L'insuffisance cardiaque consécutive à un infarctus du myocarde est une pathologie complexe qui apparaît suite au remodelage du ventricule gauche. Le renouvellement et la dégradation de la matrice extracellulaire cardiaque et l'inflammation sont impliqués dans la mise en place du remodelage post infarctus du myocarde. La métalloprotéinase matricielle 9 (MMP9) et le récepteur de l'immunité innée Toll-like 4 (TLR4) sont des médiateurs clés du remodelage ventriculaire. L'adénosine est un nucléoside cardioprotecteur et anti-inflammatoire dont les effets sur le remodelage sont encore mal caractérisés. Nous avons émis l'hypothèse que l'adénosine pourrait moduler les voies de la MMP9 et du TLR4 dans les macrophages, et ainsi réguler le remodelage ventriculaire. Nos résultats montrent que l'activation du récepteur A3 à l'adénosine augmente la production de MMP9 par les macrophages primaires humains. D'autre part, nous avons observé que l'adénosine réduit l'inflammation par une diminution de l'expression de surface du TLR4. Cet effet se traduit par une inhibition de la synthèse de cytokines pro-inflammatoires et est induit par l'activation du récepteur A2A. Ces résultats ont permis de caractériser certains mécanismes par lesquels l'adénosine agit sur le remodelage ventriculaire. Ils suggèrent de tester, dans un modèle animal, l'administration d'analogues de l'adénosine pour prévenir ou limiter le remodelage. La capacité à prédire la survenue du remodelage ventriculaire après un infarctus du myocarde est importante d'un point de vue clinique et bénéficierait de la découverte de nouveaux biomarqueurs. L'analyse par protéomique du plasma de 30 patients d'une cohorte test ayant développé un infarctus du myocarde a permis d'identifier l'haptoglobine comme biomarqueur pronostique potentiel. L'haptoglobine humaine possède 3 isoformes : [alpha]1-[alpha]1, [alpha]2-[alpha]1 et [alpha]2-[alpha]2. Nos résultats suggèrent que la présence du phénotype [alpha]2 et d'un taux plasmatique d'haptoglobine faible sont associés à l'apparition d'une insuffisance cardiaque. Cette étude preuve-du-concept suggère que l'haptoglobine pourrait être ajoutée à la liste existante des biomarqueurs de l'insuffisance cardiaque / Heart failure following myocardial infarction is a complex pathology that occurs as a result of left ventricular remodeling. Left ventricular remodeling is mediated in part by extracellular cardiac matrix turnover and inflammation. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and innate immune receptor Toll-like 4 (TLR4) are key mediators of left ventricular remodeling. Cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory nucleoside adenosine acts on left ventricular remodeling through still poorly characterized mechanisms. We hypothesized that adenosine regulates left ventricular remodeling through modulation of MMP9 and TLR4 pathways in macrophages. Using human primary macrophages, we showed that adenosine increases MMP9 production through the A3 receptor. In a second set of experiments, we observed that adenosine dampens inflammation through decreased cell-surface expression of TLR4. This effect, which inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokines production, is induced by adenosine A2A receptor. All together, these results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying left ventricular remodeling and suggest a potential therapeutic use of adenosine. Our data suggest testing a therapeutic strategy with different adenosine analogs to prevent or limit left ventricular remodeling. Prediction of left ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction is clinically relevant and would benefit from the discovery of new biomarkers. Proteomic analysis of plasma samples from a test cohort of 30 myocardial infarction patients identified haptoglobin as a potential prognostic biomarker. Human haptoglobin has 3 distinct isoforms: [alpha]1-[alpha]1, [alpha]2-[alpha]1 and [alpha]2-[alpha]2. Our results suggest that the presence of [alpha]2 isoform, together with low plasma levels of total haptoglobin, is associated with the development of heart failure. This proof-of-concept study suggested that haptoglobin could be added to the panel of existing biomarkers of heart failure

Endotoxins (E) are a unique and abundant family of glycolipids located in the outer leaflet of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Host immune responses to endotoxin depend on ordered endotoxin-host protein interactions, resulting in delivery of an endotoxin monomer to MD-2 which acts as a potent agonist of Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) 4. Activated TLR4 is unique among TLRs in its ability to mobilize two distinct intracellular signaling pathways: the MyD88- and TRIF-dependent pathways. The regulated action of both pathways is likely important for optimal host immune responses to Gram-negative bacterial infection, but how this is achieved is not well understood Recent studies have indicated an essential role for host CD14 in TRIF-dependent signaling by activated TLR4 but the extent to which these observations reflect a general role of CD14 in endotoxin-triggered TRIF signaling or one more narrowly restricted to the specific endotoxins and/or cell types used is uncertain. We have addressed this question by identifying a novel CD14-independent mechanism for efficient delivery of E monomer to MD-2 and TLR4 activation, that is mediated by endotoxin.albumin complexes. We have used these complexes to demonstrate CD14-independent activation of MD-2⋅TLR4 by a wider range of endotoxin species than previously thought possible and activation of both MyD88- and TRIF-dependent pathways. Taken together, the findings in this thesis indicate that the molecular structure and physical presentation of endotoxin as well as CD14-independent properties of the host cell help determine the extent to which CD14 is required for TRIF-dependent signaling by activated TLR4.

Each year, over 50 million Americans suffer from persistent pain, including debilitating headaches, joint pain, and severe back pain. Although morphine is amongst the most effective analgesics available for the management of severe pain, prolonged morphine treatment results in decreased analgesic efficacy (i.e., tolerance). Despite significant headway in the field, the mechanisms underlying the development of morphine tolerance are not well understood. The midbrain ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) is a primary neural substrate for the analgesic effects of morphine, as well as for the development of morphine tolerance. A growing body of literature indicates that activated glia (i.e., microglia and astrocytes) facilitate pain transmission and oppose morphine analgesia, making these cells important potential targets in the treatment of chronic pain. Morphine affects glia by binding to the innate immune receptor toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), leading to the release of proinflammatory cytokines and opposition of morphine analgesia. Despite the established role of the vlPAG as an integral locus for the development of morphine tolerance, to date, no studies have examined the role of glia activation within this region. Additionally, the role of TLR4 in the development of tolerance has not been elucidated. This dissertation seeks to address the lack of knowledge regarding the role of vlPAG glia and TLR4 in the development of morphine tolerance by (1) Characterizing the effects of chronic morphine and peripheral inflammatory pain on vlPAG glial cell activity; (2) Investigating the role of glia activation within the vlPAG in the development of morphine tolerance; (3) Characterizing the role of the glial receptor TLR4 within the vlPAG in the development of morphine tolerance; and (4) Characterizing the glia to neuron signaling mechanisms involved in the development of morphine tolerance. These experiments, together, provide novel information about the mechanism by which central nervous system glia regulate morphine tolerance, and identify a potential therapeutic target for the enhancement of analgesic efficacy in the clinical treatment of chronic pain.

It has been suggested that moderate exercise contributes to protection against the development of chronic diseases by anti-inflammatory mechanisms that include elevations of anti-inflammatory cytokines and also reduction of the expression of Toll- Like Receptors (TLRs). However, prolonged strenuous exercise has been shown to reduce the function of some immune cells, decrease virus protection and consequently may account for the reason athletes appear more vulnerable to catching Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI). Although it has been proven that some exercise is better than no exercise, it is not clear yet what is the right amount of exercise to elicit beneficial immune responses and to help prevent the development of diseases. Therefore, the general aim of the studies in this thesis was to evaluate the impact of different types of exercise on monocyte TLR expression in participants with different fitness levels. It was found that different acute exercise protocols elicit different changes in TLR2 and TLR4 expression, where an acute bout of strenuous exercise reduced TLR4 expression for a few hours after the completion of the exercise (Chapter 5); however, short two bouts of exhaustive exercise separated by 2 hours did not change TLR4 expression (Chapter 6). In addition, changes in TLR4 expression were related to sex and the physical activity level of the participants (Chapter 4), and should therefore be considered separately when analysing TLR4 expression. Furthermore, high-intensity intermittent training improves participants' aerobic capacity and modifies the monocyte subpopulation concentration in the blood, with no changes in TLR4 expression. Further research needs to be done in this area to achieve a conclusive finding about changes in TLR4 expression and monocyte subsets after different training protocols, and possible relationships to cytokine production.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women in the United States. Complications that lead to mortality of cancer patients are associated with tumor metastasis. Specifically, lymphatic metastasis in breast cancer patients strongly correlates with poor patient survival and this process is facilitated by the formation of new tumor lymphatic vessels termed lymphangiogenesis. Previously, our lab reported that lymphangiogenesis was promoted by a distinct subset of bone marrow (BM)-derived myeloid cells that co-express lymphatic-specific markers designated as myeloid-derived endothelial cell progenitors (M-LECPs). Furthermore, our lab has generated M-LECP in vitro from a mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) by LPS stimulation. Taken together, these data suggest that chronically inflamed sites drive M-LECP differentiation and that these cells can contribute to the formation of new lymphatic vessels and promote lymph node metastasis. Evidence supporting this hypothesis was indicated by high levels of circulating M-LECP in peripheral blood of breast cancer patients but undetectable levels in healthy donors, cancer-free donors. Additionally, the generation of M-LECP was prompted through TLR4-signaling pathway, and de novo expression of VEGFR-3 and VEGF-C. This co-expression produces an autocrine loop essential for pro-lymphatic reprogramming in both primary human monocytes and the immature monocytic cell line, THP-1. Taken together, these data indicate the major regulatory role of TLR4 in inflammation-driven lymphangiogenesis involves the recruitment and differentiation of M-LECP, a process that may promote lymphatic metastasis.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:49:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-05-25 / A alta ingestão de dieta hiperlipídica induz obesidade e resistência à insulina, aspectos relacionados à inflamação crônica. A ativação do receptor toll like 4 (TLR4) induz uma upregulation das vias inflamatórias intracelulares. Baixas concentrações séricas de vitaminas E e D3 são encontradas em indivíduos obesos. Existem evidências que a vitamina E pode reduzir os estresses oxidativo e inflamatório e que a vitamina D3 pode induzir a morte celular de adipócitos por apoptose, sendo uma estratégia para a prevenção e tratamento da obesidade. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar os efeitos da suplementação de vitaminas E ou D3 sobre a massa corporal, expressões gênica e protéica de TLR4, superóxido dismutase (SOD), catalase e glutationa peroxidase (GPx), bem como as concentrações de proteínas de TRAF6 e MyD88 no tecido adiposo epididimal de camundongos. Camundongos suíços machos de 30 dias foram alimentados com dieta controle ou hiperlipídica (20% óleo de soja) suplementada ou não com vitaminas E (0,9 g/kg de dieta) ou D3 (0,05 g/kg de dieta) por 60 dias. O sangue, a carcaça e os tecidos adiposos foram coletados e analisados. Foi observado que a suplementação de vitaminas E ou D3 reduziu o ganho de massa coporal e o peso relativo dos tecidos. As concentrações séricas de glicose e hepáticas de substâncias reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico foram menores nos grupos suplementados. As vitaminas E ou D3 reduziram a expressão gênica de TLR4 no depósito epididimal. A vitamina E também reduziu a expressão gênica de TNF-. As concentrações de mRNA de GPx foram upregulated pelas vitaminas E e D3 e a catalase somente pela vitamina D3. As expressões protéicas de TLR4, TRAF6 e MyD88 foram reduzidas pelas vitaminas E e D3, enquanto que a suplementação aumentou as de GPx e SOD. Em conclusão, o presente estudo demonstrou que a suplementação de vitamina E ou D3 possui atividade anti-obesidade in vivo. A suplementação de vitamina E e D3 reduziu a expressão gênica e protéica de TLR4 e aumentou a expressão de enzimas antioxidantes, vias inflamatória e oxidativa relacionadas ao processo de desenvolvimento de obesidade. / High fat diet intake can induce obesity and insulin resistance, features related to chronic inflammation. Toll-like receptor 4 activation induces upregulation of intracellular inflammatory pathways. Low serum concentrations of vitamin E and vitamin D3 are found in obese individuals. There are evidences that vitamin E can reduce oxidative and inflammatory stresses and that vitamin D3 can induce apoptotic cell death providing a strategy for prevention and treatment of obesity removing adipocytes via apoptosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin E or D3 supplementation on weight, gene and protein expressions of TLR4, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and the protein levels of TRAF6 and MyD88 in epididymal adipose tissue of mice. Swiss male mice of 30 days were fed with control diet or high-fat diet (20% soybean oil) and supplemented or not with vitamin E (0.05 g/kg of diet) or vitamin D3 (0.05 g/kg of diet) for 60 days. Blood, carcass and white adipose tissues were collected and analyzed. We observed that vitamin E or D3 supplementation reduced body weight gain and relative adipose tissue weight. Serum glucose and thiobarbituric acid-reactive hepatic levels were lower in supplemented groups. Vitamins E or D3 decreased TLR4 expression in the epididymal depot. Vitamin E also reduced TNF- gene expression. The mRNA GPx gene was upregulated by vitamin E or D3 and mRNA catalase only by vitamin D3. The proteins expressions of TLR4, TRAF6 and MyD88 were decreased by vitamins E or D3, whereas supplementation increased the GPx and SOD. In conclusion, this study reports that vitamin E or D3 supplementation has potent antiobesity activity in vivo. We observed that the treatment decreased the TLR4 inflammatory pathway related to the obesity process. The supplementation of vitamin E and D3 reduced the TLR4 gene and protein expression and increased the expression of antioxidant enzymes, inflammatory and oxidative pathways related to the process of developing obesity. / TEDE

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-02-08Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:33:16Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 prioli_ra_me_jabo.pdf: 689132 bytes, checksum: 17eaeca002f2374370af36bb9266bcc4 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Os objetivos deste trabalho foram a padronização de metodologia alternativa de genotipagem do SNP AY_731081:g.1900T>C do gene CD14 equino por PCR-RFLP, bem como a caracterização em equinos da raça Mangalarga deste e de outros dois polimorfismos, o AY_005808: c.1530A>G do TLR4 e o AX_463789: g.133T>C do Cε, a fim de promover o embasamento necessário para futuras pesquisas visando associação entre marcadores de DNA e características relacionadas à fisiologia do sistema imune na raça. Para tanto, foram utilizados 151 animais Mangalarga, de ambos os sexos e de idades variadas, representativos da população do estado de São Paulo. O método de PCR-RFLP mostrou-se adequado para a genotipagem do SNP AY_731081: g.1900T>C do gene CD14 equino. Entretanto, tal polimorfismo provavelmente não ocorre em equinos Mangalarga, impossibilitando estudos de associação com o marcador na raça. Os parâmetros genético-populacionais obtidos para os polimorfismos AY_005808:c.1530A>G do gene TLR4 e o AX_463789:g.133T>C do gene Cε demonstraram a possibilidade de realização de pesquisas visando a associação entre os marcadores e características relacionadas ao sistema imune na raça Mangalarga / The objective of this work was to contribute to the molecular characterization of the equine Mangalarga, aiming at future studies on the association of DNA polymorphisms and traits associated with the immune system physiology of this equine breed. An alternative PCR-RFLP genotyping method was developed for the SNP AY_731081:g.1900T>C, in the gene CD14. Furthermore, this SNP plus the AY_005808: c.1530A>G, in the gene TLR4, and the AX_463789: g.133T>C, in the gene Cε, were used to analyze 151 Mangalarga individuals. The analyzed horses are representative of the São Paulo State population and consisted of male and female animals of several ages. The PCR-RLP method has been demonstrated to be suitable for equine genotyping using the SNP AY_731081: g.1900T>C of the gene CD14. However, this polymorphism is apparently absent in the Mangalarga breed. The population genetic data obtained for the polymorphisms AY_005808:c.1530A>G, of the gene TLR4, and the AX_463789:g.133T>C, in the gene Cε, indicated the feasibility of these SNPs for further studies aiming at the association of molecular markers with traits related to the immune system of the Mangalarga horse breed

Bacteria are coated with repeating units of oligosaccharides that exhibit remarkable diversity. Often, glycan units of three or even two sugars are sufficient to identify a species of bacteria. Such specificity makes bacterial surface glycans attractive vaccine targets. However, efforts to create effective vaccines against carbohydrates have been hampered by poor vaccine design as well as the human immune tendency to respond to glycan antigens with non-specific, T-cell independent mechanisms. As a result, carbohydrate vaccines have historically produced only adequate memory responses in healthy individuals and poor responses in the elderly or immunocompromised. To circumvent these issues, a novel conjugate vaccine was developed that utilizes theQβ virus-like particle carrier that displays both a carbohydrate antigen as well as a Natural Killer T cell adjuvant. This unique vaccine has been reported to stimulate the production of high affinity (nanomolar) antibodies against carbohydrate antigens. To further conjugate vaccine research, the present work synthesizes two bacterial surface antigens: a trisaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 23F (Sp23F), and a pentasaccharide from Ruminococcus gnavus (Rg). Sp23F has been characterized as one of the more virulent and disease-causing strains of S. pneumoniae. Rg secretes highly immunostimulatory proteins and is associated with irritable bowel syndrome. The Sp23F antigen is synthesized with an alkyne at the reducing end of the sugar to facilitate coupling to Qβ. A selection reagent for Sp23F is also synthesized to enable the extraction of antibodies and B cells that bind the antigen. In conjunction with providing a conjugate vaccine antigen, the Rg pentasaccharide will be examined as a TLR4 ligand and was therefore synthesized without an alkyne. The Rg conjugate vaccine shows promise in treating irritable bowel syndrome as well as facilitating research into the role Rg plays in the human microbiome.

Stress can either enhance or suppress immune functions depending on a variety of factors such as duration of stressful condition. Chronic stress has been demonstrated to exert a significant suppressive effect on immune function. However, the mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon remain to be elucidated. Here, male C57BL/6 mice were placed in a 50-ml conical centrifuge tube with multiple punctures to establish a chronic restraint stress model. Serum IL-10 levels, IL-10 production by the splenocytes, and activation of STAT3 in the mouse spleen were assessed. We demonstrate that IL-10/STAT3 axis was remarkably activated following chronic stress. Moreover, TLR4 and p38 MAPK play a pivotal role in the activation of IL-10/STAT3 signaling cascade. Interestingly, blocking antibody against IL-10 receptor and inhibition of STAT3 by STAT3 inhibitor S3I-201 attenuates stress-induced lymphocyte apoptosis. Inhibition of IL-10/STAT3 dramatically inhibits stress-induced reduction in IL-12 production. Furthermore, disequilibrium of Th1/Th2 cytokine balance caused by chronic stress was also rescued by blocking IL-10/STAT3 axis. These results yield insight into a new mechanism by which chronic stress regulates immune functions. IL-10/STAT3 pathway provides a novel relevant target for the manipulation of chronic stress-induced immune suppression.

Stress, either psychological or physical, can have a dramatic impact on the immune system. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a pivotal role in the induction of innate and adaptive immune response. We have reported that stress modulates the immune response in a TLR4-dependent manner. However, the mechanisms underlying TLR4-mediated signaling in stress modulation of immune system have not been identified. Here, we demonstrate an essential role for the TLR4-mediated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling. PI3K inhibition by inhibitors wortmannin or LY294002 abrogated protection of stress-induced immune suppression in TLR4-deficient mice compared with TLR4-deficient mice that did not receive the inhibitors. The mechanisms by which PI3K are increased in the TLR4-deficient lymphocytes may involve increased phosphorylation of Akt as well as increased phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β). The stress-mediated suppression of T help 1 (Th1) cytokine and increased production of Th2 cytokine was greatly reduced in TLR4 deficient mice compared with the wild type mice. Moreover, inhibition of PI3K diminished protection of the above Th1 and Th2 changes caused by stress in TLR4-deficient mice compared with non-stressed mice and the wild type mice. Our data demonstrated that TLR4 negatively regulates PI3K activity in wild type mice, leading to the observed the stress-induced immune response. The higher levels of PI3K prevent TLR4 deficient mice from the stress-induced immune response. Therefore, stress modulates the immune system through TLR4-mediated PI3K/Akt signaling.