Os gliomas representam o tipo de tumor primário mais comum do sistema nervoso central. Apesar dos avanços nas técnicas cirúrgicas e de radioterapia e nos protocolos de quimioterapia, não há tratamento eficiente disponível. O ácido retinóico na forma all-trans (atRA) é um agente anti-proliferativo utilizado para o tratamento de alguns tipos de lesões pré-malígnas e tumores, como a leucemia promielocítica. Entretanto, sua utilização no tratamento clínico de tumores sólidos, incluindo os gliomas, é limitada, devido ao rápido desenvolvimento de resistência aos efeitos anti-tumorais do atRA. Para endereçar este problema, foi proposto: a) clonar e analisar a função de cyp26b1 de rato, uma enzima da família dos citocromos P450 envolvida na metabolização de ácido retinóico, previamente descrito em nosso laboratório como potencialmente envolvido na resposta de células de glioma ao tratamento com atRA; b) gerar e caracterizar uma variante da linhagem celular C6 de glioma de rato resistente aos efeitos anti proliferativos de atRA. O cDNA de cyp26b1 de rato, até então desconhecido, foi amplificado, clonado e seqüenciado com sucesso. A seqüência protéica correspondente é conservada e agrupa-se no dendrograma com outras proteínas Cyp26B1, mesmo de organismos distantes como zebrafish, em detrimento de outras proteínas parálogas da família Cyp26. Cyp26b1 é fortemente induzida por atRA em células de glioma de rato e humano, de forma dose-dependente. Embora seja expresso em amostras de cérebros humanos normais e de glioma, não foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os diferentes graus de matlignidade tumoral, ou em comparação com cérebro normal. A super-expressão de cyp26b1 de rato através de transfecção estável de células de glioma de rato e humano, bem como de células P19 de teratocarcinoma de camundongo, não alterou significativamente as características de crescimento celular, tanto em substrato sólido quanto em substrato semi-sólido. O tratamento prolongado de células C6 de glioma de rato com atRA levou à obtenção de uma população policlonal resistente aos efeitos anti-proliferativos de atRA, a partir da qual uma linhagem celular clonal resistente foi isolada com sucesso. Esta variante clonal, denominada linhagem celular C6R, apresenta inibição de crescimento por atRA diminuída, quando comparada com a linhagem celular C6 parental e com a variante ST1. Além disso, esta variante também mostrou uma tendência, embora não significativa estatisticamente, de gerar tumores maiores quando injetados no subcutâneo de camundongos do tipo nude. A expressão de genes previamente descritos como induzidos pelo tratamento com atRA em células ST1 é fortemente inibida na linhagem celular C6R. Além disso, menor expressão de RARβ, RARγ e CRABP-1 foi também observada em células C6R, enquanto que expressão muito maior de RXRγ e CRABP-2 foi encontrada nas células resistentes a atRA, em comparação com as células C6 parentais. Como conclusões gerais deste trabalho, foi proposto que cyp26b1 parece estar envolvido no metabolismo e detoxificação de atRA e parece não ser efetor da inibição de crescimento induzida por atRA, nem estar relacionado com a resistência de células de glioma ao tratamento com atRA. Por outro lado, o isolamento e caracterização de uma linhagem celular resistente ao tratamento com atRA sugere que a resistência está relacionada à expressão diferencial de receptores de retinóides e de proteínas de ligação ao ácido retinóico. / Gliomas are among the most common primary tumors of the central nervous system. Despite the advances in surgical and radiotherapy procedures and chemotherapy protocols, efficient treatment is still not available. Retinoic acid is a anti-proliferative agent used for treatment of a number of pre-malignant lesions and tumors, as promyelocytic leukemia. However, its clinical use in treatment of solid tumors, including gliomas, is impaired by the rapid development of resistance to the anti-tumoral effects of atRA. In order to address this problem, we proposed: a) to clone and analyze the role of rat cyp26b1, a member of cytochrome P450 superfamily envolved in the metabolization of retinoic acid, which has previously been described by our group as being potentially involved in the response of glioma cells to retinoic acid treatment; b) to generate and characterize a variant of rat C6 glioma cell line resistant to anti proliferative effects of atRA. The previously unknown cDNA of rat cyp26b1 was successfully amplified, cloned and sequenced. The protein is conserved and clustered in dendrograms with other cyp26b1 proteins, even from distant organisms as zebrafish, in detriment of other cyp26 paralogs. Cyp26b1 is strongly induced by atRA in rat and human glioma cells, in a dose-dependent fashion. Although expressed in human normal brains and glioma samples, no significant differences were found among different tumor grades nor comparing to normal brain. Stable-transfection and overexpression of rat cyp26b1 in rat and human glioma cell lines, as well as P19 mouse teratocarcinoma cell line, did not significantly modified cell growth properties, either on solid or semi-solid substrates. Prolonged treatment of C6 rat glioma cell line with atRA leads to isolation of an atRA-resistant polyclonal cell population, from which a resistant clonal cell line was successfully isolated. This clonal variant, named C6R cell line, displayed diminished growth inhibition by atRA compared to the parental C6 cell line and the variant ST1 cell line. In addition, this variant also showed a trend, although not quite statistically significant, to generate larger tumors when xenografted s.c. into nude mice. Expression of genes previously described as being induced by atRA-treatment in ST1 cells is strongly impaired in the C6R resistant cell line. In addition, lower expression of RARβ, RAR&#947 and CRABP-1 was also observed in C6R cells, whereas a much higher expression of RXRγ and CRABP-2 was found in the resistant cells when compared to the parental C6 cells. As general conclusions of this work, we found that cyp26b1 is more likely to be involved in primary atRA metabolism and detoxification and does not seem to be an effector of atRA-induced cell growth arrest nor to be related to the resistance of glioma cells to atRA treatment. On the other hand, isolation and characterization of an atRA-resistant cell line suggests that atRA resistance is more likely to be due to differential expression of retinoid receptors and retinoic acid binding proteins.

17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) is a synthetic hormone, derivative of the natural hormone estradiol. EE2 is one of the the most prescribed drugs in the world. It belongs to the estrogenic endocrine disrupter chemicals. These compounds are able to alter functions of the endocrine system and cause adverse effects in the organism, offspring and (sub)population. In this thesis, there are observed effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol on enzyme activities of main enzymes involved in phase I of xenobiotic biotransformation, i.e. cytochromes P450 (CYP), in vitro. Isoforms of CYP subfamilies 1A, 2B, 2C, 2E and 3A were studied in rats and humans. Each CYP isoform was incubated with EE2 at two concentrations, 10μM EE2 and the concentration corresponding to the substrate concentration in the specific marker reactions of individual CYP isoforms. The results indicate, that in rat liver microsomes the activity of all studied isoforms except CYP1A2 was decreased in the presence of EE2. When EE2 was added to the incubation mixture at the concentration of the reaction substrate, the greatest decrease in enzyme activity was observed for CYP2C6, with the remaining activity only 36%. In human liver microsomes, the activity of CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4 was also effected by EE2. As in the case of rat model, CYP2C subfamily...

Cytochrome b5 is a small heme protein. There are three isoforms present in human organism, one is located in the membrane of endoplasmic reticulum (microsomal cyt b5), second in the outer mitochondrial membrane and the third (soluble form) was found in cytoplasm of matured erythrocytes. The main role of cytochrome b5 is to transport single electron in various reactions including cytochrome P450-dependent reactions. First aim of the thesis was to prepare and to isolate the soluble form of rabbit microsomal cytochrome b5, using heterologous expression in Escherichia coli strain BL-21 Gold. The plasmid pET22b containing synthetic gene for rabbit microsomal cytochrome b5, lacking the sequence encoding the membrane associated C-terminal domain, was used as an expression vector. The second aim was to synthesize the expression vectors carrying genes for human microsomal and erythrocytic cytochromes b5. These genes were prepared by gene synthesis, ligated to cloning vector pUC19, amplified in E. coli DH5α competent cells and their sequences were verified by DNA sequencing. Consequently the pET22b expression vectors containing genes for human microsomal and erythrocytic cytochrome b5 were constructed and finally their suitability for heterologous expression was evaluated. Keywords: Heterologous expression,...

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory systemic disease and is one of the autoimmune diseases. In this study, nine candidate genes of the cytochrome P450 system have been analyzed to determine their possible association with the formation of RA. These genes are: CYP1A1, CYP1B1, CYP2B6, CYP2E1, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, CYP2A6, CYP2C19 and CYP3A4.Within these genes, 21 single nucleotide polymorphism, SNPs, in 300 French Caucasian individuals (100 RA trio families) were genotyped using single-base-extensions, SBE, in a mass spectrometric analysis by MALDI-TOF-MS (matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/ Ionization-time-of-flight mass spectometry). The selection of the examined genes was carried out taking into account known associations with RA or other autoimmune disease, as well as known functional variants. Decisive were also the location of the gene and genetic variability. The results of genotyping were used to study polymorphisms on their association with Rheumatoid Arthritis. The statistical analyzes of CYP2C9 rs1799853 (3011) showed, in the family-based single-marker test, a lower transmission (TDT p-value 0.021) for the rare allele (3011-a). The case-control allelic based test shows, there is a protective effect (Odds Ratio 0.58). In the case-control-based genotypic test this issue could be reproduced (p-value 0.046). For the rare allele of the CYP2A6 rs1801272 (3022-a) the family-based single-marker test shows a lower transmittance (TDT p-value 0.037). The case-control allelic based test shows a protective effect of this allele (Odds Ratio 0.32). In the case-control-based genotypic test a statistical trend to protective behavior of this allele occurs. SNPs with predicted functional relevance showed no statistical abnormalities in the studied cohort. In genome-wide studies, the results could not be tracked, at least at the gene level weak associations could be detected. The results of this study should be to replicate in one second independent cohort. Care should be taken specifically to xenobiotic stress, such as job stress, smoking, and medication. In subsequent studies more SNPs of the candidate genes could also genotyped in order to verify the genetic variability with reference to of the haplotypes in more detail. Should the above-mentioned associations be confirmed, functional studies on different gene expression or altered metabolite spectrum are highly interesting.

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is a human carcinogen, which is metabolized by a variety of enzyms such as cytochrome P450 (CYP) and epoxide hydrolase. The aim of this work was to study BaP metabolism in vitro by the hepatic microsomal system of rats treated with CYP inducers and by human cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) expressed in eukaryotic and prokaryotic systems. An eukaryotic expression system consisted of microsomes isolated from insect cells, whereas a prokaryotic expression system was formed by the membrane fragments of E. coli. In the case of recombinant human CYP1A1, we investigated the influence of cytochrome b5, NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) and epoxide hydrolase in BaP oxidation. Isolation and purification of rabbit hepatic CPR was another aim of this work. BaP metabolites were separated by HPLC. The results found in this work demostrate the fact that hepatic microsomal systems of rats treated with an inducer of CYP1A (Sudan I), an inducer of CYP2B (phenobarbital) and an inducer of CYP3A (PCN) exhibit higher efficiency of BaP oxidation than microsomes of control rats. BaP is oxidized by human CYP1A1 expressed in the eukaryotic system to six metabolites (BaP-9,10-dihydrodiol, BaP metabolite with unknown structure, BaP-7,8-dihydrodiol, BaP-1,6-dion, BaP-3,6-dion, BaP-3-ol), whereas by human...

Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit dem mitochondrialen Sco1-Protein der Hefe Saccharomyces cerevisiae sowie mit weiteren Vertretern der Sco-Proteinfamilie. Sco1p ist essenziell für die Assemblierung der Cytochrom c Oxidase (COX), dem terminalen Komplex der Atmungskette. Aufgrund von genetischen Daten wurde angenommen, dass es an der Insertion von Cu-Ionen in den COX-Komplex beteiligt ist. Dabei existieren zwei unterschiedliche Vorstellungen über seine Wirkweise: Einerseits könnte Sco1p als Cu-Chaperon selbst Cu-Ionen binden und anschließend auf die Cu-tragenden COX-Untereinheiten Cox1p und/oder Cox2p übertragen. Andererseits könnte es als Disulfidreduktase die in die Cu-Bindung involvierten Cysteinreste von Cox2p reduzieren und somit die Voraussetzung für eine Cu-Anheftung an Cox2p schaffen. In beiden Fällen wird den unter den Sco-Proteinen konservierten Aminosäuren Cystein(148), Cystein(152) und Histidin(239) eine Schlüsselrolle zugedacht. Es wurde gezeigt, dass diese Aminosäuren tatsächlich essenziell für die Funktion von Sco1p sind. Die Daten dieser Arbeit sprechen dafür, dass Sco1p als Cu-Chaperon fungiert: Sco1p zeigt keine Aktivität als Disulfidreduktase. Außerdem interagiert Sco1p mit Cox17p - dem Protein, das Cu-Ionen in die Mitochondrien importiert - und geht mit Cox2p eine Wechselwirkung ein. Im Rahmen der Interaktionsanalysen wurde weiterhin gezeigt, dass Sco1p homomere Komplexe ausbildet. Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt dieser Arbeit lag in Untersuchungen zum homologen Sco2p aus Saccharomyces cerevisiae, das im Gegensatz zu Sco1p nicht essenziell für eine funkionsfähige COX ist. Trotz seiner großen Ähnlichkeit ist Sco2p nicht in der Lage, die Funktion von Sco1p zu erfüllen. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit konnt aber demonstriert werden, dass Sco2p zumindest teilweise Sco1p ersetzen kann. Somit kann für beide Proteine angenommen werden, dass sie überlappende Funktionen besitzen. Übereinstimmend wurde nachgewiesen, dass Sco2p - wie Sco1p - in der Lage ist, mit Cox17p und mit Cox2p zu interagieren und außerdem heteromere Komplexe mit Sco1p formiert. Es wurde ein Modell zur Wirkweise von Sco1p und Sco2p entwickelt.

Bei der adjuvanten Immuntherapie soll das Immunsystem von Tumorpatienten gezielt gegen Mikrometastasen aktiviert werden, die nach der operativen Entfernung des Primärtumors im Körper verbleiben. Tumor-assoziierte Antigene (TAA) spielen dabei die zentrale Rolle. Um der Heterogenität eines Tumors in der Expression einzelner TAAs Rechnung zu tragen, werden in modernen Vakzinierungsstrategien Pools von verschiedenen TAAs eingesetzt. Für das Mammakarzinom sind aber bislang nur wenige TAAs bekannt. Auf der Suche nach unbekannten Genen mit Mamma- bzw. Mammakarzinom-restringierter Expression in der Transkriptomdatenbank GeneExpress® wurde ein EST gefunden, das nur in 2 % der getesteten weibl. Normalgewebe ohne Mamma mit einer marginalen mittleren Expression von 16 FE (Fluoreszenzeinheit) detektiert wurde, aber in 63 % der Mammanormalgewebe (159 FE) und in 61 % der Mammakarzinome (339 FE) exprimiert wurde. Das korrespondierende UniGene-Cluster gab erste Hinweise auf die Zugehörigkeit dieses neuen Gens zu der Cytochrom P450 (CYP) Familie. Durch computergestützte Homologievergleiche mit verwandten Mitgliedern dieser Familie in Kombination mit RT-PCR konnte die cDNA-Sequenz dieses neuen CYP ermittelt werden: Durch Amplifikation der Gesamtlängen-cDNA wurden drei Transkripte in der Mammakarzinomzelllinie SK-BR-3 gefunden, die von zwei neuen CYP Genen stammen, CYP4Z1 und dem Pseudogen CYP4Z2P. Die cDNA von CYP4Z1 kodiert für ein 505 As großes Protein, das aufgrund von Homologien einer neuen Subfamilie innerhalb der CYP4 Familie zugeordnet werden kann. Sowohl die Sequenz als auch die vorhergesagte Sekundärstruktur zeigen alle charakteristischen Merkmale eines funktionellen Mitglieds dieser Familie. Aufgrund einer Nonsensemutation in Exon 8 kodiert die cDNA von CYP4Z2P (1436 bp) für ein verkürztes, nichtfunktionelles P450 von 340 As, das zu 96% identisch mit P450 4Z1 ist. Außerdem wurde in SK-BR-3 eine Spleißvariante von CYP4Z1 identifiziert. CYP4Z1 (50,8 kb) und CYP4Z2P (57,3 kb) liegen auf Chromosom 1p33-p34.1 und bestehen aus 12 Exons mit konservierten Exon-Intron-Grenzen. CYP4Z2P ist aus einer inversen Duplikation von CYP4Z1 hervorgegangen. Mittels Realtime RT-PCR mit cDNA von 17 Normalgeweben von gepoolten Spendern und von Mammakarzinomen konnte die auf Brustdrüsengewebe restringierte Expression beider Gene demonstriert werden: Die Expression von CYP4Z1 war in Mammakarzinomgewebe 3,6-mal höher als in Mammanormalgewebe, 60-mal höher als in Lunge und 84-mal höher als in Leber. Alle anderen getesteten weibl. Normalgewebe zeigten eine noch geringere Expression. Ein ähnlich stringentes Expressionsprofil ergab die Analyse von CYP4Z2P, allerdings mit einer deutlich niedrigeren Expressionsstärke. Das Mamma-restringierte Expressionsverhalten von CYP4Z1 wurde durch einen ?Cancer-Profiling-Array? (241 Tumor-/Normalgewebepaare von 13 Gewebetypen) bestätigt. Damit konnte gezeigt werden, dass CYP4Z1 bei 52 % der getesteten 50 Brustkrebspatientinnen im Tumor versus peritumoralem Normalgewebe überexprimiert war. Mit einem spezifischen Kaninchen-Antiserum konnte die Expression von P450 4Z1 Protein sowohl in CYP4Z1-transduzierten Zelllinien als auch in Mammagewebeproben mittels Western-Blot nachgewiesen werden. Konfokale Laser-Scanning Mikroskopie von MCF-7 Zellen, die das Fusionsprotein CYP4Z1-EGFP exprimierten, und die subzelluläre Fraktionierung der CYP4Z1-Transduktanten zeigten P450 4Z1 als integrales Membranprotein des endoplasmatischen Retikulums (ER). Für die Lokalisation und die Zurückhaltung im ER ohne Recycling aus dem Prä-Golgiapparat sind die ersten 32 As erforderlich, was Studien mit unterschiedlichen Deletionsmutanten aus der N-terminalen Sequenz von 4Z1 zeigten. Die Entdeckung eines neuen Mamma-spezifisch exprimierten P450 Enzyms eröffnet neue Möglichkeiten sowohl in Hinsicht auf eine Immuntherapie von Brustkrebs als auch für die Entwicklung neuer Chemotherapeutika, die spezifisch durch P450 4Z1 am Tumorort umgesetzt werden können.

Ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase (complex III) is a central component of the respiratory chain of the inner mitochondrial membrane. It transfers electrons from reduced ubiquinone to ferricytochrome c. Correctly assembled and functional complex III is an essential prerequisite for oxidative energy metabolism. Complex III deficiency has been reported to be associated with several neurodegenerative diseases. Formation and assembly of complex III requires a multitude of specific nuclearly encoded proteins. For example, gene specific translational activators for cytochrome b synthesis as well as three non-subunit proteins, which are important for assembly and/or stability have been detected. The role of Bcs1p in assembly of Rieske FeS protein and Qcr10p into complex III has been clasified recently. The role of the two putative chaperones, Cbp3p and Cbp4p, is not known. In spite of the similar phenotype of cbp3D and cbp4D strains, that suggests the role of both proteins in the same step of complex III assembly, we were able for the first time to demonstrate differences on the molecular level between both deletion mutants. We show by BN-PAGE that cbp3D and cbp4D mutants are disturbed in complex III assembly and accumulate intermediate-sized forms of the complex. Moreover deletion of CBP3 interferes with the formation of complex III/IV supracomplexes. Our studies show that Cbp3p and Cbp4p interact and are present in high molecular weight complexes, some of which might represent intermediates of complex III assembly. Overexpression of Cbp4p cannot substitute for the function of Cbp3p, but high level expression of Cbp3p can partially compensate for the lack of Cbp4p. Because lipids play an important role for complex III assembly and stability, we analysed the mitochondrial lipid composition of cbp3D and cbp4D mutants. Our data show that mitochondria of both mutants exhibit a wild type-like lipid composition, that favors the idea that Cbp3p and Cbp4p are specific assembly factors for complex III rather than components of the mitochondrial lipid metabolism. By complementation studies we have shown that Cbp3 proteins of S. cerevisiae, S. pombe and human are (partially) functional homologues. A yeast model based on chimeric constructs of S. cerevisiae and human proteins was constructed, which allows to test the pathogenicity of human mutations. To define the role/s of Cbp3p and Cbp4p in the assembly pathway of complex III, interactions of selected subunits with both assembly factors were analysed by TAP- or co-immunoprecipitation. Based on the results of Cbp3p and Cbp4p topologies, BN-PAGE analysis of null mutant strains and interaction studies a model for complex III assembly and the roles of Cbp3p and Cbp4p in this process are proposed. I present a hypothesis, according to which Cbp3p and Cbp4p form a ?scaffold? for the assembly of all three putative sub-complexes, may act independently in the first steps of bc1 complex assembly (e. g. the formation of sub-complexes) and interact together to assist the final assembly of sub-complexes into a mature enzyme. / Der Ubiquinol-Cytochrom c Reductase (Komplex III) ist eine zentrale Komponente der Atmungskette der inneren Mitochondrienmembran. Er transferiert Elektronen von reduziertem Ubiquinon auf Ferricytochrom c. Der korrekt assemblierte und funktionale Komplex III ist eine essenzielle Voraussetzung für den oxidativen Energiemetabolismus. Komplex III Defizienz ist assoziiert mit verschiedenen neurodegenerativen Krankheiten...

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit Cbs1p und Cbs2p, zwei spezifische Translationsaktivatoren der COB-mRNA. Im Mittelpunkt standen sowohl die weitere molekularbiologische und biochemische Charakterisierung von Cbs1p als auch ein Screening von Interaktionskandidaten, die mit Cbs1p und/oder Cbs2p physikalisch wechselwirken könnten. Cbs1p liegt als peripheres Membranprotein fest mit der inneren Mitochondrienmembran matrixseitig assoziiert vor. Dabei spielen möglicherweise hydrophobe und/oder Protein-Protein-Wechselwirkungen mit integralen Membranproteinen eine essentielle Rolle bei der Membranverankerung von Cbs1p. Durch die Identifizierug von atmungsdefekten Cbs1p-Mutanten, deren Mutationen in Bereichen mit Homologie zu RNA-bindenden Proteinen liegt, verstärken sich die Hinweise zur Beteiligung von Cbs1p an der direkten physikalischen Wechselwirkung mit dem 5´-leader der COB-mRNA. Darüber hinaus konnte gezeigt werden,, dass die abspaltbare Präsequenz nicht notwendig für einen mitochondrialen Import ist. Die Ergebnisse präzisieren und erweitern das vorliegende Modell der Wirkungsweise der Translationsaktivatoren Cbs1p und Cbs2p (Michaelis, 1991). Aufgrund der Membranverankerung von Cbs1p wird auch die gebundene COB-mRNA in räumlicher Nähe zur Membran gebracht. Darüber hinaus definiert Cbs1p damit möglicherweise auch den Ort der Insertion des nascierenden Apocytochrom b in die Membran. Cbs2p vermittelt die Bindung zur kleinen Untereinheit der mitochondrialen Ribosomen und könnte seinerseits ebenfalls in Interaktionen mit Untereinheiten des bc1-Komplexes involviert sein.

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