Increased signaling of various hormones through their cognate G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs), including the angiotensin, endothelin, and vasopressin systems, are implicated in human preeclampsia (PreE) and animal models of the disorder. Cascade-specific termination of GPCR signaling following receptor activation is catalyzed by the Regulator of G protein Signaling (RGS) family members. Within the RGS B/R4 family, RGS5 and RGS2 are implicated in human PreE and gestational hypertensive disorders. Mutations within the RGS2 gene, a B/R4 RGS member, are associated with human hypertensive populations and increased risk of developing PreE and its sequelae. Given the role for the placenta in the pathogenesis of PreE, we hypothesized a role for RGS2 in the placenta during PreE. My studies showed RGS2 mRNA expression is reduced in placentas from pregnancies affected by PreE. Reduced fetal-placental Rgs2 induces gestational hypertension, proteinuria, and increased plasma ALT activity in wildtype dams. Placentas with reduced Rgs2 expression exhibit reduced vascularization, increased thickness of the labyrinth and spongiotrophoblast layers, and enrichment for pathways associated with human PreE. Analysis of human PreE placenta samples reveals an increase in the cAMP/CREB signaling pathway, yet we demonstrate loss of CREB occupancy at the RGS2 promoter. HTR8 cell cultures indicate HDAC activity may be required CREB transcription of specific gene sets. In silico analysis supports this concept and further implies it may be impaired in human PreE placentas. These findings demonstrate heterozygous loss of fetal-placental Rgs2 is sufficient to induce PreE phenotypes in wildtype dams during pregnancy. Additionally, they highlight the role of the placenta in maternal pathogenesis of PreE and support the concept that paternal genetics influence the risk of developing PreE.

Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war es, die Interaktion von ANP und Ang II im Bereich der blutdruckbestimmenden Widerstandsgefäße zu untersuchen. Ein besonderer Augenmerk wurde hierbei auch auf die Bedeutung von RGS2 gerichtet. Durch das Zusammenspiel der beiden funktionellen Antagonisten ANP und Ang II wird der Blutdruck reguliert. ANP und Ang II üben hierbei jeweils gegenteilige Effekte aus. Ang II hat vasokonstriktorische Effekte auf die Blutgefäße, vermindert die Natriurese und Diurese und erhöht den Sympathikustonus. ANP hingegen besitzt blutdruckmindernde Effekte, hervorgerufen durch Vasodilatation, gesteigerte Diurese, die Erhöhung der endothelialen Durchlässigkeit und der Hemmung des Sympathikustonus. Da nichts über die Interaktion dieser beiden Hormone in der Mikrozirkulation bekannt ist, wurden im Rahmen der Dissertation intravitalmikroskopische Studien der Mikrozirkulation des Musculus cremaster der Maus, in Anlehnung an der von Baez (1973) publizierten Methode, durchgeführt. Darüber hinaus wurden auch die Effekte von Ang II und ANP auf den Blutdruck durch invasive Blutdruckmessung untersucht. Der Durchmesser von präkapillären Arteriolen des M. cremaster wurde vor und während lokaler Superfusion von Ang II oder ANP gemessen. Ang II löste eine konzentrationsabhängige stabile Konstriktion aus. Bei der ausschließlichen Superfusion von ANP in verschiedenen Konzentrationen hingegen, zeigte sich kein Effekt auf den basalen Vasotonus. ANP war jedoch in der Lage, an Ang II vorkontrahierten Arteriolen, den konstriktorischen Effekt von Ang II aufzuheben und sogar darüber hinaus eine ausgeprägte Vasodilatation zu bewirken. Dieser Effekt konnte auch bei der invasiven Messung des mittleren arteriellen Blutdrucks nachgewiesen werden. Der durch Ang II ausgelöste Blutdruckanstieg wurde durch die zusätzliche Infusion von ANP gemindert. Ang II aktiviert die Kontraktion von glatten Gefäßmuskelzellen durch den Gαq-gekoppelten AT1-Rezeptor. RGS2 hingegen ist ein negativer Regulator von Gαq. Da von RGS2 bekannt ist, dass er von cGKI phosphoryliert und stimuliert wird (Osei-Owusu et al., 2007), stellte sich die Frage, ob ANP über RGS2 dem vasokonstriktiven Effekt von Ang II entgegenwirkt. Bei den Versuchen an RGS2-KO Mäusen zeigt sich hierbei, dass ANP nicht mehr in der Lage ist, den vasokonstriktiven Effekt von Ang II aufzuheben. Daraus ist nun der Schluss zu ziehen, dass RGS2 eine bedeutende Rolle für die Wechselwirkung zwischen ANP und Ang II in der Mikrozirkulation spielt und somit eine wichtige Aufgabe bei der Regulation des peripheren Widerstands und des Blutdrucks hat. / The aim of this dissertation was the investigation of the interactions between ANP and Ang II in the regulation of the tone of resistance vessels, with special focus on the role of RGS2. Arterial blood pressure is regulated by the interactions of ANP and Ang II, hormones which act as functional counterparts. Ang II leads to vasoconstriction, reduces natriuresis and diuresis, and enhances sympathetic tone. ANP on the contrary has hypotensive effects, mediated by vasodilatation, diuresis, increased endothelial permeability, and inhibition of sympathetic tone. Because nothing is known about the interaction of both hormones in resistance vessels, we performed intravital microscopy studies of the mouse cremaster microcirculation. The cremaster muscle was prepared as described by Baez (1973). Furthermore the effects of ANP and Ang II on arterial blood pressure were investigated by invasive blood pressure measurements. Arteriolar diameters were measured before and during local superfusion of Ang II or ANP. Ang II induced concentration dependent stable arteriolar constrictions. ANP did not affect diameters of unstimulated arterioles. However the peptide completely reversed the vasoconstrictory effect of Ang II. Moreover, in Ang II-preconstricted arterioles, ANP provoked a prominent dilatation. The interaction between ANP and Ang II was collaborated by invasive arterial blood pressure measurements. The hypertensive effect of Ang II was partly reversed by ANP. Ang II activates smooth muscle contraction through the the Gαq-coupled AT1 -receptor. The regulator of G protein signalling RGS2 is a negative regulator of Gαq. Because RGS2 is known to be phosphorylated and thereby stabilized by cGMP-dependent protein kinase (cGKI) (Osei-Owusu et al., 2007), we hypothesized that ANP counteracts the vasoconstrictory actions of Ang II by activation of RGS2. Indeed in RGS2-KO mice ANP failed to reverse the vasoconstrictory actions of Ang II. We conclude that RGS2 mediates the interplay between ANP and Ang II, which is critically involved in the regulation of peripheral resistance and arterial blood pressure.

Orientador: Jorg Kobarg / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T15:15:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Souza_EdmarciaElisa_D.pdf: 15682912 bytes, checksum: e58bfe67bbf5f3bc0979ec28db650292 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: As proteínas Neks (NIMA-related kinases) representam uma família de 11 quinases humanas nomeadas Nek1 a 11 que compartilham 40 a 45% de identidade de sequência com o regulador mitótico NIMA identificado em Aspergillus nidulans. O sinergismo entre os mecanismos que dirigem a mitose é essencial para a adequada divisão celular e sua desregulação é correlacionada ao aparecimento de cânceres humanos. As Neks são essenciais para progressão do ciclo celular e por isso têm recebido especial atenção como alvos para terapia do câncer. A Nek7 humana, por sua vez, contribui para formação do fuso mitótico e biogênese dos centrossomos. Neste trabalho, nós revelamos a Nek7 como uma quinase multifuncional. Nossos estudos demonstraram um amplo espectro de proteínas de interações com a Nek7 humana, classificadas dentro de múltiplas categorias funcionais, sobretudo, da divisão celular. Alguns novos parceiros de interação também são seus potencias substratos e, ainda, localizam com a Nek7 em estruturas essenciais para a mitose e citocinese. Nós evidenciamos ainda, que através de mecanismos distintos, os domínios N- e C-terminal de Nek6 e Nek7 podem contribuir diferencialmente para a regulação e catálise e podem proporcionar a base estrutural para a independência funcional dessas quinases na sinalização celular. Além disso, usando estudos baseados microscopia confocal e RNAi (RNA interference), nós mostramos que o interactor de Nek7, a proteína RGS2, é necessária para organização e orientação do fuso mitótico. Células em metáfase suprimidas de RGS2 apresentaram fenótipos tais como: prisão na mitose; defeitos na tensão dos cinetocóros e alinhamento dos cromossomos; desorganização do fuso mitótico; perturbação na redistribuição de proteínas do polo do fuso envolvidas em nucleação; mal-orientação do fuso mitótico; e redução de microtúbulos dos ásteres e de dinâmica. Além disso, tanto a supressão quanto a superexpressão das formas selvagem e quinase dead de Nek7 prejudicaram o recutamento de ?-tubulina para o polo do fuso. Esses achados introduz a participação de RGS2 na mitose e indicam que esta pode atuar cooperativamente com Nek7 para a precisa organização e formação do fuso mitótico. Por fim, empregando biologia de sistemas, nós mostramos um compreensivo interactoma das Neks, destacando para um possível crosstalking de todos os membros da família nos processos de regulação de centríolos e mitose; função ciliar e ciliopatias; e resposta a dano de DNA / Abstract: The Neks (NIMA-related kinases) proteins represent a human kinases family named Nek1 to 11 that share 40 to 45% of sequence identity with the established NIMA mitotic regulator, identified in Aspergillus nidulans. The synergism of the mechanisms that drive mitosis is essential for proper cell division and its dysregulation is correlated with the occurrence of human cancers. The Neks are essential for cell cycle progression and therefore have received attention as targets for cancer therapy and other diseases. Human Nek7 contributes to mitotic spindle formation and centrosome biogenesis. Herein, we reveal Nek7 as a multifunctional kinase. Our proteomic studies have demonstrated a broad spectrum of interaction proteins of human Nek7 classified into multiple functional categories, especially, cell division. Some new interaction partners are also potential Nek7 substrates and localize in key structure during mitosis and cytokinesis. We also evidenced that, through different mechanisms, the N- and C- terminal domains of Nek7 and Nek6 can differentially contribute to the regulation and catalysis and provide the basis for a functional independence of Nek6 and Nek7 in cell signaling. Furthermore, using studies based in confocal microscopy and RNAi we showed the Nek7 interactor, RGS2 protein, is required for organization and orientation of the mitotic spindle. Metaphase cells RGS2-depleted showed phenotypes such as: arrest in mitosis; defects in tension kinetochores and alignment chromosomes; disruption of the mitotic spindle; disturbance in the proteins redistribution of the spindle pole involved in nucleation and microtubule dynamics; mitotic spindle misorientation; and astral microtubules reduction. Furthermore, the suppression or both overexpression of Nek7 wild type or kinase dead impaired the recruitment of ?-tubulin to the spindle pole. These findings introduce the involvement of RGS2 in mitosis and indicate that it may act cooperatively with Nek7 for proper mitotic spindle organization and formation. Finally, employing systems biology, we showed a comprehensive Neks interactome, highlighting for a possible crosstalking of all family members in centrioles and mitosis regulation; ciliary and ciliopathies function; and response to DNA damage / Doutorado / Bioquimica / Doutora em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

<p>Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins are key negative regulators of Gα signaling, a branch of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-mediated signal transduction. Approximately 35% of drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) target GPCRs, so it is not surprising that the discovery of RGS proteins has triggered an interest in them as new drug targets. Even though many studies have been shown the involvement of RGS proteins in cancers, there is still a knowledge gap in understanding function and regulation of RGS proteins in these diseases. Consequently, in this thesis, I explored roles of two RGS proteins that have been implicated in cancers.</p> <p>RGS2 is proposed to act as a tumor suppressor in many different cancers, such as breast cancer, bladder, and ovarian cancer. Here, we investigated if RGS2 also plays a tumor suppressor role in UM, whose growth is driven by overactivated Gαq/11 signaling. We found that increased expression levels of RGS2 inhibit cell growth of UM 92.1 and Mel-202 cells. Mechanistically, this cell growth inhibition is dependent on the association between RGS2 and Gαq, but independent of its canonical GTPase-accelerating protein (GAP) activity. Furthermore, RGS2 inhibited the Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling, downstream of Gαq, while leaving Yes-associated protein 1/Transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (YAP/TAZ) activation unaffected. These data indicate a tumor suppressor role for RGS2 in UM and proposes RGS2 stabilization as a potential therapeutic targeting strategy. </p> <p>In contrast to RGS2, RGS20 contributes to cancer progression, particularly in breast cancer. However, how RGS20 is regulated is understudied. Palmitoylation, a reversible post-translational modification, regulates functions of other RGS proteins, and RGS20 is predicted to be palmitoylated. We provided direct evidence of RGS20 palmitoylation in cells and validated the palmitoylation site as the conserved cysteine (Cys148) in the RGS domain. Our results showed that palmitoylation on this site does not affect its GAP activity and subcellular localization, but it affects the association between RGS20 and active Gαo, and inhibition of Gαo-mediated signaling. This study serves as a foundation for future studies in furthering understating the role of palmitoylation in RGS20 function and its possible implications in cancer biology. </p>

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