Noncovalent factors, such as shape complementarity and electrostatic driving forces, almost exclusively cause the affinity and specificity for which two or more biological macromolecules organize into a functioning complex. The human oncoprotein p21Ras (Ras) and a structurally identical but functionally distant analog, Rap1A (Rap), exhibit high selectivity and specificity when binding to downstream effector proteins that cannot be explained through structural analysis alone. Both Ras and Rap bind to Ral guanine nucleotide dissociation stimulator (RalGDS) with affinities that differ tenfold instigating diverse cellular functions; it is hypothesized that this specificity of RalGDS to discriminate between GTPases is largely electrostatic in nature. To investigate this hypothesis, electrostatic fields at the binding interface between mutants of RalGDS bound to Rap or Ras are measured using vibrational Stark effect (VSE) spectroscopy, in which spectral shifts of a probe oscillator’s energy is related directly to that probe’s local electrostatic environment and measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). After calibration, the probe is inserted into a known position in RalGDS where it becomes a highly local, sensitive, and directional reporter of fluctuations of the protein’s electrostatic field caused by structural or chemical perturbations of the protein. The thiocyanate (SCN) vibrational spectroscopic probe was systematically incorporated throughout the binding interface of RalGDS. Changes in the absorption energy of the thiocyanate probe upon binding were directly related to the change of the strength of the local electrostatic field in the immediate vicinity of the probe, thereby creating a comprehensive library of the binding interactions between Ras-RalGDS and Rap-RalGDS. The measured SCN absorption energy on the monomeric protein was compared with solvent-accessible surface area (SASA) calculations with the results highlighting the complex structural and electrostatic nature of protein-water interface. Additional SASA studies of the nine RalGDS mutants that bind to Ras or Rap verified that experimentally measured thiocyanate absorption energies are negatively correlated with exposure to water at the protein-water interface. By changing the solvent composition, we confirmed that the cyanocysteine residues that are more exposed to solvent experienced a large difference in absorption energy. These studies reinforce the hypothesis that differences in the electrostatic environment at the binding interfaces of Ras and Rap are responsible for discriminating binding partners. / text

Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2016-07-13T17:18:53Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Tese Marcelo Cordeiro definitiva 2015.pdf: 5642335 bytes, checksum: cb50fdd5ae64295157f0535b7f488925 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-13T17:18:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Tese Marcelo Cordeiro definitiva 2015.pdf: 5642335 bytes, checksum: cb50fdd5ae64295157f0535b7f488925 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-13 / CAPES / Imunização genética contra o câncer cervical baseado no oncogene E5 do papilomavírus humano tipo 16 A infecção persistente pelo HPV16 está associada com cânceres cervicais anogenitais e um subconjunto de cânceres de cabeça e pescoço. E5, E6 e E7 são oncoproteínas virais que contribuem com a transformação de queratinócitos humanos. Além de potencializar a habilidade das proteínas E6 e E7 na imortalização/invasão de queratinócitos primários, as proteínas E5 de HPV de alto risco têm participação relevante nas fases precoces de transformação, como na alteração da via dependente do receptor do fator de crescimento epidermal. Entretanto, o antígeno E5 como candidato vacinal ainda não foi devidamente explorado. Ainda, as linhagens celulares mais utilizadas como modelos de desafio tumoral podem não simular os padrões de expressão dos oncogenes de HPV, já que, sua expressão é dirigida por promotores diferentes dos de HPV. Este trabalho utilizou um novo modelo de desafio para validar vacinas anti-HPV baseado em células C3, as quais apresentam a expressão do HPV sob controle de seu próprio promotor. Duas versões do oncogene E5 de HPV16 foram geradas como vacinas de DNA; uma mantendo a sequência íntegra do gene E5 e outra codificando apenas seus dois prováveis epítopos imunogênicos em duplicata. As candidatas vacinais foram submetidas a experimentos in vivo para demonstração de efeitos anti-tumorais contra células C3. Sob regime preventivo ou terapêutico, tumores em camundongos vacinados sofreram efeitos de imunidade celular, conforme indicado pelo acompanhamento do desenvolvimento tumoral e ensaios de ELISPOT. Os efeitos anti-tumorais elicitados pela imunização genética baseada em E5 foram equiparáveis àqueles obtidos por abordagem similar adotada por imunização genética baseada em E6 e E7. O aprimoramento técnico sobre esta abordagem deve, no futuro, resultar em perspectivas de estudos clínicos baseados na imunização genética com E5 contra o HPV e seus tumores associados / Genetic immunization against cervical cancer based on human papillomavirus 16 E5 oncogene HPV16 persistent infection is associated with cervical and anogenital cancers and a subset of head and neck cancers. E5, E6 and E7 are oncoproteins that contribute to human keratinocytes viral transformation. Further enhancing E6/E7-mediated immortalization/invasion of primary keratinocytes, high risk HPV E5 proteins have significant participation in early stages of transformation, for example, by triggering epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-dependent cell growth. However, E5 antigen as a vaccine candidate has not been well explored yet. In addition, the most commonly cell lines used as tumor challenge models may not properly simulate the HPV oncogene expression patterns, since its expression is directed by non-HPV promoters. This study has adopted a new challenge model based on C3 cell line to evaluate anti-HPV vaccines, which present HPV expression driven by its own promoter. Two E5-based versions were generated as DNA vaccines; an HPV16 E5 whole gene sequence and another gene, that encodes only two likely immunogenic epitopes in duplicate. Vaccine candidates were subjected to in vivo experiments in order to demonstrate anti-tumor effects against HPV16-expressing C3 cells-bearing mice. Under preventive or therapeutic procedure, tumors in vaccinated mice suffered cellular immunity effects, as indicated by monitoring tumor growth and ELISPOT assays. The anti-tumor effects elicited by genetic immunization based on E5 were comparable to those obtained by similar approach taken by genetic immunization based on E6 and E7. The technical improvement on this approach should, in future, results in prospects for clinical studies based on E5 genetic immunization against HPV and its associated tumors.

La mutation R249S (mutant p.R249S) du gène TP53, caractéristique de l'exposition à l'aflatoxine B1 (AFB1), est la plus fréquente dans les carcinomes hépatocellulaires (CHC) et est dans la plupart des cas associée à une infection chronique par le virus de l'hépatite B (VHB). En effet, il existe une synergie entre ces deux facteurs de risque, augmentant ainsi le risque de développer un CHC. Dans une première partie, nous avons étudié les mécanismes moléculaires de cette synergie dans différents modèles cellulaires puis dans une deuxième partie nous avons utilisé une approche épidémiologique pour étudier l'interaction entre la mutation R249S et le VHB. Nous avons tout d'abord montré que p.R249S avait perdu ses fonctions liées à p53wt. D'autre part, p.R249S était capable de former un complexe protéique avec l'oncoprotéine virale HBx dans les cellules de CHC PLC/PRF/5. Dans la deuxième partie de ce travail, nos résultats montrent que la mutation R249S est détectable dans l'ADN du sérum de sujets asymptomatiques de Gambie rurale (Afrique de l'Ouest). Notre travail met en évidence des variations temporelles quantitatives de la mutation R249S. Ces variations dépendent des niveaux d'exposition d'AFB1 mais également de la présence du VHB, suggérant une interaction entre l'AFB1 et le VHB. Enfin, dans une autre étude menée en Gambie et basée sur le recrutement de sujets ayant développés un CHC ou non (contrôles) nos résultats montrent que la mutation R249S est fortement associée au gène HBX complet dans les CHC. Cette association pourrait ainsi expliquer en partie l'effet synergique observé entre l'AFB1 et le VHB. A terme, une cible critique pourrait être identifiée pour des interventions préventives ou thérapeutiques précoces sur les CHC dans les régions de forte incidence / R249S mutation (mutant p.R249S) of TP53 gene, characteristic of the exposure to aflatoxin B1, is the most frequent TP53 mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is highly associated with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (HBV). Indeed, a synergistic effect exists between these two main risk factors, thus increasing the risk to develop HCC. In a first part, we have studied the molecular mechanisms of this synergy in different cellular models and then, in a second part we have used an epidemiology-based approach to investigate the interaction between the R249S mutation and HBV. Firstly, we have shown that p.R249S has lost p53wt functions. Moreover, p.R249S formed a protein complex with the oncoprotein HBx from HBV in the HCC cell line PLC/PRF/5. In the second part, our results show that R249S mutation is detectable in plasma DNA of asymptomatic subjects from the rural Gambia (West Africa). Our work shows quantitative variations of R249S mutation that are dependent on the levels of exposition to AFB1 but also on the presence of HBV, suggesting an interaction between AFB1 and HBV. Finally, in another study performed in The Gambia and based on subjects with HCC or not (controls), our results show that R249S mutation is highly associated with HBX complete gene in HCC. Therefore this association could explain in part the synergistic effect observed between AFB1 and HBV. Eventually, a critical target may be identified for preventive or early therapeutic interventions on HCC of high-incidence regions

No description available.

Orientador: Carlos Roberto Daleck / Co-oorientador: Renée Laufer Amorin / Banca: Ney Luiz Pippi / Banca: Mirela Tinucci Costa / Banca: Gilson Hélio Toniollo / Banca: Duvaldo Eurides / Resumo: Tendo em vista a relação da ciclooxigenase-2 (COX-2) com a progressão do câncer, este trabalho teve como objetivo investigar a expressão da atividade desta enzima com a imunorreativadade do Ki-67 , P53 e Caspase-3 no diagnóstico e prognóstico de neoplasias mamárias em cadelas. Para a realização deste estudo foram selecionadas 60 amostras de tumores mamários de cadelas. As amostras foram divididas em seis grupos, com 10 tumores em cada grupo, de acordo com a classificação histopatológica. Nos grupos adenoma, carcinoma com prognóstico bom e carcinoma com prognóstico ruim a seleção dos casos se deu pela classificação histológica e evolução clínica do tumor. Os outros 30 tumores foram representados por 10 amostras de carcinoma primário metastático, 10 de metástase pulmonar e 10 de carcinoma inflamatório. A avaliação da expressão da COX-2 (Dako, CX-294), Ki67 (Dako, M7240), P53 (Novocastra, CM1), Caspase-3 (Neomarkers, Asp175) foi conduzida por imunoistoquímica, utilizando-se a técnica de estreptoavidina-biotinaperoxidase. Em relação aos resultados houve correlação da expressão da COX-2 com o índice de proliferação celular Ki-67 no grupo dos adenomas, metástases pulmonares e carcinomas inflamatórios (P<O,05). Em todos os grupos estudados a COX-2 apresentou correlação com a proteína P53 (P<0,01). Observou-se correlação da expressão da ciclooxigenase-2 com a Caspase-3 no grupo dos carcinomas primários metastáticos e nas metástases pulmonares (P<0,05). A expressão da ciclooxigenase-2 variou de acordo com a agressividade das neoplasias mamárias nos casos de adenoma, carcinoma metastático e carcinoma não metastáticos (P<O,05). A sobrevida das pacientes com neoplasias mamária no pós-operatório está ligada à expressão da COX-2, no grupo dos adenomas, carcinoma com prognóstico bom e carcinoma com prognóstico ruim (P<O,01). / Abstract: Considering the relationship between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) with the cancer evolution, this study aimed to detect the expression of this enzyme with the immunoreactive of Ki-67, P53 and Caspase-3 in the diagnosis and prognostic of mammary neoplasms in bitches. Sixty mammary tumors samples were selected for the accomplishment of this study. The samples were divided into six groups, contenting 10 tumors in each group, in accordance to histopathology classification. In adenoma, good prognosis carcinoma and poor prognosis carcinoma groups the criteria for selection was made by histology classification and clinical tumor evolution. The others 30 tumors samples were represented by 10 samples of metastatic primary carcinoma, 10 of pulmonary metastases, and 10 of inflammatory carcinoma. The evaluation of the COX-2 (Dako, CX-294), Ki-67 (Dako, M7240), P53 (Novocastra, CM1), Caspase-3 (Neomarkers, Asp175) expression was achieved by immunohistochemistry, by means of streptavidine-biotine-peroxidase. About the results a positive correlation between COX-2 and the cellular proliferation index Ki-67 was found in the adenomas, pulmonary metastases, and inflammatory carcinomas groups (P<0,05). In ali studied groups the COX-2 presented correlation with P53 protein (P<O,01). There was correlation of cyclooxygenase-2 with caspase-3 in the primary metastatic carcinoma and in the pulmonary metastases group (P<0,05). The cyclooxygenase-2 expression varied in accordance with aggressiveness of mammary neoplasms in cases such adenoma, metastatic carcinoma, and non metastatic carcinoma (P<0,05). The post operative survival rate of patients with mammary neoplasms was linked to COX-2 expression in the adenomas, good prognosis carcinoma and poor prognosis carcinoma groups (P<O,01). / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-02-23Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:41:47Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 denardi_ab_dr_jabo.pdf: 758766 bytes, checksum: efc4e6ede867b7e7930b46b41a712f2f (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Tendo em vista a relação da ciclooxigenase-2 (COX-2) com a progressão do câncer, este trabalho teve como objetivo investigar a expressão da atividade desta enzima com a imunorreativadade do Ki-67 , P53 e Caspase-3 no diagnóstico e prognóstico de neoplasias mamárias em cadelas. Para a realização deste estudo foram selecionadas 60 amostras de tumores mamários de cadelas. As amostras foram divididas em seis grupos, com 10 tumores em cada grupo, de acordo com a classificação histopatológica. Nos grupos adenoma, carcinoma com prognóstico bom e carcinoma com prognóstico ruim a seleção dos casos se deu pela classificação histológica e evolução clínica do tumor. Os outros 30 tumores foram representados por 10 amostras de carcinoma primário metastático, 10 de metástase pulmonar e 10 de carcinoma inflamatório. A avaliação da expressão da COX-2 (Dako, CX-294), Ki67 (Dako, M7240), P53 (Novocastra, CM1), Caspase-3 (Neomarkers, Asp175) foi conduzida por imunoistoquímica, utilizando-se a técnica de estreptoavidina-biotinaperoxidase. Em relação aos resultados houve correlação da expressão da COX-2 com o índice de proliferação celular Ki-67 no grupo dos adenomas, metástases pulmonares e carcinomas inflamatórios (P<O,05). Em todos os grupos estudados a COX-2 apresentou correlação com a proteína P53 (P<0,01). Observou-se correlação da expressão da ciclooxigenase-2 com a Caspase-3 no grupo dos carcinomas primários metastáticos e nas metástases pulmonares (P<0,05). A expressão da ciclooxigenase-2 variou de acordo com a agressividade das neoplasias mamárias nos casos de adenoma, carcinoma metastático e carcinoma não metastáticos (P<O,05). A sobrevida das pacientes com neoplasias mamária no pós-operatório está ligada à expressão da COX-2, no grupo dos adenomas, carcinoma com prognóstico bom e carcinoma com prognóstico ruim (P<O,01). / Considering the relationship between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) with the cancer evolution, this study aimed to detect the expression of this enzyme with the immunoreactive of Ki-67, P53 and Caspase-3 in the diagnosis and prognostic of mammary neoplasms in bitches. Sixty mammary tumors samples were selected for the accomplishment of this study. The samples were divided into six groups, contenting 10 tumors in each group, in accordance to histopathology classification. In adenoma, good prognosis carcinoma and poor prognosis carcinoma groups the criteria for selection was made by histology classification and clinical tumor evolution. The others 30 tumors samples were represented by 10 samples of metastatic primary carcinoma, 10 of pulmonary metastases, and 10 of inflammatory carcinoma. The evaluation of the COX-2 (Dako, CX-294), Ki-67 (Dako, M7240), P53 (Novocastra, CM1), Caspase-3 (Neomarkers, Asp175) expression was achieved by immunohistochemistry, by means of streptavidine-biotine-peroxidase. About the results a positive correlation between COX-2 and the cellular proliferation index Ki-67 was found in the adenomas, pulmonary metastases, and inflammatory carcinomas groups (P<0,05). In ali studied groups the COX-2 presented correlation with P53 protein (P<O,01). There was correlation of cyclooxygenase-2 with caspase-3 in the primary metastatic carcinoma and in the pulmonary metastases group (P<0,05). The cyclooxygenase-2 expression varied in accordance with aggressiveness of mammary neoplasms in cases such adenoma, metastatic carcinoma, and non metastatic carcinoma (P<0,05). The post operative survival rate of patients with mammary neoplasms was linked to COX-2 expression in the adenomas, good prognosis carcinoma and poor prognosis carcinoma groups (P<O,01).

Production of vaccines and pharmaceutical proteins in plants is a promising nascent technology with a great potential to provide high-quality, safe and non-expensive production and delivery platform. In this work we studied the experimental vaccine against human papillomavirus based on modified plant pathogen - Potato virus X (PVX). The experimental vaccine is based on PVX virus particles decorated with genetically fused HPV-E7 oncoprotein. These chimeric virus particles should be able to activate strong and specific cellular immune response. However the modification of the PVX coat protein with such relatively large fused protein might influence its ability to form particles. In this work we have characterized some properties of such chimeric virus particles like solubility or ability infect host plant. (In Czech)

No description available.

Ever increasing applications of nanomaterials (materials with one or more dimension less than 100 nm) has raised awareness of their potential genotoxicity. They have unique physico-chemical properties and so could have unpredictable effects. Zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) are widely used in a number of commercial products. There are published studies indicating that some forms of these compounds may be photo-clastogenic in mammalian cells. What has not been investigated before is the effect of nanoparticles from these compounds in human germ cells. Thus the present study has examined their effects in the presence and absence of UV light in human sperm and compared responses to those obtained with human lymphocytes using the Comet assay to measure DNA damage. The effect of nanoparticles (40-70nm range) was studied in human sperm and lymphocytes in the dark, after pre-irradiation with UV and simultaneous irradiation with UV. The studies do provide some evidence that there are photo-genotoxic events in sperm and lymphocytes in the absence of overt toxicity. The cytotoxic and genotoxic potentials of ZnO and TiO2 as well as their effect on phosphotyrosine expression, were examined in the human epithelial cervical carcinoma cells (Hela cells). This was done to try and determine the underlying molecular events resulting from their exposure to ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles occurring at the same time as DNA is damaged. Concentration- and time-dependent cytotoxicity, and an increase in DNA and cytogenetic damage with increasing nanoparticle concentrations were reported in this study. Mainly for zinc oxide, genotoxicity was clearly associated with an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation. Nanotechnology has raced ahead of nanotoxicology and little is known of the effects of nanoparticles in human systems, let alone in diseased individuals. Therefore, the effects of TiO2 nanoparticles in peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with respiratory diseases (lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma) were compared with those in healthy individuals using genotoxic endpoints to determine whether there are any differences in sensitivity to nano-chemical insult between the patient and control groups. The results have shown concentration dependent genotoxic effects of TiO2 in both respiratory patient and control groups in the Comet assay and an increasing pattern of cytogenetic damage measured in the micronucleus assay without being statistically significant except when compared with the untreated controls of healthy individuals. Furthermore, modulation of ras p21 expression was investigated. Regardless of TiO2 treatment, only lung cancer and COPD patients expressed measurable ras p21 levels that showed modulation as the result of nanoparticle treatment. Results have suggested that both ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles can be genotoxic over a range of concentrations without either photoa-ctivation or being cytotoxic.

The latest model of tertiary structure of capsid protein of potato virus X (PVX CP) was used as a template to design new insertion sites suitable for the preparation of PVX-based antigen presentation system. Based on this model, seven insertion sites (A-G) located in putative surface loops were tested. As an antigen inserted into these sites was used 17 amino acids long epitope derived from human papillomavirus type 16 E7 oncoprotein (E7 epitope) fused with either 6xHis tag or StrepII tag in both possible orientations (6xHis-E7 and E7-6xHis, StrepII-E7 and E7-StrepII). Prior to plant expression, modified PVX CPs were expressed in Escherichia coli MC1061. The results showed that only PVX CP carrying StrepII-E7 or E7-StrepII in the insertion site A formed virus particles. The results from transient expression experiments with modified PVX CPs in Nicotiana benthamiana showed that only the insertion site A (located between 24th and 25th amino acid in the PVX CP) could tolerate all tested inserts. Importantly, viral particles were detected only in the presence of StrepII tag and their stability was affected by the insert orientation (StrepII-E7 vs. E7-StrepII) as only the viral particles presenting E7-StrepII could be purified. Besides the preparation of PVX-based antigen presentation system, an...