Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oklahoma. / Bibliography: leaves 135-155.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Immunology) -- University of Colorado, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 277-285). Free to UCDHSC affiliates. Online version available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations;

Itk is a member of the Tec family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases. It is expressed in T cells, NK cells, and mast cells. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of Itk in T cell development. Previous work from our lab and others has demonstrated that Itk is involved in signaling downstream of the T cell receptor and initial analysis of Itk-deficient mice revealed that these mice had some defects in T cell development. There are two stages of T cell development, the pre-T cell stage and the CD4+ CD8+ double positive stage, at which signals downstream of the T cell receptor are important. At the CD4+ CD8+ double positive stage, these signals direct two concurrent, but distinct processes known as repertoire selection and CD4/CD8 lineage commitment/differentiation. I show that there are only slight defects in development at the pre-T cell stage, presumably due to reduced TCR signaling. However these results clearly demonstrate that Itk is not essential at this stage of development. In contrast, repertoire selection, in particular positive selection, is significantly affected by the absence of Itk. Similarly, I show that Itk plays a role in lineage differentiation, although commitment to the appropriate lineage occurs normally in the absence of Itk.

The synapse is the primary locus of cell-cell communication in the nervous system. The elaboration of a functional synapse requires both a specialized structure and an efficient communication system. For my thesis work, I studied proteins implicated in each of these functions: the structural molecules dystroglycan and dystrophin, and the signaling elements Insulin Receptor Substrate p58/53 and insulin receptor. The α/β-dystroglycan complex, believed to be the heart of cellmatrix adhesion in muscle and other tissues, provides a link between dystrophin, a cytoskeletal protein at the base of the muscle cell's Dystrophin Associated Protein Complex, and the extracellular matrix. In addition, dystrophin is found at central synapses, tightly associated with the postsynaptic density. The absence of dystrophin and the secondary loss of its associated proteins causes the genetic disease Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. DMD affects both muscle and brain, causing a severe muscular dystrophy and lower IQs than control groups. In the first portion of my thesis work, I sought to determine the role of dystroglycan, dystrophin's peripheral partner, at central synapses. I probed Northern blots of brain regions to delineate the distribution of brain β-dystroglycan mRNA and to uncover any β-dystroglycan-related transcripts in brain. Then, using subcellular brain fractions, and cultured hippocampal neurons, I determined that whereas α-dystroglycan is associated with central synapses, β-dystroglycan is not. This discovery is surprising, and differs from the finding that dystrophin and α- and β-dystroglycan colocalize at the presynaptic membrane of retinal photoreceptors. In the course of the above mentioned work, using the anti-β-dystroglycan antiserum Ab98, I discovered a pair of proteins that were tightly associated with the postsynaptic density. These polypeptides of 58 kDa and 53 kDa (p58/53) were highly enriched in postsynaptic density (PSD) fractions from rat cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum. In pursuit of a potential synapse-specific dystroglycan relative, I purified p58 and p53 by a combination of hydrophobic interaction chromatography and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Mass spectroscopy and peptide microsequencing revealed that p58/53 is identical to the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase substrate p58/53 (IRSp53). Whereas IRSp58/53 has no significant homology to β-dystroglycan other than the one span of peptides that confers its antibody cross-reactivity, its localization to the PSD newly implicates insulin signaling at synapses. Analysis of IRSp58/53 mass profiles, peptides, and mRNA indicated that IRSp58 and IRSp53 are the product of the same coding sequence. Immunolocalization showed that IRSp58/53 is expressed in the synapserich molecular layer of the cerebellum. Immunostaining of cultured hippocampal neurons showed that both IRSp58/53 and insulin receptor are highly concentrated at synapses. Like IRSp58/53, insulin receptors are a component of the PSD fraction. Together, these data suggest that the synapse is a specialized site for insulin signaling in the brain.

Orientador: Kleber Gomes Franchini / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T05:12:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marin_TalitaMiguel_D.pdf: 34867811 bytes, checksum: 839d8dbb3d76170bebebbc5e8619b847 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Estudos do nosso laboratório demonstraram que a quinase de adesão focal (FAK) é ativada e contribui para a regulação dos mecanismos de sinalização que determinam as alterações fenotípicas de cardiomiócitos submetidos a estímulos mecânicos. Em estudo anterior demonstramos através da inibição farmacológica da Shp2, que a mesma contribui para a regulação do nível de fosforilação em resíduos de tirosina (atividade) da FAK e regulação da expressão de genes associados ao fenótipo hipertrófico em células em cultura. O presente estudo foi realizado para examinar o impacto da depleção da Shp2,induzida por silenciamento gênico, na atividade da FAK e nas alterações fenotípicas de Miócitos Ventriculares de Ratos Neonatos (MVRNs) em condições basais e de estímulo mecânico e os efeitos da introdução de mutações no gene da Shp2, que resultem em perda, ganho ou deleção da proteína, sobre a atividade da FAK e sobre as alterações fenotípicas nos corações de camundongos. A depleção dos níveis protéicos da Shp2 por siRNA específico induziu ao aumento da fosforilação da Tyr397, Src Tyr418, AKT Ser473, TSC2 Thr1462, e S6 quinase Thr389, à re-expressão do gene fetal marcador molecular de hipertrofia cardíaca (?-MHC) e à um fenótipo hipertrófico dos MVRNS não estirados. A inibição da atividade do complexo FAK/Src através do tratamento dos MVRNs com PP2 {4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine}aboliu o aumento na fosforilação da AKT, TSC2, e S6 quinase, bem como a hipertrofia dos MVRNs induzida pela depleção da Shp2. A inibição da mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) com rapamicina bloqueou o surgimentos da hipertrofia nos MNRNs tratados com siShp2. Os MVRNs tratados com PP2 ou com RNA de interferência, específico para a FAK, apresentaram-se deficientes na ativação e aumento da fosforilação da FAK, Src, ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase), AKT, TSC2, e S6 quiinase, e na indução de aumento da área celular em resposta ao estimulo mecânico de estiramento cíclico prolongado in vitro. A Hipertrofia em resposta ao estiramento prolongado também foi prevenida pelo tratamento dos MVRNs com rapamicina. Os resultados são consistentes em apontar que a perda ou diminuição da função da Shp2 (por depleção, mutação ou deleção gênica cardíaco-específica) induz ao aumento da ativação da FAK, AKT e via da mTOR/S6K , que são vias de sinalização sabidamente envolvidas nos processos hipertróficos do miocárdio. Interessantemente os animais portadores de mutação LS-Shp2 apresentaram redução de 50% da atividade fosfatase relacionada ao imunoprecipitado de Shp2 no miocárdio, recapitularam a desordem humana apresentando baixa estatura, dismorfia craniofacial, evidências morfológica, histopatológica, ecocardiográficas e molelculares de presença de cardiomiopatia hipertrófica. Notavelmente o tratamento desses animais com o inibidor específico da mTOR, rapamicina, foi capaz de reverter completamente o fenótipo hipertrófico dos animais LS-Shp2. Consistentemente, o ganho de função da Shp2 (no miocárdio), induzido por mutação NS (Noonan Syndrome), foi acompanhado de diminuição da atividade basal da FAK, bem como da AKT e de proteínas envolvidas na via da mTOR e de redução da área total e largura dos cardiomiócitos adultos quando comparados aos extraídos de animais selvagens. Em conjunto, os dados, aqui apresentados, indicam que a tirosino-fosfatase Shp2 contribui para regular o nível de fosforilação da FAK em cardiomiócitos e para a regulação da expressão de gêneses do programa hipertrófico e do tamanho celular através da modulação da atividade da FAK e mTOR. Sugere também, que a inibição prolongada de Shp2 pode, por si só, induzir ao aparecimento de hipertrofia cardíaca através da FAK pela modulação da via mTOR/S6K / Abstract: Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) has been implicated in the sensing and transduction of mechanical forces, which drive changes in cardiac myocyte function and structure, in response to hemodynamic overload, into biochemical events in cardiac myocytes. This study was performed to examine whether Shp2 (Src homology region 2, phosphatase 2) controls Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) activity and its trophic actions in cardiomyocytes. Our study was performed in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes subjected to depletion of Shp2 by RNA interference and genetically modified mice carrying mutations that induce gain and loss of function and Shp2 cardiac-specific conditional gene deletion.Depletion of Shp2 by specific small interfering RNA increased the phosphorylation of FAK Tyr397, Src Tyr418, AKT Ser473, TSC2 Thr1462, and S6 kinase Thr389 and induced hypertrophic gene expression pattern (?- MHC) and phenotype of nonstretched NRVMs. Inhibition of FAK/Src activity by PP2 {4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7- (t-butyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine} abolished the phosphorylation of AKT, TSC2, and S6 kinase, as well as the hypertrophy of NRVMs induced by Shp2 depletion. Inhibition of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) with rapamycin blunted the hypertrophy in NRVMs depleted of Shp2. NRVMs treated with PP2 or depleted of FAK by specific small interfering RNA were defective in FAK, Src, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, AKT, TSC2, and S6 kinase phosphorylation, as well as in the hypertrophic response to prolonged stretch. The stretch-induced hypertrophy of NRVMs was also prevented by rapamycin. Subsequently we tested the hypothesis that the introduction of mutations in the Shp2 gene, causing protein deletion or loss of protein function, would contribute to increase the levels of tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK resulting in a hypertrophic phenotype in mice hearts. Likewise, we investigated the possibility that the introduction of a mutation in the Shp2 gene, which leads to gain of function, would result in decrease phosphorylation of FAK. The results were consistent in pointing out that the loss of protein or impairment of the function of Shp2 (gene deletion, depletion or mutation) induces increased activation of FAK, AKT and a the mTOR/S6K pathways, which are signaling pathways known to be involved in controlling cardiac growth and hypertrophy. Ls-Shp2 mice recapitulated the human disorder, with short stature, craniofacial dysmorphia, and morphological, histological, echocardiographic and molecular evidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Heart and/or cardiomyocyte lysates from LS-Shp2 mice showed decreased Shp2 catalytic activity, consistent with previous reports that LS mutants have dominant negative effects. Remarkably, the cardiac hypertropic phenotype in LS-Shp2 mice were completely reversed by treatment with the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin. Consistently, the gain of function of Shp2 (induced by mutation) was accompanied by decreased basal activity of FAK and AKT and proteins involved in the mTOR signaling pathway. These findings demonstrate that basal Shp2 tyrosine phosphatase activity controls the size of cardiomyocytes by downregulating a pathway that involves FAK/Src and mTOR signaling pathways. Our results also establish the tight regulation of FAK phosphorylation by Shp-2 as a potential counter-regulatory signaling in the control of the hyperthophic genetic program in cardiac myocytes / Doutorado / Biologia Estrutural, Celular, Molecular e do Desenvolvimento / Doutor em Fisiopatologia Medica

Orientador: Kleber Gomes Franchini / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T07:19:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marin_TalitaMiguel_M.pdf: 14587191 bytes, checksum: b8bac41b29ca5081a5bcb225f83e4773 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: Arrazoado. A Quinase de Adesão Focal (FAK) é ativada e contribui para a regulação da sinalização que determina as alterações fenotípicas de cardiomiócitos estimulados mecanicamente. A regulação da atividade da FAK é complexa e depende de mecanismos intramoleculares e da cooperação com a tirosino-quinase Src. Há evidências de que a tirosino-fosfatase SHP-2 contribui para a regulação do nível de fosforilação em resíduos de tirosina e, portanto da atividade da FAK em miócitos ventriculares de ratos neonatos em cultura (MVRNs). Este estudo objetivou examinar se a SHP-2 modula o nível de fosforilação da FAK em MVRNs. Examinamos se em MVRNs controle (i.e. não submetido a estímulo mecânico), a atividade da SHP-2 contribui para o baixo nível de fosforilação em tirosina da FAK e se em MVRNs submetidos a estímulos mecânicos a inibição da atividade da SHP-2 paralela a dissociação FAK/SHP-2 exerce papel permissivo na elevação da fosforilação da FAK. Material e Métodos. Utilizou-se modelo de sobrecarga pressora por coarctação da aorta em ratos (miocárdio-VE) e estiramento in vitro em MVRNs. As abordagens experimentais incluíram técnicas de imunoprecipitação, western blot, imunohistoquímica, atividade de tirosino fosfatase in vitro, expressão de SHP-2 recombinante e avaliação da expressão do gene da cadeia pesada de beta-miosina (ß- miosina). Resultados. A coarctação da aorta (miocárdio-VE) e o estiramento (MVRNs) aumentaram a fosforilação da FAK no resíduo tirosina 397, em miocárdio-VE (200%) e em MVRNs estirados (75%). A FAK imunoprecipitada de amostras controles, encontrou-se associada a SHP-2 e o estímulo mecânico acompanhou-se de redução dessa associação, no miocárdio (60%) e em MVRNs (84%). Experimentos com imunohistoquímica e microscopia confocal demonstraram co-localização da FAK e da SHP-2 em MVRNs controle. Ocorreu redução da atividade de tirosino-fosfatase em imunoprecipitados de anticorpo anti-FAK (25%) e anticorpo anti-SHP-2 (25%) de miocárdio-VE de animais submetidos à coarctação da aorta, e anti-FAK (20%) e anti-SHP-2 (40%) de MVRNs estirados. A SHP-2 recombinante foi capaz de reduzir (70%) in vitro a fosforilação da FAK ativada por estímulo mecânico. Ocorreu aumento (125%) da quantidade de FAK fosforilada em MVRNs controles tratados com TFMS (inibidor seletivo da atividade da SHP-2); naqueles submetidos ao estiramento, o aumento em relação aos MVRNs estirados, mas não tratados com TFMS, foi menor (40%). Ocorreu paralelamente, diminuição (40%) da associação FAK/SHP-2 e aumento da expressão do gene fetal da cadeia pesada da ß - miosina (110%) em MVRNs tratados com TFMS; Os MVRNs tratados concomitantemente com TFMS e PP2 (inibidor farmacológico da FAK), apresentaram atenuação desse aumento (25%). Conclusão. Os dados sugerem que a SHP-2 modula o nível de fosforilação da FAK em MVRNs, exercendo papel inibitório na ativação da FAK, contribuindo para o seu baixo nível de fosforilação em MVRNs e miocárdio na ausência de estímulo mecânico. A diminuição da associação FAK/SHP-2, da atividade específica da SHP-2 em MVRNs ou miocárdio submetidos a estímulos mecânicos e o aumento da fosforilação da FAK mediante tratamento dos MVRNs com TFMS, indicam que a redução da atividade da SHP-2 e da associação a FAK, é um importante mecanismo que colabora para o aumento de fosforilação da FAK em MVRNs submetidos a estímulos mecânicos sustentados. O aumento da expressão da cadeia pesada da ß ¿ miosina conseqüente à inibição da atividade da SHP-2 e a atenuação desse aumento, perante a concomitante inibição da atividade da FAK, corrobora nossa hipótese de que a SHP-2 modula a ativação da FAK em cardiomiócitos, influenciando a reprogramação gênica característica da ativação da sinalização hipertrófica, por estímulo mecânico / Abstract: Mechanical forces drive changes in cardiac myocyte function and structure that occur in response to hemodynamic overload. Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) has been implicated in the sensing and transduction of mechanical forces into biochemical events in cardiac myocytes. This study was performed to examine whether the protein tyrosine-phosphatase SHP-2 plays a role in baseline and stretch induced FAK activation and signaling in cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs).NRVMs were subjected to cyclic stretch up to 60 min, studied by coimmunoprecipitation, immunoblotting, tyrosine-phosphatase activity assay, RT-PCR, and used in assays utilizing recombinant SHP-2 catalytic domain. Analysis was extended to NRVMs treated with Shp2 inhibitor TFMS and with FAK/Src Inhibitor PP2. FAK had a relatively low basal level of phosphorylation at Tyr397 in non-stretched NRVMs. Cyclic stretch (1HZ, 10%) induced rapid and sustained (up to 60 min) increases in phosphorylation of FAK at Tyr397. The results of coimmunoprecipitation assays indicated that FAK and SHP-2 are associated in non-stretched NRVMs, but cyclic stretch markedly reduced (to 25% and 60% after 10 and 60 min, respectively) the amount of SHP-2 recovered from the anti-FAK antibody precipitates. The tyrosine phosphatase activity of the anti-SHP-2 immunocomplex taken from non-stretched cardiac myocytes was relatively high, but it was markedly reduced (to 60% after 10 and 60 min) in samples of stretched cells. The recombinant PTP domain of SHP-2 was demonstrated to be able to dephosphorylate the native FAK immunoprecipitated from NRVMs. The inhibition of SHP-2 activity by the pharmacological inhibitor TFMS markedly increased FAK phosphorylation at Tyr397 in non-stretched NRVMs to levels comparable to those seen in stretched cells. Treatment with TFMS lasting for 4h was accompanied by a marked increase (to 200) the expression of beta-myosin heavy chain mRNA in non-stretched NRVMs. This effect was attenuated by 25% in NRVMs simultaneous treated with the FAK/Src inhibitor PP2.In conclusion, the present data demonstrated that the basal FAK phosphorylation at Tyr397 is modulated by SHP-2 and that inhibition of SHP-2 during cyclic stretch has a permissive role on FAK activation by mechanical stress. Our results also establish the tight regulation of FAK phosphorylation by SHP-2 as a potential counter-regulatory signaling in the control of the hyperthophic genetic program in cardiac myocytes / Mestrado / Medicina Experimental / Mestre em Fisiopatologia Médica

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / O cÃncer de pulmÃo tem sido, na Ãltima dÃcada, a principal causa de morte por cÃncer no mundo, apesar do surgimento de novos quimioterÃpicos e das terapias alvo-direcionadas. Por isso, faz-se necessÃrio o entendimento das alteraÃÃes moleculares e biolÃgicas envolvidas nos processos de carcinogÃnese e crescimento tumoral, bem como o desenvolvimento de modelos experimentais adequados que permitam estudar o comportamento biolÃgico dos tumores de pulmÃo e o efeito de drogas antineoplÃsicas. O objetivo desse estudo foi desenvolver um modelo de tumor no pulmÃo em ratos imunocompetentes de execuÃÃo simples e fÃcil reprodutibilidade, e avaliar a atividade de drogas antitumorais. Cento e noventa e um ratos Wistar fÃmeas, peso mÃdio de 199Â23g, foram distribuÃdos ao acaso em trÃs etapas experimentais. Todos os animais foram anestesiados com tribromoetanol 2,5% (1 ml/100g de rato) intraperitonial (ip), traqueostomizados e intubados com cateter de polietileno 16G, seguindo-o por via intrabrÃnquica (ib) atà as porÃÃes inferiores do pulmÃo para inocular cÃlulas do tumor 256 de Walker. A 1a etapa (n=32) foi feita para estabelecer a tÃcnica do implante de cÃlulas por via ib e o Ãndice de pega tumoral, inoculando-se de 105 a 5Ã105 cÃlulas. A 2a etapa (n=16) para avaliar o volume tumoral no 5o dia do implante de 4Ã105 cÃlulas e correlacionar os achados da tomografia computadorizada de alta resoluÃÃo (TCAR) de tÃrax com os da necropsia. A 3a etapa (n=143) para a avaliar o efeito de drogas e validar o modelo, sendo dividida em duas fases. A 1a fase (n=72) para avaliar o volume tumoral no 5o ou 6o dia do implante de 4Ã105 cÃlulas do tumor, composta de cinco grupos: Grupo controle (Gc), NaCl 0,9% (1ml/gavagem); Grupo celecoxib (Gclx), 15, 30 e 60 mg/kg/dia/gavagem; Grupo talidomida (Gtld), 45 mg/kg/d/sc; Grupo gefitinib (Ggfb), 25 mg/kg/dia; Grupo talidominda + gefititinib (Gtld +gfb). A 2a fase (n=71) para avaliar a sobrevida dos animais, com seis grupos: Gc, Gclx (15, 30, 60), Gtld, Ggfb, Gtld + gfb, Grupo paclitaxel (Gpcl), 8 mg/kg ip. O Ãndice geral de pega do tumor com o implante 4Ã105 cÃlulas foi de 96% (149/155), sendo 90% na 1a etapa, 100% na 2a etapa e 96% na 3a etapa. A mortalidade cirÃrgica foi de 4,2% (8/191) e 21 animais foram excluÃdos do estudo por ausÃncia de tumor no pulmÃo, morte por infecÃÃo (abscesso pulmonar) e outras causas nÃo relacionadas com o tumor. Na 2a etapa, as medidas do tumor feitas na TCAR e comparadas com a necropsia foram semelhantes (r=0, 953, p<0,0001). Na 1a fase da 3a etapa, nÃo se observou diferenÃa no volume tumoral dos animais dos grupos tratados em relaÃÃo ao controle; e na 2a fase verificou-se aumento significante da sobrevida mediana dos animais tratados com TLD, GFB e PCL (13, 13 e 29 dias, respectivamente), em relaÃÃo ao controle (11dias), teste de Log Rank: p<0,001. Conclui-se que o modelo de tumor de pulmÃo por implantaÃÃo de cÃlulas tumorais por via intrabrÃnquica mostrou-se viÃvel, com alto Ãndice de pega e mortalidade cirÃrgica desprezÃvel, de execuÃÃo simples e fÃcil reprodutibilidade. A TCAR revelou-se um mÃtodo de imagem de alta acurÃcia no diagnÃstico, localizaÃÃo e mensuraÃÃo das lesÃes tumorais. O modelo mostrou-se eficaz na avaliaÃÃo de atividade antitumoral de drogas antineoplÃsicas como o paclitaxel, antiangiogÃnicas como a talidomida, e inibidores de tirosina quinase do EGFR como o gefitinib. / Lung cancer has been the main cause of death from cancer worldwide over the past decade in spite of the appearance of new chemotherapy drugs and targeted therapies. It is therefore necessary to clarify the molecular and biological changes involved in carcinogenesis and tumor growth and to develop experimental models for the study of the biology of lung tumors and the effects of antineoplastic drugs. The objective of the study was to develop a practical and easily reproducible lung tumor model using immunocompetent rats and to evaluate the activity of antineoplastic drugs. One hundred ninety-one female Wistar rats, with an average weight of 199Â23g, were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups. All animals were anesthetized intraperitonially (ip) with 2.5% tribromoetanol (1ml/100g live weight), tracheostomized and intubated with a polyethylene catheter (16G) guided intrabronchially (ib) to the bottom of the lung for inoculation with Walker 256 tumor cells. Group 1 (n=32) established the ib cell implant technique and the tumor take rate with inoculation of 105 to 5Ã105 cells. Group 2 (n=16) evaluated tumor volume on the fifth day of implant with 4Ã105 cells and correlated chest findings from high-resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) and necropsy. Group 3 (n=143) evaluated the effect of antineoplastic drugs and validated the model in two stages. Stage 1 (n=72) evaluated tumor volume on the fifth day of implant with 4Ã105 cells, divided into 5 groups: control (CG), 0.9% NaCl (1ml/gavage); celecoxib (Gclx), 15, 30 and 60mg/kg/day/gavage; thalidomide (Gtld), 45mg/kg/d/sc; gefitinib (Ggfb), 25mg/kg/day/gavage; and thalidomide + gefitinib (Gtld + gfb). Stage 2 (n=71) evaluted the survival of the animals divided into six groups: Gc, Gclx, Gtld, Ggfb, Gtld + gfb, and Gpcl (paclitaxel) 8mg/kg ip. The overal take rate for implants of 4Ã105 cells was 96% (149/155), specifically 90% in the first experimental group, 100% in the second and 96% in the third. Surgical mortality was 4.2% (8/191); 21 animals were excluded due to absence of tumor in the lung, death from infection (pulmonary abscess) and other causes not related to the tumor. In Group 2, measures obtained with HRCT and necropsy were similar (r=0, 953, p<0.0001). In the first stage of Group 3 no difference in tumor volume was observed between treated animals and controls; in the second stage median survival time was significantly extended in animals treated with TLD, GFB and PCL (13, 13 and 29 days, respectively) compared to controls (11 days) (Log Rank test: p<0.001). In conclusion, the present lung tumor model with intrabronchial tumor cell implantation was shown to be feasible and was associated with high tumor take rates, minor surgical mortality, simple execution and easy reproducibility. HRCT was found to be a highly accurate method of diagnosis, localization and tumor measurement. The model was efficient in the evaluation of the antitumoral activity of the antineoplastic drug paclitaxel, the antiangiogenic drug thalidomide, and the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib, making it a valid model for testing new drugs in lung cancer.

The Tec family tyrosine kinase, Itk, plays an important role in signal transduction following T cell receptor engagement. Several prior studies have established the importance of Itk in immune system processes, such as T cell development and T cell activation. Additional biochemical studies have found that Itk specifically functions within a multi-molecular signalosome complex, which ultimately functions to provide a platform by which Itk can phosphorylate and activate PLC-γ1, a crucial step in T cell activation. To further study how Itk regulates distinct immune outcomes via T cell effector processes within the peripheral immune system, and to further understand how Itk functions in T cells in response to a physiological ligand-receptor interaction, I crossed Itk-deficient mice to mice transgenic for a TCR specific for a moth cytochrome C peptide. My studies have established a unique role for Itk in several important aspects of T cell function. Following T cell activation, I identified an imperative role for Itk in activation-induced cell death via FasL, a mechanism of immune homeostasis. Furthermore, I found Itk plays a unique role in the process of T cell differentiation, where Itk positively regulates the induction of cytokine genes, such as IL-4, while negatively regulating the induction of T-bet, a transcription factor important for Th1 differentiation. Lastly, following T cell differentiation, I found that Itk mRNA and protein are up-regulated during Th2 differentiation, while Rlk, a related Tec kinase, disappears rapidly from Th2 cells, indicating a critical role for Itk in Th2 cell function. Collectively, my thesis work has more clearly defined an important function for Itk not only in TCR signaling, but also in immune processes such as T cell differentiation and activation-induced cell death that are required for proper immune function.

Itk and Rlk are members of the Tec kinase family of non-receptor protein tyrosine kinases that are preferentially expressed in T cells. Numerous previous studies have demonstrated that these proteins play an important a role in the regulation of signalling processes downstream of TCR activation in CD4+ T cells, particularly in the phosphorylation of PLCγl. In addition, Itk and Rlk have both been shown to be important for CD4+ T cell development, differentiation, function and homeostasis following TCR activation. In the absence of Itk and Rlk, CD8+ SP thymocytes and T cells develop a memory/previously activated phenotypic profile, however, very little is known about the influence of Itk and Rlk on CD8+ T cell development and function. This study illustrates a previously unappreciated role for Itk and Rlk in the regulation of cytokine signals during CD8+ SP thymocyte maturation, and in the development of the memory CD44hi profile of Itk -/- and Itk -/- Rlk -/- CD8+ SP thymocytes and CD8+ T cells. This study also provides the first detailed study of the role of loss of Itk and particularly both Itk and Rlk in CD8+ signalling and function and shows that these Tec kinase family members play an important role in the maintenance of CD8+ T cell fitness and function, particularly in the ability of CD8+ T cells to accumulate in response to infection. Collectively, my studies demonstrate a critical role for Itk and Rlk in the generation of optimal CD8+ T cell responses. They also raise the novel observation that these proteins may be involved on the regulation of cytokine signals in T cells.

T lymphocytes are essential components of the immune system and as such are continually regulated by a variety of factors. Every step of their development, survival and function is tightly monitored to ensure their ability to recognize most foreign agents and mount adaptive immune responses during pathogenic infections, while remaining tolerant to self-antigens. Among the many factors that participate in the regulation of T cell development and function are the cytokines. Cytokines that signal through the common gamma (γс) chain and the Janus kinase 3 (Jak3) include IL-2, -4, -7, -9, -15, and -21 and have been implicated in the regulation of every stage in the life of a T cell. Therefore, it is not surprising that mutations in the γс chain or Jak3 lead to a SCID condition in humans and mice. Specifically, Jak3-deficient mice are characterized by a reduction in thymic cellularity and dysregulated T cell homeostasis. They have an expansion of memory-like CD4+ mature T cells and an almost complete absence of mature CD8+ T cells. By investigating the TCR repertoire of CD4+ T cells in the thymus and spleen of Jak3-/- mice, I deduced that the CD4+ T cell activation and expansion is TCR-specific and takes place in the periphery of the mice. After crossing Jak3-deficient mice to Bcl-2 transgenic mice I showed that the developmental block observed in Jak3-/- mice could not be rescued by the anti-apoptotic factor, despite the fact that its expression did increase, slightly, the total numbers of developing thymocytes. The enforced expression of Bcl-2 was also not sufficient to revert the dysregulation of T cell homeostasis in Jak3-/- mice. Finally, in order to further understand the role played by γс cytokines during T cell function, I investigated the ability of mature Jak3-/- CD8+ T cells to become activated and differentiate into effector cells in response to a viral infection. My results indicate that CD8+ T cells are activated and proliferate in response to a viral infection, but their survival, as well as their ability to proliferate and differentiate into effector cells are greatly impaired, resulting in the inability of Jak3-deficient mice to mount a protective response.