Células pluripotentes são aquelas que possuem a capacidade de dar origem às células dos três folhetos embrionários (ectoderma, mesoderma e endoderma), bem como também às células germinativas. As células-tronco embrionárias (CTE) são as células pluripotentes mais conhecidas, as quais apresentam uma elevada capacidade de diferenciação celular e autorenovação. Estas propriedades tornam as CTE potenciais ferramentas para a medicina regenerativa, porém seu uso na prática clínica enfrenta várias barreiras. Neste sentido, o acúmulo de conhecimento a respeito dos mecanismos envolvidos na manutenção da pluripotência, levou ao desenvolvimento de técnicas capazes de induzir a pluripotência em células somáticas adultas. Na maioria das abordagens, isto se dá pela expressão ectópica de fatores de transcrição envolvidos na pluripotência (como Oct4 e Nanog). Com isto em vista, torna-se evidente que estudos que levem a um melhor entendimento destas propriedades biológicas, podem levar ao desenvolvimento desta importante área. Apesar destas inovações, os mecanismos responsáveis pela manutenção ou indução da pluripotência e da autorenovação, continuam largamente inexplorados. Neste sentido, o conjunto de técnicas referidas como High Content Screening (HCS) apresenta características fundamentais que permitiriam a interrogação sistemática e em larga-escala de fatores que possam estar influenciando nestes processos. A técnica de HCS se baseia no uso de microscopia de fluorescência em placas de 96 ou mais poços, permitindo a aquisição e a análise automatizada das imagens, de forma a quantificar alterações fenotípicas nas células. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estabelecer um modelo experimental para a avaliação funcional e em larga escala de fatores que possam influenciar a diferenciação celular. Tendo em vista a facilidade de cultivo e manuseio, a linhagem humana de células pluripotentes de carcinoma embrionário (CCE) NTera-2, foi utilizada. Para a padronização do modelo, o processo de diferenciação foi avaliado ao longo do tempo (em 2, 4 e 8 dias) na presença ou ausência de ácido transretinóico (atRA), utilizado como indutor de diferenciação celular. Para isso, os níveis transcricionais de Oct4, Nanog (marcadores da pluripotência) e de N-Caderina foram avaliados por PCR em tempo real. Finalmente, a expressão e a distribuição celular de Oct4, Nanog e da alfa-actina foi avaliada por meio de microscopia de fluorescência automatizada, com o uso de anticorpos ou faloidina marcada, utilizando um sistema de HCS (Operetta, Perkin Elmer) para a análise dos resultados. A proliferação celular das células submetidas à diferenciação foi avaliada pelo ensaio do XTT. O atRA inibiu a proliferação e induziu a diferenciação; como demonstrado, respectivamente, pelos resultados do ensaio do XTT, decaimento dos níveis de Oct4 e Nanog e, concomitante aumento de N-Caderina, ao longo do tempo. Também foi observada a diferenciação espontânea da linhagem, na ausência de atRA, porém, de forma reduzida. Finalmente, as avaliações de HCS evidenciaram que, durante o processo de diferenciação, a perda da expressão nuclear de Oct4 e Nanog está associada à alteração do fenótipo celular, com a redistribuição da actina cortical e a formação das stress fibers, caracterizando o processo de transição epitélio-mesenquima (EMT), um importante mecanismo envolvido na diferenciação celular. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho demonstram a viabilidade do uso da linhagem NTera-2 como modelo para estudos futuros de HCS visando a identificação de moléculas que atuem na modulação de propriedades fundamentais das células tronco pluripotentes. / Pluripotent stem cells are those that possess the ability to generate cells from the three germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm), as well as the germ cells. The embryonic stem cells (ESC) are the best known pluripotent cells that present a high capacity of cell differentiation and self renewal. These properties of the ESC make them potential tools for the regenerative medicine, but their use in clinical practice faces several barriers. In this sense, the accumulation of knowledge about the mechanisms involved in the maintenance of pluripotency led to the development of techniques capable of inducing pluripotency in adult somatic cells. In most approaches, this is achieved by the ectopic expression of transcription factors involved in pluripotency (such as Oct4 and Nanog). With this in mind, it becomes clear that studies that provide a better understanding of these biological properties can lead to the development of this important area. Despite these innovations, the mechanisms responsible for the maintenance or induction of pluripotency and self-renewal remain largely unexplored. In this sense, the set of techniques such as High Content Screening (HCS) has fundamental characteristics that allow systematic and large-scale interrogation of factors that may be influencing these processes. The HCS technique is based on the use of fluorescence microscopy in 96-well or larger plates, allowing the automated acquisition and analysis of images, so as to measure phenotypic changes in the cells. This study aimed to establish an experimental model for functional and large-scale assessment of factors that may influence cellular differentiation. Due its simple cultivation and handling characteristics, a human lineage of pluripotent embryonal carcinoma cell (ECC) NTERA-2 was used. To standardize the model, the process of differentiation was evaluated over time (at 2, 4 and 8 days) in the presence or absence of all-trans retinoic acid (atRA), used as an inducer of cellular differentiation. The transcriptional levels of Oct4, Nanog (pluripotency markers) and Ncadherin were assessed by real time PCR. Finally, the expression and cellular distribution of Oct4, Nanog and alpha-actin was assessed by fluorescence microscopy, using antibodies or labelled phalloidin, using a HCS platform (Operetta, Perkin Elmer) for the analysis of the results. The proliferation of cells undergoing differentiation was assessed by XTT assay. atRA inhibited proliferation and induced differentiation, as shown by the XTT assay results, and the decay of Oct4 and Nanog, and concomitant increase of N-cadherin levels over time, respectively. It was also observed spontaneous differentiation in the absence of atRA although in less extent. Finally, the HCS results showed that during the differentiation process, the loss of nuclear expression of Oct4 and Nanog is associated with alteration of cell phenotype, with redistribution of cortical actin and formation of stress fibers, characterizing the epithelialmesenchymal transition (EMT), an important mechanism involved in cell differentiation. The results of this study therefore demonstrate the feasibility of using the NTERA-2 cell line as a model for future HCS studies aiming identification of molecules that act in the modulation of fundamental properties of pluripotent stem cells.

A endometriose, caracterizada por crescimento de tecido endometrial fora da cavidade uterina, é responsável por sintomas álgicos com grande impacto na qualidade de vida da paciente. Várias linhas de medicações têm sido estudadas para essa o tratamento da endometriose, já que a cirurgia não é o tratamento de escolha sempre e, quando realizado, não é um tratamento definitivo. O conhecimento da patogenia da endometriose é fundamental para o estudo de novas classes de medicações. Uma delas, os fatores inibitórios da angiogênese, tem papel fundamental no estabelecimento e crescimento de lesões de endometriose. Neste estudo, buscamos a influência da Bevacizumab, droga anti-fator de crescimento endotelial (anti-VEGF), utilizada em duas dosagens diferentes, em endometriose peritoneal induzida em ratas, modelo animal já bem estabelecido para o estudo de endometriose. As ratas permaneceram sob tratamento durante 4 semanas, após as quais foram sacrificadas, sendo as lesões e o corno uterino remanescente retirados para posterior avaliação. Foi realizada avaliação da área das lesões de cada rata, da presença de tecido endometrial à microscopia, da positividade para o anticorpo antiVEGF na imunohistoquímica e da expressão gênica de PCNA, MMP9, Tp63 e VEGFA. O bevacizumab atuou reduzindo a área das lesões nos grupos que receberam medicação (p=0,002) e reduzindo a expressão gênica para Tp63 nas lesões (p=0,04). Não houve resultado significativo nas outras avaliações / Endometriosis, characterized by growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, is responsible for painful symptoms with great impact on the quality of life of women. Several lines of medications have been studied for endometriosis\'s treatment, since surgery is not always the treatment of choice and, when done, it is not a definitive treatment. Knowing the pathogenesis of this disease is fundamental for the study of new classes of medications. One of them, the inhibitory factors of angiogenesis, plays a fundamental role in the establishment and growth of endometriosis lesions. In this study, we sought the influence of Bevacizumab, an anti-endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drug, used in two different dosages, in peritoneal endometriosis induced in rats, an animal model well established for the study of endometriosis. The rats remained under treatment for 4 weeks, after which they were sacrificed, with the remaining lesions and uterine horn being removed for further evaluation. An evaluation of the lesion area of each rat, the presence of endometrial tissue under microscopy, the positivity of the anti-VEGF antibody in immunohistochemistry and the gene expression of PCNA, MMP9, Tp63 and VEGFA were performed. Bevacizumab worked by reducing the area of the lesions in the groups receiving medication (p = 0.002) and reducing the gene expression for Tp63 in the lesions (p = 0.04). There was no significant result in the other evaluations

Orientador: Fabio Papes / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-24T14:16:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tolentino_FelipeThadeu_M.pdf: 9244448 bytes, checksum: deea9f7963e05d8a997d9b5a554f9708 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: O Sistema Sensorial Olfativo de mamíferos é composto por vários subsistemas na cavidade nasal. Dentre estes, destacam-se o sistema olfativo principal e o sistema olfativo acessório ou vomeronasal. O primeiro realiza a detecção geral de odores e parece participar também da detecção de algumas substâncias que levam a respostas comportamentais instintivas (feromônios), enquanto o último é especializado na detecção desta classe de semioquímicos. A detecção dos estímulos sensoriais olfativos resulta em informações importantes que dependem de vias complexas para sua interpretação e para a geração de respostas apropriadas por parte do sistema nervoso central. Existem vários pontos ainda desconhecidos sobre o funcionamento do sistema olfativo, tanto no que diz respeito aos mecanismos moleculares subjacentes à escolha dos receptores a serem expressos por um dado neurônio sensorial ¿ sendo que cada neurônio olfativo expressa apenas um receptor dentro de uma grande família multi-gênica ¿ quanto em relação ao processamento da informação sensorial em centros cerebrais superiores. Neurônios sensoriais olfativos cultivados eficientemente in vitro seriam extremamente úteis, pois poderiam ser utilizados como ferramenta para o estudo destes problemas, como a investigação da atividade das células sensoriais olfativas, possibilitando, por exemplo, uma melhor compreensão dos mecanismos genéticos e moleculares por trás da expressão dos receptores olfativos e de suas propriedades de detecção. Neste trabalho foram desenvolvidas ferramentas baseadas em vetores retrovirais com o objetivo de induzir a diferenciação celular de neurônios olfativos in vitro, utilizando uma combinação de fatores de transcrição, por meio de transdução viral em células-alvo (fibroblastos murinos). Os retrovírus produzidos foram testados e algumas combinações de fatores de transcrição foram preliminarmente testadas, sendo capazes de induzir mudanças moleculares em fibroblastos acompanhadas da expressão de marcadores de neurônios sensoriais olfativos / Abstract: The mammalian Olfactory System enables the vast majority of animal species to identify the presence and quality of food, predators, competitors, conspecifics and potential mates in the environment. Olfactory stimuli detected by sensory neurons are interpreted by brain processing pathways to generate appropriate behavioral and endocrine responses. Despite its central importance in mammalian physiology, several aspects about the biology of this sensory system remain uncharacterized. For example, it is known that each olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) in the nasal cavity expresses only one gene out of a large multi-gene family coding for receptors involved in odorant and pheromone detection. However, the molecular mechanisms behind this process of olfactory receptor gene choice are not fully understood. The study of this and many other aspects of olfaction has been made difficult by the lack of appropriate in vitro cellular models. An efficient way to obtain cultured OSNs would thus be extremely useful, enabling researchers to investigate the sensory neuron¿s activity in a controllable environment, avoiding obstacles imposed by the cellular heterogeneity found in sensory organs in vivo. In this study, we aimed at obtaining OSNs directly differentiated from mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) using the forced expression of specific transcription factors via retroviral vectors. We therefore developed tools based on retroviral vectors with the objective of differentiating olfactory sensory neurons in vitro, using viral transduction in target cells (murine fibroblasts) with combinations of select transcription factors. Retroviruses were tested and some combinations of transcription factors were tested on a preliminary basis, which were capable of inducing molecular alterations on fibroblasts followed by the expression of olfactory sensory neuron markers / Mestrado / Genetica Animal e Evolução / Mestre em Genética e Biologia Molecular

Le diabète de type 1 (DT1) est caractérisé par des niveaux élevés de glucose en raison de la destruction des cellules ß pancréatiques sécrétrices d'insuline. Cependant, les thérapies actuelles de remplacement des cellules bêta du pancréas impliquant la transplantation d'îlots pancréatiques sont techniquement difficiles et limitées par la disponibilité de don d'organes. Bien que les cellules souches embryonnaires et les cellules souches pluripotentes induites soient intensément étudiées, aucune de ces deux sources de cellules souches ne peut être utilisée directement sans le risque de développement de tumeurs. Les cellules souches dérivées du muscle squelettique (MDSC) sont une source de cellules alternative intéressante car elles sont multi-potentes et peuvent donc se différencier vers plusieurs lignages cellulaires tels que des cellules cardiaques à battement autonome “pacemaker-like” et des cellules neuronales. Par conséquent, nous avons émis l'hypothèse qu'elles pourraient se différencier en lignées de type pancréatique. Les objectifs de cette étude étaient donc d'étudier le potentiel des MDSC (1) à se différencier in vitro en cellules beta pancréatiques exprimant l'insuline et (2) à se différentier in vivo dans le pancréas et ainsi réduire l'hyperglycémie chez la souris modèle d'un diabète de type 1. Dans cette étude, les MDSC de muscle de souris ont été isolées via une série de passages des cellules les moins adhérentes en culture. Les cellules souches ainsi isolées peuvent adhérer sur une couche de cellules de types fibroblastes ou sur une matrice extra-cellulaire de type laminine pour ensuite se différentier in vitro ou bien être utilisées comme cellules souches MDSC non-adhérentes et non différentiées pour les études in vivo. In vitro, les MDSC peuvent se différencier spontanément en agrégats de cellules formant des îlots et exprimant des marqueurs de cellules bêta identifiés par immunofluorescence et analyse “PCR transcription inverse”. Ceci a été confirmé par immuno-analyse montrant l'expression des protéines nécessaires à la fonction des cellules ß, comme Nkx6.1, MafA et Glut2. Les MDSC différenciées en aggrégats cellulaires de type îlots pancréatiques montrent une sécrétion d'insuline en réponse au glucose in vitro. Cependant, dans des modèles murins de DT1 induit par la streptozotocine, l'injection intra-péritonéale des MDSC n'a pas permis de rétablir chez les souris diabétiques une normoglycémie du glucose sanguin en dépit d'un engreffement des MDSC dans les tissus pancréatiques. Ces données montrent que les MDSC peuvent constituer une source de cellules souches alternative intéressante pour le traitement du diabète. / Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is characterized by high and poorly controlled glucose levels due to the destruction of insulin-secreting pancreatic ß-cells. However, current ß-cell replacement therapies, involving pancreas and pancreatic islet transplantation are technically demanding and limited by donor availability. While embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells are intensely investigated, neither can be used due to safety issues. Skeletal muscle-derived stem cells (MDSC) are an attractive alternative cell source as they have the potential to undergo multilineage differentiation into beating pacemaker-like cells and neuronal cells. Hence, it is hypothesised that they can differentiate into pancreatic lineages. This led to the goals of this study, which were (1) to investigate the potential of MDSC to differentiate into mature insulin expressing cells in vitro and (2) to reduce hyperglycemia in mouse model type 1 diabetes. In this study, MDSC were isolated from mouse via a serial pre-plating based on the adhesive characteristics of cultured cells, in which the cells of interest adhered to plates at a later time for in vitro differentiation, while the non-adherence undifferentiated MDSC were used for in vivo study. The MDSC were found to spontaneously differentiate into islet-like aggregates and expressed ß-cell markers in vitro, as determined by immunofluorescence and reverse transcription PCR analyses. This was further confirmed by immunoblotting analysis showing expression of proteins required for ß-cell function, such as Nkx6.1, MafA and Glut2. The differentiation of MDSC into islet-like clusters demonstrated glucose responsiveness in vitro. In streptozotocin-induced T1D mouse models, intraperitoneal injection of the undifferentiated MDSC did not restore the blood glucose levels of the diabetic mice to normoglycemia despite successful engraftment of MDSC into the pancreatic tissues. Taken together, these data show that MDSC may serve as an alternative source of stem cells for the treatment of diabetes.

During embryonic development, multipotent cardiovascular progenitor cells (MCPs) are specified from early mesoderm. Although the core cardiac transcriptional machinery acting during cardiac cell differentiation is relatively well known, the molecular mechanism acting upstream of these cardiac transcriptional factors, and promoting cardiac progenitor specification from early mesoderm remains poorly understood. We used embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation as a model to dissect the molecular mechanisms implicated in cardiovascular progenitor specification. Using ESCs, in which gene expression can be temporally regulated, we showed that transient expression of Mesp1 dramatically accelerates and enhances multipotent cardiovascular progenitor specification through an intrinsic and cellular autonomous mechanism. Using genome wide transcriptional analysis, we found that Mesp1 rapidly activates and represses a discrete set of genes. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we showed that Mesp1 directly binds to regulatory DNA sequences located in the promoter of many key genes belonging to the core cardiac transcriptional machinery, resulting in their rapid upregulation. Mesp1 also directly and strongly represses the expression of key genes regulating other early mesoderm and endoderm cell fates. Using engineered ESC expressing the green fluorescent protein under the control of the Mesp1 promoter, we isolated Mesp1 expressing cells in differentiating ESCs allowing characterization of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying cardiovascular specification. Our results demonstrate that Mesp1 acts as a key regulatory switch during cardiovascular specification, residing at the top of the hierarchy of the gene network responsible for cardiovascular cell fate determination. Moreover our results place Mesp1 upstream of the specification of both first and second heart fields and provide novel and important insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the earliest step of cardiovascular specification. We identified cell surface markers expressed allowing the isolation of early cardiovascular progenitors and provide potentially novel methods for dramatically increasing the number of cardiovascular cells for cellular therapy in humans. / Doctorat en sciences médicales / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Le lupus érythémateux disséminé est une maladie auto-immune systémique très invalidante dont les atteintes sont multiples, les plus fréquentes étant cutanées, articulaires et rénales. Dans ce type de maladie, le système immunitaire, hyperactif, ne se limite pas à lutter contre des agents extérieurs mais s'attaque à ses propres cellules, entre autres par le biais d'auto-anticorps. Ces anticorps délétères sont produits par des plasmocytes, cellules issus de la différenciation des lymphocytes B. Ce processus se déroule principalement au sein des centres germinatifs (GC) dans les organes lymphoïdes secondaires, et fait intervenir de nombreux acteurs moléculaires et cellulaires. Mon projet de thèse a porté sur l'étude de la contribution du GC et de ses constituants, tels que les cellules auxiliaires folliculaires (Tfh) et l'IL-21, au cours du lupus. Au cours de ce travail, nous avons mis en évidence une altération à la fois quantitative et qualitative des cellules Tfh chez des patients lupiques et dans un modèle murin, altération entre autres responsable de taux anormalement élevés d'IL-21. Nous avons également observé une sensibilité accrue des cellules B de souris lupiques à cette cytokine, dont la cause est une surexpression de molécules clés telles que STAT3, et dont la conséquence est un surcroit de différenciation plasmocytaire. Tous les éléments sont donc présents pour favoriser l'interaction "Tfh-B" et la réaction du GC, et amplifier la réponse autoimmune. Enfin, la découverte de l'existence de GC ectopiques fonctionnels dans les reins de souris lupiques permet d'envisager l'existence de réponses locales au sein même des organes cibles. Les données obtenues, fondamentales, sont prometteuses et laissent entrevoir de nouvelles perspectives de biothérapies, plus ciblées, pour le traitement de la maladie lupique. / Systemic lupus erythematosus is a disabling chronic autoimmune disease characterized by B cell hyperactivity leading to the production of autoantibodies, some of which exerting pathogenic effects. Autoantibodies are produced by plasma cells, which originate from the differentiation of B cells through a process that mainly takes place in germinal centers (GC) in secondary lymphoïd organs and involves many molecular and cellular parameters. The aim of my PhD project was to analyze the individual contribution of GC components, such as follicular helper T cells (Tfh) and IL-21, to lupus development. During this work, we have shown both a quantitative and qualitative impairment of Tfh cells in lupus patients and in a mouse model, leading, among other things, to high IL-21 levels. We also observed that B cells from lupus mice display a specific intrinsic sensitivity to this cytokine, due to over-expression of key molecules such as STAT3, which results in increased plasma cell differentiation. Thus, all elements are gathered that favor "Tfh-B" cell interactions and the GC reaction, and therefore the autoimmune response. Finally, the discovery of functional ectopic GC in the kidneys of lupus mice allows envisaging that local responses occur within the target organs and likely participate to kidney injury. The fundamental data we obtained are promising and anticipate new and better targeted biotherapies for lupus treatment.

Les microvaisseaux musculaires sont souvent considérés comme une source de nutriments et d'oxygène pour le muscle en croissance et ils semblent être conservés de façon stéréotypée. L'unité microvasculaire du muscle sain et adulte est composée de 6 à 8 capillaires. Dans Gitiaux, et al. (2013) nous montrons que l'organisation et la taille de l'unité microvasculaire sont strictement similaires chez l'homme et la souris. Dans le muscle squelettique adulte, la majorité des cellules satellites sont proches des péricytes et certaines d'entre elles semblent pouvoir établir des contacts directs temporaires avec les péricytes. In vitro, les cellules endothéliales induisent l'activation et la prolifération des cellules satellites en sécrétant de l'Angpt-2 et du PDGF-BB, alors que les péricytes induisent la quiescence et la différenciation des cellules satellites, par l'Angpt-1 et l'IGF-1 respectivement. Ces effets ont été confirmés in vivo, en utilisant les modèles murin Tg:NG2Cre/+::R26RiDTR, Tg:NG2Cre/+::IGF1del/+ et Tg:TNAPCreERT2/+::Angpt1del/+, dans lesquels il existe une hypotrophie musculaire et une activation des cellules satellites. Tous ces résultats soutiennent le dogme que « des cellules souches soutiennent d'autre cellules souches ». / Muscle microvasculature is often considered solely as a source of nutrients and oxygen for growing muscle cells and seems to be stereotypically conserved between human and mouse. The adult normal muscle microvascular unit is formed of 6–8 capillaries. In Gitiaux, et al. (2013) we show that microvascular unit organization and size are strikingly similar in human and small animals. In the adult skeletal muscle, the majority of satellite cells are close neighbors of pericytes and some of them are probably able to establish temporary direct contacts with pericytes. During post-natal development, in human and mice, pericytes and satellite cells become progressively closer. In vitro, endothelial cells induce satellite cell activation and proliferation through Angpt-2 and PDGF-BB, while pericytes induce quiescence through Angpt-1 and differentiation of satellite cells through IGF-1. These effects are confirmed by in vivo experiments using Tg:NG2Cre/+::R26RiDTR, Tg:NG2Cre/+::IGF1del/+ and Tg:TNAPCreERT2/+::Angpt1del/+ mice, which exhibit muscle hypotrophy and satellite cell activation. All these results support the emerging concept that “stem cells support other stem cells”.

La surveillance immunologique des tumeurs repose sur la capacité des cellules effectrices du système immunitaire à détecter et à éliminer les cellules cancéreuses. Nonobstant ce constat, la régression complète et spontanée de cancers établis n’est observée que dans de très rares cas. L’échec de la résolution des cancers par le système immunitaire pourrait résulter de la conjonction de plusieurs facteurs : i) une réponse immune inadéquate liée au manque d’immunogénicité des tumeurs, ii) l’incompétence du système immunitaire consécutif à des immunodéficiences acquises ou induites et iii) la sélection de variants tumoraux résistants capables de déjouer la surveillance opérée par le système immunitaire ou de subvertir ses effets. Ainsi, le développement de stratégies visant à potentialiser les réponses antitumorales de l’hôte revêt un enjeu crucial en cancérologie.Au laboratoire, notre travail de recherche a pour objectif de mieux caractériser les liens entre réponse immunitaire et cancer. Mon travail de thèse vise précisément à comprendre les mécanismes moléculaires impliqués dans la différenciation des lymphocytes T CD4 et à déterminer le rôle de ces cellules dans l’immunité antitumorale. Au cours de ma thèse, nous nous sommes particulièrement attachés à explorer les mécanismes moléculaires qui sous tendent la différenciation des populations lymphocytaires Th17, Th9 et TFh pour mieux appréhender et moduler leurs fonctions effectrices afin d’optimiser les réponses antitumorales. Ces travaux s’inscrivent dans une démarche d’application potentielle en immunothérapie anticancéreuse, un domaine de recherches qui connaît actuellement des avancées spectaculaires.Nous avons tout d’abord étudié l’influence de l’acide docosahexaénoïque (DHA), un acide gras à longue chaîne de la série n 3, sur la différenciation des cellules Th17. Nous avons mis en évidence le mécanisme moléculaire responsable de l’inhibition directe de la polarisation cellulaire Th17 par le DHA. L’activation de PPARγ par le DHA induit l’expression de SOCS3 qui agit comme un répresseur intrinsèque de la différenciation Th17. Dans deux modèles de cancers murins, nous avons également montré que l’activité anticancéreuse du DHA était dépendante de sa capacité à inhiber la sécrétion d’IL 17 par les cellules T CD4 in vivo. Nous avons ainsi caractérisé l’un des mécanismes impliqués dans l’effet anticancéreux du DHA.Dans un deuxième travail, nous avons caractérisé les effets de l’interleukine 1β sur le programme moléculaire des cellules Th9. Nous avons montré que les cellules Th9 différenciées en présence d’IL-1β possédaient de puissantes propriétés anticancéreuses dépendantes de l’IL-21 reposant sur l’activation du facteur de transcription IRF1. Au niveau moléculaire, nous avons démontré que l’IL-1β induisait la phosphorylation de STAT1 elle même responsable de l’activation d’IRF1 qui est alors capable d’interagir sur les promoteurs de l’Il9 et de l’Il21 pour induire l’expression de ces gènes dans les cellules Th9.Le dernier projet porte sur la régulation transcriptionnelle du facteur de transcription IRF1 sur la réponse T folliculaire auxiliaire et cherche à en évaluer les retombées potentielles en immunothérapie anticancéreuse. Notre étude met en évidence l’activation précoce d’IRF1 dans la différenciation TFh et suggère que ce facteur de transcription semble initier le développement de ces cellules. Des approches de transfert adoptif révèlent que les TFh semblent posséder des propriétés anticancéreuses capables de limiter efficacement la croissance des tumeurs dans des modèles murins. Enfin, après caractérisation phénotypique nous montrons que les cellules TFh sont présentes dans des tumeurs mammaires chez l’Homme et validons la présence d’IRF1 dans ces lymphocytes. / Immune surveillance of tumors is based on the ability of effector cells of the immune system to detect and eliminate the cancer cells. Notwithstanding, the complete and spontaneous regression of established cancers was observed only in very few cases. The failure of cancer resolution by the immune system could result from the combination of several factors: i) inadequate immune response related to a low tumor immunogenicity, ii) incompetent immune system consecutively to induced or acquired immunodeficiencies and iii) the selection of resistant tumor variants able to thwart immune surveillance or subverting immune responses. Developing novel cancer immunotherapy strategies leading to potentiation of the host antitumor responses is thus a key challenge in oncology.We aim to better characterize the relationships between immune response and cancer. My work is precisely to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in CD4 T cell differentiation and to determine the role of these cells in antitumor immunity. I am particularly committed to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the Th17, Th9 and TFh cell differentiations. The goal is to better understand and adjust their effector functions to optimize antitumor responses. This work is part of a potential application in cancer immunotherapy approach, an area that is experiencing dramatic advances and is likely to grow in the years ahead.We first studied the influence of the n 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on Th17 cell differentiation. We unraveled the molecular mechanism responsible for the direct inhibition of Th17 cell polarization by DHA, explaining one way of DHA to exert its anticancer activity. TH17 cells induced in vitro displayed increased SOCS3 expression and diminished capacity to produce interleukin 17 following activation of PPARγ by DHA. In two different mouse cancer models, DHA prevented tumor outgrowth and angiogenesis in an IL 17 dependent manner. Altogether, our results uncover a novel molecular pathway by which PPARγ induced SOCS3 expression prevents IL 17 mediated cancer growth.Then, we characterized the effects of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) on Th9 cells molecular program. We found that the transcription factor IRF1 enhanced the effector functions of Th9 cells and dictated their anticancer properties. Under Th9 skewing conditions, IL-1β induced phosphorylation of the transcription factor STAT1 and subsequent expression of IRF1, which bound to Il9 and Il21 gene promoters and enhanced their secretion by Th9 cells. In addition, IL-1β induced Th9 cells exerted potent anticancer functions in an IRF1 and IL 21 dependent manner. Thus, our findings identify IRF1 as a target for controlling the function of Th9 cells.We are currently investigating the transcriptional regulation of IRF1 on follicular helper CD4 T (TFh) cell program. We address the question whether TFh cells could be beneficial in cancer immunotherapy. Our study highlights the early activation of IRF1 during the TFh cell polarization and suggests that IRF1 appears to initiate the development of these cells. Adoptive transfer approaches show that TFh lymphocytes seem to habor anticancer properties by limiting efficiently tumor outgrowth in mouse models of cancer. Finally, phenotypic characterization of TFh cells points out that they infiltrate human breast tumors and express IRF1.

Orientador: Henrique Marques Barbosa de Souza / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-27T10:31:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rosa_VivianedeSouza_M.pdf: 2727894 bytes, checksum: d0d5ab88ca9670f3109f39586f01a78c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: Células-tronco embrionárias (CTE) são células indiferenciadas que possuem a capacidade de (1) se proliferarem indefinidamente (auto-renovação) e, quando induzidas, (2) darem origem a qualquer tipo celular presente no embrião (pluripotência). Uma das abordagens mais comumente utilizadas para o estudo de diferenciação de CTE é através da formação de agregados multicelulares esféricos denominados corpos embrióides (CE). CE passam por um processo de morfogênese semelhante ao observado em embriões, originando derivados dos três folhetos germinativos. Durante o desenvolvimento embrionário, a formação e o posicionamento dos três folhetos ocorre por um processo altamente coordenado que culmina na formação de um embrião polarizado no eixo anteroposterior. Entretanto, um dos grandes desafios de pesquisas que envolvem o uso da diferenciação de CTE em CE é encontrar indícios de que esses processos são recapitulados in vitro e se entender como que células derivadas dos folhetos germinativos, que no embrião ocorrem de forma altamente organizada, são originadas em estruturas celulares sem nenhuma organização global evidente, como visto em CE. Coup-TFII (Chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor II) é um fator de transcrição o qual possui um papel fundamental na regulação do desenvolvimento embrionário e na aquisição de destinos celulares específicos durante a diferenciação de CTE. Utilizando CE como um modelo de estudo, caracterizamos a expressão de Coup-TFII e seu possível envolvimento durante a determinação de destinos celulares. Nossos resultados identificaram uma expressão hemisférica de Coup-TFII em CE em etapas inicias do processo de diferenciação. Esta observação nos levou a caracterizar a distribuição espacial de marcadores moleculares tecido-específicos nos CE em relação à expressão hemisférica de Coup-TFII. Interessantemente, praticamente todas as células identificadas como precursores mesodérmicos e precursores neuroectodérmicos, através da expressão de Brachyury-T e Nestin, respectivamente, estão contidas nas população de células Coup-TFII-positivas. Estes resultados sugerem a existência de um mecanismo de organização global intrínseco nas CTE, onde a expressão de Coup-TFII parece segregar os CE em dois hemisférios e, provavelmente de forma antagônica com Oct4, determinaria diferentes destinos celulares ainda em fases iniciais da diferenciação / Abstract: Embryonic stem cells (ESC) are undifferentiated cells that have the ability to (1) proliferate indefinitely (self-renewal) and when induced, (2) give rise to any cell type present in the embryo (pluripotency). One of the most commonly used approaches for the study of ESC differentiation is through the formation of spherical multicellular aggregates called embryoid bodies (EB). EB undergo a process similar to that observed in morphogenesis embryos, giving derivatives of three germ layers. During embryonic development, formation and placement of the three germ layers is a highly coordinated process by which culminates in the formation of a polarized embryo in the antero-posterior axis. However, one of the great challenges of research involving the use of ESC differentiation in EB is to find evidence that these processes are recapitulated in vitro and in understanding how to cells derived from the germ layers that occurs in the embryo highly organized manner originate on cellular structures with no apparent global organization, as seen in the EB. COUP-TFII (chicken ovalbumin promoter-upstream transcription factor II) is a transcription factor which plays a key role in the regulation of embryonic development and determination of specific cell fates during differentiation ESC. Using EB as a model system, we characterized the expression of Coup-TFII and its possible involvement in the determination of cell fates. Our results identified a hemispheric expression of Coup-TFII in EB at the onset of differentiation. This observation led us to characterize the spatial distribution of tissue-specific molecular markers in EB in relation the hemispheric expression of Coup-TFII. Interestingly, practically all cells identified as mesodermal and neuroectodermal precursors by the expression of Brachyury-T and Nestin, respectively, are contained in the COUP-TFII-positive cell population. These results suggest the existence of a mechanism of global organization intrinsic to ESC, where the expression of Coup-TFII segregates the EB into two hemispheres and probably antagonistically with Oct4, determine different cell fates still in early stages of differentiation / Mestrado / Biologia Tecidual / Mestra em Biologia Celular e Estrutural

Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-02T13:54:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AdrianaPoncianoFernandes-dissertacao-completa-PDF.pdf: 757559 bytes, checksum: e6a59737e6f245fe2c768705d6b780ac (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-10-13 / This study analyzed the effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of Pyrostegia venusta, popularly known as cipó-de-são-joão , on various types of Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria, and on yeasts. It also evaluated the effects of the extract on the growth and cell differentiation in Herpetomonas samuelpessoai in vitro , and the in vivo mutagenic effect by the micronucleus test. The antimicrobial activity of the extract was evaluated by two methods: agar diffusion test, and tube dilution test. The growth and cell differentiation of H. samuelpessoai occurred in chemically defined medium after incubation at 28°C, for 48 hours. Growth was calculated by cell count in a Neubauer chamber, and differentiation was measured by observing cells stained by the panoptic method to calculate the percentages of the pro-, para- and opistomastigote forms. To determine the LD 50, groups of female albino Swiss mice received a single oral dose of different extract concentrations (300 mg/kg and 2000 mg/kg). For mutagenic evaluation, Swiss albino mice, aged approximately12 weeks, were used. Each trial was carried out in five groups of animals, each group consisting of 3 males and 3 females: negative control (0.9% NaCl); positive control (50 mg/kg of ENU) treatments 1, 2 and 3 (1000, 1500 and 2000 mg/kg of extract, respectively). The micronucleus test in mouse bone marrow erythrocytes was done 24 and 28 hours after treatment. The polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) were observed through an optical microscope and counted with the help of a digital cell counter. The results showed that the hydroalcoholic extract of Pyrostegia venusta leaves at the concentrations of 72.6 mg/mL and 145.2 mg/mL had no antimicrobial activity on the 19 strains of bacteria and yeasts tested. With regard to LD50, the extract did not show median lethal dose at the concentrations of 300 mg/kg and 2000 mg/kg. The micronucleus test showed statistically significant differences in the number/percentage index of micronucleated PCEs between the positive control group (ENU 50mg/kg) and negative control (0.9% NaCl), and positive control and extract treatments. But these differences were not observed either between the negative controls and the extract-treated group, or between the sexes and times of treatment (24 hr-48hr), thus suggesting that the hydroalcoholic extract of P. venusta leaves does not exhibit either clastogenic or aneugenic potentials. / Este estudo teve por objetivos analisar os efeitos do extrato hidroalcoólico de Pyrostegia venusta, conhecida popularmente como cipó-de-são-joão, sobre diversos tipos de bactérias Gram-negativas e Gram-positivas e também sobre leveduras, além de analisar seu efeito no crescimento e diferenciação celular em Herpetomonas samuelpessoai in vitro e mutagênico in vivo , através do Teste do Micronúcleo. A atividade antimicrobiana do extrato foi verificada por dois métodos: teste de difusão em ágar e teste de diluição em tubo. Os experimentos de crescimento e diferenciação celular de H. samuelpessoai foram realizados em meio quimicamente definido, após incubação a 28 °C, por 48 horas, sendo o crescimento estimado pela contagem das células em câmara de Neubauer e a diferenciação pela observação das células coradas pelo método Panótico em microscopia óptica, objetivando estimar os percentuais de formas pró, para e opistomastigota. Para a determinação da DL 50 foram utilizados grupos de camundongos Swiss albinos fêmeas que receberam, por via oral, dose única de diferentes concentrações do extrato (300 e 2000 mg/Kg). Para a avaliação mutagênica foram utilizados camundongos Swiss albinos, com idade aproximada de 12 semanas. Cada ensaio foi realizado empregando-se cinco grupos de animais, cada grupo constituído por 3 machos e 3 fêmeas, sendo assim tratados: controle negativo (NaCl 0,9%); controle positivo (50 mg/kg ENU); tratamento 1, 2 e 3 (1000, 1500 e 2000mg/Kg do extrato, respectivamente). O teste do micronúcleo em eritrócitos da medula óssea de camundongos foi realizado 24 e 48 horas após o tratamento, e os eritrócitos policromáticos (PCEs) foram observados em microscopia óptica e contados com o auxílio de um contador de células digital. Os resultados evidenciaram que o extrato hidroalcoólico da folha de Pyrostegia venusta, nas concentrações testadas (72,6 mg/mL e 145,2 mg/mL), não possui atividade antimicrobiana para as dezenove cepas testadas de bactérias e fungos. No que se refere à DL50, o extrato não apresentou dose letal média nas concentrações testadas de 300mg/kg e 2000mg/kg. Ao teste de micronúcleo, os resultados revelaram diferenças estatísticas significativas do número/índice percentual de PCEs micronucleados entre o grupo de animais do controle positivo (ENU 50mg/Kg) e controle negativo (NaCl 0,9%), bem como controle positivo e tratamentos com o extrato. Entretanto, essas diferenças não foram observadas entre o grupo de animais do controle negativo e o grupo de animais tratados com o extrato e, ainda, entre os sexos e os tempos de tratamento (24-48h), sugerindo que o extrato hidroalcoólico de folhas de P. venusta não apresenta potencial clastogênico e/ou aneugênico.