Submitted by Biblioteca da Faculdade de Farmácia (bff@ndc.uff.br) on 2017-03-17T18:50:12Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Portela, Aline Cordeiro [Dissertação, 2014].pdf: 9279752 bytes, checksum: 9172b58477a24ce8a80f3405e0759adb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-17T18:50:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Portela, Aline Cordeiro [Dissertação, 2014].pdf: 9279752 bytes, checksum: 9172b58477a24ce8a80f3405e0759adb (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A dengue é um problema de saúde pública mundial, acometendo cerca de 50 milhões de pessoas por ano. O HCV é a principal causa de hepatite crônica e estima-se que 200 milhões de pessoas estejam infectadas no mundo. A terapia atual contra o HCV apresenta eficácia limitada e baixa tolerância, enquanto que para a dengue não existe um tratamento antiviral específico. Com o objetivo de explorar essa demanda, o presente trabalho descreve a síntese para a obtenção de quinze compostos peptideomiméticos inéditos, contendo o cerne rígido proveniente do isosorbídeo, como potenciais agentes inibidores da enzima NS3 protease de ambos os vírus. A estratégia de síntese dos peptideomiméticos consistiu inicialmente na obtenção de dez compostos inéditos, das séries 28a-c (derivada de oxazolonas) e 29a-g (derivada de aminoácidos N-protegidos). Os compostos foram inicialmente testados frente à inibição da protease do DENV-2, os quais não apresentaram resultados significativos. Entretanto, os resultados de inibição enzimática dos compostos frente à NS3/4A do HCV-1b foram mais satisfatórios, sendo o composto 28a (1,4:3,6-dianidro-5-[[(2Z)-2-(benzoilamino)-1-oxo-3-(2-tienil)-2-propen-1-il]amino] -2-deoxi-2-O-(fenilmetil)-D-iditiol, o mais ativo, com IC50 = 88μm. Estudos de docking molecular foram realizados para avaliar o modo de interação dos ligantes com a serina protease NS3/4A do HCV. Dentre os compostos sintetizados, 28a foi considerado protótipo para o desenvolvimento de novos compostos com potencial de inibição da enzima em questão. A partir de 28a, a nova série de compostos inéditos 42a-e foi proposta e obtida. Os resultados dos ensaios farmacológicos frente à NS3/4A do HCV-1b permitiram-nos inferir que a substituição do tiofeno de 28a pelo furano e 3-metiltiofeno em 42b e 42c, respectivamente, resultou em um aumento de cerca de 30% no perfil de inibição enzimática, com inibição de 70% dessa enzima viral. Dessa forma, podemos identificar esses dois novos compostos como protótipos para o planejamento de futuras moléculas potencialmente inibidoras da enzima serina protease do vírus da Hepatite C / Dengue fever is a worldwide public health concern, affecting approximately 50 million people per year. HCV is the main cause of chronic hepatitis and it is estimated that 200 million people are infected worldwide. Current therapy against HCV has limited efficacy and low tolerance, and there is no specific antiviral treatment for dengue fever. In order to exploit this demand, this work describes the synthesis for obtaining fifteen novel peptidemimetic compounds, isosorbide derivatives as potential inhibitory agents of the NS3 protease enzyme of both viruses. Initially the synthetic strategy of peptidemimetics consisted in obtaining ten novel compounds: 28a-c (derived from oxazolones) and 29a-g (derived from N-protected amino acids) series. The compounds were initially tested on the inhibition of protease DENV-2 , which results were not significant. However, the results of enzymatic inhibition of the compounds against the NS3/4A HCV-1b was more satisfactory, and the compound 28a (1,4 : 3,6- dianhydro -5 - [[( 2Z ) -2- ( benzoylamino) -1 -oxo- 3- (2- thienyl) -2 - propen -1- yl] amino] -2- deoxy -2- O- ( phenylmethyl ) -D- iditiol) , the most active , presenting IC50 = 88μm. Molecular docking studies were performed to assess the compounds mode of interaction with the serine protease NS3 / 4A HCV. Among the compounds synthesized, 28a was considered a prototype for the development of new compounds with a potential inhibition of the enzyme in question. Staring from 28a as a prototype the 42a-e serie was proposed and obtained. The results of pharmacological tests against the NS3/ 4A HCV -1b allowed us to conclude that substitution of the 28a furan thiophene and 3- methylthiophene in 42b and 42c respectively resulted in an increase of 30 % in the profile enzyme inhibition , with inhibition of 70 % of the viral enzyme . Thus , we can identify these new compounds as prototypes for planning future potentially molecule inhibitors of serine protease enzyme of the Hepatitis C virus

Vaspin is a glycoprotein with three predicted glycosylation sites at asparagine residues located in proximity to the reactive center loop and close to domains that play important roles in conformational changes underlying serpin function. In this study, we have investigated the glycosylation of human vaspin and its effects on biochemical properties relevant to vaspin function. We show that vaspin is modified at all three sites and biochemical data demonstrate that glycosylation does not hinder inhibition of the target protease kallikrein 7. Although binding affinity to heparin is slightly decreased, the protease inhibition reaction is still significantly accelerated in the presence of heparin. Glycosylation did not affect thermal stability.

Recombinant human mast cell chymase (rhChymase) was expressed in secreted form as an active enzyme in the SuperMan5 strain of GlycoSwitch® Pichia pastoris, which is engineered to produce proteins with (Man) 5(GlcNAc)2 Asn-linked glycans. Cation exchange and heparin affinity chromatography yielded 5 mg of active rhChymase per liter of fermentation medium. Purified rhChymase migrated on SDS-PAGE as a single band of 30 kDa and treatment with peptide N-glycosidase F decreased this to 25 kDa, consistent with the established properties of native human chymase (hChymase). Polyclonal antibodies against hChymase detected rhChymase by Western blot. Active site titration with Eglin C, a potent chymase inhibitor, quantified the concentration of purified active enzyme. Kinetic analyses with succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe (suc-AAPF) p-nitroanilide and thiobenzyl ester synthetic substrates showed that heparin significantly reduced KM, whereas heparin effects on kcat were minor. Pure rhChymase with Asn-linked glycans closely resembles hChymase. This bioengineering approach avoided hyperglycosylation and provides a source of active rhChymase for other studies as well as a foundation for production of recombinant enzyme with human glycosylation patterns.

No description available.

Hormonally-triggered regulatory hierarchies play a major role in organismal development. Disruption of a single member of such a hierarchy can lead to irregular development and disease. Therefore, knowledge of the members involved and the mechanisms controlling signaling through such pathways is of great importance in understanding how resulting developmental defects occur. Type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs) make up a family of cell surface-associated proteases that play important roles in the development and homeostasis of a number of mammalian tissues. Aberrant expression of TTSPs is linked to several human disorders, including deafness, heart and respiratory disease and cancer. However, the mechanism by which these proteases function remains unknown. The ecdysone-responsive Stubble TTSP of Drosophila serves as a good model in which to study the functional mechanism of the TTSP family. The Stubble protease interacts with the intracellular Rho1 (RhoA) pathway to control epithelial development in imaginal discs. The Rho1 signaling pathway regulates cellular behavior via control of gene expression and actin cytoskeletal dynamics. However, the mechanism by which the Stubble protease interacts with the Rho1 pathway to control epithelial development, in particular leg imaginal disc morphogenesis, has yet to be elucidated. The Stubble protein consists of several conserved domains. One approach to a better understanding of the mechanism of action of Stubble in regulating Rho1 signaling is to define which of the conserved domains within the protease are required for proper function. Sequence analysis of twelve recessive Stubble mutant alleles has revealed that the proteolytic domain is essential for proper function. Alleles containing mutations which disrupt regions of the protease domain necessary for protease activation or substrate binding, as well as those with deletions or truncations that remove some portion of the proteolytic domain, result in defective epithelial development in vivo. In contrast, mutations in other regions of the Stubble protein, including the disulfide-knotted and cytoplasmic domains, were not observed. Another important step for defining the connection between Stubble and Rho1 signaling is to identify a Stubble target that acts as an upstream regulator of the Rho1 pathway. We performed a genetic screen in which 97 of the 147 Drosophila non-olfactory and non-gustatory G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a family of proteins that has been shown to be protease-activated and to activate Rho1 signaling, were tested for interactions with a mutant allele of Stubble. We found 4 genomic regions uncovering a total of 7 GPCRs that interact genetically when in heterozygous combination with a Stubble mutant. Further analysis of these genes is necessary to determine if any of these GPCRs is targeted by Stubble during activation of the Rho1 pathway.

No description available.

Growing evidence indicates that serine proteases known as kallikreins are associated with malignancy and may have potential diagnostic/prognostic applications in cancer. Kallikreins are the largest group of serine proteases. Kallikrein enzymes are often involved in proteolytic cascades through their function in degradation of extracellular matrix proteins and promotion of angiogenesis. Kallikrein 6 (KLK6) is a member of the family of fifteen highly conserved secreted trypsin- or chemotrypsin-like serine proteases. Over-expression of KLK6 has been observed in different pathophysiological states such as neurodegenerative diseases, inflammation and various cancers, including colorectal cancer. In Chapter 3 we elucidated the miRNA-based mechanism of regulation of invasion in metastatic colorectal cancer over-expressing KLK6. We developed HCT116 colon stable isogenic cell lines with knockdown of KLK6 expression using short-hairpin interference RNA (shKLK6 clones). The shKLK6 clones had decreased expression and secretion of KLK6 protein with a minimal effect on cell growth and viability in cell culture. SCID mice injected with shKLK6-3 clone 3 cells exhibited a statistically significant increase in the survival rates (P=0.005), decrease in the incidence of distant metastases and a shift in the location of the metastatic foci closer to the cell's injection site. Levels of KLK6 protein secreted into the bloodstream were significantly lower in animals injected with shKLK6-3 clone 3 compared to HCT116 control clone 1 (P < 0.04). Through bioinformatics analyses we identified and validated three miRNAs, which are important in post-translational modification of bioactive proteins, proliferation, migration and p38 MAPK signaling pathway. In Chapter 4 we developed Caco-2 colon stable isogenic cell lines with expressing enzymatically active or mutant KLK6 protein (Caco-2 stable clones). We employed these cell lines to investigate the importance of KLK6 enzymatic activity of initiation of cell invasion using in vitro and in vivo models.

Dorsal-ventral (DV) polarity in the Drosophila embryo is defined by spatially regulated activation of the transmembrane receptor Toll, which is uniformly distributed throughout the early embryo's plasma membrane. Ventral activation of Toll is accomplished through the local production of its activating ligand, a processed C-terminal fragment of the Spätzle protein, which is generated in the last step of a proteolytic cascade involving the sequentially-acting proteases Gastrulation Defective (GD), Snake and Easter. Pipe protein, a homologue of vertebrate glycosaminoglycan modifying enzymes, which is expressed during oogenesis in ventral follicle cells adjacent to the developing oocyte, is believed to control the ventrally restricted processing of Spätzle. pipe expression and the sulfation of its enzymatic target in the ventral follicle cells leads to the formation of a stable ventral cue, embedded in the eggshell. Recently the Pipe enzymatic target has been identified as several protein components of the vitelline membrane, the inner layer of the eggshell. Prior to this work, an important piece of information missing from our understanding of Drosophila DV patterning was the identity of the initial step in the protease cascade that requires Pipe activity. Here, I show that the processing of Snake is independent of Pipe activity, while the processing of Easter requires Pipe function, indicating that Easter processing by Snake is the key proteolytic step that is controlled by Pipe activity and presumably the first cleavage event that is spatially regulated. A second key gap in our understanding of Drosophila embryonic DV patterning concerned the role of GD in the protease cascade. While GD is the protease that cleaves and activates Snake, the existence of two distinct classes of complementing gd alleles has suggested that GD provides another, distinct function. Investigations described here indicate that the second function of GD is to promote the ability of activated Snake to process Easter, independent of its Snake-processing function. Finally, I provide evidence for the formation of protein complexes containing various components of the serine protease cascade, which suggest that conformational changes in the complexes, which act to promote productive interactions between the proteins, are an important aspect of their activation. / text

<p>Mast cells are key effector cells in allergic and inflammatory diseases. However, their primary role is most likely in host defence against parasitic and bacterial infections. Mast cells are a particularly rich source of serine proteases. These proteases belong to the chymase or the tryptase family, which are encoded from the mast cell chymase and the multigene tryptase loci, respectively. To better understand the biological functions and the molecular evolution of these enzymes we have studied the organisation of these two loci in species ranging from fish to human. We show that the mast cell chymase locus has evolved from a single founder gene to a complex locus during the past 200 Myr of mammalian evolution. Forty-five fish candidate genes for hematopoietic serine proteases were also identified. However, in phylogenetic analyses none of them grouped with individual branches holding mammalian mast cell chymase locus genes, indicating an independent parallel evolution in fish. </p><p>Studies of the evolution of the multigene tryptase locus showed that this locus has been highly conserved between marsupials and eutherians. However, no genes belonging to the individual subfamilies identified in eutherians could be identified in fish, amphibians or in birds, which also here indicates parallel evolution.</p><p>To study the evolution of specific cleavage specificities associated with these proteases, the extended cleavage specificity of opossum α-chymase was determined and found to be nearly identical to human mast cell chymase and the major mouse mast cell chymase mMCP-4. This indicates a strong pressure to maintain this specificity during mammalian evolution.</p><p>Basophils are rare blood cells with functions similar to mast cells that when mature almost completely lack mRNA. To study the proteome and to primarily characterize the granule protein content of basophils, an <i>in vitro</i> purification protocol was developed to obtain transcriptionally active umbilical cord blood-derived basophil precursors.</p>

The serpin antiplasmin (APL) is the primary inhibitor of plasmin, a proteinase that digests fibrin, the main component of blood clots. Most serpins are serine protease inhibitors, which undergo dramatic conformational change in forming a tight covalent complex with the target protease. Plasmin has been shown to be angiogenic through its protease activity, but it is also angiostatic, being the source of angiostatin, which inhibits angiogenesis. The main objective of our study is to obtain antiplasmin in large amounts, for crystallization and structure determination of APL and of its complex with plasmin, and for solution studies of the complex. Bacterially expressed APL will not be glycosylated, an advantage in crystallization trials.Bacterial expression of rAPL has been problematic. We have found that it can be greatly enhanced through the use of host E.coli cells that carry extra copies of genes for tRNAs coding for rarely used codons in E.coli that occur in high frequency in eukaryotic genes. Several vectors were screened for rAPL expression (pET19b, pET20b and pET28b). rAPL is expressed in high yield from a pET28b construct in host BL-21 RIPL codon plus cells. rAPL thus expressed accumulates as inclusion bodies, but can be solubilized using N-lauroyl sarcosine at pH11. Refolding and purification of rAPL is achieved by using a sizing column followed by a Nickel His-tag affinity column with an imidazole gradient. rAPL fractions thus obtained are stable at 4°C in the presence of EDTA. However, no inhibitor activity of this rAPL towards trypsin was observed, nor did it form inhibition complex with trypsin. The presence of trace protease and/or failure to fold correctly may be preventing recovery of inhibitory activity. A screen of various refolding buffers failed to yield soluble, stable APL.