No description available.

No description available.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The endogenous poliaminas, putrescine, spermidina and spermine are aliphatics amines that are present in high concentrations in the central nervous system (SNC). The action of the poliamines involves the modulation of several ionic channels, including the subtype of glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA). The processes mediated by NMDA receptor include synaptic plasticity and formation of neural circuitry. It is believed that these plasticities happening in some cerebral areas specifies, as the hippocampus, are critical for the learning and memory processes. It is described that spermidine (SPD), as well as the protein kinase are directly involved with processes of formation of the memory. Therefore, we investigated the involvement of the Ca2+ dependent (PKC) and cAMP-dependent (PKA) protein kinase in the facilitatory effect induced by SPD on the memory of males Wistar rats. For that, the rats were bilaterally cannulae in the hippocampus, after the surgical recovery, the animals were trained in the inhibitory avoidance task and injected (0.5 μL) bilaterally in the hippocampus. A subset of the animals was euthanized 30 or 180 min after injections and activity of PKC, PKA and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), in the hippocampus, was determined for Western blot. The other animals had a testing session, 24 h pos-training in the inhibitory avoidance apparatus. The post-training administration of the 3-[1-(Dimethylaminopropyl)indol-3-yl]-4-(indol-3-yl)maleimide hydrochloride [GF 109203X, 2.5 ρmol intrahippocampal (ih)], inhibitor of PKC, N-[2-bromocinnamylamino ethyl]-(5-isoquinoline sulfonamide) [H-89, 0.5 ρmol intrahippocampal (ih)], PKA inhibitor or arcaine (0.02 nmol ih), the antagonist of the NMDA receptor polyamine-binding site prevented memory improvement induced by SPD (0.2 nmol ih). The SPD (0.2 nmol), in the hippocampus, facilitated PKC 30 min, PKA and CREB phosphorylation 180 min after administration, and increased translocation of the catalytic subunit of PKA into the nucleus. GF 109203X, (2.5 ρmol) prevented the stimulatory effect of SPD on PKC, PKA and CREB phosphorylation. Furthermore, arcaine (0.02 nmol) and H-89 (0.5 ρmol) prevented the stimulatory effect of SPD on PKA and CREB phosphorylation 180 min after administration. None of the drugs studies altered the locomotor activity of the animals. These results suggest that the facilitatory effect of the memory induced by the ih administration SPD involves the cross talk between PKC and PKA/CREB, with PKC activation follow by PKA/CREB pathways activation in rats. / As poliaminas endógenas, putrescina, espermidina e espermina, são aminas alifáticas que estão presentes em altas concentrações no sistema nervoso central (SNC). As poliaminas modulam diversos canais iônicos, incluindo o subtipo de receptor glutamatérgico N-metil D-aspartato (NMDA). Os processos mediados pelo receptor NMDA incluem plasticidade sináptica e formação de circuitos neurais. Acredita-se que estas plasticidades ocorrendo em algumas regiões cerebrais específicas, como o hipocampo, são críticas para os processos de aprendizado e memória. Está descrito que a espermidina (SPD), assim como as proteínas quinase, esta diretamente envolvida com os processos de formação da memória. Assim, investigamos o envolvimento das proteínas quinases dependente de AMPc (PKA) e dependente de Ca2+ (PKC) sobre a melhora da memória induzida por SPD em ratos. Para isso, ratos Wistar machos foram canulados bilateralmente no hipocampo e após a recuperação cirúrgica treinados na tarefa de esquiva inibitória. Imediatamente após o treino os animais receberam através das cânulas (0,5 μl/sítio) a administração de N-[2-bromocinamilamino etil]-(5-isoquinolina sulfonamida) [H-89, 0,5 ρmol intrahipocampal (ih)], inibidor da PKA, 3-[1-(Dimetilaminopropil)indol-3-il]-4-(indol-3-il)maleimida hidrochloride [GF 109203X, 2,5 ρmol (ih)], inibidor da PKC, arcaína (0,02 nmol, ih), antagonista do sítio de ligação das poliaminas no receptor NMDA ou SPD (0,2 nmol, ih). Um grupo de animais foi eutanasiado 30 ou 180 minutos após a administração das drogas e a atividade da PKC, PKA e o elemento ligante responsivo ao AMPc (CREB), no hipocampo, foi determinada por Western blot. Os outros animais foram submetidos à sessão de teste, 24 horas depois do treino na esquiva inibitória. A administração de H-89, GF 109203X ou arcaína preveniu a melhora da memória induzida por SPD. A SPD (0,2 nmol) aumentou a fosforilação da PKC 30 min, da PKA e do CREB 180 min após a injeção e aumentou a translocação da subunidade catalítica da PKA do citosol para o núcleo. GF 109203X, (2,5 ρmol) preveniu o efeito estimulatório da SPD sobre a fosforilação da PKC, PKA e CREB. Além disso, arcaína (0,02 nmol) e H- 89 (0,5 ρmol) preveniram o efeito estimulatório da SPD sobre a fosforilação da PKA e CREB 180 min depois da injeção. Nenhuma das drogas alterou a atividade motora dos animais. Estes resultados sugerem que o efeito facilitatório da memória induzido pela administração ih de SPD envolve um cruzamento entre PKC e PKA/CREB, com a ativação inicial da PKC, seguida da ativação da cascata PKA/CREB em ratos. Assim, poderemos determinar um possível mecanismo de ação da espermidina nos processos de formação da memória, e desta forma, fornecer subsídios para o desenvolvimento de fármacos.

Submitted by Ingrid Bernardes Santana Martins (ingridmartins@sjrp.unesp.br) on 2016-09-13T16:35:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 martins_ibs_mestrado.pdf: 6028551 bytes, checksum: ec7b5156fa37647e00f034cc5488d54e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Felipe Augusto Arakaki (arakaki@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-09-16T21:15:07Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 martins_ibs_me_sjrp.pdf: 6028551 bytes, checksum: ec7b5156fa37647e00f034cc5488d54e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-16T21:15:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 martins_ibs_me_sjrp.pdf: 6028551 bytes, checksum: ec7b5156fa37647e00f034cc5488d54e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Diversos processos biológicos envolvendo proteínas são mediados por alterações de pH. Infecção de células por vírus, catálise enzimática, associação de ligantes e a solubilidade de compostos são exemplos de tais processos. Assim, investigar o comportamento das cargas dos grupos ionizáveis de proteínas em função de mudanças no pH é de grande interesse. Simulações de Dinâmica Molecular são amplamente utilizadas para estudo dos mais diversos sistemas biológicos devido à confiabilidade de seus resultados. No entanto, elas não se mostram eficientes para a descrição de sistemas sensíveis a variações de pH pois os graus de ionização precisariam variar ao longo da simulação. Esse estado é definido na modelagem do sistema com base no pKa desses grupos isolados e no pH da solução. Isso representa uma limitação severa, pois processos que são modulados pela mudança na protonação não podem ser observados, de modo que uma abordagem mais realista é executar simulações em que o estado de protonação dos componentes do sistema possam variar com o tempo. Neste trabalho é desenvolvido um sistema computacional que acopla Dinâmica Molecular comum, executada com o pacote GROMACS, a um algoritmo que modifica o estado de protonação dos resíduos ionizáveis do sistema em intervalos de tempo regulares utilizando o método Monte Carlo com o critério de Metrópolis. Objetivando-se testar o método desenvolvido, foram realizadas Simulações de Dinâmica Molecular a pH Constante de um pepídeo composto majoritariamente de alaninas e cujo único grupo ionizável é um ácido glutâmico em diferentes pHs, com a finalidade de obter a curva de titulação desse peptídeo e então compará-la com a curva de titulação do ácido glutâmico isolado. / Several biological processes involving proteins are mediated by pH changes. Virus infection of cells, enzymatic catalysis, association of ligands and compounds solubility are examples of such processes. Therefore, invetigation of the titration residues charges in proteins in function of pH changes is very concernment. Molecular Dynamics simulations are widely used to study the most diverse biological systems due to the reliability of its results. However, they are not efficient to describe systems that are sensitive to pH changes because the protonation state needs to vary throughout the simulation. This state is defined in the system modeling based on the pKa of these isolated groups and solution pH. This is a severe limitation as processes that are modulated by the change in the protonation can not be observed, so that a more realistic approach is to run simulations where the protonation state of the system components may vary with time. In this work a computer system that couples common Molecular Dynamics, performed with GROMACS, and an algorithm that changes the protonation state of titratable residues of the system at regular time intervals by using Monte Carlo - Metropolis is developed. In order to test the developed method, Molecular Dynamics Simulations by Constant pH of a peptide consisting of mostly alanines whose only titratable group is a glutamic acid was made in different pHs in order to obtain the titration curve of this peptide and then compare it with the titration curve of isolated glutamic acid.

Submitted by Marlene Santos (marlene.bc.ufg@gmail.com) on 2018-07-17T17:09:33Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Sheila Janaína Sestari - 2017.pdf: 2781342 bytes, checksum: 55b64ac559e09fb7b078b0906ccd9791 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-07-18T11:28:17Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Sheila Janaína Sestari - 2017.pdf: 2781342 bytes, checksum: 55b64ac559e09fb7b078b0906ccd9791 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-18T11:28:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Sheila Janaína Sestari - 2017.pdf: 2781342 bytes, checksum: 55b64ac559e09fb7b078b0906ccd9791 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-10 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Paracoccidioides lutzii alternates between filamentous and yeast growth when exposed to temperatures of 36ºC. Morphological transition is an essential event for establishment of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), one of the most frequent systemic mycoses in Latin America. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and other dimorphic fungi, cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) is essential in the dimorphic process. However, molecular events responsible for mycelial-yeast differentiation in P. lutzii remain unknown. The aim of this work was to characterize in silico the PKA subunits of P. lutzii, and to evaluate the role of this enzyme during the morphological transition of this fungus. During the in silico approach, we used computational tools for identity, domains, cell localization prediction, and similarity between P. lutzii and human sequences analysis. The importance of this enzyme was investigated through the use of specific inhibitor, H89. The behavior of cells in the presence of the drug was observed and the PKA activity measured by specific kit. Our in silico results reveal a single regulatory subunit, PbPKA-R located primarily in the nucleus, and two catalytic subunits, PbPKA-C1 and PbPKA-C2, with localization in the cytoplasm and nucleus respectively, all highly conserved. The PbPKA-R subunits were identified with two copies of the CNMP domain in the C-terminal, while the catalytic with a single copy of two domains: protein kinase and AGC kinase. The alignment of the PKA catalytic subunits of humans and Paracoccidioides shows a large divergence between them, making PKA an interesting target for antifungal. The results show that PKA activity is phase regulated, being about five times higher in yeast than in mycelium. We also show that H89 blocks the mycelium to yeast differentiation when PKA activity decreases. However, when the drug is removal from the culture medium, the fungus resumes the differentiation to the yeast phase. Our results show that PKA activity affects the phase transition in P. lutzii. / Paracoccidioides lutzii alterna entre crescimento filamentoso e leveduriforme quando exposto a temperaturas de 36ºC. A transição morfológica é um evento essencial para estabelecimento da paracoccidioidomicose (PCM), uma das micoses sistêmicas mais frequentes na América Latina. Em Paracoccidioides brasiliensis e outros fungos dimórficos, a proteína quinase dependente de AMPc (PKA) é essencial no processo dimórfico. No entanto, os eventos moleculares responsáveis pela diferenciação micélio-levedura em P. lutzii permanecem desconhecidos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar in silico as subunidades da PKA de P. lutzii, e avaliar o papel dessa enzima durante a transição morfológica desse fungo. Durante a abordagem in silico, utilizamos ferramentas computacionais para análise de identidade, domínios, predição da localização celular e similaridade entre as sequências de P. lutzii e humanos. Para investigar a importância dessa enzima, utilizamos um inibidor específico, H89, observando o comportamento das células quando induzidas à transição morfológica e posteriormente mensuramos sua atividade através de kit específico. Nossos resultados in silico revelam uma única subunidade regulatória, PbPKA-R localizada principalmente no núcleo, e duas subunidades catalíticas, PbPKA-C1 e PbPKA-C2, com localização no citoplasma e núcleo respectivamente, todas altamente conservadas. Na região Cterminal, as subunidades PbPKA-R foram identificadas com duas cópias do domínio CNMP, já as catalíticas com uma única cópia de dois domínios: proteína quinase e AGC quinase. O alinhamento das subunidades catalíticas da PKA de humanos e Paracoccidioides aponta uma grande divergência entre elas, o que torna a PKA um alvo interessante para antifúngicos. Os resultados do ensaio de atividade da PKA mostram que a atividade é regulada ao longo da transição de fases, sendo cerca de cinco vezes maior em levedura do que em micélio. Os dados também evidenciam que H89 bloqueia a diferenciação de micélio para levedura e que este bloqueio acontece concomitantemente à diminuição da atividade da PKA. No entanto, quando a droga é retirada do meio de cultura, o fungo retoma a diferenciação para fase leveduriforme. Os resultados revelam que a atividade da PKA afeta a transição de fases em P. lutzii.

Abstract Protein folding of outer membrane and secreted proteins, including receptors, cytokines and antibodies is often linked to disulphide bond formation. Native disulphide bond formation is complex and is usually the rate limiting step in the folding of such proteins. The enzymes which catalyse the slow steps in disulphide bond formation belong to the protein disulphide isomerase (PDI) family. PDI catalyses formation, reduction and isomerization of newly synthesized disulphide bonds. The mechanisms of action of the PDIs are currently poorly understood and this not only inhibits our understanding of the biogenesis of a range of medically important proteins, and hence associated disease states, but also prevents the effective manipulation of the cellular environment by the biotechnology industry for the production of high value therapeutic proteins. Hence, understanding the mechanism of action of these enzymes is vital for a wide range of medically important processes and therapies. In this study the role of a conserved arginine residue in the catalytic activity of PDI was shown. The movement of this residue into and out of the active site locale of PDI was shown to modulate the pKa of the C-terminal active site cysteine of PDI and by that way to allow the enzyme to act efficiently as catalyst both of oxidation and isomerization reactions. The possible role of hydrogen peroxide produced by sulphydryl oxidases during disulphide bond formation was studied in an oxidative protein refolding assay. Analysis showed that hydrogen peroxide can be used productively to make native disulphide bonds in folding proteins with minimal side reactions. In addition, the kinetics of oxidation and reduction of the <b>a</b> domains of PDI and Pdi1p by glutathione was studied in this thesis. The kinetics obtained with stopped-flow and quenched-flow experiments showed the reactions to be more rapid and complex than previously thought. Significant differences exist between the kinetics of PDI and Pdi1p. This implies that the use of yeast systems to predict physiological roles for mammalian PDI family members should be treated cautiously.

Prostate cancer is the leading male cancer form i Sweden and maybe worldwide as well. Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin following the exposure to sunlight. Researcers have long been aware of the positive effect that vitamin D3 has on prostate tumour growth. 1,25(OH)2D3 have for a long time been the target of these studies and have shown good results. The steroid hormone induces cAMP accumulation and activiates the cAMP dependent protein kinaseA (PKA). PKA is then able to activate a transcription regulating protein. 1,25(OH)2D3 is known to cause LNCaP cells to accumulate in the G1 phase ofthe cell cycle. It has also been shown that 1,25(OH)2D3 is under negativefeedback control via 24-hydroxylase. In this study, PKA activity was observed by transfecting LNCaP cells with a viral vector carrying firefly and Renillaluciferase genes. The successfully transfected LNCaP cells would then express luciferase as a response to PKA gene expression. The LNCaP cells were then treated with 1,25(OH)2D3 and GDP-β-S (100μM), a G-protein coupled receptorinhibitor, in order to examine if 1,25(OH)2D3 regulate PKA dependent gene expression through a G-protein coupled receptor. The study could show that 1,25(OH)2D3 regulate gene expression in LNCaP cells through a PKAdependent pathway. Furthermore, the PKA dependent gene expression was demonstrated to be independent of G-protein coupled recpetor activation.

No description available.

Heart disease is a complex and heterogeneous disease. Notably, studies have demonstrated gender differences in the expression and types of cardiovascular disease, such as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a major underlying cause of heart failure. Previously we showed that loss of A-Kinase Anchoring Protein 13 (Akap13), a unique proto-oncogene and estrogen receptor modulator, resulted in enlarged embryonic hearts, defective cardiac sarcomere formation, and embryonic lethality in mice. Data have also shown cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase A (PKA) to be involved in DCM pathophysiology. Given the established role of AKAP13 in cell signaling, its ability to bind and modulate ligand-activated nuclear hormone receptors and transcription factors, and its association with actin and other cytoskeletal components, we hypothesized that a functional AKAP13 protein was required for cardiomyocyte function in the adult heart; defective function of AKAP13 could promote DCM. To this end, we established an inducible, cardiac-specific Akap13 conditional knockout (Akap13cKO) mouse model using a Cre-lox recombination strategy with two separate Cre-recombinase expressing mouse models (α-MHC-MerCreMer and Tnnt2-rtTA; TetO-Cre). Cardiac functional examination of Akap13cKO mice revealed significant biventricular dilated cardiomyopathy with compensatory hypertrophic remodeling of the left ventricle and left atrial enlargement, decreased left and right ventricular systolic function, and abnormal left ventricular diastolic function. Of note, female Akap13cKO mice displayed a more pronounced cardiac phenotype and were more likely to die post-recombination.

Le régulateur endogène de la calcineurine 1 (RCAN1) est exprimé dans les neurones, cependant son rôle dans la régulation de la transmission et de la plasticité synaptique est mal connu. De manière intéressante, plusieurs études dans les cellules cardiaques et les levures montrent une double régulation de la calcineurine 1 (CaN1) par RCAN1. Il est décrit qu'en fonction de son état de phosphorylation par la kinase glycogène synthase 3β (GSK3β), RCAN1 réprime la CaN1 à l'état déphosphorylé, mais il faciliterait son activité à l'état phosphorylé. La régulation de la CaN1 par RCAN1 phosphorylé n'a encore jamais été étudiée dans les neurones et pourrait mettre en relation deux acteurs majeurs de la dépression à long terme (LTD), à savoir la CaN1 et la GSK3β. Par ailleurs une étude récente a montré que RCAN1 peut également être phosphorylé par la protéine kinase A (PKA), une kinase essentielle dans la mise en place de la potentialisation à long terme (LTP), entrainant ainsi une augmentation de l’inhibition de la CaN1 par RCAN1. Dans les neurones, RCAN1 pourrait donc potentiellement réguler à la fois la LTP et la LTD dépendamment de son état de phosphorylation. Mes travaux visent à élucider si RCAN1 est capable de réguler la transmission et de la plasticité synaptique en fonction de son état de phosphorylation et si son action dépend de la CaN1. Afin de déterminer le rôle de RCAN1 dans ces processus, une combinaison de techniques de biologie moléculaire, d’électrophysiologie et d'imagerie a été employée. Nous avons généré des mutations ponctuelles de RCAN1 sauvage de manière à rendre RCAN1 non phosphorylable par la GSK3β ou la PKA. L’expression virale de RCAN1 et de ses différents mutants dans des cultures primaires de neurones d’hippocampe a révélé que RCAN1, dans ses versions sauvage et mutées, est localisé au niveau des épines dendritiques, suggérant une possible fonction de RCAN1 à la synapse. De manière à déterminer les effets de RCAN1 sur la transmission et la plasticité synaptique, j’ai exprimé de manière virale RCAN1 et ses différents mutants dans des tranches organotypiques d'hippocampes de rat et analysé leurs effets par enregistrement en ‘‘patch-clamp’’ en configuration de cellule entière. J’ai pu observer que le blocage du site de phosphorylation de RCAN1 par la GSK3β entraînait une augmentation de la transmission synaptique ainsi qu’un blocage de la LTD. De plus j’ai démontré que la LTP été bloquée lorsque la PKA ne pouvait pas phosphoryler RCAN1. Enfin nous avons pu déterminer que ces différents effets de RCAN1 sur la transmission et la plasticité synaptique étaient dépendants de la CaN1. Nous avons donc démontré une cascade d’évènements et mis en évidence le rôle clé de RCAN1 dans la régulation de la LTP et de la LTD. Nous proposons donc que RCAN1 permet de moduler la transmission et la plasticité synaptique en fonction de son état de phosphorylation par la GSK3β et la PKA en agissant sur la CaN1, en étant un effecteur de la GSK3β lors de l’induction de la LTD ainsi qu’un effecteur de la PKA lors de l’induction de la LTP. / The endogenous regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) is expressed in neurons, nevertheless its role in the regulation of synaptic transmission and plasticity is not well understood. Interestingly, several studies in cardiac cells and yeasts show that RCAN1 is able to inhibit or activate CaN1 depending on its phosphorylation state by glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β). RCAN1 is able to inhibit CaN1 when it is not phosphorylated by GSK3β and able to activate it in its phosphorylated state. The regulation of CaN1 by phosphorylated RCAN1 has never been studied in neurons although it could provide a critical link between two major actors of long-term depression (LTD), CaN1 and GSK3β. Furthermore, a recent study revealed that RCAN1 can also be phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA), a kinase involved in regulating long-term potentiation (LTP), leading to an increase of CaN1 inhibition by RCAN1. Thus, in neurons, the differential phosphorylation of RCAN1 could potentially regulate both LTP and LTD. My work therefore investigates how, depending on its phosphorylation state, RCAN1 affects synaptic transmission and plasticity and if this occurs via a direct action on CaN1. In order to determine the role of RCAN1 phosphorylation in synaptic plasticity, a combination of molecular biology, imaging and electrophysiology was used. We generated point mutations of wild type RCAN1 in order to obtain two non-phosphorylable forms of RCAN1: one that couldn’t be phosphorylated by GSK3β, and another one that PKA could not phosphorylate. Viral expression of RCAN1 and its phosphorylation deficient mutants in dissociated hippocampal cultures revealed that they are localized within dendritic spines, hinting at a synaptic function of RCAN1. To determine the effects of RCAN1 on synaptic transmission and plasticity, I virally expressed RCAN1 and the phosphorylation deficient mutants of RCAN1 in rat organotypic hippocampal slice cultures and analyzed their effects on synaptic plasticity by whole cell ‘‘patch-clamp’’ recordings. I observed that the blockade of the GSK3β phosphorylation site in RCAN1 increased synaptic transmission and blocked LTD induction. Furthermore, I demonstrate that LTP was blocked when PKA was unable to phosphorylate RCAN1. Finally, I determined that these distinct effects of RCAN1 on synaptic transmission and plasticity were directly dependent on CaN1. I thus define a cascade of events as well as demonstrate the key role of RCAN1 in the regulation of both LTP and LTD. Based on my results, I propose that iv RCAN1 modulates synaptic transmission and plasticity according to its phosphorylation states by GSK3β and PKA, via its direct action on CaN1, being an effector of both GSK3β during LTD and PKA during LTP induction.