No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The anatomy of the cranial peripheral nervous system has been studied for over a century, yet surprisingly little is known about how the nerves are guided to their targets. The study of the development of these nerves has important implications for our understanding of craniofacial anomalies and possible treatments for both injury and genetic disorders of nerve development such as Goldenhar-Gorlin syndrome. We have discovered that retinoic acid (RA) may play a role in the development of the trigeminal nerve. Inhibition of retinoic acid receptors (RAR) results in trigeminal nerves that become unbundled or defasciculated in the eye region. To further understand how RA is affecting trigeminal development we searched for genes downregulated in response to RAR inhibition by the inhibitor BMS-453 and have identified neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) and Semaphorin 4B (Sema4B). We have analyzed the expression patterns of Sema4B and NT-3 by in situ hybridization and have found NT-3 expression in the eye and Sema4B in the embryonic target of the trigeminal nerve, lens of the eye and in the pharyngeal arches. ALCAM has been analyzed via qRT-PCR and its transcription is downregulated just prior to the observed defasciculation phenotype. The pattern of expression of these genes combined with known expression of NT-3 receptors allows us to suggest a model whereby RA signaling regulates Sema4B, ALCAM and NT-3, which support the survival, guidance and fasciculation of the trigeminal nerve. This work has the potential to better understanding of the complex nature of cranial nervous system development.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

As leucemias correspondem a 30% dos tumores pediátricos, e constituem as neoplasias mais frequentes em indivíduos com menos de 15 anos. Apesar da elevada taxa de cura, frequentemente a ela está associada resistência à quimioterapia e efeitos colaterais tardios. Por isso, novas estratégias de tratamento, diagnóstico e prognóstico são necessárias. O fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro (BDNF) e seus receptores de quinase relacionados à tropomiosina (tropomyosin related kinase, ou Trk) estão envolvidos com muitos processos na medula óssea (MO). Entretanto, o papel do BDNF em leucemias agudas (LA) pediátricas ainda não é bem conhecido. O objetivo desse estudo foi analisar os níveis de BDNF em amostras de MO ou sangue periférico (SP) de crianças com LA, e iniciar a caracterização dos efeitos de agonistas e antagonistas de neurotrofinas sobre culturas primárias de leucemias linfóides agudas em diferentes momentos terapêuticos Foram coletadas amostras de MO ou SP de crianças e adolescentes com leucemia linfóide aguda (LLA), crianças e adolescentes com leucemia mielóide aguda (LMA), e indivíduos saudáveis (IS) da mesma faixa etária. Para análise dos níveis séricos de BDNF utilizou-se kit de imuno-ensaio enzimático tipo sanduíche. Quando comparados aos IS os níveis de BDNF de pacientes com LA, ao diagnóstico, foram significativamente menores. Resultados similares foram observados nos pacientes durante indução, consolidação, diagnóstico e tratamento de recidiva. Da mesma forma, os níveis de BDNF foram inferiores em pacientes que receberam transfusão de plaquetas e, ao diagnóstico naqueles pacientes que foram a óbito. Para a caracterização dos efeitos de agonistas e antagonistas de neurotrofinas em cultura de células, amostras de pacientes ao momento do diagnóstico e no momento de indução do tratamento foram utilizadas. Os linfócitos foram extraídos e, após plaqueamento, as células foram tratadas com BDNF (Sigma, B3795), NGF (Sigma, SRP3015) e K252a (Sigma, 05288) por 72 horas. A viabilidade foi avaliada pelo método de exclusão por azul de Tripan. Devido às dificuldades no cultivo das células, esses dados ainda estão em análise. / Leukemias account for 30% of pediatric tumors and are the most frequent cancers in people under 15 years. Despite the high cure rate, often it is associated with resistance to chemotherapy and late side effects. Therefore, new strategies for treatment, diagnosis and prognosis are necessary. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and their kinase receptor related tropomyosin (tropomyosin related kinase, and Trk) are involved in many processes in bone marrow (BM), however, the role of BDNF in acute leukemias (AL) pediatric it is not well known. The aim of this study was to analyze the BDNF levels in BM samples or peripheral blood (PB) of children with AL, and start the characterization of the effects of agonists and antagonists on neurotrophin primary cultures of acute lymphoblastic leukemias in different therapeutic moments. BM or PB samples were collected from children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), children and adolescents with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and healthy individuals (HI) of the same age. For analysis of serum levels of BDNF was used sandwich enzyme immunoassay kit. When compared to HI, BDNF levels in patients with AL at diagnosis were significantly lower. Similar results were observed in patients during induction, consolidation, diagnosis and treatment of relapse. Similarly, BDNF levels were lower in patients receiving platelet transfusion and at diagnosis in patients that died. To characterize the effects of agonists and antagonists for neurotrophin in cell culture, samples of patients at diagnosis and at the time of induction treatment were used. Lymphocytes were extracted and, after plating, cells were treated with BDNF (Sigma B3795), NGF (Sigma, SRP3015) and K252a (Sigma, 05288) for 72 hours. Viability was assessed by exclusion of trypan blue method. Due to difficulties in cell culture, these data are still under analysis.

No description available.

The survival of several neuron populations during development, including sympathetic neurons, is strictly regulated by neurotrophins such as nerve growth factor (NGF) released from innervation targets. NGF activates its receptor, TrkA, at axon terminals, to generate signals that are transmitted retrogradely to cell bodies to induce signaling cascades regulating survival. A general view of this process is that NGF generates retrograde survival signals that, when delivered to cell bodies, induce downstream survival signaling that prevents apoptosis. A retrograde survival signal proposed to be necessary for sympathetic neuron survival consists of endosomes containing NGF and phosphorylated TrkA. For this signal, phosphorylated TrkA arriving at cell bodies is required to initiate survival signaling. Studies have tested the necessity of TrkA phosphorylation in the cell bodies for survival: results from different studies contradict each other. Moreover, the Trk inhibitor, K252a, used in these studies, has reported non-specific effects. Using an alternate Trk inhibitor, Gö6976, data presented in this thesis demonstrates that NGF can promote survival by retrograde signaling that does not require TrkA phosphorylation in the cell bodies. These retrograde signals may be composed of signaling molecules activated downstream of TrkA in axons since pro-survival molecules downstream of TrkA, Akt and CREB, were found activated in the cell bodies/proximal axons. Data presented in this thesis also reveals a fundamentally different mechanism for how NGF promotes sympathetic neuron survival: a retrograde apoptotic signal that is suppressed by NGF. NGF withdrawal from axons induced the “axon apoptotic signal” that was retrogradely transmitted to cell bodies to activate a key pro-apoptotic molecule, c-jun. The axon apoptotic signal, which was blocked by the kinase inhibitors rottlerin and chelerythrine, was necessary for apoptosis in response to NGF deprivation. Evidence GSK3 is involved in generation or transmission of the axon apoptotic signal was provided by experiments with GSK3 inhibitors and siRNA. The axon apoptotic signal discovery refutes the previous view that NGF acting on axon terminals supports survival exclusively by generating retrograde survival signals. The axon apoptotic signal has broad implications for understanding nervous system development and other conditions where neuronal apoptosis occurs, such as neurotrauma and neurodegenerative diseases.

As leucemias correspondem a 30% dos tumores pediátricos, e constituem as neoplasias mais frequentes em indivíduos com menos de 15 anos. Apesar da elevada taxa de cura, frequentemente a ela está associada resistência à quimioterapia e efeitos colaterais tardios. Por isso, novas estratégias de tratamento, diagnóstico e prognóstico são necessárias. O fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro (BDNF) e seus receptores de quinase relacionados à tropomiosina (tropomyosin related kinase, ou Trk) estão envolvidos com muitos processos na medula óssea (MO). Entretanto, o papel do BDNF em leucemias agudas (LA) pediátricas ainda não é bem conhecido. O objetivo desse estudo foi analisar os níveis de BDNF em amostras de MO ou sangue periférico (SP) de crianças com LA, e iniciar a caracterização dos efeitos de agonistas e antagonistas de neurotrofinas sobre culturas primárias de leucemias linfóides agudas em diferentes momentos terapêuticos Foram coletadas amostras de MO ou SP de crianças e adolescentes com leucemia linfóide aguda (LLA), crianças e adolescentes com leucemia mielóide aguda (LMA), e indivíduos saudáveis (IS) da mesma faixa etária. Para análise dos níveis séricos de BDNF utilizou-se kit de imuno-ensaio enzimático tipo sanduíche. Quando comparados aos IS os níveis de BDNF de pacientes com LA, ao diagnóstico, foram significativamente menores. Resultados similares foram observados nos pacientes durante indução, consolidação, diagnóstico e tratamento de recidiva. Da mesma forma, os níveis de BDNF foram inferiores em pacientes que receberam transfusão de plaquetas e, ao diagnóstico naqueles pacientes que foram a óbito. Para a caracterização dos efeitos de agonistas e antagonistas de neurotrofinas em cultura de células, amostras de pacientes ao momento do diagnóstico e no momento de indução do tratamento foram utilizadas. Os linfócitos foram extraídos e, após plaqueamento, as células foram tratadas com BDNF (Sigma, B3795), NGF (Sigma, SRP3015) e K252a (Sigma, 05288) por 72 horas. A viabilidade foi avaliada pelo método de exclusão por azul de Tripan. Devido às dificuldades no cultivo das células, esses dados ainda estão em análise. / Leukemias account for 30% of pediatric tumors and are the most frequent cancers in people under 15 years. Despite the high cure rate, often it is associated with resistance to chemotherapy and late side effects. Therefore, new strategies for treatment, diagnosis and prognosis are necessary. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and their kinase receptor related tropomyosin (tropomyosin related kinase, and Trk) are involved in many processes in bone marrow (BM), however, the role of BDNF in acute leukemias (AL) pediatric it is not well known. The aim of this study was to analyze the BDNF levels in BM samples or peripheral blood (PB) of children with AL, and start the characterization of the effects of agonists and antagonists on neurotrophin primary cultures of acute lymphoblastic leukemias in different therapeutic moments. BM or PB samples were collected from children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), children and adolescents with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and healthy individuals (HI) of the same age. For analysis of serum levels of BDNF was used sandwich enzyme immunoassay kit. When compared to HI, BDNF levels in patients with AL at diagnosis were significantly lower. Similar results were observed in patients during induction, consolidation, diagnosis and treatment of relapse. Similarly, BDNF levels were lower in patients receiving platelet transfusion and at diagnosis in patients that died. To characterize the effects of agonists and antagonists for neurotrophin in cell culture, samples of patients at diagnosis and at the time of induction treatment were used. Lymphocytes were extracted and, after plating, cells were treated with BDNF (Sigma B3795), NGF (Sigma, SRP3015) and K252a (Sigma, 05288) for 72 hours. Viability was assessed by exclusion of trypan blue method. Due to difficulties in cell culture, these data are still under analysis.

Les lymphomes diffus à grandes cellules B (DLBCL) sont la forme de lymphomes non–Hodgkiniens agressifs la plus fréquente chez l’adulte, et sont très hétérogènes à la fois sur le plan biologique et clinique. Bien que plus de la moitié des patients peuvent être guéris avec le traitement standard R-CHOP (combinant la polychimiothérapie CHOP aux anti-CD20 comme le rituximab) 30 à 40 % des patients échappent ou sont réfractaires au traitement, déterminant des morbidités et mortalités importantes liées au nombre limité d’alternatives thérapeutiques. L’objectif des travaux de cette thèse était centré sur les mécanismes de résistance thérapeutique dans ces lymphomes, et plus particulièrement les résistances au rituximab. Dans une première partie de la thèse, nous avons étudié le rôle de facteurs endogènes neuropeptidiques, les neurotrophines (NTs), et l’implication de leur signalisation dans la survie des cellules tumorales et leur sensibilité à l’apoptose induite par le rituximab. Nous avons montré dans un premier temps que les cellules B tumorales des patients présentaient des taux parfois élevés de neurotrophines (NGF, BDNF) et de leurs récepteurs de haute (Trk) et de basse affinité p75NTR. Puis les résultats obtenus in vitro sur des lignées cellulaires humaines de DLBCL et in vivo (xénogreffes tumorales) ont mis en évidence l’existence d’un axe de survie BDNF/TrkB/p75NTR pouvant interférer avec l’efficacité de l’immunothérapie. Cet axe contribue à la survie des cellules tumorales et pourrait aussi participer à la résistance thérapeutique aux anti-CD20 en modulant l’expression du CD20 à la surface des exosomes. En effet ces microvésicules, sécrétées en grande quantité par les cellules B tumorales, expriment le CD20 à leur surface et seraient à ce titre impliquées dans l’échappement thérapeutique en réalisant des « récepteurs –leurres » vis-à-vis des anticorps thérapeutiques. Dans une 2e partie de cette thèse, nous avons évalué dans les DLBCL le rôle potentiel de nouvelles cibles émergentes en oncologie, les prohibitines (PHBs) et le facteur d’initiation de la traduction eIF4A. Pour cela, nous avons utilisé un ligand de ces acteurs cellulaires de la famille des flavaglines, le FL3. Nous avons montré que le FL3 présente un effet apoptotique très important in vitro sur les lignées cellulaires de DLBCL et in vivo sur les tumeurs induites chez la souris. Nos travaux ont permis d’en préciser les mécanismes moléculaires, mettant en évidence le rôle des PHBs en lien notamment avec l’activation d’Erk1/2, et la formation et l’activité du complexe eIF4F dans la survie des cellules de DLBCL. Les données préliminaires obtenues à partir des biopsies de patients montrent, de plus, que la forte expression de PHB1 pourrait avoir une valeur pronostique dans ces lymphomes. L’ensemble de nos travaux ont permis de mettre en évidence de nouvelles voies de survie et d’échappement thérapeutique dans les DLBCL, qui pourraient permettre d’identifier aussi de nouveaux marqueurs biologiques à valeur diagnostique et/ou pronostique pour le choix de thérapies ciblées. / Diffuse large B cell Lymphomas (DLBCL) are the most aggressive and heterogeneous biological and clinical form of non-Hodgkin lymphomas in adults. Although more than 50% of patients can be cured with standard therapy R-CHOP (combining the CHOP chemotherapy to the anti-CD20 as rituximab) 30 to 40% of patients exhibit primary refractory disease or relapse after initial response to therapy, determining morbidities and significant mortality related to the limited number of treatment options. The aim of this thesis was focussed on therapeutic resistances of these lymphomas, notably those of rituximab. In the first part of this thesis, we have evaluated the role of endogenous factor signaling, the neurotrophins (NTs), in DLBCL cell survival and sensitivity to the cytotoxicity of rituximab. We showed first that a high expression of neurotrophines (NGF, BDNF) and their high (Trk) and low (p75NTR) affinity receptors was often found in tumor B cells of DLBCL patients. Results obtained in vitro, on human cell lines of DLBCL, but also in vivo (xenografts) showed evidence of a survival BDNF/TrkB/p75NTR axis that can interfere with the efficacy of immunotherapy. This axis promotes survival of tumor cells and may also participate in rituximab resistance in regulating CD20 expression at the surface of exosomes. Indeed, these microvesicles, secreted in large amounts by the tumoral B cells, express the CD20 and would be involved in the therapeutic escape acting as decoy receptors upon rituximab exposure. In the second part of the thesis, we evaluated in DLBCL the potential role of new oncogenic targets, PHBs proteins and the initiation factor of translation eIF4A. To this end, we used one of their ligands, a synthetic flavagline named FL3. We showed that FL3 determines a strong apoptosis in vitro on DLBCL cell lines and in vivo on tumors induced in mice (xenografts). Our works have clarified the molecular mechanisms, demonstrating involvement of PHBs, in correlation with ERK1/2 activation, and eIF4F complex formation and activity. Preliminary data obtained in patient biopsies showed a high expression of PHB1 in tumor B cells that may be decisive for cell survival and patient outcome lymphomas.Overall, present results show evidence of new survival and rituximab escape mechanisms in DLBCL, that should allow to identify new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for alternative therapeutic options.