Background: The secretory epithelial cells of the prostate gland use sophisticated vehicles named prostasomes to relay important information to sperm cells in semen. This prostasome-forming and secretory ability of the epithelial cells is also preserved in poorly differentiated prostate cancer cells. Aim: The aim of this thesis was to examine different characteristics of prostasomes, especially those derived from malignant prostate cells, linked to their potential role in diagnosis and prognostication of prostate cancer. Results: Serum samples of prostate cancer patients contained autoantibodies against seminal prostasomes in a higher concentration than did control sera. These autoantibodies were most frequently directed against 25 prostasome-associated proteins, but no one was prostate specific. Clusterin was one of the most frequently occurring prostasomal proteins. Elevated titers were however seen in both patients´ and control sera. Clusterin turned out to be a major antigen of seminal prostasomes. No prostate specific or prostate cancer specific protein was discovered upon proteomic analysis of prostasomes deriving from malignant cells of vertebral metastases of prostate cancer patients. Human chromosomal DNA was identified in both seminal prostasomes and PC-3 cell prostasomes and strong evidence existed that the DNA was localized inside the prostasomes. Four out of 13 DNA clones of seminal prostasomes featured gene sequences (31%). The corresponding figures for PC-3 cell prostasomes were 4 out of 16 clones (25%). Conclusions: Prostasomes are immunogenic and give rise to serum autoantibodies. The most frequently occurring autoantibodies were directed against 25 prostasomal proteins but none of these was exclusively prostate specific. Thirty different proteins were identified in prostate cancer metastasis-derived prostasomes but none of these proteins was prostate cancer specific. Human chromosomal DNA was identified in prostasomes of both normal and malignant cell origin.

No description available.

Histones are chromatin-associated proteins localized to the nucleus. However, extracellular histones are present in biofluids from healthy individuals and become elevated under disease conditions, such as neurodegeneration and cancer. Hence, extracellular histones may have important biological functions in healthy and diseased states, which are not understood. Histones have been reported in the proteomes of extracellular vesicles (EVs), including microvesicles and exosomes. The main aim of this thesis was to determine whether or not extracellular histones are secreted via EVs/exosomes. In an initial study (Paper I), I optimized methods for human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cell culture, transfection and protein detection using western blotting. In the main study (Paper II), I used oligodendrocyte cell lines (rat OLN-93 and mouse Oli-neu) to investigate the localization of histones to EVs. Western blotting of EVs purified from OLN-93 cell-conditioned media confirmed the presence of linker and core histones in them. Immunolocalization and transmission electron microscopy confirmed that histones are localized to EVs, as well as intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) within multivesicular bodies (MVBs). This suggests that histones are secreted via the MVB/exosome pathway. Localization of histones in EVs was investigated by biochemical/proteolytic degradation and purification followed by western blotting. Surprisingly, histones were associated with the membrane but not the luminal fraction. Overexpression of tagged histones in HEK293 cells confirmed their conserved, membrane localization. OLN-93 cell EVs contained both double stranded and single stranded DNA but nuclease and protease digestion showed that the association of histones and DNA with EVs was not interdependent. The abundance of histones in EVs was not affected by differentiation in Oli-neu cells. However, histone release was upregulated as an early response to cellular stress in OLN-93 cells and occurred before the release of markers of stress including heat shock proteins. Interestingly, a notable upregulation in secretion of small diameter (50-100 nm) EVs was observed following heat stress, suggesting that a sub-population of vesicles may be involved specifically in histone secretion in response to stress. Proteomic analyses identified the downregulation of endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) as a possible mechanism underlying increased histone secretion. In Paper III, I developed methods to quantify extracellular histone proteins in human ascites samples from ovarian cancer patients.   In summary, we show for the first time that membrane-associated histones are secreted via the MVB/exosome pathway. We demonstrate a novel pathway for extracellular histone release that may have a role in both health and disease.

As vias amiloidogênica e não-amiloidogênica, representadas pelas enzimas secretases como a enzima clivadora do sítio beta da APP (BACE) e a enzima conversora do fator de necrose tumoral-alfa (TACE) respectivamente, são responsáveis pela clivagem da proteína precursora amiloide (APP). Alterações no processamento da APP associadas ao acúmulo do peptídeo β-amiloide (Aβ) parecem estar relacionadas aos déficits cognitivos observados na doença de Alzheimer (DA), no entanto, estudos avaliando a maquinaria de processamento da APP durante o envelhecimento fisiológico são raros. O Aβ é formado através da clivagem da proteína precursora amiloide (APP) pela enzima BACE. Por outro lado, a APP pode ser clivada por secretases como a TACE gerando APPα, o qual é considerado neuroprotetor. Alguns estudos têm sugerido um envolvimento de vesículas denominadas exossomos no transporte de proteínas como o peptídeo Aβ além de um papel dos exossomos durante o estresse oxidativo e no processo de envelhecimento. No entanto, estudos avaliando a relação entre exossomos e marcadores oxidativos no envelhecimento ainda não foram realizados. Além disso, apesar de diversas evidências demonstrarem os efeitos benéficos do exercício físico, os efeitos exercidos sobre a modulação da atividade das secretases, especificamente TACE e BACE, e sobre o perfil dos exossomos durante o envelhecimento fisiológico têm sido pouco investigados. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos do exercício físico sobre a atividade das secretases e sobre o perfil de exossomos circulantes em ratos durante o envelhecimento. Ratos Wistar de 3, 21 e 26 meses de idade foram divididos em sedentários e exercitados, o protocolo de exercício consistiu em 20 min/ dia durante 14 dias e após a última a sessão de exercício todos os animais foram submetidos ao teste da esquiva inibitória. As estruturas cerebrais e o sangue troncular foram coletados 1h (período da tarde) e 18 h (período da manhã) após a última sessão de exercício com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos transitórios e tardios do protocolo de exercício. O hipocampo e o córtex pré-frontal foram dissecados e utilizados para quantificar o conteúdo de APP e avaliar a atividade das enzimas TACE e BACE. Os exossomos foram isolados do soro e utilizados para quantificar CD63, atividade da acetilcolinesterase (AChE), conteúdo de espécies reativas, atividade da superóxido dismutase (SOD) e conteúdo de Aβ. / The amyloidogenic and non-amyloidogenic pathways, represented by secretases named β-site APP cleaving enzyme(BACE) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme (TACE), respectively, are responsible for amyloid protein precursor (APP) processing. APP cleavage modifications leading to increased β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide levels seem to be related to cognitive decline observed in Alzheimer disease (AD), however, works evaluating the APP processing machinery in the normal aging process are rarely studied. The Aβ is formed through APP cleavage by BACE enzyme, named amyloidogenic pathway. On the other hand, APP can be cleaved by a non-amyloidogenic pathway through secretase enzymes such as TACE producing APPα, which is a neuroprotective product. Some evidences suggested that extracellular vesicles named exosomes could carry proteins including the Aβ peptide between different cells. Yet, exosomes appear to be linked to oxidative stress and aging process. However, studies evaluating the relationship between exosomes and oxidative stress marks in the aging were not yet performed. The beneficial exercise impact in the aging process are widely described, nevertheless, its effects on secretase activities, specifically BACE and TACE, and exosome profile during normal aging remains understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the exercise effects on secretase activities and circulating exosomes profile in the aging process. Wistar rats (3-, 21- and 26-month-old) were divided into sedentary and exercised groups; the exercise protocol consisted in a daily moderate treadmill exercise (20 min each day during 2 weeks). After the last exercise sessions, all animals were subjected to inhibitory avoidance task. To identify transitory and delayed exercise effects, specifically 1 and 18 hours after the last exercise training session, hippocampi and prefrontal cortices as well as blood were obtained at different times of day, respectively, in the afternoon and early morning. The brain areas were used to quantify the APP content and BACE and TACE activities. The circulating exosomes were isolated from serum and used to quantify CD63, reactive species and Aβ content, besides AChE and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities.

As vias amiloidogênica e não-amiloidogênica, representadas pelas enzimas secretases como a enzima clivadora do sítio beta da APP (BACE) e a enzima conversora do fator de necrose tumoral-alfa (TACE) respectivamente, são responsáveis pela clivagem da proteína precursora amiloide (APP). Alterações no processamento da APP associadas ao acúmulo do peptídeo β-amiloide (Aβ) parecem estar relacionadas aos déficits cognitivos observados na doença de Alzheimer (DA), no entanto, estudos avaliando a maquinaria de processamento da APP durante o envelhecimento fisiológico são raros. O Aβ é formado através da clivagem da proteína precursora amiloide (APP) pela enzima BACE. Por outro lado, a APP pode ser clivada por secretases como a TACE gerando APPα, o qual é considerado neuroprotetor. Alguns estudos têm sugerido um envolvimento de vesículas denominadas exossomos no transporte de proteínas como o peptídeo Aβ além de um papel dos exossomos durante o estresse oxidativo e no processo de envelhecimento. No entanto, estudos avaliando a relação entre exossomos e marcadores oxidativos no envelhecimento ainda não foram realizados. Além disso, apesar de diversas evidências demonstrarem os efeitos benéficos do exercício físico, os efeitos exercidos sobre a modulação da atividade das secretases, especificamente TACE e BACE, e sobre o perfil dos exossomos durante o envelhecimento fisiológico têm sido pouco investigados. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos do exercício físico sobre a atividade das secretases e sobre o perfil de exossomos circulantes em ratos durante o envelhecimento. Ratos Wistar de 3, 21 e 26 meses de idade foram divididos em sedentários e exercitados, o protocolo de exercício consistiu em 20 min/ dia durante 14 dias e após a última a sessão de exercício todos os animais foram submetidos ao teste da esquiva inibitória. As estruturas cerebrais e o sangue troncular foram coletados 1h (período da tarde) e 18 h (período da manhã) após a última sessão de exercício com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos transitórios e tardios do protocolo de exercício. O hipocampo e o córtex pré-frontal foram dissecados e utilizados para quantificar o conteúdo de APP e avaliar a atividade das enzimas TACE e BACE. Os exossomos foram isolados do soro e utilizados para quantificar CD63, atividade da acetilcolinesterase (AChE), conteúdo de espécies reativas, atividade da superóxido dismutase (SOD) e conteúdo de Aβ. / The amyloidogenic and non-amyloidogenic pathways, represented by secretases named β-site APP cleaving enzyme(BACE) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme (TACE), respectively, are responsible for amyloid protein precursor (APP) processing. APP cleavage modifications leading to increased β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide levels seem to be related to cognitive decline observed in Alzheimer disease (AD), however, works evaluating the APP processing machinery in the normal aging process are rarely studied. The Aβ is formed through APP cleavage by BACE enzyme, named amyloidogenic pathway. On the other hand, APP can be cleaved by a non-amyloidogenic pathway through secretase enzymes such as TACE producing APPα, which is a neuroprotective product. Some evidences suggested that extracellular vesicles named exosomes could carry proteins including the Aβ peptide between different cells. Yet, exosomes appear to be linked to oxidative stress and aging process. However, studies evaluating the relationship between exosomes and oxidative stress marks in the aging were not yet performed. The beneficial exercise impact in the aging process are widely described, nevertheless, its effects on secretase activities, specifically BACE and TACE, and exosome profile during normal aging remains understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the exercise effects on secretase activities and circulating exosomes profile in the aging process. Wistar rats (3-, 21- and 26-month-old) were divided into sedentary and exercised groups; the exercise protocol consisted in a daily moderate treadmill exercise (20 min each day during 2 weeks). After the last exercise sessions, all animals were subjected to inhibitory avoidance task. To identify transitory and delayed exercise effects, specifically 1 and 18 hours after the last exercise training session, hippocampi and prefrontal cortices as well as blood were obtained at different times of day, respectively, in the afternoon and early morning. The brain areas were used to quantify the APP content and BACE and TACE activities. The circulating exosomes were isolated from serum and used to quantify CD63, reactive species and Aβ content, besides AChE and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities.

As funções fisiológicas da proteína prion (PrPc) estão sob ampla investigação e caracterização, especialmente as funções associadas ao desenvolvimento cerebral. Destaca-se que a associação de PrPc com Stress Inducible Protein 1 (STI1), induz neuritogênese e neuroproteção via proteína cinase extracelular reguladora (ERK) e proteína cinase dependente de AMPc (PKA) respectivamente. O presente estudo avaliou como a expressão de PrP cem astrócitos pode modular a interação neurônioglia e o papel de STI1 como um fator autócrino em astrócitos. PrPc modula a interação neurônio-glia, a produção de fatores tróficos solúveis e a organização da laminina secretada na matriz extracelular pelos astrócitos. Desta forma, a expressão de PrP ctanto em astrócitos quanto em neurônios é essencial para a neuritogênese e sobrevivência neuronal. O papel autócrino de STI1 em astrócitos também foi demonstrado. A interação PrPc-STI1 previne a morte celular por ativação da via de PKA, e ativa a diferenciação astrocitária, de uma forma protoplasmática para uma fibrosa pela indução de ERK1/2. De acordo com estes resultados, um menor grau de diferenciação é encontrado em camundongos deficientes para PrPc. Estes apresentam uma expresão reduzida GFAP (proteína fibrilar acídica glial) e aumentada de vimentina e nestina em comparação com aqueles derivados de animais tipo-selvagem. STI1 promove ainda parada da proliferação astrocitária ativando a via de PKC de maneira independente de PrPc. O mecanismo pelo qual STI1 é secretada por astrócitos também foi avaliado e verificou-se que este é independente da via clássica mediada pelo complexo de Golgi. STI1 secretada é encontrada numa forma solúvel e em outra associada a componentes lipídicos e foram caracterizados por microscopia eletrônica como vesículas que variam entre 20-200nm. Dentre as vias de secreção não clássicas dependentes de lipídeos, a via de \"shedding\" de membrana foi descartada visto que STI1 não é secretada em associação com lipoproteínas. STI1 está presente em frações positivas para o receptor de transferrina, Hsp70, Hsp90 e PrPc, sugerindo composição exossomal. Esses resultados indicam que STI1 pode ser classificada como um fator trófico que associado ao seu \"receptor\" ou \"co-receptor\", PrPc, modula a sobrevivência e diferenciação tanto de neurônios quanto de astrócitos / The physiological functions of PrPc are under intense investigation and characterization, particularly those associated with brain development. In neurons, the association of PrPc with its ligand, STI1, induces neuritogenesis and neuroprotection via ERK and PKA signaling pathways, respectively. The present study evaluated whether PrPc expression in astrocytes modulates neuron-glia crosstalk and the autocrine role of STI1 in astrocytes. PrPc modulates neuron-glia interaction, the production and secretion of soluble factors, and the organization of the laminin in the extracellular matrix. PrPc expression in neurons and astrocytes is essential to neuritogenesis and neuronal survival. The autocrine role of STI1 in astrocytes was also demonstrated. The PrPc-STI1 interaction prevents cell death in a PKA-dependent manner, and induces astrocyte differentiation, from a flat to a process-bearing morphology in an ERK1/2 dependent manner. We showed that PrPccnull astrocytes presented a slower rate of astrocyte maturation than wild-type ones, with reduced expression of GFAP and increased vimentin and nestin expression. STI1 inhibited proliferation of both wild-type and PrPCnull astrocytes in a PKC-dependent manner. The mechanisms by which STI1 can be secreted by astrocytes was avaliated and we demonstrated that this secretion is independent on the classical secretory pathway mediated by the Golgi apparatus. Secreted STI1 is found in a soluble form and associated with lipidic compartments and we characterized by electron microscopy as vesicles that range from 20-200nm. Among the non-classical lipid-dependent secretory pathways, STI1 secretion by shedding was ruled out since STI1 was not secreted with lipoprotein fractions. On the other hand, STI1 is present in fractions that are positive for transferrin receptor, Hsp70, Hsp90 and PrPc, suggesting an exosome identity. Taken together, these data indicate that STI1 acts as a neurotrophic factor whose activity is dependent on the expression of PrP c at the neuronal surface, modulating differentiation and survival of both neurons and astrocytes

Le Myélome Multiple (MM) est une hémopathie maligne caractérisée par la prolifération de plasmocytes tumoraux médullaires. MYC occupe un rôle central dans l'oncogenèse du MM car son activation est responsable de la progression du stade précurseur de MGUS en MM symptomatique. Dans ce travail, nous rapportons que l’expression de LIN28B est corrélée à celle de MYC et est associée à un mauvais pronostic dans le MM. Nous montrons que l'axe LIN28B/let-7 module l'expression de l’ARNm de MYC, lui-même cible de let-7. De plus, la perturbation de l'axe LIN28B/let-7 induit une régulation la prolifération des lignées cellulaires de MM in vitro et in vivo. L'analyse par séquençage d’ARN de modèles de KO par utilisation de la technologie CRISPR a montré que l'axe LIN28B/let-7 régule les voies de signalisation de MYC et du cycle cellulaire dans MM. Nous avons de plus établi une preuve de principe thérapeutique de la possibilité de cibler MYC par l’emploi de LNA-GapmeR contenant une séquence analogue à let-7b. Dans un modèle de xénogreffe murin, nous montrons que des niveaux élevés d'expression de let-7, par administration de LNA-GapmeR let-7b, répriment la croissance tumorale en régulant l’expression de MYC. Ces résultats révèlent un nouveau mécanisme de ciblage thérapeutique de MYC via l'axe LIN28B/let-7 dans MM. Nous nous sommes ensuite intéressés à évaluer de nouvelles formes de biomarqueurs moléculaires dans le MM par étude des miARN contenus dans les exosomes circulants. Nous avons examiné le rôle pronostique des miARN exosomaux dans une cohorte de 156 échantillons de patients uniformément traités pour un MM au diagnostic. Après analyse du profil de miARN exosomaux par séquençage de nouvelle génération, nous avons utilisé technique de qRT-PCR pour étudier la corrélation entre le niveau d’expression de 22 miARN et la survie sans progression (SSP) et la survie globale (SG). Deux miARN, à savoir let-7b et miR-18a, étaient significativement associés à la SSP et SG en analyse univariée, et étaient statistiquement significatifs après ajustement pour le système international de stratification du risque (ISS) et les marqueurs cytogénétique en analyse multivariée. Nos résultats confirment le niveau d’expression des miARN let-7b et miR-18a au sein des exosomes circulants permettent d’améliorer la stratification du risque chez les patients atteints de MM. Enfin, pour mieux comprendre le programme oncogénique piloté par MYC, nous avons étudié l’efficacité thérapeutique d’une librairie de petites sur des lignées cellulaires avec une forte expression de MYC, dans le MM. Les résultats ont permis d’identifier les rocaglates, une famille de composés inhibant l’initiation de la traduction, comme étant les plus actifs. L’étude du profil transcriptionnel par séquençage de l’ARN de lignées cellulaires de MM traitées par CMLD010509 ou DMSO a révélé l’activation d’un programme de transcription et l’inhibition d’un programme traductionnel, caractéristique de l’inactivation de HSF1 secondaire à l’inhibition de la traduction. Le profile traductionnel était étudié par spectrométrie de masse quantitative, permettant d’identifier un ensemble de protéines, tels que MYC, MDM2, CCND1, MAF et MCL-1, spécifiquement affectées par l’inhibition de la traduction liée au composé CMLD010509 dans le MM. Nous avons confirmé l’efficacité thérapeutique des rocaglates dans plusieurs modèles murins de MM. Ces résultats démontrent la possibilité de cibler le programme de traduction oncogénique lié à MYC dans MM. / MYC is a major oncogenic driver of Multiple Myeloma (MM) and yet almost no therapeutic agents exist that target MYC in MM. Here we report that the let-7 biogenesis inhibitor LIN28B correlates with MYC expression in MM and is associated with adverse outcome. We also demonstrate that the LIN28B/let-7 axis modulates the expression of MYC, itself a let-7 target. Further, perturbation of the axis regulates the proliferation of MM cells in vivo in a xenograft tumor model. RNA-sequencing and gene set enrichment analyses of CRISPR-engineered cells suggested that the LIN28/let-7 axis regulates MYC and cell cycle pathways in MM. We provide proof of principle for therapeutic regulation of MYC through let-7 with an LNA-GapmeR (locked nucleic acid-GapmeR) containing a let-7b mimic in vivo, demonstrating that high levels of let-7 expression repress tumor growth by regulating MYC expression. These findings reveal a novel mechanism of therapeutic targeting of MYC through the LIN28B/let-7 axis in MM. We next sought to establish new biomarkers in MM, enable to capture the molecular alterations of the disease. For this purpose, we examined the prognostic significance of circulating exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) in a cohort of 156 patients with newly diagnosed MM, uniformly treated and followed. Circulating exosomal miRNAs were isolated and used to perform small RNA sequencing analysis on 10 samples and a qRT-PCR array on 156 samples. We studied the relationship between miRNA levels and patient outcomes including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). We identified miRNAs as the most predominant small RNAs present in exosomes isolated from the serum of MM patients and healthy controls by small RNA sequencing of circulating exosomes and used a qRT-PCR assay to measure the expression of 22 exosomal miRNAs. Two of them, namely let-7b and miR-18a, were significantly associated with both PFS and OS in the univariate analysis, and were still statistically significant after adjusting for the International Staging System (ISS), and adverse cytogenetics in the multivariate analysis. Our findings support the use of circulating exosomal let-7b and miR-18a improves the identification of patients with newly diagnosed MM with poor outcomes. Finally, to better understand the oncogenic program driven by MYC and investigate its potential as a therapeutic target, we screened a chemically diverse small molecule library for anti-MM activity in cell lines with high expression of MYC. The most potent hits identified were rocaglate-scaffold inhibitors of translation initiation. Expression profiling of MM cells revealed reversion of the oncogenic MYC-driven transcriptional program by CMLD010509, the most promising rocaglate. Proteome-wide, reversion correlated with selective depletion of short-lived proteins that are key to MM growth and survival, most notably MYC, MDM2, CCND1, MAF, and MCL-1. The efficacy of CMLD010509 in several mouse models of MM confirmed the therapeutic relevance of these findings in vivo and supports the feasibility of targeting the oncogenic MYC-driven translation program in MM with rocaglates.

Miniaturization of biological analysis is a trend in the field of biotechnology aiming to increase resolution and sensitivity in biological assays. Decreasing the reaction volumes to analyze fewer analytes in each reaction vessel enables the detection of rare analytes in a vast background of more common variants. Droplet microfluidics is a high throughput technology for the generation, manipulation and analysis of picoliter scale water droplets an in immiscible oil. The capacity for high throughput processing of discrete reaction vessels makes droplet microfluidics a valuable tool for miniaturization of biological analysis. In the first paper, detection methods compatible with droplet microfluidics was expanded to include SiNR FET sensors. An integrated droplet microfluidics SiNR FET sensor device capable of extracting droplet contents, transferring a train of droplets to the SiNR to measure pH was implemented and tested. In paper II, a workflow was developed for scalable and target flexible multiplex droplet PCR using fluorescently color-coded beads for target detection. The workflow was verified for concurrent detection of two microorganisms infecting poultry. The detection panel was increased to multiple targets in one assay by the use of target specific capture probes on color-coded detection beads.   In paper III, droplet microfluidics has been successfully applied to single cell processing, demonstrated in paper III, where reverse transcription was performed on 65000 individually encapsulated mammalian cells. cDNA yield was approximately equivalent for reactions performed in droplets and in microliter scale. This workflow was further developed in paper IV to perform reverse transcription PCR in microfluidic droplets for detection of exosomes based on 18S RNA content. The identification of single exosomes based on RNA content can be further developed to detect specific RNA biomarkers for disease diagnostics. Droplet microfluidics has great potential for increasing resolution in biological analysis and to become a standard tool in disease diagnostics and clinical research. / <p>QC 20171024</p>

No description available.

No description available.