstream of Nod-like receptors. However, how Rip2 mediates innate immune responses is still largely unclear. We show that Rip2 and IKK-γ become stably polyubiquitinated upon treatment of cells with the Nod2 ligand, muramyl dipeptide. We demonstrate a requirement for the E2 conjugating enzyme Ubc13, the E3 ubiquitin ligase Traf6 and the ubiquitin activated kinase Tak1 in Nod2-mediated NF-кB activation. We also show that M. tuberculosisinfection stimulates Rip2 polyubiquitination. Collectively, this study revealed that the Nod2 pathway is ubiquitin regulated and that Rip2 employs a ubiquitin-dependent mechanism to achieve NF-кB activation. We also demonstrate that intraphagosomal M. tuberculosis stimulates the cytosolic Nod2 pathway. We show that upon Mtb infection, Nod2 recognition triggers the expression of type I interferons in a Tbk1- and Irf5-dependent manner. This response is only partially impaired by the loss of Irf3 and therefore, differs fundamentally from those stimulated by bacterial DNA, which depends entirely on this transcription factor. This difference appears to result from the unusual peptidoglycan produced by mycobacteria, which we show is a uniquely potent agonist of the Nod2/Rip2/Irf5 pathway. Thus, the Nod2 system is specialized to recognize bacteria that actively perturb host membranes and is remarkably sensitive to Mycobacteria, perhaps reflecting the strong evolutionary pressure exerted by these pathogens on the mammalian immune system.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. The nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is an important family of transcription factors whose aberrant activation has been found in many types of cancer, including CRC. Therefore, understanding the regulation of NF-κB is of ultimate importance for cancer therapy. Using a novel validation-based insertional mutagenesis (VBIM) strategy, our lab has identified the novel adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) like protein (ALP) gene as a negative regulator of NF-κB. Preliminary studies from our lab demonstrated that overexpression of ALP led to decreased NF-κB activity by κB reporter assay and electrophoresis mobility gel shift assay (EMSA). The current project aims to further evaluate the role of ALP in the regulation of NF-κB signaling in CRC cells. We found that overexpression of ALP in human CRC HT29 cells greatly reduced both the number and the size of colonies that were formed in a soft agar assay. ALP overexpression also decreased the cell growth rate and cell migration ability, while shRNA mediated knockdown of ALP showed opposite effects, confirming that ALP is a tumor suppressor in CRC HT29 cells. Overexpression of ALP led to decreased NF-κB activity by κB reporter assay and condition media assay in CRC HT29 cells. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis with human colon vii tissues revealed that there is a gradual loss of ALP protein with tumor progression. We also found that ALP predominantly localizes in the cytoplasm, and binds to the p65 subunit of NF-κB, and might be functioning downstream of IκB kinase (IKK). In summary, in this study, we provide evidence regarding the tumor suppressor role of ALP in CRC by functioning as novel negative regulator of NF-κB. This discovery could lead to the establishment of ALP as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in CRC.