Orientador: Celso Eduardo Benedetti / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-23T05:38:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Campos_BrunaMedeia_D.pdf: 41386343 bytes, checksum: 8048b677c8a43e7438a1c349c584b9ec (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: O cancro cítrico, causado pelo fitopatógeno Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) constitui uma doença que afeta todos os cultivares comerciais de citros e é uma ameaça para a citricultura brasileira. A doença é caracterizada pela formação de pústulas, devido à hiperplasia e hipertrofia induzida pela bactéria. A patogenicidade de Xac é dependente do sistema secretório tipo III, que transloca proteínas efetoras pertencentes à família AvrBs3/PthA para dentro da célula hospedeira. Estudos recentes mostram que PthAs funcionam como fatores de transcrição no hospedeiro, transativando genes específicos da planta que irão beneficiar a bactéria ou desencadear uma resposta de defesa. Com o objetivo de entender melhor o mecanismo de ação de PthAs como ativadores da transcrição, nosso laboratório identificou, através da técnica de duplo-híbrido, várias proteínas de laranja (Citrus sinensis) que interagiram com diferentes PthAs. Entre elas, destacamos uma ciclofilina (CsCyp), que realiza isomerização de resíduos de prolina, uma proteína com domínio tioredoxina (CsTdx), relacionada com interação proteína-proteína e redução de pontes dissulfeto e uma cisteína protease (CsCP), envolvida na resposta de defesa da planta. Este trabalho teve como objetivo a caracterização estrutural e funcional de CsCyp. A resolução da estrutura de CsCyp mostrou que CsCyp pertence ao grupo de ciclofilinas divergentes que possuem um loop adicional (KSGKPLH), duas cisteínas invariáveis (C40 e C168) e um glutamato (E83) conservado. Este último interage com resíduos do loop, estabilizando-o. A função destes elementos era desconhecida até o momento e o trabalho visou elucidar sua atuação na regulação da atividade PPIase da proteína. Neste trabalho, verificamos que C40 e C168 formam uma ponte dissulfeto. Dados de modelagem e simulação suportaram a hipótese de que a formação da ponte dissulfeto induz mudanças conformacionais que quebram a interação do E83 com o loop divergente, levando ao fechamento do sítio ativo de CsCyp. O estudo descreveu, portanto um mecanismo de regulação redox, que controla a atividade PPIase da proteína. Adicionalmente, mostrou-se que CsTdx interage com CsCyp através dos resíduos conservados C40 e C168, sendo críticos para tal interação. Foi mostrado também que CsCyp interage com o domínio C-terminal (CTD) da RNA Polimerase II (RNA Pol II), especificamente com a repetição YSPSAP. Surpreendentemente, através da transformação de plantas com construções para silenciamento e superexpressão de CsCyp, verificamos que plantas de citros com níveis reduzidos de CsCyp apresentaram um aumento dos sintomas do cancro cítrico quando infiltradas com Xac, enquanto que plantas com níveis aumentados de CsCyp apresentaram sintomas reduzidos quando infiltradas com Xac, indicando que CsCyp tem papel importante no desenvolvimento dos sintomas do cancro cítrico. Este trabalho também mostra a expressão e purificação das proteínas CsTdx e CsCP e a comprovação de que CsCP interage com PthAs 2 e 3 através de ensaios de duplo-híbrido / Abstract: Citrus canker, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) is a disease that affects most species of the genus Citrus and represents a threat to the Brazilian citrus industry. The disease is characterized by the formation of pustules due to hyperplasia and hypertrophy induced by the bacteria. Xac pathogenicity is dependent on a type III secretory system that translocates effector proteins which belongs to AvrBs3/PthA family inside the host cell. Recent studies showed that these proteins work as transcriptional factors that transactivate specific plant genes which will either benefit the bacteria or trigger defense response. To gain insights into PthA mechanism of action as transcription activators, our laboratory identified that PthA targeted the citrus protein complex comprising the thioredoxin CsTdx, ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes CsUev/Ubc13 and cyclophilin CsCyp. Also, we showed previously that the CsCyp binds the citrus thioredoxin CsTdx and the C-terminal domain of RNA Polymerase II (CTD), and that CsCyp complements the function of Cpr1 and Ess1, two yeast prolyl-isomerases that regulate transcription by the isomerization of proline residues of the regulatory C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II. In this work we solved the 3D structure of CsCyp in complex with its inhibitor cyclosporine A (CsA), showing that CsCyp is a divergent cyclophilin that carries the additional loop KSGKPLH, invariable cysteines C40 and C168, and conserved glutamate E83. Despite the suggested roles in ATP and metal binding, the function of these unique structural elements remains unknown. Here we show that the conserved cysteines form a disulfide bond that inactivates the enzyme, whereas E83, which belongs to the catalytic loop and is also critical for enzyme activity, is anchored to the divergent loop to maintain the active site open. In addition, we demonstrate that C40 and C168 are required for the interaction with CsTdx and that CsCyp binds the citrus CTD YSPSAP repeat. Our data support the model where formation of the C40- C168 disulfide bond induces a conformational change that disrupts the interaction of the divergent and catalytic loops, via E83, causing the active site to close. This suggests a new type of allosteric regulation in divergent cyclophilins, involving disulfide bond formation and a loop displacement mechanism. Moreover, we present evidence that PthA2 inhibits the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) activity of CsCyp in a similar fashion as CsA, and that silencing of CsCyp, as well as treatments with CsA, enhance canker lesions in Xac-infected leaves. Given that CsCyp appears to function as a negative regulator of cell growth and that Ess1 negatively regulates transcription elongation in yeast, we propose that PthAs activate host transcription by inhibiting the PPIase activity of CsCyp on the CTD / Doutorado / Genetica de Microorganismos / Doutora em Genética e Biologia Molecular

No description available.

No description available.

No / The identification of an agent that is selectively activated by a cytochrome P450 (CYP) has the potential for tissue specific dose intensification as a means of significantly improving its therapeutic value. Towards this goal, we disclose evidence for the pathway of activation of a duocarmycin analogue, ICT2700, which targets CYP1A1 for biological activity.

Sepse, a resposta do organismo a uma infecção, está associada a altas taxas de mortalidade. A razão pela qual um mecanismo protetor resulta num quadro clínico fatal permanece inexplicada. Em trabalho prévio nosso grupo demonstrou que exossomos de origem plaquetária são os mais freqüentes em plasma de pacientes com choque séptico e que estes podem induzir apoptose em células musculares lisas vasculares e células endoteliais em cultura. Demonstramos ainda que tais exossomos possuíam uma fonte enzimática de ROS, uma NADPH oxidase cuja atividade poderia estar associada à indução da apoptose (Janiszewski et al., 2004). No presente trabalho, nós buscamos criar um modelo de geração ex vivo de exossomos similares aos encontrados em pacientes sépticos e identificar possíveis vias responsáveis pela liberação destes e seus efeitos. Choque séptico é uma condição relacionada com exposição a lipopolissacarídeo (LPS) e geração de alta quantidade de trombina, TNF e espécies reativas de nitrogênio. Através de citometria de fluxo revelamos que plaquetas humanas expostas ao doador de NO dietilamina-NONOato e ao LPS geraram exossomos similares àqueles encontrados em pacientes com choque séptico, expondo alta quantidade de tetraspaninas CD9, CD63 e CD81 mas pouca fosfatidilserina. Por outro lado, plaquetas expostas à trombina ou TNF liberaram partículas com características claramente distintas, com alta exposição de fosfatidilserina e baixa de tetraspaninas. Assim como os exossomos sépticos, os exossomos obtidos pela exposição de NO e LPS geraram radical superóxido e NO, como demonstrado pela quimioluminescência da lucigenina (5M) e celenterazinina (5M) e pela fluorescência da 4,5-diaminofluoresceína (10mM) e 2,7-diclorofluoresceína (10mM). A análise por Western Blot nos permitiu identificar as subunidades Nox1, Nox2 e p22phox da NADPH oxidase e a isoforma induzível da enzima NO sintase (NOS) nesses exossomos. Como esperado, inibidores da NOS e da NADPH oxidase reduziram significamente os sinais fluorescentes e quimioluminescentes. Em adição, as células endoteliais em cultura expostas aos exossomos gerados por dietilamina-NONOato e LPS sofreram significativo aumento da taxa de apoptose quando comparadas àquelas expostas a exossomos controle. A inibição da NADPH oxidase assim como da NOS reduziu expressivamente tal efeito. Adição de urato (1mM), mostrou efeito aditivo sobre a inibição do sinal fluorescente, assim como redução adicional da taxa apoptótica, sugerindo papel importante do radical peroxinitrito. Nós propomos, assim, que exossomos derivados de plaquetas podem representar papel adicional no já complexo cenário da sinalização vascular redox. Nesse sentido, uma abordagem baseada em exossomos pode fornecer novas ferramentas para o entendimento e até tratamento da disfunção vascular na sepse / Sepsis, the bodys response to infection, is associated with high mortality rates. Why a protective mechanism turns into a deadly clinical picture is a matter of debate, and goes largely unexplained. In previous work we demonstrated that plateled derived exosomes are found in the plasma of septic patients with septic shock and can induce endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis in culture through an enzymatic superoxide source (Janiszewski et al., 2004). In this work we sought to create a model for ex vivo generation of exosomes, and to identify the pathways responsible for ROS release by exosomes and their effects. Septic shock is a condition related to exposure of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), generation of high amounts of thrombin, TNF and nitrogen reactive species. Through flow cytometry we demonstrated that human platelets exposed to the NO-donor diethylamine-NONOate, and to LPS, generated exosomes similar to those found in the blood of septic shock patients, with high exposure of the tetraspanin CD9, CD63, and CD81, but little phosphatidylserine. On the other hand, platelets exposed to thrombin or TNF released particles with clearly distinct characteristics, such as high phosphatidylserine and low tetraspanin. Like the septic exosomes, the exosomes obtained by NO and LPS exposure generated superoxide radical and NO, as disclosed by lucigenin and coelenterazine chemiluminescence and by 4,5-diaminofluorescein and 2,7-dichlorofluorescein fluorescence. Western Blot analysis revealed the presence of Nox1, Nox2 and p22phox NADPH oxidase subunits and the inducible isoform of NO synthase (NOS) in these exosomes. As expected, NOS inhibitors or NADPH oxidase inhibitors significantly reduced the fluorescence and chemiluminescente signals. In addition, endothelial cells exposed to NO or LPS generated exosomes underwent apoptotic death, while control exosomes had no effects on apoptosis. NADPH oxidase as well as NOS inhibition significantly reduced apoptosis rates. Concomitant generation of NO and superoxide suggests biological effects of the highly reactive radical peroxynitrite. In fact, the peroxynitrite scavenger urate (1 mM) showed an additive effect on fluorescent signal inhibition, as well as on endothelial apoptosis rate reduction. We thus propose that platelet-derived exosomes may be another class of actors in the complex play known as vascular redox signaling. In this sense, an exosome-based approach can provide novel tools for further understanding and even treating vascular dysfunction related to sepsis

In dieser Dissertation wurden das Auftreten und die ökologische Bedeutung Vivianits in Süßwassersedimenten erforscht. Vivianit ist das am weitensten verbreitete reduzierte Eisenphosphatmineral, das sich in Gewässersedimenten bildet. Über die Mechanismen der Vivianitbildung in Sedimenten und die quantitative Rolle des Minerals für die Speicherung von Phosphor ist bisher wenig bekannt. Die neuen Erkenntnisse dieser Arbeit basieren auf der Entwicklung einer neuartigen Methode, die eine direkte Identifikation Vivianits mittels Röntgendiffraktometrie in Sedimenten erlaubte. Es gelang erstmalig, Vivianit in Oberflächensedimenten zu quantifizieren. Die vorliegende Arbeit zeigt, dass Vivianit signifikant, mit 10-40 %, zur Phosphorretention in Süßwassersedimenten beitragen kann. Die Untersuchung der Bildungsbedingungen Vivianits in unterschiedlichen Gewässersedimenten Norddeutschlands zeigte, dass das molare Schwefel zu Eisen Verhältnis des Sediments als ein wichtiger Indikator für die Bedingungen identifiziert, welche die Triebkräfte für die An- und Abwesenheit Vivianits darstellen. Eine Eutrophierung von Gewässern und der damit verbundene Anstieg der Sulfidproduktion kann dabei die Bildung Vivianits beeinträchtigen, und eine Abnahme des Phosphorbindungsvermögens des Sediments zur Folge haben. Die vorliegende Arbeit macht deutlich, dass eine artifizielle Erhöhung des Eisengehaltes des Sediments im Rahmen einer Seenrestaurierung eine Vivianitbildung induzieren kann und so langfristig zu einem erhöhten Phosphorrückhalt führt. Sättigungsberechnungen ergaben, dass ein hinsichtlich Vivianits übersättigtes Porenwasser kein sicheres Indiz für die Anwesenheit des Minerals ist. Die Berechnungen sind nicht in der Lage die kleinskaligen chemischen Bedingungen im Porenraum des Sediments abzubilden. Die Untersuchungen zeigen, dass die Bildung von Vivianit einen wichtigen Prozess der Phosphorbindung in Gewässersedimenten darstellt, der bislang jedoch weitestgehend vernachlässigt wurde. / In this thesis, the occurrence and environmental relevance of vivianite in freshwater sediments were explored. Vivianite is the most common reduced iron phosphate mineral which forms in sedimentary environments. Not much is known about the mechanisms which lead to vivianite formation in surface sediments, and about the quantitative role of vivianite in phosphorus sequestration. The development of a novel sediment preparation technique allowed the direct identification of vivianite by powder X-ray diffraction. Notably, for the first time, vivianite was quantified in surface freshwater sediments. The study examplifies that vivianite can significantly contribute to the phosphorus retention in surface freshwater sediments, accounting for 10-40 % of total sedimentary phosphorus. The exploration of vivianite in different surface freshwater sediments located in northern Germany revealed that the sedimentary sulphur to iron ratio is a valuable indicator for the conditions that are important drivers behind the formation or absence of vivianite. It has been demonstrated that eutrophication and the accompanied increase in sulphide production hampers vivianite formation, leading to a decreased phosphorus binding capacity of sediments through increased sediment sulphidization. The present study also revealed, that an iron addition as a measure of lake restoration can trigger vivianite formation, and significantly increases the long-term phosphorus retention of sediments. Pore water equilibrium calculations demonstrated that supersaturated pore water is not sufficient to predict the occurrence of the mineral in situ. Those calculations often fail to predict the occurrence of vivianite because they do not adequately represent chemical conditions within sediment microenvironments. In summary, the formation of vivianite in aquatic sediments constitutes an important process in phosphorus sequestration which has so far largely been ignored.

Thesis (S.M.)--Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 64-68). / Salt pond is a meromictic system with an outlet to the sea allowing denser seawater to occupy the monimolimnion while the mixolimnion has relatively low salinity and is the site of greater mixing and microbial activity. The density contrast between the two layers allows for a unique geochemical environment characterized by steep redox gradients at the interface. This chemocline is a habitat for magnetotactic bacteria (MB), and the spatial and temporal distribution of MB in the system along with geochemical (Fe2+, H2S, pH, 02 (aq), etc.) profiles have been analyzed from 2002 - 2005. It has been previously observed that magnetite-producing cocci occupy the top of the chemocline and greigite-producing MB occur at the base of the chemocline and in the sulfidic hypolimnion. This distribution may be attributed to analyte profiles within the pond; depth profiles show a sudden drop of dissolved oxygen (DO) at the chemocline associated with an increase in dissolved Fe (II) concentrations that peak where both 02 and H2S are low. In the sulfidic hypolimnion, Fe (II) concentrations decrease, suggesting buffering of Fe(II) by sulfide phases. / (cont.) Maximum concentrations of iron (II) and sulfide are 3 1 gM and 3 mM, respectively. Stability diagrams of magnetite and greigite within EH/pH space and measured voltammetric data verify fields of incomplete oxidation resulting in the production of elemental sulfur, thiosulfate and polysulfides. Calculations of the Gibbs free energy in the Salt Pond chemocline for potential microbial redox reaction involving iron and sulfur species indicate abundent potential energy available for metabolic growth. Oxidation of ferrous iron to ferrihydrite in the upper region of the chemocline consistantly has a yield of over -250 kJ/mol 02 (aq), - 12.5 times the proposed 20 kJ/mol minimum proposed by Schink (1997) necessary to sustain metabolic growth. This translates into biomass yields of ~ 0.056 mg dry mass per liter of upper chemocline water. If these numbers are applied to the dominant bacteria of the chemocline (MB that are 3% dry weight iron) then there could be up to ~ 1.68 mg of iron per liter of upper chemocline water just in the MB. / (cont.) This iron can be permanently sequestered by MB into the sediments after death because the organelles containing the iron phases are resistant to degredation. Geochemical and microbial processes relating to the cycling of iron heavily impact this system and perhaps others containing a chemocline that divides the water column into oxic and anoxic zones. / by Peter A. Canovas, III. / S.M.

Sepse, a resposta do organismo a uma infecção, está associada a altas taxas de mortalidade. A razão pela qual um mecanismo protetor resulta num quadro clínico fatal permanece inexplicada. Em trabalho prévio nosso grupo demonstrou que exossomos de origem plaquetária são os mais freqüentes em plasma de pacientes com choque séptico e que estes podem induzir apoptose em células musculares lisas vasculares e células endoteliais em cultura. Demonstramos ainda que tais exossomos possuíam uma fonte enzimática de ROS, uma NADPH oxidase cuja atividade poderia estar associada à indução da apoptose (Janiszewski et al., 2004). No presente trabalho, nós buscamos criar um modelo de geração ex vivo de exossomos similares aos encontrados em pacientes sépticos e identificar possíveis vias responsáveis pela liberação destes e seus efeitos. Choque séptico é uma condição relacionada com exposição a lipopolissacarídeo (LPS) e geração de alta quantidade de trombina, TNF e espécies reativas de nitrogênio. Através de citometria de fluxo revelamos que plaquetas humanas expostas ao doador de NO dietilamina-NONOato e ao LPS geraram exossomos similares àqueles encontrados em pacientes com choque séptico, expondo alta quantidade de tetraspaninas CD9, CD63 e CD81 mas pouca fosfatidilserina. Por outro lado, plaquetas expostas à trombina ou TNF liberaram partículas com características claramente distintas, com alta exposição de fosfatidilserina e baixa de tetraspaninas. Assim como os exossomos sépticos, os exossomos obtidos pela exposição de NO e LPS geraram radical superóxido e NO, como demonstrado pela quimioluminescência da lucigenina (5M) e celenterazinina (5M) e pela fluorescência da 4,5-diaminofluoresceína (10mM) e 2,7-diclorofluoresceína (10mM). A análise por Western Blot nos permitiu identificar as subunidades Nox1, Nox2 e p22phox da NADPH oxidase e a isoforma induzível da enzima NO sintase (NOS) nesses exossomos. Como esperado, inibidores da NOS e da NADPH oxidase reduziram significamente os sinais fluorescentes e quimioluminescentes. Em adição, as células endoteliais em cultura expostas aos exossomos gerados por dietilamina-NONOato e LPS sofreram significativo aumento da taxa de apoptose quando comparadas àquelas expostas a exossomos controle. A inibição da NADPH oxidase assim como da NOS reduziu expressivamente tal efeito. Adição de urato (1mM), mostrou efeito aditivo sobre a inibição do sinal fluorescente, assim como redução adicional da taxa apoptótica, sugerindo papel importante do radical peroxinitrito. Nós propomos, assim, que exossomos derivados de plaquetas podem representar papel adicional no já complexo cenário da sinalização vascular redox. Nesse sentido, uma abordagem baseada em exossomos pode fornecer novas ferramentas para o entendimento e até tratamento da disfunção vascular na sepse / Sepsis, the bodys response to infection, is associated with high mortality rates. Why a protective mechanism turns into a deadly clinical picture is a matter of debate, and goes largely unexplained. In previous work we demonstrated that plateled derived exosomes are found in the plasma of septic patients with septic shock and can induce endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis in culture through an enzymatic superoxide source (Janiszewski et al., 2004). In this work we sought to create a model for ex vivo generation of exosomes, and to identify the pathways responsible for ROS release by exosomes and their effects. Septic shock is a condition related to exposure of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), generation of high amounts of thrombin, TNF and nitrogen reactive species. Through flow cytometry we demonstrated that human platelets exposed to the NO-donor diethylamine-NONOate, and to LPS, generated exosomes similar to those found in the blood of septic shock patients, with high exposure of the tetraspanin CD9, CD63, and CD81, but little phosphatidylserine. On the other hand, platelets exposed to thrombin or TNF released particles with clearly distinct characteristics, such as high phosphatidylserine and low tetraspanin. Like the septic exosomes, the exosomes obtained by NO and LPS exposure generated superoxide radical and NO, as disclosed by lucigenin and coelenterazine chemiluminescence and by 4,5-diaminofluorescein and 2,7-dichlorofluorescein fluorescence. Western Blot analysis revealed the presence of Nox1, Nox2 and p22phox NADPH oxidase subunits and the inducible isoform of NO synthase (NOS) in these exosomes. As expected, NOS inhibitors or NADPH oxidase inhibitors significantly reduced the fluorescence and chemiluminescente signals. In addition, endothelial cells exposed to NO or LPS generated exosomes underwent apoptotic death, while control exosomes had no effects on apoptosis. NADPH oxidase as well as NOS inhibition significantly reduced apoptosis rates. Concomitant generation of NO and superoxide suggests biological effects of the highly reactive radical peroxynitrite. In fact, the peroxynitrite scavenger urate (1 mM) showed an additive effect on fluorescent signal inhibition, as well as on endothelial apoptosis rate reduction. We thus propose that platelet-derived exosomes may be another class of actors in the complex play known as vascular redox signaling. In this sense, an exosome-based approach can provide novel tools for further understanding and even treating vascular dysfunction related to sepsis

Abstract not available

In this work, well-defined and stable thin films based on polythiophene and its derivative, are employed as the hole-injection contact of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED). The polymer films are obtained by the electropolymerization or the electrochemical doping/dedoping of a spin-coated layer. Their electrical properties and energetics are tailored by electrochemical adjustment of their doping levels in order to improve the hole-injection from the anode as well as the performance of small molecular OLEDs. By using dimeric thiophene and optimizing the electrodeposition parameters, a thin polybithiophene (PbT) layer is fabricated with well-defined morphology and a high degree of smoothness by electro-polymerization. The introduction of the semiconducting PbT contact layer improves remarkably the hole injection between ITO anode and the hole- transport layer (NPB) due to its favourable energetic feature (HOMO level of 5.1 eV). The vapor-deposited NPB/Alq3 bilayer OLEDs with a thin PbT interlayer, show a remarkable reduction of the operating voltage as well as enhanced luminous efficiency compared to the devices without PbT. Investigations have also been made on the influence of PbT thickness on the efficiency and I-V feature as well as device stability of the OLED. It is demonstrated that the use of an electropolymerization step into the production of vapor deposited molecular OLED is a viable approach to obtain high performance OLEDs. The study on the PbT has been extended to poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDT) and the highly homogenous poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS) doped PEDT layer from a spin-coating process has been applied. The doping level of PEDT:PSS was adjusted quantitatively by an electrochemical doping/dedoping process using a p-tuoluenesulfonic acid containing solution, and the redox mechanism was elucidated. The higher oxidation state can remain stable in the dry state. The work function of PEDT:PSS increases with the doping level after adjusting at an electrode potential higher than the value of the electrochemical equilibrium potential (Eeq) of an untreated film. This leads to a further reduction of the hole-injection barrier at the contact of the polymeric anode/hole transport layer and an ideal ohmic behavoir is almost achieved at the anode/NPB interface for a PEDT:PSS anode with very high doping level. Molecular Alq3-based OLEDs were fabricated using the electrochemically treated PEDT:PSS/ITO anode, and the device performance is shown to depend on the doping level of polymeric anode. The devices on the polymer anode with a higher Eeq than that for the unmodified anode, show a reduction of operating voltage as well as a remarkable enhancement of the luminance. Furthermore, it is found that the operating stability of such devices is also improved remarkably. This originates from the removal of mobile ions such as sodium ions inside the PEDT:PSS by electrochemical treatment as well as the planarization of the ITO surface by the polymer film. By utilizing an Al/LiF cathode with an enhanced electron injection and together with a high Eeq- anode, a balanced injection and recombination of hole and electron is achieved. It leads to a further reduction of the operating voltage and to a drastic improvement of EL efficiency of the device as high as 5.0 cd/A. The results demonstrate unambiguously that the electrochemical treatment of a cast polymer anode is an effective method to improve and optimize the performance of OLEDs. The method can be extended to other polythiophene systems and other conjugated polymers in the fabrication of the OLEDs as well as organic transistors and solar cells.