In dieser Arbeit beleuchten wir die subzelluläre Lokalisation von Flotillin unter Einfluss von Cholesterin. Wir zeigen, dass die zelluläre Lokalisation abhängig vom Cholesterinniveau der Zelle ist. Eine Cholesterindepletion bringt Flotillin in die Plasmamembran, sowie umgekehrt eine Überversorgung mit Cholesterin Flotillin in cholesterinhaltige, endosomale Strukturen führt. Dabei ist die Umverteilung abhängig von der Integrität des Zytoskeletts. Außerdem zeigt die vorliegende Arbeit, dass die Umverteilung von Flotillin von der Plasmamembran hin zu endosomalen, intrazellulären Kompartimenten abhängig vom Vorhandensein von zwei putativen Cholesterinbindungs-/Interaktionsdomänen ist. Aus den gewonnenen Daten ergeben sich weiterhin Hinweise, dass Cholesterin an Flotillin gebunden in das späte Endosomen transportiert wird. In weiterführenden Versuchen unserer Gruppe zeigte sich, dass die exosomale Freisetzung von Cholesterin bei ansteigenden zellulären Cholesterinkonzentrationen erhöht wird und dass die exosomale Cholesterinfreisetzung von Flotillin abhängig ist. Die Daten deuten auf eine mögliche Rolle von Flotillin und Exosomen bei der zellulären Cholesterinhomöostase hin.

The mammalian pregnancy comprises a challenge to the maternal immune system since the fetus is semi-allogeneic and could thus be rejected. Pregnancy success is associated with the placenta that is not only essential for oxygen supply, nourishment and pregnancy hormones but also plays a role in the protection of the fetus against maternal immunologic attack. The aim of the current studies was to elucidate the role of human placenta as an immunomodulatory organ with a special focus on placental exosomes as vehicles for establishment of maternal tolerance to the fetus. We discovered that the syncytiotrophoblast in human normal pregnancy constitutively produces and secretes exosomes. Exosomes are 30-100 nanometer-sized membrane vesicles of endosomal origin that convey intercellular communication. Exosomes are produced and released through the endosomal compartment and reflect the type and the activation state of the cells that produce and secrete them. They carry cytosolic and membrane-bound proteins and nucleic acids and can influence and re-program recipient cells. Depending on their interactions with cells of the immune system they can be divided into immunostimulatory or immunosuppressive. We developed methods for isolation and culture of trophoblast and placental explants from human normal first trimester pregnancy and isolated exosomes from the culture supernatants.  These exosomes were characterized biochemically and functionally regarding mechanisms with potential importance in the establishment of maternal tolerance towards the fetus. The following aspects were studied: 1) exosomal modulation of the NKG2D receptor-ligand system, a major cytotoxic pathway for NK- and cytotoxic T cells and thus potentially dangerous to the fetus; 2) placental exosome-mediated apoptosis of activated immune effector cells; and 3) Foxp3-expressing T regulatory cells in human pregnant uterine mucosa, the decidua. Using immuno electron microscopy we show that human early syncytiotrophoblast constitutively expresses the stress-inducible NKG2D ligands MICA/B and ULBP1-5, and the apoptosis inducing molecules FasL and TRAIL. While MICA/B were expressed both on the cell surface and intracellularly on the limiting membrane of multivesicular bodies (MVB) and on exosomes, the ULBP1-5, FasL and TRAIL  were solely  processed through the MVB of the endosomal compartment and secreted on exosomes. The NKG2D ligand-expressing placental exosomes were able to internalize the cognate receptor from the cell surface of activated NK- and T cells thus down regulating their cytotoxic function. In our studies of apoptosis we found that placental exosomes carry the proapoptotic ligands FasL and TRAIL in their active form as a hexameric complex of two homotrimeric molecules, required for triggering of the apoptotic signaling pathways. This finding was supported by the ability of isolated placental FasL/TRAIL expressing exosomes to induce apoptosis in activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and Jurkat T cells. Additionally, we studied Foxp3-expressing T regulatory (Treg) cells in paired human decidual and blood samples from pregnant women compared to non-pregnant controls. The CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells were 10 fold enriched in the decidual mucosa compared to peripheral blood of pregnant women and non-pregnant controls. We discovered a pool of Foxp3-expressing, CD4+CD25- cells in human decidua, a phenotype consistent with naïve/precursor Foxp3+ Treg cells. These results suggest local enrichment of Treg cells in decidua of normal pregnancy. Furthermore, we have results indicating that the exosomes, isolated from placental explant cultures, carry PD-L1 and TGFβ on their surface, molecules known to promote induction of Treg cells. Taken together, our results provide evidence that placental exosomes are immunosuppressive and underline their role in the maternal immune modulation during pregnancy. The constitutive production and secretion of immunosuppressive placental exosomes create a protective exosomal gradient in the blood surrounding the feto-placental unit. This “cloud of immunosuppressive exosomes” conveys immunologic privilege to the developing fetus and thus contributes to the solution of the immunological challenge of mammalian pregnancy.

Les exosomes sont des vésicules d'origine endocytaire sécrétées par les cellules dans leur environnement après fusion des endosomes multivésiculés avec la membrane plasmique. Ils représentent un nouveau moyen de communication cellulaire par le transfert intercellulaire de protéines, de lipides et d'ARN. Dans le laboratoire, nous nous intéressons aux rôles que pourraient jouer les exosomes neuronaux dans le système nerveux central. Nous avons montré que les neurones matures sécrètent des exosomes. Nous avons mis en évidence que cette sécrétion est directement reliée à l'activité synaptique glutamatergique et à une entrée de Ca2+. Nous avons également découvert que la partie C-terminale de la chaîne lourde de la toxine du tétanos peut être sécrétée par voie exosomale. Nous avons observé que les exosomes la contenant sont repris par des neurones en culture. Un tel cargo semble d'ailleurs influencer le devenir des exosomes. De plus, pour étudier la recapture des exosomes, nous avons utilisé des exosomes de cellules N2a exprimant la tétraspanine CD63 fusionnée à la GFP. En incubant des neurones d'hippocampe avec des exosomes GFP-CD63, nous sommes parvenus à démontrer qu'ils étaient endocytés par les neurones receveurs. Cependant, bien que les exosomes semblent avoir été internalisés, nos résultats suggèrent que leur trafic serait indépendant de la voie endocytaire classique. Enfin, nous nous sommes intéressé au contenu en ARN des exosomes de N2a et de neurones. Nous avons démontré qu'ils contenaient majoritairement des ARN courts (≤ 200 nucléotides) parmi lesquels, les microARN 132 et 138. Les microARN sont de puissants régulateurs de l'expression génique. Leur transfert, via les exosomes, représenterait une nouvelle voie de régulation très fine et avec un impact conséquent sur le fonctionnement du système nerveux. Les exosomes neuronaux pourraient donc jouer un rôle dans la physiologie normale de la synapse, en permettant l'échange d'ARN et de récepteurs aux neurotransmetteurs entre neurones. Ils pourraient également être impliqués dans la propagation de protéines pathogènes comme la toxine du tétanos et la propagation de certaines maladies neurodégénératives comme Alzheimer et Creutzfeldt-Jacob. L'ensemble de nos résultats suggère que les exosomes joueraient un rôle-clé dans le système nerveux central, de par leur implication dans des processus physiologiques et pathologiques.

There is a huge unmet clinical need to treat damaged articular cartilage such as that caused by osteoarthritis (OA) with an estimated 8.75 million people in the UK having sought treatment for OA (ARUK 2013). Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) offer a promising alternative therapeutic approach, potentially providing an unlimited source of chondrocytes capable of regenerating the damaged cartilage however this is limited by the efficiency of the chondrogenic differentiation protocol. An improved understanding of the posttranscriptional regulation of chondrogenesis by microRNAs (miRNAs) may enable us to improve hESC chondrogenesis. Also the recent discovery that miRNAs are selectively packaged into exosomes which can then be transferred to and be functionally active within neighbouring cells suggests they may have a role in cell-cell communication. This project investigated the regulation of miRNA expression in relation to the transcriptome during hESCs-directed chondrogenesis and the possible role for exosomes during differentiation and in stem cell maintenance of hESCs. Small RNA-seq and whole transcriptome sequencing was performed on distinct stages of hESC-directed chondrogenesis using the Directed Differentiation Protocol (DDP) developed in our lab. Also small RNA-seq was performed on exosomes isolated from hESCs and chondroprogenitors along with the donor cells that the exosomes originated from. This revealed significant changes in the expression of several miRNAs during hESC-directed chondrogenesis including: upregulation of miRNAs transcribed from the four Hox complexes, known cartilage associated miRNAs and the downregulation of pluripotency associated miRNAs. Overall miRome and transcriptome analysis revealed the two hESC lines exhibited slightly different miRome and transcriptome profiles during chondrogenesis, with Man7 displaying larger changes in miRNA and mRNA expression as it progressed through the DDP suggesting it may be more predisposed to undergo chondrogenesis. Integration of miRomes and transcriptomes generated during hESC-directed chondrogenesis identified four key functionally related clusters of co-expressed miRNAs and protein coding genes: pluripotency associated cluster, primitive streak cluster, limb development cluster and an extracellular matrix cluster. Further investigation of these gene/miRNA clusters allowed the identification of several potential novel regulators of hESC-directed chondrogenesis. In accordance with the reported literature the exosomal miRNAs from hESCs and hESC-chondroprogenitors were enriched with a guanine rich motif. Notably, several of these were enriched with targets associated with embryonic skeletal system development suggesting they may play a role in regulating differentiation. Preliminary functional experiments examining pluripotency-associated exosomes suggests they may have a role in regulating hESC stem cell maintenance. However the molecular mechanism by which this is achieved has not been investigated. This research identified main miRome and transcriptome changes during hESC-directed chondrogenesis leading to the identification of several potential novel regulators of chondrogenesis and pluripotency which can be further investigated. This project has also highlighted the potential of exosomal miRNAs to regulate hESC stem cell maintenance and differentiation.

Exossomos (Exo) originados de células dendríticas (DCs) carregam moléculas associadas à apresentação antigênica. Neste trabalho procurou-se estabelecer se Exo de DCs seriam capazes de conferir imunogenicidade às células tumorais. Os Exo isolados de culturas de DCs expressavam as moléculas HLA-ABC, HLA-DR, CD86, CD11c, CD81, CD54 e CD18. Estes foram então adicionados às células da linhagem humana de adenocarcinoma mamário, SK-BR-3, as quais passaram a expressar as moléculas HLA-DR, CD86 e CD11c. As células tumorais modificadas pelos Exo induziram a produção de IL-6 e IL-10, detectados no sobrenadante das co-culturas destas com linfócitos T. Estas células tumorais também induziram aumento do número de linfócitos produtores de IFN-<font face=\"Symbol\">g, pré-sensibilizados contra antígenos tumorais, e aumento da expressão de SOCS3 nestes. Em conclusão, nossos resultados mostram que, Exo de DCs alteram o fenótipo de células tumorais, modificando sua interação com linfócitos T, sem induzir nas mesmas capacidade de ativar respostas proliferativas ou citotóxicas de linfócitos T in vitro. / Exosomes (Exo) originated from dendritic cells (DCs) contain molecules involved in antigen presentation. The present work sought to determine if Exo from DCs would be able to transfer immunogenicity to tumor cells. Exo isolated from DCs cultures carried HLA-ABC, HLA-DR, CD86, CD11c, CD81, CD54 and CD18. These Exo were added to cultures of the human breast adenocarcinoma cell line, SK-BR-3, which gained expression of HLA-DR, CD86 and CD11c. Tumor cells modified by Exo induced IL-6 and IL-10 production, detected in the supernatant of their co-cultures with T lymphocytes. These tumor cells also induced an increase in the frequency of IFN-<font face=\"Symbol\">g-producing T lymphocytes, pre-sensitized against tumor antigens, and an increased expression of SOCS3. In conclusion, our results show that, Exo from DCs affect the phenotype of tumor cells, modifying their interaction with T lymphocytes, without inducing the ability to activate cytotoxic or T cell proliferative responses in vitro.

INTRODUÇÃO: A maioria dos pacientes com CECP é diagnosticada em estágios avançados da doença, apresentando taxas de sobrevida insatisfatórias. Em carcinomas localmente avançados e irressecáveis, o tratamento padrão na rotina do ICESP é a QRT a base de cisplatina. Entretanto, cerca de dois terços desses pacientes apresentam recidiva local, à distância ou óbito em cinco anos. Entender os mecanismos de resistência a QRT e descobrir marcadores que possam indicar resposta ao tratamento continuam sendo um desafio. Os microRNAs possuem papel chave nos mecanismos de resistência a QRT, sendo possível quantificá-los em saliva. Neste estudo avaliamos a expressão de microRNAs na saliva de pacientes com CEC de cavidade oral e orofaringe e se esses microRNAs estão contidos dentro de microvesículas. MÉTODOS: Por meio de revisão da literatura e análises in sílico, selecionamos 8 microRNAs para serem avaliados: miR-15a-5p, 21-5p, 23a-3p, 125b-5p, 142-3p, 200b-3p, 296-5p e 503-5p. A expressão dos microRNAs foi determinada por PCR quantitativo na saliva livre de células de 70 pacientes portadores de CEC de cavidade oral e orofaringe localmente avançado e irressecável, em diferentes estágios da progressão da doença: antes de iniciar tratamento (G1), com falha do tratamento (G2) e livre da doença há 2 anos (G3) e em 28 voluntários sadios (G0). Microvesículas foram isolados por ultracentrifugação ou exoQuick, analisados por Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão (MET), Nanosight e para determinação da expressão do miR-21-5p. RESULTADOS: Os miRs-296-5p e 503-5p foram indetectáveis na maioria das amostras testadas. Quando comparamos os grupos em diferentes situações clínicas, encontramos diferença significativa na expressão do miR-21-5p (p=0.005), miR-23a-3p (p=0,026), miR-125-5p (p=0,013), miR-142-3p (p=0,033) e miR-200b-3p (p=0,031). Observou-se aumento na expressão dos miRs 21-5p (p=0,001), 23a-3p (p=0,004), 125b-5p (p=0,026) e 142-3p (p=0,005) na saliva dos pacientes em G1 em relação ao voluntários sadios (G0). O grupo G3 também apresentou maior expressão do mir-21-5p (p=0,018), 125b-5p (p=0,002) e 200b-3p (p=0,014) comparado ao G0, assim como o grupo G2 teve maior expressão do mir-15a-5p (p=0,023) e 23a-3p (p=0,017) comparado ao grupo G0. O grupo G2 apresentou menor expressão do miR-200b-3p (p= 0,019) e maior expressão do miR-15a-5p (p=0,057) em relação ao grupo G3. Além disso, os pacientes tabagistas e/ou etilistas apresentaram maior expressão relativa do miR-21-5p (p=0,001 e p=0,046, respectivamente) e os etilistas também tiveram maior expressão do miR-200b-3p (p=0,013). Com relação à resposta inicial do paciente ao tratamento avaliada pelo médico bem como, com a resposta a longo prazo (recidiva, status global e prognóstico), a expressão dos miR-15a-5p, miR-125b-5p, miR-23a-3p e miR-142-3p apresentaram associação com sobrevida livre de progressão e sobrevida global, porém não atingiram significância estatística. Microvesículas foram detectadas na saliva tanto na MET como na contagem no nanosight. A expressão do miR-21-5p foi predominantemente detectada dentro de microveículas em relação ao sobrenadante livre de vesículas. CONCLUSÕES: Alguns dos microRNAs analisados foram diferencialmente expressos entre os diferentes grupos estudados, a expressão do miR-21 foi associada ao tabagismo e etilismo e a do miR-200b com etilismo e a expressão de alguns microRNAs podem estar associadas à resposta ao tratamento e ao prognóstico dos pacientes / BACKGROUND: Most patients with HNSCC are diagnosed in advanced stages of the disease, with unsatisfactory survival rates. In locally advanced and unresectable carcinoma, the standard treatment in ICESP is cisplatin based QRT. However, about two-thirds of these patients have local recurrence, distance or death within five years. Understanding the QRT resistance mechanisms and discovery of markers that may indicate benefit of treatment is a great challenge. MicroRNAs have key role in the mechanisms of QRT resistance and are detectable in saliva. In the present study we analyzed the expression of microRNAs in the saliva from oral cavity/oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients and whether these microRNAs are contained within exosomes. METHODS: Through a review of studies in the literature and by in silico analysis, we choose 8 microRNAs to be evaluated: miR-15a-5p, 21-5p, 23a-3p, 125b-5p, 142-3p, 200b-3p, 296-5p and 503-5p. The expression of microRNAs was determined by quantitative PCR in the cell-free saliva from 70 locally advanced and unresectable OSCC patients at different stages of disease progression: treatment naive (G1), after treatment failure (G2) and disease free for at least 2 years (G3) and 28 healthy volunteers (G0). Exosomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation or exoQuick, analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (MET), Nanosight quantification and by determination of the miR-21-5p expression. RESULTS: The miRs-296-5p and 503-5p were undetectable in almost all saliva samples. Significant differences was observed in the expression of miR-21-5p (p=0.005), miR-23a-3p (p=0.026), miR-125-5p (p=0.013) miR-142-3p (p=0.033) and miR-200b-3p (p=0.031) among the groups analyzed. The expression of miRs 21-5p (p=0.001), 23a-3p (p=0.004), 125b-5p (p=0.026) and 142-3p (p=0.005) were high in saliva of G1 patients as compared to heath volunteers (G0). The G3 group also showed higher expression of mir-21-5p (p=0.018), 125b-5p (p=0.002) and 200b-3p (p=0.014) and G2 presented higher expression of miR-15a-5p (p=0.023) and 23a-3p (p=0.017) as both compared to the G0. The group G2 presented lower expression of the miR-200b-3p (p=0.019) and higher expression of the miR-15a-5p (p=0.057) as compared to the G3 group. In addition, saliva from the smokers and/or drinkers patients showed high relative expression of the miR-21-5p (p=0.001 e p=0.046; respectively) compared to former drinker/smokers and drinkers also showed high expression of the miR-200b-3p (p=0.013). In relation to the initial response to treatment assessed by the physician, as well the long-term response (relapse, global status and prognosis), the expression of the miR-15a-5p, miR-125b-5p, miR-23a-3p e miR-142-3p showed association with progression-free survival and overall survival, however did not reach statistical significance. Microvesicles were detected in saliva by both MET as the count in nanosight. The expression of the miR-21-5p was predominantly detected in microvesicles in relation to the supernatant. CONCLUSIONS: Some of the microRNAs analyzed were differentially expressed between the different groups, the expression of the miR-21 was associated with smoking and drinking habits and of the miR-200b with drinking habits and the expression of some microRNAs may be associated with the treatment response and prognosis of the patients

Exosomen aus Zellen nehmen eine immer größere Rolle in aktuellen Erkenntnissen zu Tumorwachstum und Metastasierung ein. Die Funktionen dieser circa 40-100 nm großen, aktiv sezernierten Vesikel sind bisher noch weitesgehend ungeklärt. Für die Untersuchung von Exosomen sind optimierte und schonende Isolierungsmethoden notwendig. Zur Zeit gibt es jedoch weder eine standardisierte Methode zur routinemäßigen Isolation von Exosomen noch zur Isolation von funktionell intakten Exosomen für die anschließende Funktionsanalyse. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, eine vereinfachte, größenbasierte und standardisierbare Methode zur Isolation von funktionell intakten Exosomen zu entwickeln und die isolierten Exosomen qualitativ und quantitativ zu charakterisieren. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit konnten in einer internationalen Fachzeitschrift publiziert werden. Die Publikation liegt dieser Arbeit bei (Heinemann et al. 2014).

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Exosomer är extracellulära vesiklar i nanostorlek som frigörs från cellerna till den extracellulära matrisen. Exosomer är laddade med nukleinsyror, proteiner, och lipider, och fungerar som kommunikatorer mellan celler. Det har gjort dem mycket attraktiva for forskning inom terapi, diagnostik och transport av läkemedel. För att använda exosomer i kliniska tillämpningar behöver standardiserade metoder för isolering, rening och analys av exosomer att utvecklas.  Detta projekt syftar till att sätta upp en snabb metod som använder "multiangle light scattering" (MALS) i kombination med kromatografi for att bestämma storleken på exosomer. Olika storlekskromatografi (SEC)/jonbyte (IEX)-kolonner kommer att undersökas och användas for analys av storlekar på exosomer. Partikelstorleken som erhålls från MALS kommer sedan att verifieras med nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA).  För SEC-MALS-analyserna eluerades exosomerna i dödvolymen. IEX-MALS-metoden separerade exosomerna enligt resultatet. Exosomer i storlek mellan 60-110 nm eluerades ut med 800 mM NaCl. Större exosomer och eventuella aggregat i storlek 120-200 nm eluerades ut med 1200 mN NaCl.  Resultatet visar att signalen från MALS indikerar var exosomer i kromatogrammen elueras ut och kan ge värdefull information om storleksfördelningen i en topp. SEC-MALS-resultatet är dock inte reproducerbart, eftersom det ibland sker en förändring i storleksfördelningen över toppen. Resultatet har också visat att arean for toppen i dödvolymen varierar mellan körningarna, vilket förmodligen orsakats av att exosomer interagerar med den stationära fasen eller filtret i kolonnen. Förskjutningen i storleksfördelning observerades också i IEX­MALS-metoden. Medelvärdet av partikelstorlekarna som beräknades från SEC-MALS överensstämmer med storlekarna beräknade med NTA. SEC-MALS-metoden behöver förbättras för att fa reproducerbara resultat. Den beräknade storleken från IEX-MALS stämde inte överens med storleken från NT A. Jonbytesanalysen skulle kunna upprepas och fraktioner skulle kunna analyseras med andra tekniker för att verifiera resultatet i framtida arbete. Effekten av den höga saltkoncentrationen på exosomerna behöver också undersökas ytterligare. / Exosomes are nanosized extracellular vesicles released from the cells into the extracellular space. Exosomes are loaded with nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, and work as communicators among cells. This has made them very attractive for research in therapeutics, diagnostics and drug delivery applications. Standardised exosome isolation, purification, and analysis methods need to be developed to use exosomes in clinical applications.  This project aimed to set up a quick method using multiangle light scattering (MALS) combined with chromatography techniques to determine exosome sizes. Different size exclusion (SEC)/ion exchange (IEX) columns will be investigated and used to analyse exosome sizes. The particle size obtained from MALS will then be verified with nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA).  For the SEC-MALS analysis, the exosomes were eluted in the void volume. The IEX-MALS method separated the exosome sample. The exosome eluted with 800 mM NaCl ranged between 60-110 nm in diameter. The exosomes eluted with 1200 mM NaCl ranged between 120-200 nm in diameter. The result shows that the light scattering intensity from MALS indicates where the exosomes elute in the chromatograms and gives valuable information about the size distribution in a peak. However, the SEC-MALS result is not reproducible, as sometimes, a shift in the size distribution over the peak occurs.  The result has also shown that the void peak area varies between the runs, caused mainly by the exosomes interacting with the resin or the column's filter. The shift in size distribution was also observed in the IEX-MALS method.  The average sizes calculated from SEC-MALS agree with the sizes calculated with NTA. The SEC-MALS method needs to be improved to obtain reproducible results. The calculated size from IEX-MALS did not agree with the size from NTA. The ion exchange analysis could be repeated and further analysed with other techniques to verify the result in future work. The effect of the high salt concentration on the exosomes also needs to be further investigated.