Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Multicellular organisms need to control their size throughout development and adult life in the face of challenges such as rapid growth. Unraveling the mechanisms that regulate tissue growth in epithelial tissues, in order to generate organs of correct size and proportion, remains a crucial goal of developmental biology. A suitable epithelial tissue for studying tissue growth in Drosophila, is the proliferative monolayer epithelial sheet of imaginal wing discs, which gives rise to the adult wing. The Hippo signaling pathway regulates tissue growth in wing development. There are several observations that link tissue growth/Hippo signaling with cell polarity and the actin cytoskeletal organization. The aim of this thesis was the study of the interplay between cell polarity, cytoskeletal organization and tissue growth. To gain further insight into how apical polarity proteins regulate tissue growth, an enhancer/suppressor screen that was previously conducted in our lab by Linda Nemetschke, was used. The screen was based on the modification of a dominant smaller wing phenotype induced upon overexpression of CrbextraTM-GFP. One of the enhancers identified in this screen is a gene called big bang (bbg). The absence of bbg results in smaller wings with a slower cell cycle and increased apoptosis in wing discs. bbg encodes a protein expressed in the apical cortex in wing disc cells and is required for the proper localization of apical proteins, like Crb, in wing disc epithelia. Bbg is also in the same complex with Spaghetti Squash (Sqh) in the apical cortex of the wing disc epithelia. sqh encodes an actin-binding protein that has actin cross-linking and contractile properties. Bbg stabilizes Sqh in the apical compartment of the cell. It is reported that both Crb and Sqh regulate tissue growth through the Hippo signaling pathway. In conclusion, Bbg regulates wing tissue growth, acting as a scaffolding molecule, through the proper localization of apical components of the cells like Crb and the cytoskeletal component Sqh.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第19396号 / 医博第4047号 / 新制||医||1012(附属図書館) / 32421 / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 長船 健二, 教授 野田 亮, 教授 萩原 正敏 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

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We examined the relationship between grip strength declines and muscle-tendon responses induced by long-term performance of a high-repetition, low-force (HRLF) reaching task in rats. We hypothesized that grip strength declines would correlate with inflammation, fibrosis and degradation in flexor digitorum muscles and tendons. Grip strength declined after training, and further in weeks 18 and 24, in reach limbs of HRLF rats. Flexor digitorum tissues of reach limbs showed low-grade increases in inflammatory cytokines: IL-1beta after training and in week 18, IL-1alpha in week 18, TNF-alpha and IL-6 after training and in week 24, and IL-10 in week 24, with greater increases in tendons than muscles. Similar cytokine increases were detected in serum with HRLF: IL-1alpha and IL-10 in week 18, and TNF-alpha and IL-6 in week 24. Grip strength correlated inversely with IL-6 in muscles, tendons and serum, and TNF-alpha in muscles and serum. Four fibrogenic proteins, TGFB1, CTGF, PDGFab and PDGFbb, and hydroxyproline, a marker of collagen synthesis, increased in serum in HRLF weeks 18 or 24, concomitant with epitendon thickening, increased muscle and tendon TGFB1 and CTGF. A collagenolytic gelatinase, MMP2, increased by week 18 in serum, tendons and muscles of HRLF rats. Grip strength correlated inversely with TGFB1 in muscles, tendons and serum; with CTGF-immunoreactive fibroblasts in tendons; and with MMP2 in tendons and serum. Thus, motor declines correlated with low-grade systemic and musculotendinous inflammation throughout task performance, and increased fibrogenic and degradative proteins with prolonged task performance. Serum TNF-alpha, IL-6, TGFB1, CTGF and MMP2 may serve as serum biomarkers of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, although further studies in humans are needed. / Biomedical Sciences

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 are both produced and secreted by osteoblasts. Both proteins have been shown to have independent effects in regulating osteoblast proliferation, maturation and mineralization. However, how these two proteins interact during osteoblast differentiation remains unknown. In Chapters 2 and 3, we utilized two cell culture model systems, osteoblasts derived from CTGF knockout (KO) mice and osteoblasts infected with an adenovirus, which over-expresses CTGF (Ad-CTGF), to investigate the effects of CTGF and BMP-2 on osteoblast development and function in vitro. To observe differences in osteoblast maturation and mineralization, we performed alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and activity and alizarin red staining, respectively. Contrary to a previously published report, osteoblast maturation and mineralization were similar in osteogenic cultures derived from KO and wild type (WT) calvaria in the absence of BMP-2 stimulation. Interestingly, in KO and WT osteoblast cultures stimulated with BMP-2, the KO osteoblast cultures exhibited increased alkaline phosphatase staining and activity and had larger, fused nodules stained with alizarin red than WT osteoblast cultures. This increase in osteoblast differentiation was accompanied by increased protein levels of phosphorylated Smad 1/5/8 and mRNA expression levels of bone morphogenetic protein receptor Ib. These data confirm enhanced osteoblast maturation and mineralization in BMP-2 induced KO osteoblast cultures. We also examined osteoblast differentiation in cultures that were infected with Ad-CTGF and in control cultures. Continuous over-expression of CTGF resulted in decreased ALP staining and activity, alizarin red staining, and mRNA expression of osteoblast markers in both unstimulated and BMP-2 stimulated cultures. Impaired osteoblast differentiation in cultures over-expressing CTGF was accompanied by decreased protein levels of phosphorylated Smad 1/5/8. In addition to the functional assays that we performed on WT and KO osteoblast cultures, we performed ChIP assays to investigate differences in binding occupancy of transcription factors on the Runx2 and Osteocalcin promoters in BMP-2 induced WT and KO osteoblast cultures. We demonstrate that in BMP-2 induced WT and KO osteoblast cultures, there was greater Smad 1 and JunB occupancy on the Runx2 promoter and Runx2 occupancy on the Osteocalcin promoter in BMP-2 induced KO osteoblast cultures compared to WT cultures. Collectively, the data demonstrate that CTGF acts to negatively regulate BMP-2 induced signaling and osteoblast differentiation. In Chapter 4, we synthesized an active His-tagged BMP-2 recombinant protein to track surface binding of BMP-2 in CTGF WT and KO osteoblasts. We amplified mature BMP-2 in genomic DNA, which was inserted correctly into a pET-28b(+) vector. We ran a SDS-PAGE gel and stained with Coomassie blue to show that we successfully induced BMP-2 in bacteria cells, extracted the protein using urea, and purified and eluted the protein using Nickel charged agarose beads and imidazole elution buffer. Furthermore, by Western blot analysis using anti-His antibody, we confirmed the presence of the His-tag on the BMP-2 protein. Lastly, ALP staining on osteoblast cultures stimulated with our synthesized BMP-2 exhibited increased staining compared to the unstimulated osteoblast cultures, which confirmed the activity of our His-tagged BMP-2 protein. Future studies utilizing this protein will demonstrate that CTGF acts as an extracellular antagonist by limiting the amount of BMP-2 available for receptor binding. / Cell Biology

Abstract The increase of cardiac hemodynamic load that requires increased mechanical performance drives adaptation of the heart to maintain cardiac function. Modification of protein synthesis in cardiomyocytes allows the cells to adapt to the increased load. Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and activation of cardiac fibroblasts over the long term is maladaptive and leads to heart failure (HF). Members of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily contribute to the remodeling process. TGF-β1 acts as a paracrine messenger between cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) modulates TGF-β signaling and plays a role in the development of fibrosis. In the current study, we aimed to investigate whether blocking the actions of CTGF could alleviate ischemic injury and reduce cardiac remodeling. We determined whether blocking the action of these ligands would modulate cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. In the first study, we found that antagonizing the function of CTGF protected from transverse aortic constriction (TAC) -induced left ventricular remodeling. In the second study in myocardial infarction (MI) model, blocking the function of CTGF resulted in improved post-MI survival and this prevented to the decrease in left ventricular contractile function as compared to the situation in control mice. Treatment with CTGF mAb attenuated the development of dilated cardiomyopathy and limited the increase in cardiomyocyte size and deposition of interstitial fibrosis in a remote area. In the third study, targeting the TGF-β superfamily members myostatin and activins, by administration of a soluble decoy receptor of activin receptor 2B (ACVR2B-Fc) did not affect the extent of MI injury or cardiac remodeling in MI -induced ischemic HF. Understanding the complex and converging pathways regulating cardiac remodeling is a major challenge, but it may allow for opportunities to develop new therapies, new medicines and provide new hope for people with these life-threatening diseases. / Tiivistelmä Sydämen lisääntynyt kuormitus vaatii lisääntynyttä supistusvoimaa, joka johtaa sydänlihaksen adaptaatioon pumppaustehon ylläpitämiseksi. Alkuvaiheessa sydämen liikakasvu on hyödyllistä, mutta pidempään jatkuessaan se johtaa lopulta pumppaustoiminnan heikkenemiseen ja sydämen vajaatoimintaan. Useiden signalointimekanismien on osoitettu säätelevän sydänlihaksen adaptoitumista patologisille tiloille. Transformoiva kasvutekijä –β (TGF-β) proteiiniperhe säätelee sydämen adaptoitumista sekä vasemman kammion seinämän myötäävyyttä venytykselle. TGF-β1 indusoi supistuskykyisten myofibroblastien muodostumista sekä kollageenin tuotantoa. Runsas kollageenin tuotanto vahvistaa sydämen seinämää ja on tarpeen sydäninfarktivaurion korjaamisessa, mutta pitkään jatkuessaan se heikentää sydämen toimintaa ja altistaa rytmihäiriöille, sydämen vajaatoiminnalle sekä sydänperäiselle äkkikuolemalle. Sidekudoskasvutekijä (CTGF) säätelee TGF-β1:n signalointia ja se osallistuu haavan paranemiseen sekä fibroosiin. Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin, voidaanko sidekudoskasvutekijän tai TGF-β -perheen proteiinien toimintaa estämällä lievittää sydämen vajaatoiminnan kehittymistä. Koetuloksemme osoittavat, että CTGF:n toiminnan estäminen vasta-aineen (mAb) avulla vähentää hemodynaamisen liikakuormituksen indusoimaa vasemman kammion toiminnan heikkenemistä, kammion laajenemista sekä fibroosia. CTGF mAb myös vähentää kuolleisuutta ja estää sydämen toiminnan heikkenemistä sydäninfarktin jälkeen sekä lievittää sydäninfarktin jälkeistä dilatoivan kardiomyopatian kehittymistä. Aktiviinien ja myostatiinin toiminnan esto liukoisen aktiviinireseptori 2B:n (ACVR2B-Fc) avulla sen sijaan ei vaikuta sydäninfarktivaurioon tai iskeemisen vajaatoiminnan kehittymiseen. ACVR2B-Fc kuitenkin lisää luurankolihaksen kasvua, estäen sydämen vajaatoimintaan liittyvää luurankolihaskatoa. Sydämen hypertrofian ja vajaatoiminnan syntymisen kannalta keskeisten signaalinvälitysreittien tunnistaminen ja niiden toiminnan ymmärtäminen auttaisi kehittämään tehokkaampia lääkehoitoja sydänsairauksiin.

L'ingénierie tissulaire représente une solution prometteuse pour la production de substituts osseux. L'utilisation de bioréacteurs à perfusion pour cultiver des cellules ostéo-compétentes sur des matrices poreuses, permet de résoudre les limitations dues au transfert de masse, et d'apporter des stimuli physiques améliorant la prolifération et la différenciation cellulaire. Malgré les récents et importants développements des bioréacteurs en ingénierie tissulaire, les mécanismes menant à la production de substituts osseux en bioréacteurs restent mal compris.Le but de cette thèse est d'améliorer la compréhension de l'influence des phénomènes de transport, sur la croissance cellulaire et tissulaire dans un bioréacteur à perfusion. Dans cet objectif, une approche combinant modélisation et expérimentation est proposée.Dans un premier temps, un cadre théorique rigoureux est développé afin d'étudier les propriétés de transport du bioréacteur. Etant donné la nature hiérarchique du système, l'aspect multi-échelle du problème doit être pris en compte. En se basant sur la méthode de prise de moyenne volumique avec fermeture, les processus de transport d'espèce et de quantité de mouvement sont homogénéisés à partir de l'échelle de la matrice extracellulaire, jusqu'à l'échelle du bioréacteur. Les propriétés effectives des différentes structures rencontrées sont évaluées, et l'influence des dépendances inter-échelles sont mises en valeur. Le model macroscopique obtenu inclus des termes non-conventionnels, dont les contributions sont évaluées pour les conditions de fonctionnement du bioréacteur.Dans un second temps, la prolifération cellulaire et la production de tissu sont étudiées d'un point de vue expérimentale et théorique. Premièrement, des cellules de type fibroblaste, sont cultivées jusqu'à trois semaines sur des billes de verre, dans un bioréacteur perfusé à 10mL/min. Un protocole combinant des techniques d'histologie et d'analyse d'image, permet de quantifier la croissance de cellules et de tissu en fonction du temps et de l'espace. Deuxièmement, une cinétique de production de tissu est introduite dans le modèle de transport multiéchelle développé plus tôt. Finalement, la résolution à l'échelle du bioréacteur permet de discuter les résultats expérimentaux et théoriques au regard des phénomènes de transport ayant lieux dans le bioréacteur à perfusion. / Tissue engineering represents a promising approach for the production of bone substitutes. The use of perfusion bioreactors for the culture of bone-forming cells on a three-dimensional porous scaffold material, resolves mass transport limitations and provides physical stimuli, increasing the overall proliferation and differentiation of cells. Despite the recent and important development of bioreactors for tissue engineering, the underlying mechanisms leading to the production of bone substitutes remain poorly understood. The aim of this thesis is to gain insight on the influence of transport phenomena, on cell and tissue growth within a perfusion bioreactor. To this purpose, a combined modeling and experimental approach is followed.To start with, a rigorous theoretical framework is developed in order to study the transport properties of the bioreactor. Given the hierarchical nature of the system, the multiscale aspect of the problem must be taken into account. Based on the volume averaging theory with closure, mass and momentum transport processes are upscaled from the extracellular matrix scale, to the bioreactor scale. The effective properties of the encountered structures are evaluated, and the influence of the interscale dependencies are emphasized. The resulting macroscopic model includes non-conventional terms, which contributions are evaluated in the case of the bioreactor culture conditions.Then, cell proliferation and tissue growth are studied both, from an experimental and modeling point of view. First, fibroblast cells are cultured on glass beads in a bioreactor, perfused with culture medium at 10mL/min, for up to three weeks. A protocol combining histological techniques and image analysis allows the quantification of cell and tissue growth as a function of space and time. Second, a theoretical tissue production kinetic is introduced in the multiscale transport model previously developed. Finally, the resolution at the bioreactor scale allows to discuss the theoretical and experimental results in regard to the transport phenomena taking place in the perfusion bioreactor.