Despite the recognized advances in the treatment of breast cancer, it still accounts for 15% of all cancer-related deaths. 90% of breast cancer deaths are due to unpredicted metastasis. There is neither successful treatment for metastatic patients nor a specific test to predict or detect secondary lesions. Patients with primary tumor will be either over-treated with cytotoxic side effects or under-treated and risk recurrence. This necessitates the need for personalized treatment, which is hard to offer for such heterogeneous disease. Obstacles in treating breast cancer metastasis are mainly due to the gaps exist in the understanding of the molecular mechanism of metastasis. The linear model of metastasis is supported by several observations that reflect an early crosstalk between the primary and secondary tumor, which in turn makes the secondary microenvironment fertile for the growth of disseminated cells. This communication occurs through circulation and utilizes molecules which have not been identified to date. Identifying such molecules may help in detecting initial stages of tumor colonization and predict the target organ of metastasis. Furthermore, these molecules may help to provide a personalized therapy that aims to tailor treatment according to the biology of the individual tumor. Advances in proteomics allows for more reproducible and sensitive biomarker discovery. Proteomic biomarkers are often more translatable to the clinic compared to biomarkers identified using other omics approaches. Further, protein biomarkers can be found in biological fluids making them a non-invasive way to treat or investigate cancer patients. We present in this manuscript our study of the use of a proteomic approach on blood serum samples of metastatic and non-metastatic patients using LC-MS/MS quantitative analysis machine to identify molecules that could be associated with different stages of breast cancer metastasis. We focused on the deferential expression of low molecular weight biomolecules known to reflect disease-specific signatures. We manually analyzed 2500 individual small biomolecules in each serum sample of total of 51 samples. Comparisons between different sample types (from stage I and III Breast Cancer patients in this case) allows for the detection of unique short peptide biomarkers present in one sample type. We built a multi-biomarker model with more sensitivity and specificity to identify the stage of the tumor and applied them on blinded set of samples to validate prediction power. We hope that our study will provide insights for future work on the collection, analysis, and understanding of role of molecules in metastatic breast cancer.

No description available.

No description available.

Impulsionados pela busca de fontes limpas de energia, surgem os processos de combustao com recirculacao quimica (CLC), e reforma com recirculacao quimica (CLR). CLC e CLR sao processos quimicos para oxidacao de hidrocarbonetos gasosos. E utilizada a acao de transportadores de oxigenio (TO), para transferir oxigenio do ar para o combustivel (neste caso o metano), evitando-se o contato direto entre ar atmosferico e metano por diversos motivos. Os TOs, compostos por oxidos metalicos na forma de po fino, circulam continuamente entre dois reatores de leito fluidizado (reator de ar e de combustivel), sofrendo sucessivos ciclos de reducao e oxidacao. Os processos se diferenciam com relacao aos produtos, em CLC objetiva-se a geracao de energia, atraves da oxidacao completa do combustivel, resultando em uma mistura de CO2 e H2O, podendo ser facilmente separada por condensacao. No caso do CLR a oxidacao ocorre de maneira parcial, dando origem a uma mistura de gas de sintese (H2 + CO). O CLC apresenta vantagens com relacao aos processos tradicionais de captura de CO2, pois nao se faz necessaria a utilizacao de processos secundarios para separacao gasosa, economizando assim energia, alem do fato de nao gerar gases do tipo NOx. O presente trabalho apresenta a preparacao de duas series de materiais, via impregnacao seca, uma com composicao 2, 4 e 8% m/m de oxido de niquel e outra com os mesmo teores de oxido de niobio, suportados sobre alumina comercial de alta area superficial especifica. Os materiais foram caracterizados pelas tecnicas de picnometria a helio, volumetria de nitrogenio, porosimetria por intrusao de mercurio, DRX, MEV, TPR 5%H2/N2 analisado com TCD em ChemBet, TPR 5%CH4/Ar e TPO 5%O2/Ar sendo a variacao de massa analisada em termobalanca (TGA/DSC), alem de se utilizar de espectrometria de massas para analise dos gases gerados. Os diferentes transportadores de oxigenio foram testados em reator de leito fixo, sendo avaliados em diferentes condicoes experimentais tais como: temperaturas de operacao, vazoes de reagentes gasosos, concentracoes de metano, adicao de CO2 e H2O ao combustivel. Os produtos da reacao no reator de leito fixo foram analisados por cromatografia gasosa e espectrometria de massa. Os resultados mostraram que; o deposito de carbono sobre o catalisador pode ser drasticamente reduzido com a adicao de mistura oxidante junto ao combustivel e que estes oxidos estudados tem potencial aplicacao industrial, mostrando-se seletivos para reforma do metano com consecutiva producao de gas de sintese. / Driven by the demand for clean energy sources, arise chemical-looping combustion - CLC, and chemical-looping reforming - CLR. CLC and CLR are chemical processes for oxidation of gaseous hydrocarbons. Both of them use the action of catalysts, here called oxygen carriers (OC), which transfers oxygen from the air to the fuel (in this case methane), avoiding the direct contact between the two gases for various reasons. The OC\'s are composed of metal oxides in the form of fine power, circle continuously between two fluidized bed reactors (fuel reactor and air reactor), suffering successive cycles of reduction and oxidation. The two processes differ in relation to the products; the aim of CLC is generation of energy (heat), through the complete oxidation of the fuel, resulting in a mixture of CO2 and H2O, which can be easily separated by condensation. In the case of CLR, the oxidation occurs partially, resulting in synthesis gas, a mixture of H2 and CO. The CLC processes shows advantages when compared to other traditional processes for capture of CO2, because it is not necessary to use secondary processes for gas separation, saving energy, besides the fact of no NOx is generated. This work describes the preparation of two series of materials via dry impregnation, which are composed of 2, 4 and 8% w/w niobium oxide or nickel oxide, supported on commercial alumina, with high specific surface area. The materials were characterized by the techniques of helium pycnometry, nitrogen volumetry, mercury intrusion porosimetry, DRX, MEV, TPR 5% H2/N2 analyzed with TCD in ChemBet, TPR 5% CH4/Ar and TPO 5% O2/Ar, being the changes in mass and heat analyzed in a thermogravimetric balance (TGA/DSC) coupled to a mass spectrometer permitting the analysis of the generated gases. The different oxygen carriers were tested in a fixed bed reactor, evaluated in different experimental conditions, such as operation temperature, flow rate of gaseous reactants, methane concentrations, addition of CO2 and H2O to the fuel. The products of the reaction in the fixed bed reactor were analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The results show that: the carbon deposits over the catalysts can be drastically reduced by addition of oxidizing mixture together to the fuel and these studied oxides have a potential industrial application, showing selectivity to reforming of methane with consecutive synthesis gas production.

Impulsionados pela busca de fontes limpas de energia, surgem os processos de combustao com recirculacao quimica (CLC), e reforma com recirculacao quimica (CLR). CLC e CLR sao processos quimicos para oxidacao de hidrocarbonetos gasosos. E utilizada a acao de transportadores de oxigenio (TO), para transferir oxigenio do ar para o combustivel (neste caso o metano), evitando-se o contato direto entre ar atmosferico e metano por diversos motivos. Os TOs, compostos por oxidos metalicos na forma de po fino, circulam continuamente entre dois reatores de leito fluidizado (reator de ar e de combustivel), sofrendo sucessivos ciclos de reducao e oxidacao. Os processos se diferenciam com relacao aos produtos, em CLC objetiva-se a geracao de energia, atraves da oxidacao completa do combustivel, resultando em uma mistura de CO2 e H2O, podendo ser facilmente separada por condensacao. No caso do CLR a oxidacao ocorre de maneira parcial, dando origem a uma mistura de gas de sintese (H2 + CO). O CLC apresenta vantagens com relacao aos processos tradicionais de captura de CO2, pois nao se faz necessaria a utilizacao de processos secundarios para separacao gasosa, economizando assim energia, alem do fato de nao gerar gases do tipo NOx. O presente trabalho apresenta a preparacao de duas series de materiais, via impregnacao seca, uma com composicao 2, 4 e 8% m/m de oxido de niquel e outra com os mesmo teores de oxido de niobio, suportados sobre alumina comercial de alta area superficial especifica. Os materiais foram caracterizados pelas tecnicas de picnometria a helio, volumetria de nitrogenio, porosimetria por intrusao de mercurio, DRX, MEV, TPR 5%H2/N2 analisado com TCD em ChemBet, TPR 5%CH4/Ar e TPO 5%O2/Ar sendo a variacao de massa analisada em termobalanca (TGA/DSC), alem de se utilizar de espectrometria de massas para analise dos gases gerados. Os diferentes transportadores de oxigenio foram testados em reator de leito fixo, sendo avaliados em diferentes condicoes experimentais tais como: temperaturas de operacao, vazoes de reagentes gasosos, concentracoes de metano, adicao de CO2 e H2O ao combustivel. Os produtos da reacao no reator de leito fixo foram analisados por cromatografia gasosa e espectrometria de massa. Os resultados mostraram que; o deposito de carbono sobre o catalisador pode ser drasticamente reduzido com a adicao de mistura oxidante junto ao combustivel e que estes oxidos estudados tem potencial aplicacao industrial, mostrando-se seletivos para reforma do metano com consecutiva producao de gas de sintese. / Driven by the demand for clean energy sources, arise chemical-looping combustion - CLC, and chemical-looping reforming - CLR. CLC and CLR are chemical processes for oxidation of gaseous hydrocarbons. Both of them use the action of catalysts, here called oxygen carriers (OC), which transfers oxygen from the air to the fuel (in this case methane), avoiding the direct contact between the two gases for various reasons. The OC\'s are composed of metal oxides in the form of fine power, circle continuously between two fluidized bed reactors (fuel reactor and air reactor), suffering successive cycles of reduction and oxidation. The two processes differ in relation to the products; the aim of CLC is generation of energy (heat), through the complete oxidation of the fuel, resulting in a mixture of CO2 and H2O, which can be easily separated by condensation. In the case of CLR, the oxidation occurs partially, resulting in synthesis gas, a mixture of H2 and CO. The CLC processes shows advantages when compared to other traditional processes for capture of CO2, because it is not necessary to use secondary processes for gas separation, saving energy, besides the fact of no NOx is generated. This work describes the preparation of two series of materials via dry impregnation, which are composed of 2, 4 and 8% w/w niobium oxide or nickel oxide, supported on commercial alumina, with high specific surface area. The materials were characterized by the techniques of helium pycnometry, nitrogen volumetry, mercury intrusion porosimetry, DRX, MEV, TPR 5% H2/N2 analyzed with TCD in ChemBet, TPR 5% CH4/Ar and TPO 5% O2/Ar, being the changes in mass and heat analyzed in a thermogravimetric balance (TGA/DSC) coupled to a mass spectrometer permitting the analysis of the generated gases. The different oxygen carriers were tested in a fixed bed reactor, evaluated in different experimental conditions, such as operation temperature, flow rate of gaseous reactants, methane concentrations, addition of CO2 and H2O to the fuel. The products of the reaction in the fixed bed reactor were analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The results show that: the carbon deposits over the catalysts can be drastically reduced by addition of oxidizing mixture together to the fuel and these studied oxides have a potential industrial application, showing selectivity to reforming of methane with consecutive synthesis gas production.

The chloride/proton antiporter ClC-5 is primarily expressed in the kidney where it aids in re-absorption of proteins from the glomerular filtrate. Functional disruption of ClC-5 causes Dent’s Disease – a renal condition characterized by proteinuria and kidney failure in a third of all cases. The majority of disease-causing mutations translate into premature truncations of the carboxy-terminal (Ct) region of ClC-5 and are predicted to disrupt the protein-protein interactions mediated by this domain. In this thesis, direct ATP binding to the two cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) domains of ClC-5 was demonstrated. ATP binding enhanced the global compactness of the ClC-5 Ct region likely through a clamping motion of the CBS domains around the nucleotide. Along with ATP, the sodium proton exchange regulatory factor 2 (NHERF2) also binds ClC-5; however, the molecular mechanism behind this interaction was unknown as ClC-5 lacked the PDZ binding motif traditionally localized at the Ct end of bait proteins. Here, we also identified a class I PDZ binding motif (657-660; TSII) within the internal sequence of ClC-5. Despite the buried position of this motif in the Ct peptide’s X-ray crystal structure (PDB: 2J9L), the high propensity of this region for dynamic flexibility prompted us to test whether it could mediate NHERF2 interactions. In support of this hypothesis, we demonstrated that the motif is transiently available to interact directly with NHERF2 in vivo and to enable an enhancement in receptor-mediated endocytosis in mammalian cells. Collectively, these results gave further evidence that the intracellular Ct region of ClC-5 serves as a hub to mediate interactions essential for its maturation, stability, and trafficking in renal epithelium, as well as providing further insights into the molecular basis of Dent’s Disease.

Le syndrome de Bartter de type III résulte de mutations du gène CLCNKB codant le canal chlorure CLC-KB. Un grand nombre de mutations a été répertorié, mais peu d'entre elles ont été caractérisées fonctionnellement. Devant ce manque de données, nous nous sommes fixés comme objectif de procéder à une analyse fonctionnelle des mutations de CLCNKB pour tenter d'approfondir davantage les mécanismes de régulation de CLC-KB. Ce travail a nécessité l'emploi de trois systèmes d'expression hétérologue, les ovocytes de Xenopus laevis et les lignées cellulaires rénales HEK293T et MDCK, afin de procéder à des analyses électrophysiologiques et des expériences de biologie cellulaire. Nous démontrons que toutes les mutations étudiées altèrent l'expression membranaire de la protéine et que la conductance résiduelle est proportionnée à cette expression. Ainsi, la réduction des courants provient d'une réduction du nombre de canaux et non d'une altération majeure de la conduction ou de la régulation. Nous rapportons également que certaines mutations modifient la sensibilité au pH et au calcium extracellulaires du CLC-KB. Cette altération peut avoir un impact pathologique majeur. En conclusion, cette étude fonctionnelle montre le rôle essentiel du CLC-KB dans le maintien de la balance sodée et laisse entrevoir un espoir thérapeutique à long terme de restauration des anomalies précisément identifiées. Enfin, l'analyse de mutations est un outil extrêmement puissant pour les études structure-fonction. Associée à la recherche de nouveaux partenaires, elle devrait permettre de découvrir les régulations physiologiques de ce canal, pour l'heure presqu'inconnues.

The chloride/proton antiporter ClC-5 is primarily expressed in the kidney where it aids in re-absorption of proteins from the glomerular filtrate. Functional disruption of ClC-5 causes Dent’s Disease – a renal condition characterized by proteinuria and kidney failure in a third of all cases. The majority of disease-causing mutations translate into premature truncations of the carboxy-terminal (Ct) region of ClC-5 and are predicted to disrupt the protein-protein interactions mediated by this domain. In this thesis, direct ATP binding to the two cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) domains of ClC-5 was demonstrated. ATP binding enhanced the global compactness of the ClC-5 Ct region likely through a clamping motion of the CBS domains around the nucleotide. Along with ATP, the sodium proton exchange regulatory factor 2 (NHERF2) also binds ClC-5; however, the molecular mechanism behind this interaction was unknown as ClC-5 lacked the PDZ binding motif traditionally localized at the Ct end of bait proteins. Here, we also identified a class I PDZ binding motif (657-660; TSII) within the internal sequence of ClC-5. Despite the buried position of this motif in the Ct peptide’s X-ray crystal structure (PDB: 2J9L), the high propensity of this region for dynamic flexibility prompted us to test whether it could mediate NHERF2 interactions. In support of this hypothesis, we demonstrated that the motif is transiently available to interact directly with NHERF2 in vivo and to enable an enhancement in receptor-mediated endocytosis in mammalian cells. Collectively, these results gave further evidence that the intracellular Ct region of ClC-5 serves as a hub to mediate interactions essential for its maturation, stability, and trafficking in renal epithelium, as well as providing further insights into the molecular basis of Dent’s Disease.

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No. of bitstreams: 1 TiagoRobertoDaCosta_TESE.pdf: 4624767 bytes, checksum: b882489e2f56b6e0d740f5f1aaf85b08 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-05 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico (CNPq) / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES) / A matriz energ?tica mundial ? basicamente constitu?da a base de combust?veis f?sseis, sendo que diferentes estudos indicam que nas pr?ximas d?cadas n?o haver? mudan?as significativas nesse cen?rio e isso impacta de modo significativo no meio ambiente, pois a queima desses combust?veis para gera??o de energia produz bastante CO2. Sendo o di?xido de carbono o principal g?s de origem antropog?nica, respons?vel pela intensifica??o do efeito estufa. Devido a isso, cientistas e pol?ticos de todo mundo tem sugerido diversas medidas e tecnologias que objetivam a diminui??o das emiss?es de CO2 na atmosfera para as pr?ximas d?cadas. Entre as tecnologias, a Captura e Armazenamento de CO2 (CAC) tem tido um destaque especial nos ?ltimos anos. Estudos realizados pela Ag?ncia Internacional de Energia (International Energy Agency-IEA) quanto o Painel Intergovernamental sobre Mudan?as Clim?ticas (IPCC), sugerindo diversos cen?rios de crescimento econ?micos e de demanda energ?tica, indicam que na maioria dos casos as tecnologias de captura e armazenamento do CO2 contribuem entre 10-55% do esfor?o mundial para reduzir as concentra??es de CO2 na atmosfera at? 2100. Nesse contexto, a combust?o indireta com transportadores s?lidos de oxig?nio (processo Chemical-Looping Combustion-CLC), ? considerada uma das melhores alternativas para reduzir os custos da captura do CO2, principalmente quando comparadas aos processos convencionais, pois n?o necessita da separa??o do CO2 do N2, pois o combust?vel n?o ? misturado diretamente com ar ou oxig?nio. Esta tese de doutorado est? focada no desenvolvimento de cinco transportadores de oxig?nio ? base de mangan?s, os quais foram primeiramente caracterizados com objetivo de determinar quais deles s?o mais promissores para serem avaliados em processos de CLC. As t?cnicas e metodologias de caracteriza??es utilizadas durante a primeira etapa foram: porosimetria por inje??o de merc?rio, resist?ncia ? fratura, difra??o de raios X (DRX), redu??o e oxida??o ? temperatura programada (TPR e TPO), capacidade de transporte de oxig?nio (Roc), composi??o qu?mica, reatividade por termogravimetria e ?ndice de velocidade. Conclu?da essas etapas, verificou-se que os transportadores Mn-ZrMF e Mn-ZrSG apresentaram propriedades apropriadas para serem avaliados em um reator de leito fluidizado descont?nuo, onde os experimentos se assemelham ?s condi??es de CLC. Ao fim dos testes no reator, os transportadores de oxig?nio foram submetidos a algumas t?cnicas de caracteriza??o: DRX, TPR e MEV (Microscopia Eletr?nica de Varredura). O transportador Mn-ZrMF apresentou problemas de aglomera??o durante os testes no reator, sendo considerado inapropriado para prosseguir com os experimentos. Por outro lado, o Mn-ZrSG apresentou elevada reatividade com os combust?veis utilizados (CO > H2 > CH4), n?o sendo verificado o problema da aglomera??o, tendo baixa perda por atrito, com vida m?dia superior a 11.000 horas. Esse material ? bastante promissor para seu uso em CLC de combust?veis s?lidos. / The world?s energy matrix is essentially composed of fossil fuels and different studies show indicate that in the next decades there will be no significant changes in this scenario, which impacts significantly on the environment, since the burning of fossil fuels for power generation gives there main contibution to antropogenic CO2 emissions produces greatest amount of CO2. Carbon dioxide is the main anthropogenic gas responsible for intensifying the greenhouse effect. Because of this, scientists and politicians around the world have suggested a number of strategies and technologies to reduce CO2 emissions to the atmosphere for the next decades. Among these technologies, CO2 capture and storage (CCS) has gained attention in recent years. Studies conducted by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggest various scenarios of economic growth and energy demand, indicating that in most cases the CO2 capture and storage technologies will contribute between 10-55% of the global effort to reduce CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere by 2100. In this context, the Chemical-Looping Combustion is considered one of the better alternatives to reduce the cost of CO2 capture, especially when compared to conventional capture processes, since it does not require the separation of CO2 from N2, once fuel is not mixed directly with air or oxygen. This doctoral thesis is focused in the development of five manganese-based oxygen carriers, which were first characterized in order to determine which of them are most promising to be evaluated in CLC processes. The techniques and characterization methods used during the first stage were: mercury porosimetry, fracture resistance, X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature programmed reduction and oxidation (TPR and TPO), oxygen transport capacity (Roc), chemical composition, redox by thermogravimetry and rate index. Completed these steps, it was found that the carriers Mn- ZrMF and ZrSG presented appropriate properties to be evaluated in a discontinuous fluidized bed reactor, where the experiment conditions are subject to the CLC conditions. After the testing reactor, the oxygen carriers were submitted to the following characterization techniques: DRX, TPR and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy). Mn-ZrMF carrier presented problems of agglomeration during testing in the reactor, being considered inappropriate for CLC. On the other side, the Mn-ZrSG carrier showed high reactivity with the fuels used (CO> H2> CH4). Due this Mn-ZrSG is appropriate for CO + H2 combustion, but suffer deactivation during CH4 combustion. Do not showed agglomeration problems. The attrition rate was low and the lifetime was than 11.000 hours. Thus this material can be considered suitable to be used in solid fuels CLC.

Le tubule proximal participe à la diurèse en modifiant la composition de l'ultrafiltrat glomérulaire. Grâce à de nombreux transports transépithéliaux, il le glucose, les acides aminés et les protéines de bas poids moléculaires, ainsi que 80 % des ions HPO42- ou HCO3-, 60 % des ions Na+, Cl-, K+, Ca2+, 75 % de l’eau et 30 % des ions Mg2+ ultrafiltrés.Durant ma thèse, j'ai étudié les rôles physiologiques et physiopathologiques de deux protéines de transport exprimées dans le tubule proximal.Dans le cadre de ma première étude, j'ai évalué in vivo la fonction rénale de souris n'exprimant pas une protéine appelée Kir4.2, dont le rôle est inconnu. Nos résultats montrent que Kir4.2, associée à Kir5.1, forme un canal potassique basolatéral Kir4.2/Kir5.1 dans le tubule proximal. L'absence de Kir4.2 provoque chez la souris une acidose tubulaire proximale isolée, consécutive à une ammoniogénèse altérée. De fait, la perte de fonctionnalité de Kir4.2 pourrait être à l'origine d'acidoses tubulaires proximales isolées familiales idiopathiques.Dans le cadre de ma seconde étude, j'ai analysé in vitro la fonctionnalité d'un mutant pathogène de l'échangeur 2Cl-/H+ ClC-5 impliqué dans la maladie de Dent. Cette maladie, caractérisée par une protéinurie de bas poids moléculaire associées à divers troubles du tubule proximal, serait liée à un défaut d'acidification des endosomes précoces par ClC-5. Toutefois, le mutant de ClC-5 que nous avons étudié, converti en canal chlorure, acidifie autant les endosomes précoces que le ClC-5 sauvage. Surprenants, ces résultats suggèrent que la maladie de Dent puisse être causée par un défaut d'accumulation d'ions chlorure dans l'endosome. / The proximal tubule is involved in diuresis by modifying the content of the glomerular ultrafiltrate. Using a variety of transepithelial transports systems, it reabsorbs all ultrafiltrated glucose, amino-acids and low molecular weight proteins, as well as 80% of HPO42- and HCO3- ions, about 60% of Na+, Cl-, K+, and Ca2+ ions, 75% of water and 30% of Mg2+.During this thesis, I determined the physiological and physiopathological roles of two transport proteins present in proximal tubule. Firstly, I evaluated the renal function of mice invalidated for the Kir4.2 protein, whose role was undetermined. Our results show that Kir4.2, in association with Kir5.1, form a Kir4.2/Kir5.1 potassium channel at the basolateral membrane of proximal tubular cells. Furthermore, Kir4.2-null mice exhibit a reduced ammoniagenesis leading to an isolated proximal renal tubular acidosis. This study provides the gene encoding Kir4.2 as a candidate gene for the yet unexplained autosomal dominant isolated proximal renal tubular acidosis.Secondly, I evaluated in vitro the functional consequences of a pathogenic mutation of the 2Cl-/H+ exchanger ClC-5, involved in Dent’s disease. This disease, characterized by a low-molecular-weigth-proteinuria in the context of a general proximal tubule dysfunction, is currently thought to be due to an acidification defect of early endosomes linked to a loss of function of ClC-5. Surprisingly, our results show that ClC-5, converted into a chloride channel by this mutation, indeed acidifies the early endosomes as well as the ClC-5 wild-type. Thus, Dent’s disease may originate from a defect in the accumulation of chloride ions into the early endosomes.