The development of novel imidazopyridines, which includes both tetrahydroimidazo[1,5-a]pyridine (rIMP) and imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine (IMP) was investigated using conventional and microwave induced procedures that afforded compounds at high yield of 88-96%. rIMP was synthesized using a two-step procedure that involved the microwave synthesis of IMP, then the reduction of the pyridine moiety of the fused imidazopyridine rings using 10% Pd/C and hydrazine monohydrate. The microwave synthesis of imidazopyridines involved the one pot reaction of 2-benzoylpyridine, substituted benzaldehyde and ammonium formate in acetic acid under open vessel microwave conditions, which resulted in products within 40 minutes. Novel PEG-IMP development, involved the synthesis of ethylene glycol tethered benzaldehydes and IMPs using traditional Williamson etherification synthesis, which afforded products at a high yield of 92-95%. We have then shown IMP and rIMP roles in its antiproliferative property towards PCa cells, specificity in inhibiting PI3K isoforms, and structural motif’s interaction with different residues in the kinase binding domain of the class I PI3K isoforms. The antiproliferative property towards PC3 cells shows increased activity with compounds containing pyridyl group on carbon 3 of the imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine parent moiety with signs of toxicity to PC3 within 24 hours of incubation and at 1 μM of the parent compound. Furthermore, the IMPs were tested against five prostate cellular lines: PC3, RWPE1, D145, LNCaP and LNCaP C81. IMPs showed little activity towards RWPE1 and increased activity towards PC3 cells. We determined that functionalizing the phenyl group at position 1 increased the efficacy of rIMP compared to the IMP. After showing increased toxicity to PC3 cells, it was important to investigate the mechanism in which IMP pose toxicity towards PC3 cells. The biochemical assay showed that rIMP was more effective in inhibiting PI3Kα isoform compared to both pan inhibitor wortmannin and IMP. Both IMP and rIMP inhibited more than 60% of PI3Kγ isoform activity at nanomolar concentrations. After showing IMPs affinity to PI3K isoforms, we investigated the binding interactions rIMP and IMP towards the PI3K isoforms using MOE molecular modeling software.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of a resistance exercise session on the vascular action of insulin in superior mesenteric artery of rats. Wistar rats (250-300g) were divided into 3 groups: control (CT, n = 20), electrically stimulated (ES, n = 5) and resistance exercise (RE, n = 20). The exercise was conducted in the apparatus of the squat, where the animals were subjected to 15 sets of 10 repetitions with 3 minutes rest between sets. The intensity was set at 70% of maximum load established by repetition maximum test performed 48h before the exercise session. The animals were kept suspended in EE squat machine and received the same intensity of electrical stimuli applied to the exercised animals. Immediately after the single resistance exercise session, the animals were anesthetized and killed by exsanguination, the superior mesenteric artery was removed and sectioned into rings (1-2 mm) which were mounted on tanks for isolated organ. The endothelium-dependent relaxation was obtained from concentration-response curves for insulin on rings precontracted with phenylephrine. After that, concentration response curves were obtained for groups CT response and ER, in the absence and/or presence of the following inhibitors: L-NAME (NOS inhibitor), TEA (inhibitor nonselective channel for K+), LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor), BQ123 ( ETA receptor antagonist), and Ouabain (inhibitor of Na+/K+-ATPase), concentration-response curves to KCl in the absence and/or presence of ouabain. According to the data obtained, we found that there was no significant difference in the relaxation induced by insulin between groups EE and CT, however, the animals in the ER showed a significant increase in relaxation when compared to CT group (p<0.001). After use of L-NAME reducing the relaxation was observed in both groups (p<0.001). When evaluating the involvement of K + channels, using TEA, relaxation was inhibited only in the RE group (p <0.001). In the presence of L-NAME+TEA relaxation in the CT group was reduced and there was a group ER contraction (p<0.001). The presence of these rings LY294002 interestingly responded in similar ways in the presence of L-NAME+TEA, promoting and inhibiting the group CT contraction curve ER group (p<0.001). The BQ123 were able to amplify the relaxation in both groups (p<0.001). Using both inhibitors (LY294002+BQ123) was observed an inhibition of contractile and relaxing effects in both groups (p<0.001). To assess the functional activity of the Na+/K+-ATPase curves were made for insulin and KCl in the absence and presence of ouabain. It was observed that ouabain was a decrease of insulin-induced relaxation only in the ER (p<0.001) and reduced the relaxation promoted by KCl in both groups, this reduction being higher in the ER (p<0.001). These data demonstrate that a single session of resistance exercise promotes adjustments in insulin-induced relaxation, which is mediated by NO, the channels for K+ and the activity of Na+/K+-ATPase. In addition, there was an effect mediated by ET-1 (via ETA receptors), necessary for the control of vascular tone. / O objetivo do nosso estudo foi avaliar o efeito agudo de uma sessão de exercício resistido na ação vascular da insulina em artéria mesentérica superior de ratos. Ratos Wistar (250-300g) foram divididos em 3 grupos: controle (CT, n = 20), eletroestimulado (EE, n = 5) e exercício resistido (ER, n = 20). O exercício foi realizado no aparelho de agachamento, onde os animais foram submetidos a 15 séries de 10 repetições, com 3 minutos de intervalo entre as séries. A intensidade foi fixada em 70% da carga máxima estabelecida pelo teste de repetição máxima, realizado 48 h antes da sessão de exercício. Os animais EE foram mantidos suspensos no aparelho de agachamento e receberam a mesma intensidade de estímulo elétrico aplicadas aos animais exercitados. Imediatamente após a única sessão de exercício resistido, os animais foram anestesiados e mortos por dessangramento, a artéria mesentérica superior foi removida e seccionada em anéis (1-2 mm), os quais foram montados em cubas para órgão isolado. O relaxamento dependente de endotélio foi obtido a de curvas concentração-resposta para a insulina, em anéis pré-contraídos com fenilefrina. Após isto, foram obtidas curvas concentração-respostas para os grupos CT e ER, na ausência e/ou na presença dos seguintes inibidores: L-NAME (inibidor da NOS); TEA (inibidor não seletivo dos canais para K+), LY294002 (inibidor da PI3K); BQ123 (antagonista do receptor ETA); e Ouabaína (inibidor da Na+/K+-ATPase); curvas concentração-resposta para KCl na ausência e/ou presença de ouabaína. De acordo com os dados obtidos, constatamos que não houve diferença significativa no relaxamento induzido por insulina entre os grupos CT e EE, entretanto, os animais do grupo ER apresentaram um aumento significativo do relaxamento quando comparado ao grupo CT (p<0,001). Após a utilização do L-NAME, foi observada redução do relaxamento em ambos os grupos (p<0,001). Quando avaliamos a participação dos canais para K+, utilizando TEA foi observado inibição do relaxamento apenas no ER (p<0,001). Na presença de L-NAME+TEA o relaxamento no grupo CT foi reduzido e no grupo ER houve uma contração (p<0,001). A presença do LY294002 interessantemente estes anéis responderam de formas similares quando na presença de L-NAME+TEA, promovendo uma inibição no grupo CT e uma contração da curva no grupo ER (p<0,001). O BQ123 foi capaz de amplificar o relaxamento em ambos os grupos (p<0,001). Utilizando ambos os inibidores (LY294002+BQ123) foi observada uma inibição tanto dos efeitos contráteis quanto dos efeitos relaxantes em ambos os grupos (p<0,001). Para avaliar a atividade funcional da Na+/K+-ATPase foram feitas curvas para insulina e KCl na ausência e na presença de ouabaína. Foi observado que a ouabaína promoveu uma redução do relaxamento induzido pela insulina apenas no grupo ER (p<0,001) e reduziu o relaxamento promovidos pelo KCl em ambos os grupos, sendo esta redução maior no grupo ER (p<0,001). Estes dados demonstram que uma sessão de exercício resistido promove ajustes no relaxamento induzido por insulina, que é mediado pelo NO, pelos canais para K+ e pela atividade da Na+/K+-ATPase. Além disso, houve um efeito mediado pela ET-1 (via receptores ETA), necessária para o controle do tônus vascular, durante o exercício.

Abstract Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are transmembrane proteins involved in the recognition of specific microbial structures and thus the activation of signaling cascades of innate immunity. Regulation of the innate immune response is a complex biological process involving the combined synergistic and antagonistic effects of distinct signaling mediators. Although TLR signaling has been widely studied in recent years, there remain many unexplored unique features of each TLR signaling pathway. The present study evaluated the activation and regulation of TLR4 and TLR2 signaling with the aim of better understanding the molecular mechanisms that control these inflammatory signaling pathways. In the present study, the signal transduction mechanisms of TLR4 and TLR2 in response to Escherichia coli LPS and Staphylococcus aureus LTA were evaluated in mouse macrophages. The inductions, interactions, and activations of the signaling molecules and mediators in the TLR pathways were studied by using several molecular biology and protein chemistry methods. In addition, the role of TLR4 and TLR2 in the regulation of the hepatic inflammatory reaction during endotoxemia was studied. Mouse macrophages were found to induce central proinflammatory mediators in response to LPS and LTA stimulation. Specific roles for PI 3-kinase and Btk were described. These kinases were found to be activated by LPS and LTA; moreover, PI 3-kinase and Btk were found to form specific interactions with TLRs and their intracellular signaling mediators. In addition, a unique IRF2 signaling pathway for LTA-induced TLR2 was found, resulting in the activation of signal transducers and activators of transcription (Stats) and IFN-α secretion. The secreted IFN-α was shown to regulate the LTA-induced inflammatory responses, thereby combining the LTA-induced IRF proteins into NF-κB pathway. The present study provides insight into the signal transduction mechanisms of TLRs. The understanding of these molecular mechanisms that control the activation of TLR signaling cascades will in the future help to predict predisposition and outcome in infectious diseases, and to control the course of disease at an earlier stage. / Tiivistelmä Toll:n kaltaiset reseptorit (TLR) ovat solukalvon proteiineja, jotka tunnistavat taudinaiheuttajien eli patogeenien spesifisiä rakenteita johtaen elimistön puolustusjärjestelmän, immuniteetin, aktivoitumiseen. Immuniteetin säätely on monimutkainen biologinen prosessi, joka tapahtuu kudosten, solujen ja erilaisten synnynnäiseen immuniteettiin liittyvien molekyylien vuorovaikutuksina. Tulehdusvasteen säätelyssä tasapaino positiivisten ja negatiivisten säätelysignaalien välillä on erittäin tärkeää, jotta autoimmuunisairauksien, akuuttien tai kroonisten tulehdusten sekä infektiosairauksien synty voitaisiin välttää. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli saada lisätietoa TLR2 ja TLR4 proteiinien säätelemistä signaalireiteistä, niiden vasteista tiettyjä patogeenirakenteita vastaan ja ymmärtää paremmin synnynnäisen immuniteetin puolustusmekanismeja. Patogeenirakenteiden aiheuttamaa tulehdusvastetta tutkittiin pääosin soluviljelymallissa. Lisäksi selvitettiin immuunivasteen luonnetta fysiologisessa kokonaisuudessa ja sen korrelaatiota solutasolla nähtyihin vasteisiin käyttäen in vivo hiirimallia. Tutkimus tehtiin käyttäen useita molekyylibiologian ja proteiinikemian menetelmiä proteiini- ja mRNA-ekspressioiden sekä proteiini-interaktioiden tutkimiseen ja erilaisten aktiivisuuksien määrityksiin. Tulehdusvastetta tutkittiin etenkin sytokiinivastetta määrittämällä ja signaaliketjujen toimintaa analysoitiin estämällä spesifisesti niiden toimintaa. Tarkoituksena oli selvittää, mitkä tekijät ovat välttämättömiä kyseisten tulehdusta aiheuttavien bakteerien tunnistuksessa ja puolustusreaktiossa niitä vastaan. Tutkimuksessa havaittiin kahden kinaasin, PI 3-kinaasin ja Brutonin tyrosiinikinaasin, liittyvän oleellisesti TLR signaalireitteihin. Nämä TLR:ien stimulaation seurauksena aktivoituneet kinaasit muodostivat spesifisiä sidoksia TLR:ien ja niiden signaaliketjuihin liittyvien solunsisäisten signaalivälittäjien kanssa. Lisäksi TLR2 signaalireitillä havaittiin aktivoituvan tekijöitä, jotka johtivat interferoni-α välitteiseen tulehdusvasteen säätelyyn. TLR signaalireittien selvittäminen auttaa ymmärtämään tulehdussairauksien patofysiologiaa ja voi siten tulevaisuudessa johtaa parempien hoitomenetelmien kehittämiseen.

Type I PIP kinases (phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinases, PIP5Ks) catalyse the majority of cellular synthesis of PI(4,5)P2. To date, three mammalian isoforms (r1, r2, r3) have been found. PIP5KIr is subject to complex C-terminal splice variation, enhancing its transcriptional diversity through evolution and producing at least 5 known spliceoforms in the mammals. This study addresses several important questions. (1) Several remarkable differences have been discovered between the neuronal splice variant PIP5KIr_i3 and its close variant, Ir_i2, whose peptide lacks a 26-AA insert near its C-terminus. This study attempts to map these behavioural differences onto motifs within the peptide insert. Furthermore, a site of point mutation is identified near the activation loop, which amplifies the above differences. (2) This study documents properties of the more recently discovered PIP5KIr_i3, about which relatively little is known, for example, the regulation of its subcellular localisation, kinase activity and post-translational modifications. By site-directed mutagenesis and examining more closely several crucial motifs, insight is gained into the putative relationship between the enzyme’s phosphorylation state, cellular localisation, lipid kinase activity and autophosphorylation. (3) The discovery of a new PIP5KIr splice variant, Ir_v6, is described. First discovered in rodents, PIP5KIr_i6 encompasses the 26-AA insert of Ir_i3, but lacks the common C-terminus of Ir_i2 and Ir_i3 which contains peptide motifs that have several roles in vivo. A polyclonal antibody against the C-terminus of Ir_i6 was also developed. Preliminary characterisation of Ir_i6 demonstrates a similar subcellular localisation, but a wider expression profile than its close relative, Ir_i3, suggesting potentially differential functions across tissues and at various developmental stages. (4) The existence of Ir_v3 and Ir_v6 is also confirmed in humans. In light of recent findings of other novel human spliceoforms, this is shown to be a case of intra-exonic splicing producing “alternative 5’ splice site” exons in the human. Overall, this thesis should help to better understand the regulation and physiological roles of PIP5KIr and, specifically, its different splice variants.

Formins are proteins facilitating formation of actin filaments. They affect structure of cytoskeleton and participate in cytokinesis and tip growth. There are 2 classes of formins in Arabidopsis thaliana, which include FH1 and FH2 (Formin Homology 1 and 2) domain. Formins of the class I have usually a transmembrane domain on N-terminus. Due to this fact they can interact with membranes. Some formins from the class II include PTEN domain (Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog) derived from sequences of PTEN proteins which has lost the function of phosphatase. It is assumed this domain can bind on a membrane via the phosphatase section or C2 domain. This thesis was focused on the formin AtFH13 from the class II in Arabidopsis thaliana and on its PTEN domain. There were analyzed differences between mutants and wild-types in length of roots in seedlings and in size of seeds and seed coats, and observed the effect of dexamethasone on the length of roots on AtFH13. PTEN domain of the formin was isolated from cDNA, cloned to a vector and fused with YFP. The tagged protein was visualized by the method of transient expression in epidermal cells in the leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. No big differences were observed between plants mutant in the gene AtFH13 and wild-type in choice parameters. Dexamethasone did't influence...

Carvacrol is a phenol monoterpene found in aromatic plants specially in Lamiaceae family, which has been evaluated in an experimental model of breast cancer. However, any proposed mechanism based on its antitumor effect has not been reported. In our previous study, carvacrol showed a protective effect on 7,12-dimethylbenz[α]anthracene- (DMBA-) induced breast cancer in female rats. The main objective in this research was to evaluate by using in silico study the carvacrol on HER2, PI3Kα, mTOR, hERα, PR, and EGFR receptors involved in breast cancer progression by docking analysis, molecular dynamic, and drug-likeness evaluation. A multilevel computational study to evaluate the antitumor potential of carvacrol focusing on the main targets involved in the breast cancer was carried out. The in silico study starts with protein-ligand docking of carvacrol followed by ligand pathway calculations, molecular dynamic simulations, and molecular mechanics energies combined with the Poisson–Boltzmann (MM/PBSA) calculation of the free energy of binding for carvacrol. As result, the in silico study led to the identification of carvacrol with strong binding affinity on mTOR receptor. Additionally, in silico drug-likeness index for carvacrol showed a good predicted therapeutic profile of druggability. Our findings suggest that mTOR signaling pathway could be responsible for its preventive effect in the breast cancer. / Revisión por pares

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) previously has been shown to stimulate short-term survival in vitro of cells derived from the native amphibian retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). In the present experiments, we have examined intracellular signaling pathways responsible for mediating these survival-specific growth factor effects, distinct from proliferative effects, using the human epithelial cell line RPE D407. When maintained as single cells in suspension culture in the absence of serum and exogenous survival factors, RPE D407 cell viability gradually declined over a 3-4 day period as a result of apoptotic cell death, a pattern similar to that seen for eye-derived RPE cells. Exposure to EGF (50 ng ml-1) enhanced cell survival by nearly 40% and caused a parallel increase in the tyrosine phosphate content of the EGF receptor (EGFR), as determined by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. Both effects were completely blocked by 1μM AG1478, an EGFR-selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor. EGF also stimulated phosphorylation of the phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K)-dependent effector kinase Akt, as well as that of the MEK-dependent mitogen-activated kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Furthermore, EGF-induced protection was substantially reduced by either the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (25μM) or the MEK inhibitor U0126 (10μM), under conditions in which phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2, respectively, was blocked. Our results indicate that EGF-stimulated survival of RPE D407 cells takes place as a result of signaling through both PI3K and ERK/MAPK pathways. Further, residual anti-apoptotic activity stimulated by EGF in the presence of both blockers suggests that additional as yet unidentified growth factor-dependent survival pathways exist.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the most aggressive human malignancies, is thought to be initiated by KRAS activation. Here, we find that transcriptional activation mediated by the GLI family of transcription factors, although dispensable for pancreatic development, is required for KRAS induced pancreatic transformation. Inhibition of GLI using a dominant-negative repressor (Gli3T) inhibits formation of precursor Pancreatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia (PanIN) lesions in mice, and significantly extends survival in a mouse model of PDAC. Further, ectopic activation of the GLI1/2 transcription factors in mouse pancreas accelerates KRAS driven tumor formation and reduces survival, underscoring the importance of GLI transcription factors in pancreatic tumorigenesis. Interestingly, we find that although canonical GLI activity is regulated by the Hedgehog ligands, in the context of PDAC, GLI transcription factors initiate a unique ligand-independent transcriptional program downstream of KRAS, that involves regulation of the RAS, PI3K/AKT, and NF-кB pathways. We identify I-kappa-B kinase epsilon (IKBKE) as a PDAC specific target of GLI, that can also regulate GLI transcriptional activity via positive feedback mechanism involving regulation of GLI subcellular localization. Using human PDAC cells, and an in vivo model of pancreatic neoplasia, we establish IKBKE as a novel regulator pf pancreatic tumorigenesis that acts as an effector of KRAS/GLI, and mediates pancreatic transformation. We show that genetic knockout of Ikbke leads to a dramatic inhibition of initiation and progression of pancreatic intraepithelial viii neoplasia (PanIN) lesions in mice carrying pancreas specific activation of oncogenic Kras. Furthermore, we find that although IKBKE is a known NF-кB activator, it only modestly regulates NF-кB activity in PDAC. Instead, we find that IKBKE strongly promotes AKT phosphorylation in PDAC in vitro and in vivo, and that IKBKE mediates reactivation of AKT post-inhibition of mTOR. We also show that while mTOR inhibition alone does not significantly affect pancreatic tumorigenesis, combined inhibition of IKBKE and mTOR has a synergistic effect leading to significant decrease tumorigenicity of PDAC cells. Together, our findings identify GLI/IKBKE signaling as an important oncogenic effector pathway of KRAS in PDAC that regulates tumorigenicity, cell proliferation, and apoptosis via regulation of AKT and NF-кB signaling. We provide proof of concept for therapeutic targeting of GLI/IKBKE in PDAC, and support the evaluation of IKBKE as a therapeutic target in treatment of pancreatic cancer, and IKBKE inhibition as a strategy to improve efficacy of mTOR inhibitors in the clinic.

Pleckstrin homology (PH) domains, which play an essential role in membrane trafficking and signal transduction, recognize phosphoinositides with a diverse range of affinities and specificities. The PH domains of the Grp1 family of Arf GTPase exchange factors recognize a select group of phosphoinositides with dramatic differences in specificity, despite 90% sequence identity. The work described in this thesis has focused on the structural basis for these differences. The structure of the Grp1 PH domain revealed structural determinants for phosphoinositide recognition. Through a wide range of crystallographic and biochemical means, the structural basis that accounts for the differential binding affinities amongst the Grp1 family PH domains has also been determined. Furthermore, examination of the structural details of these PH domains bound to different inositol phosphate groups have aided in understanding the structural mechanisms by which all PH domains recognize phosphoinositides.

No description available.