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Inflammation has been found to play a role in the development of many different tumors. However, a tumor's ability to evade immune cell recognition can be integral to its progression as well. The following works explore this complicated role with a focus on histiocytic sarcoma (HS) and breast cancer. Chapter 1 opens with a broad overview of inflammation in tumorigenesis while Chapter 2 focuses on a review and discussion of current HS literature. Our investigations into the role of inflammation specifically in HS are initiated in Chapter 3 where we explore the role of the regulatory NLR, NLRX1, in the development of HS in mice. NLRX1 is an intracellular patter recognition receptor that functions to regulate pro-inflammatory cell pathways. Our studies reveal that in carcinogen-induced HS in mice, NLRX1 acts as a tumor suppressor. Moreover, when NLRX1 is lost, tumors that develop are associated with increases in expression of genes in NF-κB and AKT pathways. Though uncommon, HS is a clinically relevant tumor in dogs. In Chapter 4, we further investigate the role of the pathways identified in Chapter 3 in canine patients. Not only were these pathways increased, but our results also revealed previously unreported differences in tumors diagnosed as HS versus those diagnosed as hemophagocytic HS. To improve the use of canine HS both as an experimental and translational model, we sought to create a murine xenograft model. In Chapter 5, we discuss the development of our model and the results of pilot studies using targeted drug therapy. The focus of Chapters 3-5 is to further explore the role of inflammation in the development of HS. However, as aforementioned, the role of inflammation in tumorigenesis is quite complicated. In Chapter 6, we aim to address the concept that the lack of inflammation through immune evasion, can also be important in tumors. Breast cancer in humans is traditionally recognized as being highly immunosuppressive. In this final chapter, we investigate the use of an attenuated strain of bacteria to treat these tumors by way of shifting the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment to a more pro-inflammatory state. / Ph. D.

Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Uncontrolled microglia activation produces major proinflammatory factors including cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) that may cause dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonist pioglitazone has potent antiinflammatory property. We hypothesize pioglitazone protects dopaminergic neuron from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neurotoxicity by interacting with relevant signal pathways, inhibiting microglial activation and decreasing inflammatory mediators. First, the neuroprotection of pioglitazone was explored. Second, the signaling transductions such as jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and the interference with these pathways by pioglitazone were investigated. Third, the effect of pioglitazone on these pathways-mediated PGE2 / nitric oxide (NO) generation was investigated. Finally, the effect of PPARγ antagonist on the inhibition of PGE2 / NO by pioglitazone was explored. The results show that LPS neurotoxicity is microglia-dependent, and pioglitazone protects neurons against LPS insult possibly by suppressing LPS-induced microglia activation and proliferation. Second, pioglitazone protects neurons from COX-2 / PGE2 mediated neuronal loss by interfering with the NF-κB and JNK, in PPARγ-independent mechanisms. Third, pioglitazone significantly inhibits LPS-induced iNOS / NO production, and inhibition of LPS-induced iNOS protects neuron. Fourth, inhibition p38 MAPK reduces LPS-induced NO generation but no effect is found upon JNK inhibition, and pioglitazone inhibits p38 MAPK phosphorylation induced by LPS. In addition, pioglitazone increases PPARγ phosphorylation, followed by the increased PI3K/Akt phosphorylation. Nevertheless, inhibition of PI3K increases LPS-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Inhibition of PI3K eliminates the inhibitive effect of pioglitazone on the LPS-induced NO production, suggesting that the inhibitive effect of pioglitazone on the LPS-induced iNOS and NO might be PI3K-dependent.

The healing process is an attractive topic in biology and medicine. There are two types of wound healing - in embryos and in adults. In the case of embryonic wound healing the whole process is simplified and accelerated. An inflammatory reaction typical for adult healing is eliminated and the wound is healed without scars. Better understanding of embryonic wound healing could lead to more effective treatment of injuries, burns and chronic wounds in human population. The studying of molecular mechanisms in the healing process is also meaningful in the context of understanding the cancer regulation. The wound healing could be compared with embryonic development in many ways. The body's axes are essential for a spatial activation of genes involved in development. Our hypotesis was that the axis are also important for wound healing. It has been suggested that the cell's polarity and motility depends whether the wound is vertical or horizontal. There are also connections between wound healing and cancer development. One of them is the degradation of the basement membrane (BM) and extracellular matrix (ECM). The process of degradation is catalyzed by the coordinated action of several classes of enzymes. Some of them - matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and their role in embryonic wound healing have been...

The gonadotropin-induced resumption of meiosis and cumulus expansion in preovulatory follicles is preceded by expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like factors, amphiregulin (AREG) and epiregulin (EREG), in mural granulosa and cumulus cells. In vitro, the EGF-like peptides are also produced in cumulus cells upon stimulation by FSH. Both FSH and the EGF-like peptides stimulate resumption of meiosis and cumulus expansion in vitro via activation of a broad signaling network in cumulus cells. To define signaling pathways that drive FSH- and AREG-induced cumulus expansion and meiotic resumption, in vitro cultured pig cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were treated with specific protein kinase inhibitors. The results document that FSH-stimulated, but not the AREG-stimulated resumption of meiosis, depends on the PKA and MAPK14 activities; both modes of stimulation require activation of EGFR and MAPK3/1. To characterize the effects of FSH and EGF-like peptides on gene expression in cumulus cells, transcriptomes of cumulus cells were analysed using microarray approach. Both FSH and AREG+EREG increased the expression of genes associated with regulation of cell proliferation, blood coagulation and extracellular matrix remodeling. In contrast to AREG+EREG, FSH also increased the expression of genes coding...

Les β-arrestines jouent un rôle important dans la transduction du signal par les récepteurs couplés aux protéines G (RCPG). Nous montrons dans cette thèse que les β-arrestines exercent des régulations plus complexes et subtiles qu'on ne le pensait jusque-là sur la voie AMPc/PKA/CREB qui est activée par les RCPGs couplés à Gs. Nous montrons que les β-arrestines interagissent directement la PKAcat et contribuent à sa translocation nucléaire. De plus, nous mettons en évidence une interaction β-arrestine/CREB qui conduit à la formation d'un complexe transcriptionnellement actif sous l’action de l’agoniste. D’autre part, nous avons constaté que les β-arrestines interagissent directement avec PKAcat, p70S6K et Src via un même site et lesquelles sont donc potentiellement mutuellement exclusives. Nous avons ensuite mesuré l’impact d’une mutation et d’un polymorphisme du R-FSH sur la signalisation dépendante des β-arrestines, notamment grâce à l’utilisation de senseurs FRET et BRET. / Β-arrestins play an important role in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-induced signal transduction. In this thesis, we show here that β-arrestins exert more complex and subtle regulation than previously thought on the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway which is activated by Gs-coupled GPCRs. We demonstrate that β-arrestins directly interact with PKAcat and promote its translocation to the nucleus. Moreover, we provide evidence that β-arrestins directly interact with CREB thereby forming a transcriptionally active complex upon agonist stimulation. We also found that PKAcat, p70S6K and Src all directly interact with β-arrestins through the same interaction site and are therefore potential mutually exclusive interactions. We then measured the impact of a point mutation and of a polymorphism in the FSH-R on β-arrestin-dependent signaling, in part using FRET and BRET sensors.

O fungo filamentoso Trichoderma reesei é uma espécie de grande importância biotecnológica no que tange a degradação de biomassa lignocelulósica para a produção de bioetanol em larga escala. Seu sistema de enzimas celulolíticas é muito eficiente, apesar de ser possuir poucas celulases, sugerindo que o controle dessas enzimas vai além da regulação transcricional. Assim, neste trabalho nós obtivemos o perfil fosfoproteômico de T. reesei cultivado em glicose e bagaço de cana-de-açúcar a partir de análise fosfoproteômica LC-MS/MS por spectral counting. A comparação entre os perfis de fosfoproteínas obtidos das linhagens parental QM6a de T. reesei e dos mutantes knockout para TMK1 e TMK2 permitiu a demonstração de que essas MAPK agem de maneira interconectada com outras vias de transdução de sinal na célula, especialmente a via de TOR e de AMPc-PKA, para regulação da produção de celulases. Além disso, também demonstramos a regulação da resposta a estresse celular por TMK2, e o papel da fosforilação no controle direto de enzimas CAZy. Nossos resultados mostram que a fosforilação desempenha papel importante na regulação dessas enzimas e de outras funções celulares no fungo após a transcrição de seus respectivos genes. O agrupamento desses dados permite melhor entendimento da via de sinalização mediada pelas MAPK TMK1 e TMK2 de T. reesei, e como as modificações pós-traducionais promovidas por elas afetam no sensing de nutrientes celulares e, por consequência, na produção de enzimas celulolíticas, de forma direta ou indireta. / The filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei has great biotechnological importance in regards to the lignocellulosic biomass degradation for large-scale production of bioethanol. Its cellulolytic system is very efficient, despite being composed by only a few cellulases, which suggests that the control of these enzymes goes beyond their transcriptional regulation. Thus, in this study, we performed a spectral counting LC-MS/MS analysis and achieved the phosphoproteomic profile of T. reesei grown either in glucose or sugarcane bagasse as sole carbon source. The comparison between the phosphoproteins profiles obtained from the parental strain QM6a and the knockout mutants for TMK1 and TMK2 allowed us to demonstrate that these MAPK act in an interconnected manner with other signaling transduction pathways, especially the TOR and cAMP-PKA pathways, in order to regulate the cellulases production. Furthermore, we were also able to determine the regulation of cellular stress response by TMK2, and the role of phosphorylation in the direct control of CAZymes. Our results show that phosphorylation plays an important role on the control of these enzymes and other cellular functions in T. reesei after the transcription of their respective genes. Taken together, this data allows better comprehension of the signaling pathways mediated by TMK1 and TMK2 in T. reesei, and how the post-translational modification promoted by these MAPK might affect the nutrient sensing and, therefore, the production of the cellulolytic enzymes, either directly or indirectly.

Os mastócitos são células multifuncionais do sistema imunológico que participam em diversos processos biológicos. As funções dos mastócitos estão diretamente relacionados com a sua ativação e, subsequente, liberação de mediadores químicos. Os eventos iniciais da ativação dos mastócitos e da transdução de sinais ocorrem em microdomínios lipídicos (lipid rafts) da membrana plasmática. Os gangliosídeos derivados do GD1b são constituintes dos lipid rafts de mastócitos de roedores. O intercruzamento destes gangliosídeos pelo mAb AA4, resulta na formação de agregados (caps) na superfície celular e promove uma ativação parcial dos mastócitos, sem que ocorra a desgranulação. A ativação é semelhante a observada quando os FcRIs são intercruzados por antígenos multivalentes ligados a IgEs, mas neste caso ocorre a desgranulação. O presente estudo tem como objetivo caracterizar o papel dos gangliosídeos derivados do GD1b na liberação de mediadores de mastócitos da linhagem RBL-2H3. O intercruzamento dos gangliosídeos derivados do GD1b resulta na ativação dos fatores de transcrição NFAT e NFB e esta ativação é mediada pela proteína quinase Syk. A ativação destes fatores de transcrição resulta na liberação de mediadores neo-sintetizados, tais como: TNF-, interleucina (IL)-4. Por outro lado, o intercruzamento dos gangliosídeos derivados de GD1b não induz a liberação dos mediadores neoformados como o leucotrieno B4 (LTB4) e o leucotrieno C4 (LTC4). A agregação dos gangliosídeos derivados do GD1b resulta na desorganização dos lipid rafts e na redistribuição de seus componentes, como demostrado pela análise proteômica. Estes dados mostraram proteínas capazes de desencadear uma ativação parcial dos mastócitos e proteínas reguladoras negativas da desgranulação estão up reguladas, enquanto que proteínas críticas para a transdução do sinal estão down reguladas. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho demonstram que os gangliosídeos derivados do GD1b desempenham papel crucial na integridade dos lipid rafts modulando a ativação e liberação de mediadores de mastócitos. / Mast cells are immunoregulatory cells that participate in diverse biological events. The action of mast cells is directly related to their activation and subsequent mediator release. Early signal transduction events occur in lipid rafts in the plasma membrane. GD1b-derived gangliosides are known constituents of lipid rafts in rodent mast cells. The cross-linking of these gangliosides by mAb AA4 results in a partial activation of mast cells similar to that observed when FcRIs are cross-linked, but does not result in the mast cell degranulation. With time, the gangliosides bound to mAb AA4 cap on the cell surface. The present study aims to characterize the role of the rodent mast cell specific gangliosides derived from GD1b in mediator release from RBL-2H3 mast cells. Cross-linking the GD1b-derived gangliosides activated the transcription factors NFAT and NFB and this activation was mediated by Syk. The activation of theses transcription factors by cross-linked GD1b-derived gangliosides results in the release of the neo-synthesized mediators TNF- and interleukin (IL)-4. However, cross-linking GD1b-derived gangliosides did not stimulate release of the newly formed mediators leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and leukotriene C4 (LTC4). Capping of GD1b-derived gangliosides disorganized lipid rafts and resulted in a redistribution of lipid raft components. Proteomic analysis showed that proteins that trigger mast cell activation and negative regulatory proteins of degranulation are up regulated, whereas proteins critical for signal transduction are down regulated in mast cells where the gangliosides are capped. The results of this work demonstrate that the mast cell-specific GD1b-derived gangliosides are crucial in maintaining the functional integrity of the lipid rafts and modulate cell activation and subsequent mediator release from mast cells.

Doenças da córnea estão entre as principais causas de cegueira e os mecanismos de lesão e reparação estão em grande parte concentradas no epitélio, porém os mediadores e alvos para possíveis intervenções terapêuticas são pouco conhecidos.Nas agressões ao epitélio da córnea, a ativação dos receptores vanilóides de potencial transitório 1 (TRPV1) leva a resposta inflamatória e cicatricial. O objetivo desse trabalho é identificar os mecanismos de sinalização e resposta do TRPV1 na córnea de animais experimentais. O cultivo de células epiteliais de córnea de ratos, a identificação de mediadores por western blot, medida do influxo de cálcio, resposta de citocinas medidas por ensaio quantitativo de PCR em tempo real (RNAm) e ELISA (proteína) após estímulos nocioceptivos ou inflamatórios; e a investigação histológica e imunohistoquimica em modelos animais, sejam ratos com diabetes mellitus (DM) por 8 semanas ou expostos a cloreto de benzalcônio a 0,2% (BAC) por 7 dias. Camundongos TRPV1-/- comparados aos controles C57 foram comparados sem estimulo, ou sob estimulo único com CAP a 1µM, BAC 0,2 % por 7 dias ou após queimadura alcalina com NaOH a 1M. Os resultados mostraram a presença de TRPV1 em epitélio de córnea em cultura primária, mostraram que essas células respondem com influxo de cálcio ao estímulo com o agonista Capsaicina a 1µM e aumento de TNF? e IL-1? (sendo máximo nas combinações CAP+CPZ e Win+CAP, respectivamente). Em ratos com DM e BAC ocorre a redução da expressão do RNAm de IL-1? (p=0,0269) na córnea, entre outras alterações. Os camundongos TRPV1-/- tem fenótipo físico e ocular normal, porém reduzida sensibilidade a CAP 1µM. O tratamento com BAC leva a diminuição da secreção lacrimal (p=0,0011) e de IL-1? e TNF? na glândula lacrimal (GL) de TRPV1-/- machos (p=0,0177, p=0,0245, respectivamente). A queimadura alcalina com NaOH 1M resultou em melhor cicatrização e maior espessura epitelial no grupo TRPV1-/-. Em ix conclusão, o TRPV1 está presente na córnea e atua em resposta a agressões externas. Situações adquiridas como DM e toxicidade por BAC, reconhecidas como neuropáticas diminuem a expressão de mediadores inflamatórios. A ausência genética e TRPV1 não altera o fenótipo, mas apresenta menor sensibilidade e melhor restauração da superfície ocular após queimadura alcalina / Corneal diseases are among the leading causes of blindness.Damage and repair mechanisms are largely concentrated in the epithelium, but the mediators and targets for possible therapeutic interventions are poorly understood. The aggressions to the corneal epithelium, the activation of vanilloid receptors transient potential 1 (TRPV1) leads to inflammatory and wound healing. The aim of this study is to identify the signaling mechanisms and TRPV1 response in the cornea of experimental animals.The culture of epithelial cells from rat cornea, to identify mediators by western blot analysis, measurement of calcium influx, cytokine response measured by PCR real time (mRNA) and ELISA (protein) nocioceptivos or after inflammatory stimuli; and the histological and immunohistochemical investigation in animal models are mice with diabetes mellitus (DM) for 8 weeks, and exposed to benzalkonium chloride at 0.2% (BAC) for 7 days. Mice TRPV1-/- compared to control C57 were compared with no stimulus, or under single stimulation with 1 µM Capsaicine (CAP), BAC 0.2% for 7 days or after the alkali burn with NaOH 1 M.The results showed the presence of TRPV1 in corneal epithelium in primary culture, showed that these cells respond to calcium influx the stimulus with capsaicin agonist 1?M and increase of TNF? and IL-1? (being maximum at the CAP + CPZ combinations and Win + CAP, respectively). In rats with DM and BAC occurs reducing the expression of IL-1? mRNA (p = 0.0269) in the cornea, among other changes. The TRPV1-/- mice have physical phenotype and normal ocular but low sensitivity to CAP 1?M. Treatment with BAC leads to decreased tear secretion (p = 0.0011) and IL-1? and TNF? in the lacrimal gland (GL) of TRPV1-/- mice (p = 0.0177, p = 0.0245, respectively) . The alkaline burn with NaOH 1M resulted in better healing and greater epithelial thickness in TRPV1-/- group .In conclusion, TRPV1 is present in the cornea and operates in response to external aggressions. Situations existing as DM and xi toxicity BAC recognized as neuropathic decrease the expression of inflammatory mediators. Genetic absence and TRPV1 does not alter the phenotype, but has lower sensitivity and better restoration of the ocular surface after alkaline burn