Thesis (doctoral)--Utrecht, 1983.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lund University, 1995. / Published dissertation.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lund University, 1995. / Published dissertation.

A hidrocefalia é uma síndrome complexa caracterizada pelo acúmulo de líquido cérebro-espinal no interior das cavidades ventriculares. Considerando a sua fisiopatologia de caráter multifatorial sendo um dos fatores envolvidos o estresse oxidativo desencadeado pela peroxidação lipídica e formação de radicais livres, este trabalho visa estudar o possível efeito neuroprotetor proveniente do polifenol galato de epigalocatequina (EGCG) na hidrocefalia experimental. Foram utilizados ratos da linhagem Wistar (N=56), com 7 dias de idade. Os filhotes foram submetidos à indução da hidrocefalia pelo método da injeção intracisternal de caulim a 20%. O polifenol foi administrado intraperitonealmente por 9 ou 20 dias consecutivos a partir da indução da hidrocefalia. Aferição do peso corporal diário e testes comportamentais foram realizados. Dez ou 21 dias após a indução da hidrocefalia os animais, profundamente anestesiados, foram sacrificados através da perfusão cardíaca com solução salina. Seus encéfalos foram removidos, fixados com paraformaldeído 3% em tampão fosfato 0,1M e processados para inclusão em parafina. Preparações histológicas foram realizadas para a análise por coloração hematoxilina eosina, solocromo-cianina e imunoistoquímica para GFAP e Ki67. Os diferentes parâmetros de avaliação demonstraram que os animais tratados com o polifenol por 9 dias consecutivos apresentaram redução da atividade astrocitária através da imunomarcação pelo GFAP no corpo caloso, cápsula externa e matriz germinativa; além de apresentarem corpo caloso mais espesso e mielinizado, exibindo uma tonalidade azul mais intensa evidenciada pela coloração solocromocianina. Apesar desses resultados demonstrarem um possível efeito neuroprotetor na fase inicial de instalação da doença, estudos adicionais devem ser realizados para obtenção de uma terapêutica eficiente e segura para o aprofundamento com testes clínicos. / Hydrocephalus is a complex syndrome, characterized by the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in cerebral ventricles. Considering its multifactorial pathophysiology, one of the factors being the oxidative stress triggered by lipid peroxidation and free radical formation, this work aims to study the possible neuroprotective effect of the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in experimental hydrocephalus. Seven-day old Wistar rats (N=56) were used in this study. The pups were subjected to hydrocephalus induction by kaolin 20% through intracisternal injection. The polyphenol was administered intraperitoneally for 9 or 20 days from the induction of hydrocephalus. Measurement of daily body weight and behavioral tests were performed. The animals, deeply anesthetized, were sacrificed by cardiac perfusion with saline 10 or 21 days after induction of hydrocephalus. Their brains were removed, fixed with 3% paraformaldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate buffer, and processed for paraffin embedding. Preparations were made for histological analysis by hematoxylin and eosin, solochrome-cyanine and immunohistochemistry for GFAP and Ki67. The different evaluated parameters showed that animals treated with the polyphenol for 9 consecutive days displayed reduction on the reactive astrocytes GFAP immunostaining at the corpus callosum, external capsule and germinal matrix, also having thicker and more myelinated corpus callosum exhibiting a more intense blue staining by solocromo-cyanine. Although these results demonstrate a possible neuroprotective effect at the initial onset of the disease, additional studies should be performed to obtain an effective and safe therapy for deeper studies in clinical trials.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major healthcare-associated disease with high recurrence rates. Host colonization is critical for the infectious process, both in first episodes and in recurrent disease, with biofilm formation playing a key role. The ability of C. difficile to form a biofilm on abiotic surfaces is established, but has not yet been confirmed in the intestinal tract. Here, four different isolates of C. difficile, which are in vitro biofilm producers, were studied for their ability to colonize germ-free mice. The level of colonization achieved was similar for all isolates in the different parts of the murine gastrointestinal tract, but pathogen burden was higher in the cecum and colon. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that C. difficile bacteria were distributed heterogeneously over the intestinal tissue, without contact with epithelial cells. The R20291 strain, which belongs to the Ribotype 027 lineage, displayed a unique behavior compared to the other strains by forming numerous aggregates. By immunochemistry analyses, we showed that bacteria were localized inside and outside the mucus layer, irrespective of the strains tested. Most bacteria were entrapped in 3-D structures overlaying the mucus layer. For the R20291 strain, the cell-wall associated polysaccharide PS-II was detected in large amounts in the 3-D structure. As this component has been detected in the extrapolymeric matrix of in vitro C. difficile biofilms, our data suggest strongly that at least the R20291 strain is organized in the mono-associated mouse model in glycan-rich biofilm architecture, which sustainably maintains bacteria outside the mucus layer.

No description available.

No description available.

This thesis describes the developmental expression and anatomical distribution of Copine-6, a neuron specific member of the Copine family of calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding proteins, in rodent brain. A polyclonal antibody targeting the full Copine-6 sequence has been characterised prior to its employment for the immunohistochemical analysis of rodent embryonic and adult brain tissue. Several different Copine-6 labelled neuron populations in the neocortex, hippocampus and olfactory bulbs were discovered, and one of these with an unusual ‘spiny’ morphology in the adult rodent corpus callosum, bordering the neurogenic subventricular zone and rostral migratory stream, was studied in detail. A full molecular characterisation of these Copine-6 ‘spiny’ neurons showed that these cells are mature, GABAergic, axonless interneurons with putative synaptic communication, unusual for their location in the white matter close to the region of adult neurogenesis. A full bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) birth-dating analysis was performed, which indicated an early embryonic birthdate for the Copine-6 spiny cells. This timeframe is typical of cortical GABAergic interneurons suggesting that their unusual positioning is programmed from embryogenesis. Furthermore, electron microscopic analysis of these Copine-6 interneurons in Chapter 5 confirms that indeed these cells contain vesicles and are synaptically integrated as postsynaptic recipients. The presence of vesicles in the architecturally dendritic processes is suggestive of dendro-dendritic signalling by these cells. Observations from electron microscopic nanoparticle labelling also showed that the Copine-6 protein is restricted to the plasma membrane, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, and multi-vesicular bodies. These embryonically generated Copine-6 labelled axonless interneurons are a novel neuron population in the corpus callosum, and the presence of vesicles in the dendritic processes of these cells suggests that they might have a novel communication mechanism.

The normal physiological activation of naive T cells requires the engagement of both the T cell receptor (TCR) and the co-stimulatory molecule, CD28. However, a group of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been identified that are able to activate T cells in vitro and in vivo via CD28 engagement alone. Two defining characteristics found in all CD28 superagonist mAbs are their membrane proximal CD28 epitopes and the requirement for mAb immobilisation. To investigate whether agonistic mAbs to similar cell molecules could be identified based on epitope position alone, mAbs to the inhibitory receptor PD-1 were generated and characterised. Using a drastic mutation-based epitope mapping technique, one mAb was identified with a membrane proximal epitope along with two other mAbs with membrane distal epitopes. These mAbs were tested for triggering activity in a hybridoma stimulation assay. mAb stimulation was observed with all three mAbs but only in cells expressing a PD-1 chimera that associated with the TCR and the strength of activation was dependent on epitope location. Cross-linking of a monomeric PD-1/CD28 chimera with a pair of anti-PD-1 mAbs resulted in signalling in this system, however, suggesting a role for ligand aggregation in addition to epitope position in mAb signalling. To further investigate the role of epitope position in CD28 superagonism, a cell line expressing a chimeric form of CD28 was created wherein the superagonistic mAb epitope was moved to a membrane distal position. When stimulated with a CD28 superagonist mAb signalling was no longer observed. However stimulation with another mAb that had an epitope to a membrane proximal location on the chimera resulted in superagonistic effect. These results show that epitope location is the dominant cause of T cell stimulation observed by CD28 superagonist mAbs and that epitope dependent mAb signalling is possible in other T cell surface molecules. The work described in this thesis has implications for both the development of immune modulating mAb therapeutics and for the general mechanism of triggering of cell surface receptors dependent on extrinsic tyrosine kinases.

Vários estudos têm relatado um aumento da incidência de câncer de pele em todo o mundo. No Brasil, o câncer de pele em geral continua sendo a neoplasia mais incidente em ambos os gêneros. Os tumores de anexos cutâneos compõem um grupo grande de neoplasias que exibem diferenciação morfológica para um dos epitélios anexiais da pele normal. Este trabalho trata dos aspectos clínicos, histológicos e imunoistoquímicos de um tumor anexial de origem folicular: o triquilemocarcinoma e sua versão benigna o triquilemoma. Os objetivos foram analisar comparativamente os dados clínicos, epidemiológicos e a expressão de citoqueratinas 15 e 16, claudinas 1,3,4,5,7 e 11, antígeno CD34, do p63 e do índice de proliferação celular pelo Ki67 entre o grupo dos Triquilemomas e Triquilemocarcinomas diagnosticados na Divisão de Dermatologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo no período de 1991 a 2009 e definir um padrão imunofenotípico que auxilie no diagnóstico diferencial dos dois tumores. O estudo foi feito através de revisão clínico-epidemiológica de prontuário dos casos diagnosticados no período de 1991 a 2009; revisão das lâminas em HE e PAS com e sem diastase; realização das técnicas de imunoistoquímica. No período de 18 anos foram identificados 22 casos válidos de triquilemoma e 16 casos válidos de triquilemocarcinoma. Observou-se uma maior incidência de Triquilemoma entre adultos masculinos enquanto que os Triquilemocarcinomas predominaram entre os idosos femininos. A cabeça foi mais acometida entre os casos benignos que entre os malignos. A opção terapêutica predominante entre os triquilemomas foi de eletrocoagulação e de excisão cirúrgica para os demais casos. A claudina-1, claudina-4 e o CD34 apresentavam medianas mais altas nos casos benignos que nos malignos. Portanto, conclui-se que os dados epidemiológicos e clínicos dos dois grupos de tumores se distinguem em relação à idade, gênero, local de acometimento e tipo de tratamento; observou-se perda de expressão das CL1 e 4 e do CD34, marcadores de diferenciação celular, nos Triquilemocarcinomas em comparação aos Triquilemomas. Por outro lado, o índice de proliferação celular pelo Ki67 mostrou-se um marcador inútil para a distinção entre as formas benigna e maligna / Several studies have been reporting an increasing incidence in skin cancers all over the world. In Brazil, skin cancers are the most prevalent neoplasia in both genders. The skin adnexal tumors are a large group of neoplasias that differentiate into normal skin adnexal epithelium. We report here the clinical, histopathological and immunochemical aspects of the tumors of follicular origin: the trichilemmal carcinoma and its benign variation - trichilemmoma. The objectives were to analise comparatively the clinical and histological data and to compare the expression of the cytokeratins 15 and 16, claudins 1,3,4,5,7 and 11, antigen CD34, p63 and the cell proliferation index in the Ki67 between the two groups, defining a immunophenotypic pattern that could help the differential diagnosis of the two tumors. The study was made by identifying in the hospital records the cases of these tumors between 1991 and 2009. After that, a clinico-epidemiological review was made in the medical records, the histological samples were reviewed to confirm the diagnosis. The best areas were selected to compose the Tissue MicroArray that was used to immunochemical reactions. In these 18 years, there were 22 valid cases of trichilemmoma and 16 of trichilemmal carcinoma. There was a higher incidence of trichilemmoma in male adults and of trichilemmal carcinoma in female elderly. The head was more affected in the benign tumors than in the malignat ones. The treatment option was electrodissection in Trichilemmomas and surgical excision in Trichilemmal carcinomas. Claudin-1, claudin-4 and CD34 were more expressed in the first group. So, we concluded that the clinical and epidemiological data in the two groups differ in age, gender, local of the tumor and treatment option. There was loss of expression of CL1 and 4 and of CD34, cell differentiation markers, in the Trichilemmal carcinoma when compared to the Trichilemmomas. On the other hand, the Ki67 expression was of no use in differentiating the two groups of tumor