Due to the intrauterine environment required to maintain pregnancy it may be that neonatal animals are born type-2 immune response (IR) biased, which consequently may increase susceptibility to certain infectious and immune mediated diseases, such as allergy. Recently, the prevalence of both allergic and autoimmune diseases has increased, leading to the development of the hygiene hypothesis. The hypothesis states that lack of early environmental stimulus leading to inappropriate development and bias in IR, may contribute to this increase. The objectives of this thesis, therefore, were to: (a) Determine the IR bias of neonatal pigs. (b) Investigate the effect of heat-killed Escherichia coli, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and muramyl dipeptide (MDP) on the IR phenotype and the frequency of allergy in pigs sensitized to the egg white allergen ovomucoid (Ovm). (c) Establish IR phenotypes of pigs allergic or clinically tolerant to Ovm. Immune response bias was determined using an established phenotyping protocol and compared between two groups of pigs, (A) and (B). A difference in IR bias was observed. Bias in IR was not consistently towards type-2. Increase in indicators of type-1 IR, were greater in A and the frequency of type-2 IR correlates were greater in B. It’s likely that unidentified environmental variables may have induced this change, although etiology was not pursued. Treatment with heat-killed Escherichia coli, LPS and MDP had an effect on IR bias and frequency of allergy. Muramyl dipeptide-treatments promoted type-2 bias and were associated with increased frequency of allergy. Pre-treatment with E. coli did not affect allergic frequency, but did elicit the production of a relatively balanced allergen-specific IR phenotype. Lipopolysaccharide-pre-treatment was associated with decreased frequency of allergy. Correlates of an allergic IR phenotype in pigs were also established. The measurement of allergen-specific IgG, IgG1 and/or IgE activity and evaluation of late-phase intradermal skin tests were proposed to be useful in identifying allergic IR phenotypes. This thesis emphasizes the importance of considering the potential for variation in IR in terms of pig health and experimental reproducibility. Further, given the physiological similarities of pigs and humans, these findings may be extended to studies of food allergy in humans. / NSERC, OMAFRA, Ontario Pork, AllerGen NCE

La synthèse d'une nouvelle famille d'oligomères de motifs contraints de dipeptides est décrite dans ce manuscrit. Les monomères utilisés sont des motifs 3(S)-amino-5-carbonylméthyl-2,3-dihydro-1,5-benzothiazépine-4(5H)-one (DBT), acide 2-aminométhyl-phényl-acétique (AMPA) et α-amino γ-lactames. La structure secondaire de ces édifices a été étudiée par spectroscopies RMN, IR, CD et RX. Nous avons montré tout d'abord que les oligomères de DBT sont capables d'adopter des structures stables et définies en ruban. En se basant sur ces structures, nous avons conçu de nouveaux systèmes beaucoup plus versatiles qui permettent de répartir diverses fonctions (basiques, acides, aromatiques) de part et d'autre de l'axe du ruban. Une stratégie de synthèse originale a été développée à cet effet. Elle consiste en la conversion directe de séquences peptidiques, incorporant des méthionines, en oligomères d'α-amino γ-lactames. Ils sont capables, au même titre que ceux de DBT, d'adopter des structures en ruban et de pénétrer dans les cellules. Enfin une étude in vivo chez la souris a montré le fort potentiel anti-tumoral d'un bioconjugué associant des oligomères d'AMPA à un inhibiteur de la Cathepsine D, enzyme lysosomale surexprimée et sécrétée par de nombreuses tumeurs solides. / The synthesis of a new type of constrained dipeptide motif oligomers is described. Monomers used are the (3S)-amino-5-(carboxylmethyl)-2,3-dihydro-1,5-benzothiazepin-4(5H)-one (DBT), the 2-aminomethyl-phenyl-acetic acid (AMPA) and α-amino γ-lactams. The secondary structure of those architectures has been studied by NMR, IR, CD and X-ray spectroscopies. Firstly, we demonstrated that DBT oligomers are able to adopt stable and well defined ribbon like structures. Based on these structures, we designed new systems, far more versatile which are able to distribute various functions (basic, acidic, aromatic) on each side of the ribbon axis. An original strategy has been developed for this purpose. It consists in the direct conversion of peptidic sequences, incorporating methionine, in α-amino γ-lactams oligomers. They are able, as the DBT, to adopt ribbon like structures and to be internalized into cells. Finally, an in vivo study in mice showed the high anti-tumoral potency of a bioconjugate linking AMPA oligomers to an inhibitor of the cathepsin D, a lysosomal enzyme overexpressed and secreted by numerous solid tumors.

SILVA, José Gláucio da. Propriedades Vibracionais do Dipeptídeo L-Alanil-Alanina submetido a deformações homogêneas. 2015. 131 f. Tese (Doutorado em Física) - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Física, Departamento de Física, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 2015. / Submitted by Edvander Pires (edvanderpires@gmail.com) on 2016-03-18T16:45:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_tese_jgsilva.pdf: 4602304 bytes, checksum: c589f914ff64a0ac8fd63892133504ba (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Edvander Pires(edvanderpires@gmail.com) on 2016-03-18T16:46:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_tese_jgsilva.pdf: 4602304 bytes, checksum: c589f914ff64a0ac8fd63892133504ba (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-18T16:46:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_tese_jgsilva.pdf: 4602304 bytes, checksum: c589f914ff64a0ac8fd63892133504ba (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / The dipeptide L-Alanyl – L-Alanine crystal was studied through polarized Raman scattering submitted to homogeneous deformations. The crystals were grown by slow evaporation technique from an aqueous supersaturated solution of the crystal powder. Rays-x diffractions measurements were realized to confirm a crystalline structure of the crystal. Polarized Raman scattering measurements were performed at room temperature, as well as the analysis of the group theory to the C4 factor group and a tentative assignment of the vibrational modes of crystal. Raman scattering measurements in the crystals as a function of temperature were realized between two intervals of temperature: first, at low temperature between 300 K and 11 K e 11 K and 300 K, and second, at high temperature between 300 K e 520 K and 520 K e 300 K, in the spectral range of 50 cm-1 to 3400 cm-1. From the results of low temperature measurements, it was possible to conclude that the crystal undergoes a second-order phase transition between 80 K and 60 K, from a tetragonal structure with C4 factor group to a monoclinic structure with C2 factor group, maintaining the same number of the molecules per primitive cell. The suggested mechanism to explain the phase transition is the occupation of non-equivalent sites by CH3 molecular groups present at Ala-Ala molecule. On the other hand, the crystal remained stable in the high temperature range studied, and the changes observed in the Raman spectra showed no evidence that the Ala-Ala crystal undergone phase transition or changes in molecule conformation. In those experiments were observed only quantitative changes in frequency and widths of the Raman modes, which are normal for any material subjected to variations in temperatures around 220 K. Raman scattering measurements in the crystals as a function of pressure in the pressure range between 0,1 GPa and 6,3 GPa, in compression and of 6,3 GPa and 0,1 GPa, in decompression, in the spectral region between 100 cm-1 and 3400 cm-1 showed two ranges where several qualitative changes occurred; the first, in low pressure interval between 1.7 GPa and 2.3 GPa and the second, at high pressure interval, between 4.5 GPa and 4.9 GPa. Between 1.7 GPa and 2.3 GPa, it was observed qualitative changes as well as the disappearance of an external mode around of 130 cm-1 and the anomalous behavior of other external mode around of 110 cm-1 for pressures of the order of 1,7 GPa. These qualitative changes suggest that the crystal exhibits a second order structural phase transition. Qualitative changes also were observed in others regions of the Raman spectrum through of special reorientation of the molecular groups CO2, CH3 and NH3. These qualitative changes characterize a structural second order phase transition. The mains qualitative changes observed between 4,5 GPa and 5,2 GPa were the disappearance of the external modes and the an large increasing of the width of the Raman modes, suggesting that the crystal exhibits a structural disorder in the crystalline structure when undergoes a phase transition for high pressures, possibly a amorphization. When performing decompression of the sample, the Raman spectrum returns to its initial form relative to pressure of 0,1 GPa indicating reversibility of phase transitions. / O cristal dipeptídeo L-Alanil-L-alanina (Ala-Ala) foi estudado através da técnica de espalhamento Raman polarizado submetido a deformações homogêneas. Os cristais foram crescidos pela técnica de evaporação lenta a partir de uma solução aquosa supersaturada do pó do cristal. Medidas de raios-x foram realizadas para confirmar a estrutura cristalina do cristal. Foram realizadas medidas de espalhamento Raman polarizado a temperatura ambiente, bem como análise da teoria de grupos para o grupo fator C4 juntamente com uma classificação exploratória dos modos normais de vibração do cristal. As medidas de espalhamento Raman foram realizadas em baixas temperaturas, entre 300 K e 11 K e 11 K e 300 K, e altas temperaturas, entre 300 K e 520 K e 520 K e 300 K, na região espectral de 50 a 3300 cm-1. Da análise dos resultados das medidas de baixas temperaturas foi possível concluir que o cristal exibe uma transição de fase de segunda ordem, entre 80 e 60 K, passando continuamente da estrutura tetragonal com grupo fator C4 para uma estrutura monoclínica com grupo fator C2 mantendo o mesmo número de moléculas na célula primitiva. O mecanismo proposto para explicar a transição de fase é a ocupação de sítios de simetria C1 não equivalentes pelos íons moleculares CH3 numa estrutura monoclínica pertencente ao grupo fator C2. O cristal manteve-se estável em todo o intervalo de alta temperatura estudado. Nestas experiências foram observadas apenas mudanças quantitativas nas frequências e larguras de linha dos modos Raman estudados, que é normal para qualquer material submetido a variações de temperaturas da ordem de 220 K. Medidas de espalhamento polarizado no cristal de Ala – Ala no intervalo de pressão entre 0,1 GPa e 6,3 GPa, na compressão, e de 6,3 GPa e 0,1 GPa, na descompressão, na região espectral de 100 cm-1 a 3400 cm-1 mostraram dois intervalos de pressão em que ocorrem diversas mudanças qualitativas; o primeiro entre 1,7 GPa e 2,3 GPa e o segundo entre 4,5 GPa e 4,9 GPa. Entre 1,7 GPa e 2,3 GPa foram observadas mudanças qualitativas significantes na região dos modos externos, tais como, o desaparecimento de um modo da rede em torno de 130 cm-1 e o comportamento anômalo de outro modo da rede em torno de 110 cm-1 para pressão de 1,7 GPa. Estas mudanças qualitativas sugerem que o cristal exibe uma transição de fase estrutural de segunda ordem. As outras regiões do espectro Raman do cristal apresentaram diversas mudanças qualitativas continuas no comportamento dos modos Raman das unidades que participam diretamente das pontes de hidrogênio, indicando que o cristal apresenta reorientações espaciais dos grupos moleculares CO2, CH3 e NH3. Estas mudanças qualitativas caracterizam uma transição de fase estrutural de segunda ordem. As principais mudanças qualitativas observadas entre 4,5 GPa e 5,2 GPa são o desaparecimento dos modos externos e, quantitativamente, um grande aumento na largura de linha dos modos Raman indicando que o cristal exibe uma desordem na estrutura cristalina durante a transição de fase de altas pressões, possivelmente uma amorfização. Na descompressão da amostra os espectros Raman são quase que totalmente recuperados na sua forma inicial indicando que o cristal apresenta transições de fase reversíveis.

Bacterial colonization of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract takes place during the perinatal period, thus coinciding with a critical window of enteric nervous system (ENS) development. Previous work has found that the myenteric plexus of germ free (GF) mice exhibits structural and functional aberrancies in the early postnatal period as compared to specific pathogen free (SPF) and altered Schaedler flora (ASF) mice. These early life disruptions in ENS development in GF mice compared to SPF mice, and more specifically ASF mice, support the notion that a simple intestinal flora is sufficient for directing perinatal ENS development. It has previously been believed that the intrauterine environment during fetal development is sterile. Recent evidence showing successful isolation of microbial communities from embryonic cord blood and newborn meconium that are not of maternal origin suggests that the intrauterine environment is not sterile and is unique to the fetus. Coinciding with this timeline of fetal microbial colonization is the development of the ENS through a population of precursors known as enteric neural crest derived cells (ENCDCs). The prenatal period is characterized by rapid expansion and differentiation of ENCDCs into the many enteric neuron subtypes that comprise the ENS. Terminal differentiation of ENCDCs continues into the early postnatal period. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that ENCDCs interact directly with microbial products during ENS development. Further, these ENCDC-bacterial product interactions influence the proliferation, apoptosis, and chemical coding of enteric neuron precursors. These objectives were carried out in an in vitro model of ENCDCs isolated from the prenatal period that was established for the first time in our lab using immunoselection. Further, this model was characterized at key timepoints for proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. Our results are suggestive of direct ENCDC interactions with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a TLR4 ligand, and flagellin, a TLR5 ligand, in stimulating ENCDC proliferation and differentiation into early born neurons of nitrergic and serotonergic subtypes. Peptidoglycan derivatives, muramyl dipeptide (MDP) and ƴ-D-Glu-mDAP (iE-DAP), ligands for NOD2 and NOD1 respectively, appear to mainly stimulate differentiation into nitrergic neurons, and possibly serotonergic neurons. The lack of apoptosis in all conditions is consistent with the notion that apoptosis is not an important characteristic of ENCDC maturation and ENS development. Finally, the lack of significance for differentiation into dopaminergic neurons could be further evidence of their late born nature, which has previously been reported to be stimulated by serotonin after the emergence of serotonergic neurons. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird die Synthese und Charakterisierung von chiralen prolylfunktionalisierten Farbstoffen vorgestellt. Als chromophore Schlüsselverbindungen wurden Nitroaniline aber auch größere push-pull pi-Systeme wie Schiffsche Basen, Azofarbstoffe und Merocyanine gewählt. Im Fokus dieser Arbeit stehen dabei deren solvatochrome Eigenschaften, pH-Sensitivität sowie mögliche Wechselwirkung mit Biomolekülen und verschiedenen An- und Kationen. Zusätzlich erfolgten Umsetzungen ausgewählter prolylfunktionalisierter chromophorer Bausteine zu Estern und Amiden. Der Einfluss des Prolylbausteins auf das im Festkörper ausgebildete Wasserstoffbrückenbindungsmusters wurde über Einkristallröntgenstrukturanalysen untersucht und nach der Graph Set Methode von Etter klassifiziert. Neben der Einkristallröntgenstrukturanalyse erfolgte die weitere Untersuchung der Festkörpereigenschaften mit Hilfe von UV/Vis- sowie NMR-spektroskopischen Methoden. Das solvatochrome Verhalten der prolylfunktionalisierten Verbindungen wurde mittels multipler linearer Regressionsanalyse gemäß der LSER- (linear solvation energy relationship) Beziehung nach den Ansätzen von Kamlet-Taft und Catalán beschrieben und vergleichend interpretiert.

Previous nutritional physiology research using L-histidine and zinc in American lobster intestine (Homarus americanus) has suggested that these solutes can be co-transported as complexes (Histidine-Zinc-Histidine) across the intestine using a peptide transporter. Furthermore, transport of L-leucine was shown to be inhibited by high calcium concentrations. Dipeptide and bis-complex transport and the role of calcium were investigated in the perfused intestines of lobster and Atlantic white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus). Following trans-intestinal transport, serosal medium was analyzed for amino acid composition by gas chromatography. In lobster, the transport of glycylsarcosine (Gly-Sar) from mucosa to serosa was stimulated two-fold with luminal pH 8.5, compared to the pH 5.5 control. Mucosa to serosa and serosa to mucosa fluxes of Gly-Sar were measured; the dipeptide was transported intact in both directions, but the net flux was from mucosa to serosa. The use of 0.5mM calcium chloride stimulated Gly-Sar transport two-fold, compared to 25 mM. In shrimp, the addition of 50 µM zinc chloride increased the rate of L-histidine transport, while Gly-Sar inhibited histidine transport in the presence of zinc. The rate of histidine transport was significantly higher with 1mM calcium chloride than with 25mM. These results suggest that shrimp transport bis-complexes in a manner similar to lobster. High calcium concentration had an inhibitory effect on both amino acid and dipeptide transport. Proposed mechanisms accounting for the effects of metals and calcium on trans-intestinal transports of both amino acids and dipeptides by lobster and shrimp digestive tracts are discussed.

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird die Synthese und Charakterisierung von chiralen prolylfunktionalisierten Farbstoffen vorgestellt. Als chromophore Schlüsselverbindungen wurden Nitroaniline aber auch größere push-pull pi-Systeme wie Schiffsche Basen, Azofarbstoffe und Merocyanine gewählt. Im Fokus dieser Arbeit stehen dabei deren solvatochrome Eigenschaften, pH-Sensitivität sowie mögliche Wechselwirkung mit Biomolekülen und verschiedenen An- und Kationen. Zusätzlich erfolgten Umsetzungen ausgewählter prolylfunktionalisierter chromophorer Bausteine zu Estern und Amiden. Der Einfluss des Prolylbausteins auf das im Festkörper ausgebildete Wasserstoffbrückenbindungsmusters wurde über Einkristallröntgenstrukturanalysen untersucht und nach der Graph Set Methode von Etter klassifiziert. Neben der Einkristallröntgenstrukturanalyse erfolgte die weitere Untersuchung der Festkörpereigenschaften mit Hilfe von UV/Vis- sowie NMR-spektroskopischen Methoden. Das solvatochrome Verhalten der prolylfunktionalisierten Verbindungen wurde mittels multipler linearer Regressionsanalyse gemäß der LSER- (linear solvation energy relationship) Beziehung nach den Ansätzen von Kamlet-Taft und Catalán beschrieben und vergleichend interpretiert.