Endocytosis effectuates a critical interface between the eukaryotic cell and its apposing environment. It is, subsequently, paramount for many physiologically important processes and encompasses a diverse array of mechanisms and pathways. The classical endocytic routes mediated by clathrin and caveolin are the best understood and the molecular roles of their major regulators, such as dynamin, adaptor proteins and various lipid species, are the most comprehensively described. Recent identification of an assortment of constitutive, noncaveolar, clathrin-independent endocytic (CIE) pathways has expanded the endocytic system. Unlike the classical endocytic pathways, little is known about the guiding parameters of CIE routes. Consequently, it is not possible to understand the important cellular roles these pathways may be fulfilling. This study has begun to characterise the very basic parameters governing the morphologically striking Clathrin-Independent Carrier (CLIC) pathway. Development of a diverse molecular toolkit has now allowed the quantitation of endocytic capacity provided by CLICs, the visualisation of subtle sorting components of the CLIC pathway, the isolation of novel CLIC cargo and regulators, and has linked this mechanism to the critical cellular processes of cellular migration and membrane repair. Calculation of the individual capacity of endocytic routes provides important information about the contribution of each pathway to total plasma membrane (PM) uptake and turnover. Quantitation of the volume, surface area and number of structures forming per minute in this study shows that CLICs provide the vast majority of constitutive endocytosis, up to four times the capacity of the clathrin mediated endocytic (CME) pathway. As the equivalent of the entire PM area could pass through the CLIC pathway within 12 minutes it is evident that CLICs are fundamental housekeepers of bulk membrane internalisation. Thus, they are likely to be central regulators of PM homeostasis and turnover. High-resolution tomography, in conjunction with analysis of CLIC cargo trafficking, identifies these carriers as complex, pleiomorphic structures that sort the bulk of membrane to early endosomes and recycle cargo back to the cell surface. Such vast internalisation combined with an ability to rapidly recycle components quickly attributes the CLIC pathway as a complex sorting station. Isolation of novel cargo and regulators has identified a striking array of proteins now associated with the CLIC pathway for the first time. A significant proportion of identified targets localise to lipid-rafts and recycle from the PM, facets consistent with association to the CLIC pathway. Numerous targets have also been directly implicated in clathrin-independent endocytosis by independent groups. Verification of selected cargo, such as CD44, Thy-1 and myoferlin, showing specific internalisation through the CLIC pathway, has provided insight into the sorting ability of the CLIC pathway and links to adhesion turnover and membrane recycling. Consistent with a role in cellular adhesion turnover, it was found that CLICs become polarised within migrating cells. This has shown the first instance of spatial separation between three major endocytic routes, CLICs, caveolae and CME and highlights the important and coordinated roles of multiple endocytic pathways during physiologically significant processes. The specific internalisation of paxillin, Thy-1 and CD44 through CLICs at the leading edge of migrating cells suggests that CLICs rapidly turnover adhesion components for dynamic extracellular sensation during directional cell migration. Indeed, specific ablation of the CLIC pathway significantly impedes cellular migration, implying coordination with CME at the leading edge. This study has defined numerous parameters of the CLIC pathway, developing the current understanding of this poorly defined route and places the CLIC pathway as a unique player during critical cellular processes.

Endocytosis effectuates a critical interface between the eukaryotic cell and its apposing environment. It is, subsequently, paramount for many physiologically important processes and encompasses a diverse array of mechanisms and pathways. The classical endocytic routes mediated by clathrin and caveolin are the best understood and the molecular roles of their major regulators, such as dynamin, adaptor proteins and various lipid species, are the most comprehensively described. Recent identification of an assortment of constitutive, noncaveolar, clathrin-independent endocytic (CIE) pathways has expanded the endocytic system. Unlike the classical endocytic pathways, little is known about the guiding parameters of CIE routes. Consequently, it is not possible to understand the important cellular roles these pathways may be fulfilling. This study has begun to characterise the very basic parameters governing the morphologically striking Clathrin-Independent Carrier (CLIC) pathway. Development of a diverse molecular toolkit has now allowed the quantitation of endocytic capacity provided by CLICs, the visualisation of subtle sorting components of the CLIC pathway, the isolation of novel CLIC cargo and regulators, and has linked this mechanism to the critical cellular processes of cellular migration and membrane repair. Calculation of the individual capacity of endocytic routes provides important information about the contribution of each pathway to total plasma membrane (PM) uptake and turnover. Quantitation of the volume, surface area and number of structures forming per minute in this study shows that CLICs provide the vast majority of constitutive endocytosis, up to four times the capacity of the clathrin mediated endocytic (CME) pathway. As the equivalent of the entire PM area could pass through the CLIC pathway within 12 minutes it is evident that CLICs are fundamental housekeepers of bulk membrane internalisation. Thus, they are likely to be central regulators of PM homeostasis and turnover. High-resolution tomography, in conjunction with analysis of CLIC cargo trafficking, identifies these carriers as complex, pleiomorphic structures that sort the bulk of membrane to early endosomes and recycle cargo back to the cell surface. Such vast internalisation combined with an ability to rapidly recycle components quickly attributes the CLIC pathway as a complex sorting station. Isolation of novel cargo and regulators has identified a striking array of proteins now associated with the CLIC pathway for the first time. A significant proportion of identified targets localise to lipid-rafts and recycle from the PM, facets consistent with association to the CLIC pathway. Numerous targets have also been directly implicated in clathrin-independent endocytosis by independent groups. Verification of selected cargo, such as CD44, Thy-1 and myoferlin, showing specific internalisation through the CLIC pathway, has provided insight into the sorting ability of the CLIC pathway and links to adhesion turnover and membrane recycling. Consistent with a role in cellular adhesion turnover, it was found that CLICs become polarised within migrating cells. This has shown the first instance of spatial separation between three major endocytic routes, CLICs, caveolae and CME and highlights the important and coordinated roles of multiple endocytic pathways during physiologically significant processes. The specific internalisation of paxillin, Thy-1 and CD44 through CLICs at the leading edge of migrating cells suggests that CLICs rapidly turnover adhesion components for dynamic extracellular sensation during directional cell migration. Indeed, specific ablation of the CLIC pathway significantly impedes cellular migration, implying coordination with CME at the leading edge. This study has defined numerous parameters of the CLIC pathway, developing the current understanding of this poorly defined route and places the CLIC pathway as a unique player during critical cellular processes.

Les plaquettes sont des cellules sanguines anucléées impliquées dans les phénomènes d'hémostase et de thrombose. La majorité des fonctions plaquettaires dépend de leur membrane cellulaire, qui contient de nombreux microdomaines lipidiques ordonnés appelés radeaux lipidiques. Ces microdomaines jouent un rôle central dans toutes les phases de l'hémostase médiées par les plaquettes. Les radeaux lipidiques sont essentiels pour le fonctionnement des récepteurs responsables de l'activation des plaquettes et de la transduction du signal. Le rôle des plaquettes dans la thrombose artérielle est crucial et explique l'intérêt continu de la recherche dans la thérapie antiplaquettaire. Dans ce contexte, nous avons cherché à étudier les radeaux lipidiques comme lieu d'assemblage principal des récepteurs membranaires. Nous avons également cherché à identifier des protéines impliquées dans la fonction des plaquettes, en vue de proposer de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques. Nous avons utilisé des analyses lipidomiques et protéomiques ainsi que des analyses d'immunoblotting pour identifier les radeaux lipidiques de la membrane des plaquettes et étudier leur organisation dans les plaquettes non stimulées, stimulées et traitées par des antiagrégants plaquettaires. Des détergents, l'ultracentrifugation et les gradients de sucrase ont été utilisés principalement pour le fractionnement de la membrane et l'isolement des radeaux lipidiques. Les principaux résultats de notre travail sont: 1) Élaboration d'une méthodologie pour l'étude des radeaux lipidiques des plaquettes ; 2) Présentation d'un profil global de la composition lipidique et protéique des radeaux lipidiques ; 3) Démonstration de l'impact de l'activation plaquettaire et des antiagrégants plaquettaires sur la réorganisation des radeaux lipidiques ; Et 4) Proposition de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques potentielles par protéomique et identification de réseau interactif de protéines autour notamment du facteur XIII (FXIII) et de la phosphoprotéine stimulée par vasodilatateur (V ASP). Nos résultats montrent que les radeaux lipidiques peuvent potentiellement être considérés comme nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques pour la découverte de nouveaux antiagrégants plaquettaires. Les études "Omics" sont importantes pour élargir nos connaissances dans ce domaine / Latelets are blood ce lis at the crossroads of both haemostasis and thrombosis. The majority of platelet functions depend on their membrane, which contains numerous, ordered lipid microdomains named lipid rafts. These microdomains play a pivotai role in all phases of platelet­mediated haemostasis. Lipid rafts are a prerequisite for the functioning of receptors in charge of platelet activation and signal transduction. The role of platelets in thrombotic diseases is crucial, and underpins the continue research interest in antiplatelet therapy. ln this context, we aimed to study the lipid rafts of platelet membranes as the principal assembly place of known receptors, and likely also other, unknown elements that participate in the thrombotic function of platelets, with a view to proposing new therapeutic targets. We used lipidomics and proteomics as well as immunoblot analysis to identify lipid rafts and investigate the organization of lipid rafts in resting, stimulated and antiplatelet-treated platelets. Detergents, ultracentrifugation and sucrose gradients were used mainly for membrane fractionatio and isolation of lipid rafts. The main findings of our work are: 1) Development of a framework or guidelines for platelet lipid raft investigation; 2) Presentation of a global profile of the lipid and protein composition of plate let lipid rafts; 3) Demonstration of the impact of activators and inhibitors on the reorganization of platelet lipid rafts; and 4) Suggestion for potential new therapeutic targets by proteomics analysis through interactive network analyzing of coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) and Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein (VASP). Our results show that lipid rafts have potential as new therapeutic targets in pharmacological research in antiplatelets. "Omics" studies are important to expand our knowledge in this field

Orientador: Eneida de Paula / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-12T15:46:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Paula_Eneidade_D.pdf: 7752367 bytes, checksum: 4ac3295742d441a15e315a3d1c9c2c3d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Detergentes constituem uma das ferramentas mais importantes no estudo de membranas biológicas. A eficiência de um detergente em solubilizar biomembranas e suas proteínas depende de suas propriedades físico-químicas e a solubilização parcial pode resultar em membranas resistentes a detergentes (DRMs). A resistência a detergentes dessas frações membranares constituídas principalmente de colesterol, esfingolipídios e proteínas específicas foi analisada nesse trabalho, usando membranas de eritrócitos humanos. Embora não haja evidências experimentais suficientes pra afirmar que DRMs correspondam aos microdomínios naturais existentes em biomembranas, conhecidos como lipid rafts e que também são enriquecidos em colesterol e esfingolipídios, DRMs são bons modelos para o estudo daqueles. A obtenção de DRMs com uso do detergente octaetilenoglicol mono lauril éter (C12E8) a baixa temperatura (4oC) é descrita pela primeira vez. Os detergentes zwiteriônicos ASB-14, ASB-16 e CHAPS também foram testados, mas falharam no isolamento de DRMs com baixa densidade. DRMs obtidas com C12E8 e com Triton X-100 apresentaram um aumento da razão colesterol/proteína de pelo menos três vezes em relação à membrana original. A proteína flotilina-2, considerada um marcador de lipid rafts, foi detectada em DRMs isoladas com Triton X-100 e em DRMs com C12E8 isoladas a partir de células depletadas de colesterol. Proteínas do citoesqueleto também foram encontradas em DRMs, exceto quando as células foram previamente depletadas de colesterol. Resultados de ressonância paramagnética eletrônica com uso de marcadores de spin do tipo doxil-estearato revelaram maior grau de organização das cadeias acila dos lipídios de DRMs em relação à membrana original, independentemente do detergente utilizado. Nossos resultados também mostraram que DRMs de eritrócitos podem ser também obtidos na temperatura fisiológica (37°C) como mesmo conteúdo de colesterol presente em DRMs isoladas a 4°C. A necessidade do uso de carbonato de sódio no protocolo para obtenção de DRMs sugere fortemente a existência de uma associação eletrostática entre DRMs e o citoesqueleto eritrocitário. / Abstract: Detergents constitute an important tool for the study of cell membranes. The solubilization efficiency of a specific detergent depends upon its physicochemical properties so that detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs) can be obtained as a result of the partial solubilization of biological membranes. In this study DRMs which are structures enriched in cholesterol, sphingolipids and specific proteins, were isolated and characterized from human erythrocyte membranes. Although there are no evidences to support that DRMs correspond to the natural existing microdomains of natural membranes, known as lipid rafts which are also cholesterol and sphingolipid-enriched structures, DRMs are good models for the study of rafts. DRMs from erythrocytes obtained with 8 polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (C12E8) at low temperature (4oC) are described here for the first time. The zwitterionic detergents ASB-14, ASB-16 and CHAPS failed to isolate these low buoyant density fractions. Triton X-100 and C12E8 DRMs presented a cholesterol/protein mass ratio 3 times higher than in the whole membrane. Flotillin-2, a marker of lipid rafts, was confined within the DRM fractions obtained with Triton X-100 and it was partially associated with C12E8 DRMs when erythrocyte cells were previously cholesterol-depleted. Association of membrane-skeleton proteins with DRMs was also observed, except when DRMs were prepared from cholesterol-depleted cells. Results of electron paramagnetic resonance through the use of doxyl stearate spin labels revealed that DRMs are highly ordered structures in respect to the original membrane and that their acyl chain packing is not different if prepared with either Triton X-100 or C12E8. We have also found that DRMs from erythrocytes can be isolated at physiological temperature (37°C), presenting the same cholesterol content as in DRMs prepared at 4°C. The fact that we were only able to prepare DRMs when sodium carbonate was used stronglysuggests the existence of an electrostatic association between DRMs and the membrane-skeleton. / Doutorado / Bioquimica / Doutor em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

Modification by glycosylation gives proteins a range of diverse functions reflecting their structural variability. N-glycans regulate many biological outcomes in mammalian cells under both normal and pathological conditions. They play a major role in various pathologies such as cancer and lysosomal storage diseases. Interplay between N-glycans and other regulators, such as membrane lipid domains, in the control of signaling pathways remains poorly understood. My thesis therefore focuses on how N-glycans and membrane lipid domains oppose and/or work together at different cellular levels to regulate various processes such as receptor signaling and diffusion, endocytosis and lysosomal organelle biogenesis. Mgat5 encodes for ß1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V that produces N-glycans, the preferred ligand for galectins. In tumor cells, galectins bind glycosylated receptors at the cell surface forming a lattice, that restricts receptor endocytosis and enhances its residency at the plasma membrane. In the first part of my thesis, I report that Galectin/receptor crosslinking opposes receptor sequestration by oligomerized caveolin-1 (Cav1) domains overriding its negative regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling, cell surface diffusion and tumor growth. These results identify Cav1 as a conditional tumor suppressor. I also demonstrate that Cav1 is a negative regulator of lipid raft-mediated endocytosis. Cav1 indirectly regulates the internalization of cholera toxin b subunit to the Golgi apparatus independently of caveolae formation. That identifies a new role for caveolin-1 outside caveolae in the regulation of raft-dependent endocytosis Finally, Mgat5 overexpression in pneumocytes is associated with the expression of a lysosomal organelle, the multilamellar body (MLB), via autophagy. MLB expression is also a characteristic of various lysosomal storage diseases. I demonstrate that cholesterol accumulation can override the need for Mgat5 overexpression in MLB formation indicating that they may form via multiple mechanisms. However, I also demonstrate that a contribution of the autophagic pathway is a common determinant of biogenesis of MLB of various lipid compositions. In conclusion, Mgat5-dependent protein glycosylation and Cav1/raft domains therefore both function as regulators of plasma membrane interactions, endocytosis and lysosomal organelle biogenesis. Understanding of this interplay is crucial for the understanding of the mechanisms involve in various pathologies such as cancer and lysosomal storage diseases. / Medicine, Faculty of / Graduate

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde der Einfluss mehrfach ungesättigter Fettsäuren (PUFA) auf das Phospho- und Sphingolipidmuster der Non-raft- und Lipid raft-Bereiche in Membranen von RAW264.7-Makrophagen massenspektrometrisch untersucht. Außerdem wurden mittels Fluoreszenzmikroskopie die Auswirkungen einer PUFA-Zugabe auf die Lokalisation des immunologisch bedeutsamen Mustererkennungs-Rezeptor TLR2 und seinen Ko-Rezeptoren TLR1 und TLR6 untersucht.

Vesicles are a type of biological or biomimetic particle consisting of one or more often spherical bilayers made up of amphipathic molecules, creating a closed system. They can function as an encapsulating device, holding hydrophilic molecules on the inside of the bilayer membrane(s) or hydrophobic molecules in the non-polar interstitial space in the middle of the bilayers. Because of this capacity to carry molecules, vesicles are a premier system for drug delivery and even theranostics in vivo. A peptide-based approach to release of encapsulated molecules has previously been developed but since drug delivery vesicles are in the size range of nanometers, the mechanisms have not been visualized. This project aims to produce giant unilamellar vesicles as a model system used to visualize membrane interactions vital to the understanding and further development of smaller vesicle-based systems for drug delivery. Giant unilamellar vesicles were produced successfully and a preparation protocol was established. Additionally, some membrane interactions were investigated using fluorescence microscopy.

No description available.

Proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) may lead to the formation of the Abeta peptide, the major constituent of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer`s disease. The full-length APP is a substrate for at least 2 different (alpha and beta) proteases ("secretases"). The beta-secretase, BACE, cleaves APP in the first step of processing leading to the formation of the neurotoxic Abeta. BACE competes for APP with alpha-secretase, which cleaves APP within its Abeta sequence, thus precluding Abeta formation. It is thus important to understand how is the access of the alpha- and beta-secretase to APP regulated and how are the individual activities of these secretases modulated. Both these regulatory mechanisms, access to substrate and direct activity modulation, can be determined by the lipid composition of the membrane. Integral membrane proteins (like APP and BACE), can be viewed as solutes in a two-dimensional liquid membrane, and as such their state, and biological activity, critically depend on the physico-chemical character (fluidity, curvature, surface charge distribution, lateral domain heterogeneity etc.) of the lipid bilayer. These collective membrane properties will influence the activity of embedded membrane proteins. In addition, activity regulation may involve a direct interaction with a specific lipid (cofactor or co-structure function). Interactions of membrane proteins are furthermore affected by lateral domain organization of the membrane. Previous results had suggested that the regulation of the activity of the alpha- and beta-secretases and of their access to APP is lipid dependent, and involves lipid rafts. Using the baculovirus expression system, we have purified recombinant human full-length APP and BACE to homogeneity, and reconstituted them in large (~100nm, LUVs) and giant (10-150microm, GUVs) unilamellar vesicles. Using a soluble peptide substrate mimicking the beta-cleavage site of APP, we have examined the involvement of individual lipid species in modulating BACE activity in LUVs of various lipid compositions. We have identified 3 groups of lipids that stimulate proteolytic activity of BACE: 1.cerebrosides, 2.anionic glycerophospholipids, 3. cholesterol. Furthermore, we have co-reconstituted APP and BACE together in LUVs and demonstrated that BACE cleaves APP at the correct site, generating the beta-cleaved ectodomain identical to that from cells. We have developed an assay to quantitatively follow the beta-cleavage in proteoliposomes, and we have shown that the rate of cleavage in total brain lipid proteoliposomes is higher than in phosphatidylcholine vesicles. We have also studied partitioning of APP and BACE in GUVs between liquid ordered (lo) and liquid disordered (ld) phases. In this system, significant part of the BACE pool (about 20%) partitions into the lo phase, and its partitioning into lo phase can be further enhanced by cross-linking of membrane components. Only negligible fraction of APP can be found in the lo phase. We continue to study the behavior of co-reconstituted APP and BACE in GUVs The work presented in this thesis has yielded some interesting results and raised further questions. One of the important assignments of this project will in the next stage be the characterization of the impact of membrane domain organization on the beta-cleavage. Different domain arrangements that can be hypothesized in cell membranes can be modeled by varying the degree of phase fragmentation in proteoliposomes comprising reconstituted APP and BACE.

Die Arbeit umfasst die Synthese von lipophilen Inositolen und Glycerollipiden, welche auf ihre Raftophilie getestet wurden. Des weiteren wurden eine Reihe neuer Ceramide synthetisiert und diese in Bioassays auf ihre Wirksamkeit gegenüber diversen Krankheiten wie Influenza getestet.