Master of Science / Division of Biology / Kristin Michel / To date malaria is the most important tropical disease, which is caused by Plasmodium sp. and vectored by anopheline mosquitoes. The mosquito’s immune system is one of the limiting factors of malaria transmission. Immune reactions, such as the prophenoloxidase (PPO) pathway result in the melanization of pathogens, and are effective at limiting parasite numbers. Novel strategies for malaria control aim to exploit the immune system to interrupt parasite transmission by boosting the immune responses in the mosquito vector. Serpins play a crucial role in regulating protease cascades involved in immunity of arthropods. In Anopheles gambiae, the major malaria vector in Sub-Saharan Africa, 18 SRPN genes encoding 23 distinct proteins have been identified. So far, two are identified as active inhibitors, and both affect parasite survival. This research aims to identify additional inhibitory serpins in An. gambiae and elucidate their potential function. Identification of such serpins will enhance our understanding of the immune system of this important vector species and may identify immunoregulators to be used in malaria control. SRPN7, 9, and 18 were tested for their ability to inhibit commercial proteases in vitro. Recombinant SRPN18 had no inhibitory activity, while SRPN7 and 9 inhibited several serine proteases. SRPN7, 9 and 18 were tested against two recombinant An. gambiae clip serine proteases (CLIPBs) that are required for activation of phenoloxidase and thus regulate melanization. Only SRPN9 strongly inhibited CLIPB9 in vitro, suggesting that this serpin is a potential negative regulator of melanization. This hypothesis is further supported by the finding that SRPN9 can inhibit PO activity in insect hemolymph, ex vivo. Taken together, this research identifies SRPN18 as the first non-inhibitory serpin described in mosquitoes. Additionally, this study describes the larval-specific SRPN7 as a functional inhibitor. Future studies on these proteins will elucidate their precise physiological functions. Finally, this thesis provides strong evidence that SRPN9 is a negative regulator of melanization in An. gambiae and may therefore affect pathogen survival within this important vector species.

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Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2006. / Härtill 3 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2008. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains v, 42 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 1997. / Prepared for: Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 1997. / Prepared for: Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Submitted by Marco Antônio de Ramos Chagas (mchagas@ufv.br) on 2018-04-19T13:14:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 2407879 bytes, checksum: 24a29868ff91347f5c8b65b662cb7870 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-19T13:14:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 2407879 bytes, checksum: 24a29868ff91347f5c8b65b662cb7870 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Serine/Arginine protein kinases (SRPKs) são componentes chave da maquinaria de splicing através da regulação por fosforilação das proteínas SR, as quais são cruciais para a seleção dos sítios de splicing alternativo. Entretanto, as SRPKs são frequentemente encontradas superexpressas ou com atividade alterada em diversos tipos de cânceres, inclusive em leucemias. Dessa forma, a busca por pequenas moléculas inibidores destas quinases são de potencial interesse para o delineamento de novas estratégias terapêuticas. Nesta tese, descreve­se a avaliação da inibição farmacológica de SRPKs pelo inibidor seletivo N­(2­ (piperidin­1­il)­5­(trifluorometil)fenil)isonicotinamida (SRPIN340) sobre a viabilidade de linhagens leucêmicas linfoides e mieloides. Além de mostrar atividade citotóxica significativa, o efeito dos tratamentos na regulação da fosforilação das proteínas SR e na alteração da expressão dos genes MAP2K1, MAP2K2, VEGF e FAS foram também identificados. Além disso, a inibição farmacológica de SRPKs foi capaz de desencadear eventos precoces e tardios de apoptose. Por último, estudos de fluorescência intrínseca de triptofano, docking molecular e dinâmica molecular foram analisados a fim de se obter informações estruturais acerca do complexo SRPK/SRPIN340. No segundo estudo, é descrita a síntese de uma série de vinte e duas trifluorometil arilamidas baseadas na estrutura molecular do SRPIN340, além da avaliação dos seus efeitos antileucêmicos. Alguns dos derivados apresentaram efeitos citotóxicos superiores contra linhagens de leucemia mieloide e linfoide em comparação com o SRPIN340. Em particular, os compostos N­(2­(4­bromofenilamino)­5­(trifluorometil)fenil)­2­cloronicotinamida (24), N­(2­(4­bromofenilamino)­5­(trifluorometil)fenil)nicotinamida (30), e N­(2­(4­ bromofenilamino)­5­(trifluorometil)fenil)benzamida (36) apresentaram valores de IC 50 na faixa de 6,0 – 35,7 μM (μmol L ­1 ). Estes três compostos também foram capazes de desencadear eventos de apoptose e autofagia, além de exibir efeito sinergístico em combinação com o agente quimioterápico vincristina. Além disso, o composto 30 se mostrou mais eficiente que o SRPIN340 na diminuição da fosforilação das proteínas SR bem como na diminuição da expressão de isoformas oncogênicas dos genes MAP2K1, MAP2K2, VEGF, e RON. Tomados conjuntamente, estes resultados sugerem que inibidores de SRPKs são capazes de suprimir o crescimento celular através da regulação dos eventos de splicing e podem ser considerados como ponto de partida importante para desenvolvimento de novas estratégias terapêuticas contra leucemias e outros tipos de cânceres. / Serine/Arginine protein kinase (SRPK) are key components of the splicing machinery trough the phospho­regulation of SR Proteins, which are crucial for exon selection in the alternative splicing. However, SRPK have frequently been found overexpressed or/and with altered activity in a number of cancers, including leukemias. Thus, the discovery of small molecule inhibitors against these kinases is of potential interest to identify novel therapeutic opportunities. Here, it is described the pharmacological inhibition of SRPK by N­(2­(piperidin­1­yl)­5­ (trifluoromethyl)phenyl)isonicotinamide (SRPIN340) on the viability of lymphoid and myeloid leukemia cell lines. Along with significant cytotoxic activity, the effect of treatments in regulating the phosphorylation of the SR protein family and in altering the expression of MAP2K1, MAP2K2, VEGF and FAS genes were also assessed. Furthermore, it was found that pharmacological inhibition of SRPKs can trigger early and late events of apoptosis. Finally, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence emission, molecular docking and molecular dynamics were analyzed to gain structural information on the SRPK/SRPIN340 complex. In a second study, it is described the synthesis of a series of twenty­two trifluoromethyl arylamides based on the SRPIN340 scaffold and the evaluation of their antileukemia effects. Some derivatives presented superior cytotoxic effects against myeloid and lymphoid leukemia cell lines compared to SRPIN340. In particular, compounds N­(2­(4­bromophenylamino)­5­(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)­2­chloronicotinamide (24), N­(2­(4­bromophenylamino)­5­(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)nicotinamide (30), and N­(2­(4­ bromophenylamino)­5­(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)benzamide (36) presented IC 50 values within the 6.0 – 35.7 μM (μmol L ­1 ) range. In addition, these three compounds were able to trigger apoptosis and autophagy, and they exhibited synergistic effects in combination with the chemotherapeutic agent vincristine. Moreover, compound 30 was more efficient than SRPIN340 in impairing the intracellular phosphorylation status of SR proteins as well as the expression of MAP2K1, MAP2K2, VEGF, and RON oncogenic isoforms in leukemia cells. Taken together, these results suggest that SRPK pharmacological inhibitors may be considered for the development of novel therapeutic strategies against leukemias and other types of cancers.

L'oncoprotéine MDM2 est reconnue comme un régulateur négatif majeur du suppresseur de tumeur p53, mais plus de preuves indiquent que ses activités oncogéniques vont au-delà de p53. Ici, nous montrons que MDM2 est recruté à la chromatine indépendamment de p53 pour réguler un programme transcriptionnel complexe impliqué dans le métabolisme des acides aminés et l'homéostasie redox. L'identification des gènes cibles de MDM2 au niveau du génome entier met en évidence un rôle important pour les facteurs de transcription ATF3/4 dans le recrutement de MDM2 à la chromatine. Ce recrutement de MDM2 à la chromatine est un processus étroitement régulé qui se produit lors d'un stress oxydatif et lors d'une déprivation en serine/glycine et est modulé par la pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) qui est une enzyme métabolique. La déplétion de la protéine MDM2 endogène dans des cellules déficientes en p53 altère le métabolisme sérine/glycine, le rapport NAD+/NADH et le recyclage de la glutathion (GSH), important leurs état redox et leurs potentiel tumorigènique. Nos données illustrent une fonction précédemment insoupçonnée de MDM2 à la chromatine impliquée dans le métabolisme des cellules cancéreuses. / The mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) oncoprotein is recognized as a major negative regulator of the p53 tumor suppressor, but growing evidence indicates that its oncogenic activities extend beyond p53. Here, we show that MDM2 is recruited to chromatin independently of p53 to regulate a transcriptional program implicated in amino acid metabolism and redox homeostasis. Identification of MDM2 target genes at the whole-genome level highlights an important role for ATF3/4 transcription factors in tethering MDM2 to chromatin. MDM2 recruitment to chromatin is a tightly regulated process that occurs during oxidative stress and serine/glycine deprivation and is modulated by the pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) metabolic enzyme. Depletion of endogenous MDM2 in p53-deficient cells impairs serine/glycine metabolism, the NAD+/NADH ratio, and glutathione (GSH) recycling, impacting their redox state and tumorigenic potential. Collectively, our data illustrate a previously unsuspected function of chromatinbound MDM2 in cancer cell metabolism.

Le recrutement des neutrophiles qui caractérise l’inflammation observée lors de différentes pathologies pulmonaires conduit à la libération dans le milieu extracellulaire de protéases à sérine qui sont en partie responsables de la dégradation du tissu pulmonaire et/ou de la chronicité de l’inflammation. L’objectif initial de cette thèse était de développer une méthode de quantification de ces protéases, à partir des condensats d’air exhalé. En dépit de la sensibilité de la technique nous n’avons pas été en mesure de détecter des quantités significatives de protéases actives dans ces condensats. Ces résultats négatifs ont néanmoins permis de confirmer des hypothèses sur la distribution des protéases dans le milieu extracellulaire. La deuxième partie des travaux a été consacrée à la validation du modèle souris exposée à la fumée de cigarette comme modèle animal de bronchopneumopathie chronique obstructive. Nous avons purifié les trois protéases à sérine du neutrophile murin et avons construit des nouveaux substrats sensibles et spécifiques à partir des informations fournies par des études de modélisation moléculaire. Ces nouveaux outils permettent de valider l’utilisation du modèle souris pour comprendre le rôle des protéases à sérine dans la génération de peptides chimiotactiques au cours de la BPCO. / Neutrophils recruitment is a hallmark of the inflammation associated with different lung diseases. This recruitment leads to the release in the extracellular matrix of serine proteases that are responsible at least in part, of the degradation of the pulmonary tissue and/or of the chronicity of inflammation. The initial objective of this thesis was to develop a method of quantification of these proteases, based on the analysis of exhaled air condensate. But in spite of the sensitivity of the methods, we have not been able to detect any significant activity of neutrophil serine proteases in these condensates. This negative result however gave support a hypothesis we formulated on the extracellular biodistribution of proteases in lung secretions. The second part of this thesis was devoted to the validation of an animal model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, i.e. the mouse exposed to cigarette smoke. We have purified three murine serine neutrophil proteases and developed new sensitive and specific FRET substrates which were designed starting from molecular modeling studies. These new tools that validate the use of the mouse model of human COPD, will be of great help to understand the role of serine proteases for generating chemotactic peptides during this chronic disease.