The innate immune response mediates immediate control of the pathogen and is followed by the acquired immune response which is slower but ensures comprehensive elimination of the pathogen. Dendritic cells are unique innate immune cells that can phagocytose the pathogen and generate pathogen-associated antigenic peptides for presentation to T cells in order to initiate the acquired immune response. Dendritic cells also express cytokines which facilitate pathogen control and development of acquired immune responses, thus acting as a bridge between innate and acquired immune responses. CD8+ T cells are important cells of the adaptive immune system that play a key role in mediating clearance and protection against intracellular pathogens. Upon engagement by antigen-presenting cells, CD8+ T cells undergo massive expansion followed by a swift, extensive contraction to restore homeostasis. The mechanisms behind the expansion and contraction of CD8+ T cells are yet to be completely elucidated. FoxO3a is a transcription factor that is involved in the regulation of various vital cellular processes ranging from cell proliferation and cell metabolism to stress resistance and cell death. I have, therefore, investigated the role of FoxO3a signaling in the activation of dendritic cells and CD8+ T cells. My initial experiments indicated that FoxO3a regulates the homeostasis of various immune cells including CD8+ T cells and dendritic cells. CD8+ T cells lacking FoxO3a displayed enhanced proliferation, as evaluated by cell imaging, CFSE dilution and Ki67 staining, upon polyclonal stimulation in vitro. The modulation of cell proliferation by FoxO3a seemed to be p27kip-independent, as evaluated by western blotting. At later stages of stimulation, FoxO3a-deficient CD8+ T cells underwent reduced cell death, as assessed by cell counting and 7-AAD staining, and this seemed to be independent of Bim, Caspase 8 or Caspase 3 activation. In addition, FoxO3a regulated cytokine expression by CD8+ T cells while displaying similar NFκB activation in comparison to WT CD8+ T cells. Similar results were observed in dendritic cells upon LPS stimulation in vitro, wherein cytokine expression was higher in the FoxO3a-deficient dendritic cells and they also displayed enhanced antigen presentation to CD8+ T cells, as evaluated by CFSE dilution. Taken together, these results indicate that FoxO3a acts as a negative regulator of CD8+ T cell and dendritic cell activation.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / A histological marker of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the loss of synapses located on striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) as a result of dopaminergic nigral cell depletion. The dendritic spines that give MSNs their name have a well-characterized structure and are the main regions of post-synaptic input. It has been shown that spines have altered functionality and morphology in many neurodegenerative diseases. Spine morphology, and potentially function, is dictated by an array of structural proteins and their associations with other proteins in a region dubbed the post-synaptic density (PSD). Spinophilin and neurofilament medium (NF-M) are two proteins that are enriched in the PSD and have potential implications in PD. Interestingly, preliminary data show that there is a decrease in the NF-M-spinophilin interaction in animal models of PD. Here it is shown that these two proteins interact in brain tissue and when overexpressed in a mammalian cell system. Moreover, we have begun to determine mechanisms that regulate this interaction. It is known that there is a misregulation of protein phosphatases and kinases in many neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, the phosphorylation state of a protein can regulate its association with other proteins. Therefore, we hypothesize that the phosphorylation state of either protein affects the interaction between spinophilin and NF-M. Furthermore, we have conducted experiments utilizing protein phosphatases and kinases that are known to modulate the phosphorylation state of NF-M and/or spinophilin. Data show that both kinase and phosphatase activity and/or expression modulates the NF-M-spinophilin interaction in heterologous cell lines. Through the use of MS/MS analysis, we have begun to map specific phosphorylation sites that may play a role in regulating this interaction. Currently, we are elucidating the specific effects of these post-translational modifications on regulating the spinophilin-NF-M interaction. These data will enhance our knowledge of spinophilin’s interactions and how these interactions are altered in neurological disorders such as PD.

No description available.

No description available.

The Inhibitor of Apoptosis (IAP) proteins are a highly conserved group of anti-apoptotic proteins that regulate various pathways, particularly those that affect proliferation and cell death. Smac mimetics compounds (SMCs) are IAP antagonists that induce the degradation of two IAPs, cellular IAP 1 (cIAP1) and cellular IAP 2 (cIAP2). cIAP1 and cIAP2 are negative regulators of the alternative NF-κB pathway, which is critical to the regulation, activation, proliferation, and survival of immune cells. Consequently, SMCs can affect immunological responses by providing co-stimulatory signals for antigen-presenting cells or promoting proliferation and activation of T cells. Due to their potent immunomodulatory properties, SMCs are an ideal candidate for new vaccine adjuvants. I sought to demonstrate the potential of SMCs as a vaccine adjuvant by evaluating SMCs effects on dendritic cells (DCs). I demonstrated that SMC treatment of bone marrow derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) induces degradation of both cIAP1 and cIAP2 and leads to activation of the alternative NF-κB signalling pathway. Furthermore, SMC treatment led to upregulation of proteins associated with DC maturation, as well as secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Despite the activating effects elicited by SMCs in vitro, the use of SMCs as an adjuvant for peptide vaccination failed to prevent tumour growth. Further work to determine the best use of SMCs as adjuvants in vivo needs to be done to explore the potential of this class of drugs. Thus, these findings will guide the use of SMCs in adjuvant vaccine therapies for robust protective immunity.

No description available.

No description available.

<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> is a versatile opportunistic pathogen causing a wide spectrum of diseases in both humans and animals. My research focused on characterization of the immune responses of monocyte derived dendritic cells (DC) to <i>S. aureus</i>. We initially evaluated the potential of circulating monocytes to serve as precursors for DC during <i>S. aureus</i> infection. The CD14⁺ monocytes, when stimulated with irradiated (ISA) or live <i>S. aureus</i> (LSA), differentiated into CD11c^high CD11b^high DC (MonoDC) in an autocrine fashion. This was associated with the up- regulation of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GMCSF) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) gene transcription. We continued our studies to identify the role of TNF-α in the LSA induced differentiation of monocyte to MonoDC. Blocking TNF-α reduced the expression of CD11c and increased the expression of CD14 on LSA stimulated monocyte derived MonoDC. Stimulated monocytes were able to secrete monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), a chemokine that recruits monocytes to the site of infection/injury and induces the expression of β₂ integrins on DC. Characterization of the response of DC derived from monocytes using GMCSF and IL-4 revealed that, intact <i>S. aureus</i> rather than its purified structural components were efficient in DC activation. In response to ISA or LSA stimulation, DC induced proliferation of T cells collected from the peripheral circulation of cows with a history of <i>S. aureus</i> mastitis. Subsequent characterization of the proliferating T cells identified the presence of memory T cells. Finally, we identified a unique population of DEC205⁺CD8^a+ in monocyte derived DC. We further elucidated the role of DC DEC205, a C-type lectin, in <i>S. aureus</i> uptake. Blocking of receptor mediated endocytosis resulted in reduced uptake of <i>S. aureus</i> by DC. Confocal microscopy confirmed a role for DEC205 in <i>S. aureus</i> internalization and delivery to endosomes. DEC205 DC upon stimulation with <i>S. aureus</i> displayed enhanced maturation and antigen presentation. In conclusion, monocyte derived DC can uptake <i>S. aureus</i> and elicit cell mediated immune responses. / Ph. D.

Identifying the processes and mechanisms that govern communities of organisms is the main goal of community ecology. Locally operating mechanisms such as environmental filtering, in which the environment determines what species are found in a given location, as well as regional processes such as dispersal have all been identified as potential drivers of community processes. However, the relative importance of these drivers may vary temporally and spatially. In dendritic stream networks, headwater streams are isolated when compared to more centrally located mainstem stream sections. I investigated the potential for stream networks to influence the relative influence of local and regional processes via a survey and field experiment based approaches. I found that headwater streams can influence mainstem stream communities, potentially as a result of the dispersal of organisms or abiotic materials. Additionally, I demonstrated that macroinvertebrate communities in headwater streams respond more strongly to manipulations of local environment than do mainstem streams, both in terms of community composition as determined taxonomically and as functional traits. These results indicate that headwater streams may be affected differently than mainstem streams by anthropogenic activity and as such, management strategies and restorations may need to be specifically tailored to address the relative influences of local and regional processes at varying points within a stream network. / Ph. D.

Le peptidoglycane (PG) est le composant majeur de la paroi des bactéries à Gram positif. Il assure la forme et l’intégrité de la cellule bactérienne. Le PG ou des fragments dérivés sont connus pour être des inducteurs du système d’immunité innée de l’hôte, en particulier au travers des récepteurs Nod2. Au cours de ce travail, nous avons étudié l’influence du métabolisme du PG sur les propriétés immunomodulatrices de Lactobacillus casei BL23, en étudiant principalement sa capacité à moduler la réponse des cellules dendritiques humaines. Nous avons tout d’abord caractérisé les hydrolases du PG (PGHs) majeures de L. casei BL23. Une recherche in silico a révélé que L. casei possède un système de PGHs relativement complexe comprenant treize enzymes putatives avec des domaines catalytiques variés. Une analyse protéomique d’extraits de paroi de L. casei BL23 a permis de détecter la production de sept d’entre elles pendant la croissance bactérienne. Quatre d’entre elles ont été étudié plus en détails. La PGH la plus fortement exprimée, Lc-p75, a une activité de -D-glutamyl-L-lysyl-endopeptidase et est responsable de la séparation des cellules après division. De plus, Lc-p75 associée à la paroi est localisée au niveau des septa cellulaires. Il s’agit également de l’une des protéines majeures secrétée dans le surnageant de culture de L. casei BL23. Lc-p75 possède la particularité d’être une glycoprotéine. La PGH Lc-p40 possède un domaine CHAP doué d’une activité endopeptidase avec un site de clivage situé au niveau des ponts interpeptidiques du PG. Lc-p40 parait localisée au niveau de la paroi latérale des cellules de L. casei. Lc-p45 est une deuxième -D-glutamyl-L-lysyl-endopeptidase avec un rôle dans le maintien de la forme de la bactérie. Enfin nous avons caractérisé deux enzymes de prophages, Lc-Lys et Lc-Lys2, codée par le génome de L. casei BL23, qui possède toute deux un domaine de liaison au PG d’un nouveau type qui possède la particularité de lier spécifiquement le D-Asp amidé présent dans les ponts interpeptidiques du PG de L. casei BL23. La délétion des deux gènes qui codent pour les endopeptidases Lc-p75 et Lc-p45 chez L. casei BL23 conduit à l’absence de disaccharide dipeptide dans la structure du PG du mutant, tandis que la délétion de Lc-p75 seulement conduit à une réduction de la quantité du disaccharide-dipeptide. Ce disaccharide dipeptide est un ligand des récepteurs Nod2. Les deux mutants obtenus par délétion de Lc-p75 ou bien par délétion des deux endopeptidases ont été comparés avec la souche sauvage BL23 pour leur capacité à activer in vitro des cellules dendritiques humaines dérivées de monocytes sanguins. Suite à l’activation des cellules dendritiques par les souches de L. casei, quatre cytokines pro-inflammatoires, les interleukines IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 et le TNF- ont été produites. La quantité de chaque cytokine sécrétée en réponse aux mutants simple Lc-p75 et double Lc-p75/Lc-p45 était diminuée par rapport à celle induite par la souche sauvage L. casei BL23.En conclusion, L. casei BL23 est doté d’un équipement complexe en PGHs. Les PGHs caractérisées au cours de ce travail présentent des caractéristiques uniques et jouent un rôle important dans la division des bactéries ainsi que dans le maintien de leur morphologie. Nos résultats indiquent que la souche sauvage de L. casei Bl23 et les mutants dérivés obtenus par inactivation d’enzymes à activité endopeptidase, qui diffèrent à la fois au niveau de leur contenu enzymatique ainsi qu’au niveau de la structure de leur PG, ont des effets différents sur les cellules dendritiques humaines, avec un caractère anti-inflammatoire plus élevé pour les mutants / Peptidoglycan (PG) is the major component of the Gram-positive bacteria cell wall. It ensures bacterial cell shape and integrity. PG or PG-derived fragments have been shown to stimulate the host innate immune system, through Nod-2 receptors. In this work, we studied the influence of PG metabolism on immunomodulatory properties of Lactobacillus casei BL23, mainly its ability to modulate the response of human dendritic cells (DCs).We have first characterized the main peptidoglycan hydrolases (PGHs) of L. casei BL23. In silico search revealed that L. casei BL23 has a rather complex PGH complement including thirteen predicted PGHs with various catalytic domains. Proteomic analysis of bacterial cell wall extracts revealed the expression of seven of them during bacterial growth. We characterized four of them in details. Lc-p75 is the major PGH with a γ-D-glutamyl-L-lysyl-endopeptidase specificity and is responsible for daughter cell separation. Lc-p75 associated to the cell wall localizes at the cell septa. It is also one of the major secreted proteins of L. casei found in culture supernatant. Besides, we showed that L. casei Lc-p75 is a glycosylated protein. Lc-p40 is a PGH with a CHAP-domain endowed with endopeptidase hydrolytic specificity toward peptidoglycan cross-bridges and appears to localize on lateral cell wall. Lc-p45 is a second γ-D-glutamyl-L-lysyl endopeptidase with a role in cell shape maintenance. We further demonstrated that two prophage endolysins Lc-Lys and Lc-Lys2, encoded in L. casei BL23 genome, share a common novel type peptidoglycan-binding domain that recognizes specifically D-Asn cross-bridge, present in L. casei BL23 peptidoglycan.Deletion of the two endopeptidases, Lc-75 and Lc-p45, resulted in a complete loss ofdisaccharide-dipeptide, which is a ligand of Nod-2 receptor, in the muropeptide structure of L. casei BL23, whereas deletion of Lc-p75 gene led only to a reduction of disaccharide dipeptide. The two PGH-mutants, obtained by deletion of Lc-p75 gene alone or both Lc-p75 and Lc-p45 endopeptidase genes were compared with wild type L. casei BL23 for their capacity to stimulate signaling pathways in vitro in DCs derived from human monocytes. As a consequence of DC activation by L. casei strains, four pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 and TNF-α were produced. The concentrations of secreted cytokines in response to the single Lc-p75 and Lc-p75/p45 double mutant were lower than those induced by wild type L. casei BL23.In conclusion, L. casei BL23 has a complex PGH complement. The PGHs described in this work present unique features and play important role in cell division and morphology of L. casei. Our results indicate that wild type L. casei and endopeptidase-negative mutants, which differ in their PGH content and in their PG structure, have distinct effects on human DCs, with a higher anti-inflammatory character of the endopeptidase-negative mutants.