L'insuffisance rénale chronique (IRC) est une affection caractérisée par une perte progressive de la fonction rénale. L’IRC est associée à l'accumulation de diverses toxines urémiques. Les toxines urémiques ou solutés de rétention de l'urémie sont des composés qui s'accumulent chez les patients atteints d'IRC en raison d'un défaut de clairance rénale et qui exercent des effets biologiques délétères. Les hémodialyses éliminent mal les toxines urémiques liées aux protéines (PBUT), en raison de leur liaison aux protéines plasmatiques, en particulier la sérumalbumine humaine. En conséquence, les toxines urémiques liées aux protéines s'accumulent chez les patients atteints d'IRC et leur concentration ne peut que difficilement être diminuée chez les patients atteints d'insuffisance rénale terminale (IRT). Mes travaux sont principalement centrés sur les toxines urémiques, en particulier les toxines urémiques liées aux protéines, comme l’indoxyl-sulfate (IS), l'acide phénylacétique (PAA) et le p-crésyl-glucuronide (p-CG); et la zinc-alpha2-glycoprotéine (ZAG) qui est une « middle molécule ». Nous avons étudié le rôle de l'IS dans le développement de la résistance à l'insuline et d'autres troubles métaboliques associés à l'IRC, ainsi que ses effets sur l'inflammation et le stress oxydant. Nous avons exploré les propriétés de liaison du PAA et du p-CG à la sérumalbumine, qui est la plus abondante protéine dans le plasma humain. Enfin, nous avons essayé de développer une nouvelle stratégie d'élimination des PBUT, à l’aide de déplaceurs/compétiteurs chimique. / Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition characterized by progressive loss of kidney function. CKD is associated with the accumulation of various uremic toxins. Uremic toxins or uremic retention solutes are compounds that accumulate in patients with CKD due to impaired renal clearance and exert deleterious biological effects. Protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUT) is poorly removed by hemodialysis because of its binding to plasma proteins, particularly human serum albumin. As a result, protein-bound uremic toxins accumulate in patients with CKD and their concentration can hardly be reduced in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). My work focuses mainly on uremic toxins, particularly protein-bound uremic toxins such as indoxyl-sulfate (IS), phenylacetic acid (PAA) and p-cresyl-glucuronide (p-CG); and zinc-alpha2-glycoprotein (ZAG) which is a "middle molecule". We investigated the role of IS in the development of insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders associated with CKD, as well as its effects on inflammation and oxidative stress. We have investigated the binding properties of PAA and p-CG to serum albumin, which is the most abundant protein in human plasma. Finally, we tried to develop a new strategy to eliminate PBUTs, using chemical displacers / competitors.

This thesis is focussed on the investigation of matrices for matrix-assisted diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (MAD). Diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) is a family of experiments where the resonances in the chemical shift dimension are further dispersed in an extra dimension according to diffusion coefficient. A typical DOSY spectrum shows one single diffusion coefficient for all the resonances coming from one single species. However, If two or more resonances overlap, the diffusion resolution of the DOSY spectrum is compromised and a spurious diffusion coefficient results, intermediate between the species. In case of signal overlap, the use of more advanced processing methods aids to separate two analytes that differ by at least 30% in diffusion coefficient. In practice, many mixtures contain species of similar diffusion coefficients whose resonances overlap in the chemical shift dimension. The addition of co-solutes can modify the chemical environment (matrix), with which different analytes interact to different extents, and enhance the diffusion resolution of DOSY. However, the addition of co-solutes can risk the benefits of DOSY by increasing the probability of signal overlap. Signal overlap in MAD is avoided by using a 1H NMR-invisible surfactant such as sodium perfluorooctanoate (NaPFO), which has replaced each proton by a fluorine atom. PFO micelles are a tunable matrix which allows the separation of analytes via coulombic interactions by adjusting the pH. Differences in diffusion coefficient in NaPFO solution can be analysed using a modified Lindman's law to model the diffusion coefficient as a function of pH. The model rationalises the binding constants of analytes to PFO micelles with good accuracy, subject to the spectral data quality. Another alternative to resolve diffusion coefficients using the invisible MAD approach is by means of a commercially available alkyl surfactant like cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). CTAB in high ionic strength solution forms worm-like micelles whose resonances can be filtered out from the final DOSY spectrum. CTAB worm-like micelles have short transverse relaxation times compared to all of the analytes in the mixture. If a transverse relaxation filter is positioned at the beginning of a standard DOSY pulse sequence, as in PROJECT-Oneshot, the strong CTAB signals vanish and leave behind only the analyte resonances and hence avoid signal overlap. Finally, the use of bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a potential invisible matrix, using a similar approach to CTAB worm-like micelles is investigated, using a relaxation-weighted DOSY pulse sequence to suppress most of the BSA background signal (at a cost in analyte signal to noise ratio). An alternative to suppress most of the BSA background and preserve most of the analyte signal is by means of mild transverse relaxation filtration and spectral editing to obtain an edited DOSY spectrum that shows only the analyte signals. Nonetheless, it is a shame that useful MAD results can only be obtained under a narrow set of conditions: i) different mole ratios BSA: analyte to aid diffusion resolution, ii) mild T2 filtration to improve analyte signal to noise ratio and iii) spectral editing to remove residual BSA background.

Produtos de glicação avançada (AGE) contribuem para o estresse oxidativo e inflamatório, os quais constituem as bases celulares para as complicações a longo prazo do diabete melito (DM). A albumina é a principal proteína sérica modificada por AGE e afeta adversamente o metabolismo de lípides e a resposta infamatória em macrófagos, a função das ilhotas pancreáticas e a sensibilidade insulínica no músculo. Neste estudo, avaliamos o efeito da administração crônica de albumina AGE, associada ou não ao tratamento com N-acetilcisteína (NAC), sobre a sensibilidade periférica à insulina, infiltrado total e perfil de macrófagos, transcriptoma do tecido adiposo periepididimal e padrão de diferenciação de macrófagos peritoneais em ratos saudáveis. Albumina AGE foi produzida pela incubação de albumina de rato com glicolaldeído 10 mM, durante 4 dias a 37 °C, em agitação, no escuro. Albumina controle (C) foi preparada na presença de PBS apenas. Ratos Wistar com 4 semanas de idade foram divididos aleatoriamente em quatro grupos experimentais (n = 7-8), os quais receberam injeção intraperitoneal diária de albumina C ou albumina AGE (20 mg/Kg/dia) concomitantemente ou não a administração da NAC (600mg/L de água) (grupos albumina C + NAC e albumina AGE + NAC), durante 90 dias consecutivos. Parâmetros bioquímicos foram determinados por técnicas enzimáticas, peroxidação lipídica, pela medida de substâncias reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico (TBARS) na urina, expressão gênica, por RT-qPCR, e conteúdo proteico, por imuno-histoquímica. AGE total foi determinado por ELISA, carboximetil-lisina (CML) e pirralina (PYR), por cromatografia líquida/espectrometria de massa. O tecido adiposo periepididimal foi analisado por estereologia. A concentração de AGE total, CML e PYR foi, respectivamente, 9,2, 7000 e 235 vezes maior na albumina AGE em comparação à C. Consumo de ração, massa corporal, pressão arterial sistólica e concentração plasmática de colesterol total, triglicérides, ácidos graxos livres, glicose, insulina, ureia, creatinina, alanina aminotransferase, aspartato aminotransferase e excreção urinária de proteínas (24 h) foram semelhantes entre os grupos. A NAC reduziu em 1,4 e 1,6 vezes a concentração urinária de TBARS nos animais tratados com albumina AGE + NAC, em comparação aos grupos AGE e C+NAC, respectivamente. A albumina AGE reduziu em, aproximadamente, 1,4 vezes a sensibilidade à insulina em comparação ao C, o que foi prevenido pela NAC. O peso relativo do tecido adiposo periepididimal, a fração de área e o volume dos adipócitos foram semelhantes entre os grupos experimentais. Maior infiltrado macrofágico, (células F4/80 positivas), foi observado nos animais tratados com albumina AGE (1,3 x), o que também foi prevenido pela NAC. CD11b e CD206 permaneceram inalterados. O tratamento com albumina AGE também não alterou a expressão do mRNA de Ager (RAGE), Ddost (AGE-R1), Cd36, Nfkb1, Il6, Il10, Tnf, Nos2, Il12. No entanto, Itgam (CD11b - M1) e Mrc foram reduzidos no grupo AGE + NAC em comparação a C + NAC (2 e 1,9 x) e AGE (1,8 e 1,5 x, respectivamente). Aumento do mRNA de Slc2a4 (GLUT-4) e Ppara foi observado nos animais tratados com albumina AGE + NAC em comparação a C + NAC (Slc2a4: 1,6; Ppara 2,2 x) e AGE (2,3; 3,3 x). A albumina AGE contribuiu para maior expressão do Col12a1 (3,1 x) em relação ao C. Análise de macrófagos isolados da cavidade peritoneal apontaram elevação no mRNA de Il6 (2,6 x) e Ddost (1,4 x) no grupo AGE em relação ao C. Ddost também foi aumentado (1,2 x) no grupo AGE + NAC quando comparado ao C+NAC. Além disso, a NAC favoreceu o aumento do Arg1 (arginase 1) nos grupos albumina C + NAC (2,5 x) e AGE + NAC (2,6 x) quando comparados aos seus respectivos controles. Em conclusão, a albumina AGE favorece o infiltrado de macrófagos no tecido adiposo o que evidencia a sensibilização deste território à ação dos AGE e pode, a longo prazo, contribuir para piora na resistência à insulina, observada neste modelo animal. A NAC antagoniza os efeitos da albumina AGE e exerce, por si, efeitos benéficos sobre o perfil de diferenciação de macrófagos no tecido adiposo e peritônio, resposta inflamatória, peroxidação lipídica e resistência insulínica. A NAC pode ser uma ferramenta útil na prevenção das ações dos AGE sobre o desenvolvimento de resistência insulínica e complicações do DM / [Thesis]. São Paulo: \"Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, 2016\". Advanced glycation end-products (AGE) contribute to oxidative and inflammatory stress, which constitute the cellular basis for long-term complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). Albumin is the major serum protein modified by AGE and adversely affects macrophage lipid metabolism and inflammatory response, pancreatic islet function and muscle insulin sensitivity. We investigated the effect of chronic administration of AGE-albumin, associated or not with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment, in peripheral insulin sensitivity, macrophage infiltration and polarization and transcriptome of periepididimal adipose tissue and peritoneal macrophage differentiation in healthy rats. AGE-albumin was prepared by incubating rat albumin with 10 mM glycolaldehyde for 4 days, 37 °C, under shaker, in the dark. Control albumin (C) was incubated with PBS alone. Four-weeks old male Wistar rats (n = 7-8/group) were randomized into four groups receiving daily intraperitoneal injections of C or AGE albumin (20 mg/kg/day) alone or together with NAC (600mg/L drinking water) (C + NAC albumin and AGE + NAC albumin), for 90 consecutive days. Biochemical parameters were determined by enzymatic techniques, lipid peroxidation by the measurement of urinary thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), gene expression by RT-qPCR and protein content by immunohistochemistry. Total AGE was determined by ELISA and carboxymethyllysine (CML) and pyrraline (PYR) by liquid chromatography/ mass spectrometry. Periepididimal adipose tissue was analyzed by stereology. Total AGE concentration, CML and PYR were, respectively, 9.2, 7000 and 235 times higher in AGE albumin as compared to C. Food consumption, body weight, systolic blood pressure and plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, glucose, insulin, urea, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and urinary protein excretion (24 h) were similar among groups. NAC reduced urinary TBARS in AGE + NAC group as compared to AGE (1.4 x) and C + NAC (1.6 x), respectively. AGE albumin reduced 1.4 times the insulin sensitivity as compared to C albumin; this was prevented by NAC. Adipose tissue relative weight, adipocyte area fraction and volume were similar among groups. A higher (1.3 x) macrophage infiltrate (F4/80 positive cells) was observed in AGE albumin treated animals in comparison to those treated with C albumin and this was prevented by NAC. CD11b and CD206 were unchanged as well as mRNA de Ager (RAGE), Ddost (AGE-R1), Cd36, Nfkb1, Il6, Il10, Tnf, Nos2 and Il12. Itgam (CD11b - M1) and Mrc (CD206 - M2) were reduced in AGE + NAC group in comparison to C + NAC (2 and 1.9 x, respectively) and AGE (1.8 and 1.5 x, respectively). Increased Slc2a4 (GLUT-4) and Ppara mRNA were observed in AGE + NAC group in comparison to C + NAC (Slc2a4: 1.6 x; Ppara: 2.2 x) and to AGE (Slc2a4: 2.3 x; Ppara: 3.3 x). AGE albumin increased the expression of Col12a1 in 3.1 times as compared to C albumin. In peritoneal macrophages there was an increase in Il6 (2.6 x) and Ddost (1.4 x) in AGE group as compared to C. Ddost was also 1.2 times increased in AGE + NAC as compared to C+NAC. NAC increased Arg1 (arginase 1) in C + NAC (2.5 x) and AGE + NAC (2.6 x) as compared to their respective controls. In conclusion, AGE albumin favors macrophage infiltration in adipose tissue promoting over time tissue sensitization to AGE that may contribute to worsening insulin resistance in this animal model. NAC antagonizes the effects of AGE albumin and by itself has beneficial effects in macrophage differentiation in adipose tissue and peritoneal cavity, inflammatory response, lipid peroxidation and insulin sensitivity. NAC may be a useful tool in the prevention of AGE actions on the development of insulin resistance and long-term complications of DM

INTRODUÇÃO: a albumina sérica reduzida em pacientes em diálise peritoneal (DP) é associada à aterosclerose, causa de morte mais comum entre esses pacientes. Semelhantemente à síndrome nefrótica, supõe-se que a perda de proteínas conjuntamente a de fatores de regulação da hemostasia leva ao estímulo da síntese hepática de fatores pró-coagulantes, como o fibrinogênio, deslocando o equilíbrio hemostático em direção ao estado pró-trombótico. Pacientes em DP apresentam valores séricos elevados de marcadores da ativação endotelial e fatores pró-coagulantes, quando comparados a pacientes em hemodiálise (HD). A tromboelastografia (TEG) é um método que avalia propriedades do sangue global e dinâmica da coagulação, fornecendo, por meio de um traçado, valores absolutos do tempo de formação de fibrina (K), a agregação plaquetária (amplitude máxima - AM), a firmeza do coágulo (G), entre outros dados. Por final, classifica a coagulação em normal, hipocoagulante ou hipercoagulante segundo o índice de coagulação (IC) apresentado, sendo assim útil no diagnóstico precoce de coagulopatias. Por ser pouco utilizado em pacientes com DRC, utilizou-se o TEG na avaliação da hemostasia dos pacientes em diálise peritoneal automatizada (DPA) e investigou-se a relação com a perda de proteínas, bem como outras condições clínicas inerentes ao tratamento dialítico. MÉTODOS: este estudo foi do tipo transversal que incluiu pacientes estáveis em DPA. Foram obtidos dados demográficos, clínicos e bioquímicos de rotina do prontuário médico eletrônico. Adicionalmente, foram avaliados a coagulometria, a hemostasia primária [antitrombina (AT), proteína S, fator VIII (FVIII), fator IX (FIX), fator V (FV), fibrinogênio e dímero-D] e o TEG. Os pacientes foram submetidos ao teste de equilíbrio peritoneal (PET), a avaliação da perda de proteínas para a solução de diálise (PSD) e a absorção de glicose. O estado nutricional dos pacientes foi avaliado por meio de métodos objetivos e subjetivos. RESULTADOS: vinte pacientes (38±16 anos de idade, 55% mulheres, 22,4±14,8 meses em DPA, 40% de glomerulopatia, 70% transportadores médio lento/lento e em bom estado nutricional) foram incluídos no estudo. O FVIII e FIX elevados em 85% e 50% da amostra, respectivamente. O fibrinogênio (553,8±100,5 mg/dL) e o dímero-D (720 (520-1940) ug/L) foram elevados em mais da metade dos pacientes. O TEG revelou 55% dos pacientes hipercoagulantes, 45%, normais, e nenhum era hipocoagulante. Os pacientes hipercoagulantes foram caracterizados por um tempo K menor (1,3±0,4 vs. 1,8±0,3 minutos, p=0,007); AM (72,1±2,4 vs. 64,7±3,6 mm, p=0,000) e G (13,1±1,6 vs. 9,3±1,5 K, p= p=0,000) elevados, também alterados em 78% e 33%, respectivamente, nos pacientes com coagulação normal. Pacientes hipercoagulantes também apresentaram maiores valores de plaquetas (251±28 vs. 214±51 mil/mm³, p=0,038), que se correlacionou positivamente com AM/G (r=0,594, p=0,006), enquanto a proteína C foi menor (108±12 vs. 117±20 %, p=0,034) e a AT se correlacionou positivamente com o tempo K (r=0,635, p=0,011). Não houve diferença de albumina sérica, PSD, cinética de creatinina e estado nutricional entre os grupos normal e hipercoagulante. Os pacientes hipercoagulantes, entretanto, apresentaram menores valores de hemoglobina (10,3±1,4 g/dL vs. 12,0±1,1 g/dL; p=0,007), que se correlacionou negativamente com AM/G (r=-0,673, p=0,001), bem como o hematócrito (31±4 % vs. 36±3 %; p=0,010), que também se correlacionou negativamente com AM/G (r=-0,640; p=0,002). CONCLUSÃO: demonstramos que pacientes em DPA estáveis apresentaram uma tendência pró-trombótica caracterizada pela hiperfunção plaquetária e maior força de coágulo. Mesmo não havendo linearidade na relação com a hemostasia a perda de proteínas pode ter contribuído para a hipercoagulabilidade nesses pacientes. Entretanto, os eritrócitos reduzidos representaram um fator de confusão para o resultado do / INTRODUCTION: reduced serum albumin in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) is associated to atherosclerosis that is the leading cause of death. Similarly to nephrotic syndrome they lose protein; it is assumed that together with regulating factors of haemostasis this loss leads to liver synthesizes of procoagulants factors, such as fibrinogen, shifting the hemostatic equilibrium to a prothrombotic state. Patients on PD present elevated serum markers of endothelial activation and coagulant factors when compared with hemodialysis (HD) patients. Thromboelastography (TEG) is a method that evaluate blood properties through coagulation\'s global and dynamic perspectives, providing through a trace absolute values of fibrin\'s time formation (K), platelet aggregation (maximum amplitude - MA), clot strength (G), among other data. Finally it classifies the coagulation in normal, hypocoagulant or hypercoagulant according to the coagulation index (CI), so that it is useful in the early diagnosis of coagulopathies. TEG is not often used in patients with CKD, because of this we chose to use TEG for hemostatic evaluation in patients on APD and investigated its relation with protein loss as well as other clinical conditions intrinsic to the dialytic therapy. METHODS: this was a cross-sectional study that included stable patients on automated peritoneal dialysis (APD). Demographic, clinical and routine biochemical data were obtained from electronic medical chart. Additionally the coagulometry, primary hemostasis [antithrombin (AT), protein S, factor VIII (FVIII), factor IX (FIX), factor V (FV), fibrinogen and D-dimer] and TEG were evaluated. Patients were submitted to peritoneal equilibrium test (PET), protein loss to dialysis solution (PDS) and glucose absorption evaluations. Patients nutritional status was evaluated by objective and subjective methods. RESULTS: twenty patients (38±16 years old, 55% women, 22.4±14.8 months on APD, 40% of glomerulopathy, 70% slow average/slow transporters and well nourished) were included in this study. FVIII and FIX were elevated in 85% and 50% of the sample, respectively. Fibrinogen (553.8±100.5 mg/dL) and D-dimer (720 (520-1940) ug/L) were elevated in over half of the patients. TEG showed 55% of the patients hypercoagulant, 45% were normal and nobody was hypocoagulant. Hypercoagulant patients were characterized by a lower K-time (1.3±0.4 vs. 1.8±0.3 minutes; p=0.007); elevated MA (72.1±2.4 vs. 64.7±3.6 mm; p=0.000) and G (13.1±1.6 vs. 9.3±1.5 K; p= p=0.000); altered too in 78% and 33%, respectively, in normal coagulation patients. Hypercoagulant patients presented too higher values of platelet count (251±28 vs. 214±51 mil/mm³, p=0,038), but within the normal range, that correlated positively with MA/G (r=0.594; p=0.006) while protein C was lower (108±12 vs. 117±20 %; p=0,034) and AT correlated positively with K-time (r=0.635; p=0.011). There was no difference to serum albumin, PDS, creatinin kinetic and nutritional status between hypercoagulant and normal groups. However hypercoagulant patients presented lower values of hemoglobin (10.3±1.4 g/dL vs. 12.0±1.1 g/dL; p=0.007); that correlated negatively with MA/G (r=-0.673; p=0.001), as well as hematocrit (31±4 % vs. 36±3 %; p=0,010), which also correlated negatively with MA/G (r=-0.640; p=0.002). CONCLUSION: we demonstrated that stable patients on APD presented a prothrombotic tendency characterized by platelet hyperfuntion and clot strength. Even though there was no linearity in relation to hemostasis; protein loss may have contributed to the hypercoagulability in these patients. However reduced erythrocytes were a confounding factor in the TEG analysis

Particles and macromolecular components, including biopolymers (protein and carbohydrate), are viewed as the main foulants in the complex feed submerged membrane filtration systems such as membrane bioreactor (MBR). This work focused on two aspects of fouling in complex fluids: 1- Assessing fouling propensity and mechanisms for various model solutions. 2- Using of two specific solutions modelling biomass found in MBR for a better understanding of the fouling mechanisms in submerged MBR processes. Filtrations were carried out with 0.22 ??m PVDF hollow fibre membrane. Alginate was used as a model for polysaccharide, bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model for protein, (un)washed yeast and bentonite were representing suspended solid contents. According to the data obtained during this study the fouling propensity of each model solution was classified as follow in a decreasing order: Alginate &gt unwashed yeast &gt washed yeast &gt BSA &gt bentonite for one-component solutions; and Alginate-washed yeast &gt Alginate-BSA &gt Alginate-bentonite &gt Alginate-unwashed yeast for two-component solutions. Introducing the alginate increased the reversible fouling (except BSA). Passive adsorption had a significant effect on fouling of alginate even before the beginning of the filtration. Washed yeast and a mixture of washed yeast + BSA were then used as model solutions to simulate the activated sludge found in MBR. The concentration of washed yeast and BSA used in this study were calculated in order for the characterisations of the two model solution to match (in terms of biopolymer contents) those of MBR biomasses reported in the literature. By rinsing, backwashing and chemical cleaning of the membrane, three fouling layers of upper, intermediate and lower were defined respectively. Results obtained from the analysis of the biopolymers found in the cleaning solutions allow a better understanding of the fouling mechanisms occurring for the two model solutions used in this study: for washed yeast, the lower layer and for washed yeast + BSA , the upper and intermediate layers were found to have relatively high biopolymeric composition. This was explained by higher concentration of solids on the membrane surface and by higher biopolymer interactions when washed yeast was mixed with BSA.

<p>In this thesis, the structure and stability of globular proteins adsorbed onto nanometer-sized hydrophilic silica particles were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX), and mass spectrometry (MS). The adsorption process itself was characterized with fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The combination of these methods offered a unique insight into adsorption-induced changes within proteins related to their adsorption characteristics. DSC contributed with thermodynamic information on the overall structural stability within the protein population. HDX in combination with MS contributed information on the structure and stability of adsorbed proteins with focus on changes within the secondary structure elements. In order to increase the structural resolution in this part of the investigation, proteolysis was performed prior to the MS analyzing step. Knowledge on the protein adsorption process was utilized in a practical approach called ligand fishing. In this approach, SPR was used to monitor the chip-based affinity purification of a protein with MS used for protein identification.</p><p>Adsorption isotherms revealed that electrostatic interactions play an important role in the adsorption of proteins to hydrophilic surfaces. DSC investigation revealed that the thermal stability of proteins reduces with increasing electrostatic attraction between the protein and the surface and that this effect diminishes at higher surface coverage. The mass-increase due to exchange between protein hydrogen atoms and deuterium atoms in solution was investigated as a function of time. This gave insight into adsorption-induced changes in the structural stability of proteins. By combining DSC and HDX-MS, it was possible to differentiate between adsorption-induced changes in the secondary and tertiary structure. Additionally, if limited proteolysis was performed, the investigations gave insight into the orientation and protein segment specific changes in the stability of proteins adsorbed to silica surfaces. The adsorption of proteins to silica particles also provided the basis for a new experimental design that allows handling of minute amounts of proteins in a ligand fishing application, as used in the field of functional proteomics.</p>

<p>Drug transport across the intestinal epithelium is roughly predicted from permeability values obtained from Caco-2 cell monolayers. This thesis examines the important role of <i>pH</i> and extracellular additives for increasing the reliability and predictivity of the <i>in vitro</i> screening system, Caco-2.</p><p>It was shown that the passive transport of ionizable compounds may be biased by a false efflux or uptake component, when applying a physiological <i>pH</i>-gradient across the membrane. <i>pH</i> also affected the amount of compound available at the transporter-binding site. Therefore, <i>pH</i> dependence should be considered in studies of such compounds and of drug-drug interactions involving efflux transporters. It was also shown that proton-dependent apical uptake or basolateral efflux should be studied both with and without a <i>pH</i> gradient over the whole monolayers. </p><p>The two extracellular additives, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the solubilizing agent, Cremophor^® EL, also influenced Caco-2 permeabilities. BSA applied to the receiver side increases, and to the donor side decreases drug permeation according to the drug’s protein binding capacity. Thus, the absorptive transport for both passive and active compounds is favoured, giving a physiologically sound improvement of the Caco-2 cell model. Inclusion of BSA increased both the predictivity and quality of permeability studies, particularly of highly lipophilic, BCS class II compounds. Passive and active transport processes could also be distinguished after accounting for unbound concentrations. The overall effect of Cremophor^® EL on the permeability to a drug was compound-specific and probably dependent on micellar incorporation. Cremophor^® EL can therefore not be recommended. </p><p>Neither <i>pH</i> nor BSA affect the functionality of transporters such as P-glycoprotein. However, efflux ratios of ionizable or protein bound drugs are altered in the presence of a <i>pH</i>-gradient or BSA, indicating that an experimental system without protein or <i>pH</i> gradient can over- or underestimate active and passive efflux in drug transport.</p>

<p>Collagenous colitis (CC) is an inflammatory bowel disease of unknown etiology. It is characterized by watery diarrhoea without blood, normal endoscopic findings but microscopically colonic mucosal inflammation and increased thickness of the subepithelial collagen band, the latter being a pathognomonic sign. The inflammatory infiltrate in the mucosa of CC contains lymphocytes, plasma cells, eosinophils, mast cells but few neutrophils. The pathophysiological roles of the thickened collagen band and the inflammatory infiltrate in CC are not fully understood. The aims of the present study were to develop a colonoscope based segmental perfusions technique and to analyze local intestinal secretion of inflammatory mediators: Eosinophilic Cationic Protein (ECP), Myeloperoxidase (MPO), Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and permeability marker albumin in CC patients without medication and also during steroid treatment. Furthermore, the colonic mucosal distribution of bFGF and VEGF were studied by immunohistochemical methods.</p><p>Colonoscope-based segmental perfusions were performed in totally 22 patients and the success rate was 76% in both rectal and descending colon segments. The analysis showed high intraluminal concentrations of ECP, bFGF, VEGF and albumin in ten CC patients compared to 10 control patients. Further, albumin had correlations with ECP and VEGF. However, elevated concentrations of MPO, an important feature of ulcerative colitis, were only observed in a few CC patients. Immunohistochemistry visualized bFGF and VEGF in the colonic epithelium but also deeper in the lamina propria. The steroid treatment study (including 12 patients) showed that the perfusate concentrations of ECP, bFGF and VEGF declined significantly in parallel with decreased frequency of diarrhoea. </p><p>In conclusion, a safe colonoscope-based, segmental perfusion technique was developed and perfusions of the rectum and descending colon were performed. CC patients had elevated perfusate concentrations of ECP, VEGF and bFGF. There was a marked reduction of these mediators during steroid treatment supporting the hypothesis that these inflammatory mediators separately or synergistically participate in the inflammatory reaction and tissue remodelling in CC patients. The finding of correlations between albumin and ECP or VEGF implies that permeability is increased in CC and may be triggered by ECP and VEGF. </p>

<p>Many elderly undergo cardiac surgery. The prevalence of malnutrition in elderly is high and increases with comorbidity. This thesis aims to clarify some aspects on performing surgery in elderly concerning nutritional status, nutritional treatment and age-related physiology.</p><p>Study I: 886 patients were assessed preoperatively by body mass index (BMI) and S-albumin and postoperatively for mortality and morbidity.. Low BMI increased the relative hazard for death and low S-albumin increased the risk for infection. BMI and S-albumin are useful in preoperative evaluations</p><p>Study II: we followed energy intake in 31 patients for five postoperative days. Scheduled and unscheduled surgery did not differ in preoperative resting energy expenditure (REE). REE increased by 10-12% postoperatively, more in unscheduled CABG. Nutritional supplementation increased total energy intake. All patients exhibited postoperative energy deficits, less prominent in the supplemented group. There were no differences in protein synthesis or muscle degradation. </p><p>Study III: in 16 patients, .we measured stress hormones and insulin resistance before surgery and for five postoperative days Patients were insulin resistant on the first two days. We saw no clearly adverse or beneficial effects of oral carbohydrate on insulin resistance or stress hormone response. </p><p>Study IV: 73 patients, with early enteral nutrition (EN), were observed until discharge or resumed oral nutrition. EN started within three days in most patients. In a minority, problems occurred (gastric residual volumes, tube dislocation, vomiting, diarrhoea, aspiration pneumonia). In the cardiothoracic ICU individually adjusted early EN is feasible. </p><p>Study V: in 16 patients, splanchnic blood flow (SBF) enhancing treatments (dopexamine (Dpx) or EN) were compared. Dpx increased systemic blood flow, but had only a transient effect on SBF. EN had no effect on systemic blood flow or SBF. Neither Dpx, EN or the combined treatment, exhibited any difference between groups on systemic or splanchnic VO₂ or oxygen extraction ratio. </p>

<p>Biochemical and epidemiological aspects of pre-eclampsia were investigated, with the main focus on possible pathophysiological differences between early-onset and late-onset disease.</p><p>In pre-eclamptic women poor correlation was found between albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) in a random urine sample and total amount of albumin in a 24-hour urine collection. <i>(Paper I)</i><b> </b></p><p>In a cohort of women giving birth in Sweden in 1973-82 we estimated the adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) for ischaemic heart disease (IHD) during the years 1987–2001. The adjusted IRR for development of IHD was 1.6-2.8 in woman exposed to gestational hypertensive disease during her pregnancy compared with unexposed women. The higher risk represents more severe or recurrent hypertensive disease. <i>(Paper II)</i></p><p>Before delivery, in early-onset pre-eclampsia (24-32 weeks) there were pronounced alterations in plasma concentrations of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt1) and placental growth factor (PlGF), and also a higher placental 8-iso-PGF_2α concentration and an elevated serum ratio of plasminogen-activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 to PAI-2 compared with early controls. In late-onset pre-eclampsia (35-42 weeks) there were only moderate alterations in sFlt1 and PlGF concentrations, and the placental 8-iso-PGF_2α concentration and PAI-1/ PAI-2 ratio were similar to those in late controls. <i>(Papers III, V)</i> There was a rapid postpartum decrease in sFlt1 concentration in all groups. One week postpartum the sFlt1 concentration was persistently higher, however, in women with early-onset pre-eclampsia compared with early controls. <i>(Paper IV)</i></p><p>In conclusion: random ACR cannot replace 24-hour urine collections for quantification of albuminuria in pre-eclamptic women; gestational hypertensive disease, especially severe or recurrent, increases the risk for later IHD; early-onset, but not late-onset pre-eclampsia is associated with pronounced alterations of angiogenesis-related markers and only early-onset pre-eclampsia is associated with placental oxidative stress and an increased PAI-1/ PAI-2 ratio, all suggesting a stronger link between early-onset than late-onset pre-eclampsia and a dysfunctional placenta.</p>