Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Department of Biochemical Sciences University of Vienna, Faculty center for Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Laboratory of MacroMolecular Cancer Therapeutics Candidate: Barbora Kovářová Supervisor (Charles University): PharmDr. Anna Jirkovská, Ph.D. Supervisor (University of Vienna): Univ. Prof. Dipl. Ing. Dr. Manfred Ogris Co-supervisor (University of Vienna): Dr. Haider Sami, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: Reporter gene studies for nanoparticle mediated DNA and siRNA delivery Keywords: transfection, plasmid DNA, siRNA, nanoparticles Gene therapy is a promising field offering potential in several currently incurable diseases. Gene therapy is mediated by modulation of gene expression in specific cells by delivering exogenous nucleic acids. One of current tasks of nucleic acid delivery is exploring several synthetic vectors which would have a potential to overcome the disadvantages of commonly used viral vectors. The present study focused on different types of polyethyleneimine-based nanoparticles for plasmid DNA (pDNA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery. Integration of imaging contrast agents with gene delivery vehicles is advantageous for tracking the gene delivery process both in vivo and in vitro. Gadolinium...

The topic of this thesis is electrophysiological characterization of Kir2.1 membrane channel. Inward rectifier potassium channel Kir2.1 is located in muscular, heart and nerve cells and its dysfunction causes various diseases. Practical part of this stage is focused on cultivation of the HEK293T cell line that is used to transfection of the plasmid Kir2.1 and subsequent measurement of the ionic current through the electrophysiological method patch-clamp in whole-cell mode.

Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Department of Biochemical Sciences University of Vienna, Faculty center for Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Laboratory of MacroMolecular Cancer Therapeutics Candidate: Dajana Mihaličoková Supervisor (Charles University): PharmDr. Anna Jirkovská, Ph.D. Supervisor (University of Vienna): Univ.Prof. Dipl. Ing. Dr. Manfred Ogris Co-supervisor (University of Vienna): Dr. Haider Sami, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: In vitro assays for investigating nucleic acid assay Keywords: transfection, splice correction, BCA assay, polyplexes One of the most important tasks of biochemical research is to find out the right way how to cure cancer, genetic disorders and other illnesses which are still not curable. Towards this, gene therapy is emerging as a potential treatment owing to its ability to deliver genetic material inside the cell. Reporer gene based transfection process can be used to study gene expression. Transfection is mediated by vectors, either of viral or non-viral origin. Non-viral vectors offer several advantages over the viral counterparts like easier to synthesize, relatively cheap and the most important is their non-immunogenicity. Cationic polymers based on polyethylenimine form complexes with plasmid DNA reffered to as...

Master’s thesis deals with the transient transfection of the serum free animal cell culture using polyethyleneimines. In the theoretical part formation of recombinant DNA molecules, used expresion vectores, used DNA transfer and detection of recombinant proteins are discussed. The experimental part deals with efficiency of the polyethylenimine mediated transient transfection under various experimental conditions. 293HEK/EBNA cell line was chosen as an experimental model. First the most effective plasmide - pCEP4/SEAP was selected. Then three transfection methodes were tested: Muller (2005), Durocher et al. (2007) and Backliwal et al. (2008). The highest recombinant protein expresion was reached using the method of Backliwal et al. (2008).

Diploma thesis is based on monitoring the succes of transfection of cell linie HEK293. In theoretical part are described principles of transfection methods, cell lines, vectors and reporter genes. HEK293 cells EBNA1 were used for practical part. It was studied the difference between GFP and EGFP plasmids. As well as using various transfection reagents under different culture conditions.

Efficient production of the recombinant proteins (r-proteins) must be based on previous testing of an expression of a small amount of the r-proteins. This work focuses on optimizing the expression of the r-proteins in 12-well plates. It includes testing of an appropriate speed of shaking, production and transfection volume. It compares all the current testing vessels (it compares a 50-ml centrifugation tube to new tested plates that can substitute the unsuitable tubes). It also compares these new tested plates to production square bottles in order to compare the r-protein expression in the plates to the r-protein expression in the bottles. It monitors effects of carbon dioxide on a number of vital cells, their viability, a relative frequency of positive cells on GFP in various cultivation vessels (plates, tubes, bottles), and pH of HEK 293 cellular cultivation during the 4-day cultivation process as well. On the basis of the results and statistical processing of the results, we have set the optimal agitation speed of 230 rpm for the 12-well plates. We have also set the appropriate production and transfection volume of 2 and 0.5 ml for the 12-well plates. In order to evaluate variables and compare cultivations in all the vessels, the tubes could be substituted by the plates. There is a statistically significant impact of carbon dioxide on the number of cells, their variability, relative frequency of cells (positive on GFP) and pH of the cellular HEK 293 cultivation in the cultivation vessels. There is the strongest r-protein expression in carbon dioxide conditions. The results of this work allow to employ the 12-well plates when we aim to test the expression of the r-proteins in a small amount and in carbon dioxide conditions. On the basis of the findings, the expression of the r-proteins in the 12-well plates and carbon dioxide conditions can substitute the expression of the r-proteins in the production bottle and in carbon dioxide free conditions.

Diabetes mellitus type I is severe autoimmune disease which is caused by destruction of insulin-producing β-cells in pancreas. Diabetic patients are dependent on external usage of insulin during their whole life. Nowadays the only treatment of diabetes type I is transplantation of entire pancreas or isolated Langerhans islets. Due to the fact that this kind of treatment is very demanding and limited availability of suitable donors, the researchers are intensively working on development of new alternative ways how to produce the insulin-producing cells. One of the possible approaches on producing insulin-positive cells is transdifferentiation of pancreatic exocrine cells via transcription factors. In this diploma thesis, the transdifferentiation of exocrine cells AR42J was carried out with in vitro synthesized mRNA encoding transcription factors Pdx1, Ngn3 and MafA. The primary mRNA structure was optimized in order to prepare highly stable mRNA which is correctly translated into the protein. The main stabilizing elements in mRNA structure include 3' and 5' untranslated region derived from highly stable β-globin mRNA. In order to verify the function of synthetic mRNA the immunofluorescence staining of transcription factors has been investigated. Synthetic mRNAs encoding transcription factors Pdx1,...

Natural killer (NK) cells represent indispensable part of the innate immunity as they are capable of promptly identifying virally infected or tumor cells and participating in the regulation of adaptive immune responses. These functions are ensured by the interplay between NK receptors, creating a complex regulatory system. Solving the receptors' structure may contribute to an overall understanding of NK cell biology. Presented thesis describes an elucidation of the structure of the inhibitory C-type lectin-like receptor (CTLR) Nkrp1b with an emphasis toward structural features (stalk, loop and oligomerization state) which might affect conformation or interactions of this receptor. The interaction of Nkrp1b with its ligand, Clr-b protein, is immunologically significant as it regulates NK cells' activity independently and monitors changes that are not visible to cytotoxic T lymphocytes. To study individual structural aspects of Nkrp1b, two protein variants were recombinantly prepared in bacterial expression system: entire ectodomain and ligand-binding domain lacking the stalk. Using a range of mass spectrometric techniques in combination with homology modeling and molecular dynamics, we proposed the Nkrp1b structure including its monomeric and dimeric arrangements. In addition, the oligomerization...

Testicular stem cells (TSCs) are relatively accessible potential source of pluripotent cells, which are particularly important for their application in regenerative medicine. Xenopus tropicalis is a useful model organism to study the migration and differentiation potential of stem cells. This amphibian is characteristic by outer fecundation and embryonic development of a great amount of embryos after fertilization. Oocytes and embryos are large enough (about 1 mm) to be suitable for micromanipulation micromanipulations. Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague succeeded in the establishment of a mixed cell culture of TSCs growing on feeder layer of pre- Sertoli cells. This culture was derived from the testes of juvenile Xenopus tropicalis male. In the study of their differentiation potential it was found, that leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is the decisive factor allowing rapid proliferation of stem cells and their forming into characteristic colonies. This protein is produced by both types of cells which are present in the culture. The mouse LIF has the same positive effect on the proliferative potential of stem cells, which points at the evolutionary conservation of metabolic pathways associated with the maintenance of the stemness. RT-PCR analysis...

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles of endosomal origin. It was thought, that exosomes are used by cells only as carriers for cellular waste, but it was found out, that exosomes serve in the cellular communication and have a role in viral infections. Exosomes are exploited by viruses for example for the transport of viral protein or viral RNA/DNA. One of the viruses, where the mechanism of exploitation is unknown (if any exists) is murine polyomavirus. Murine polyomavirus belongs to the family Polyomaviridae, to which other human viruses belong for example, JC virus or virus of Merkel cell carcinoma. Murine polyomavirus codes for small, large and middle T antigen and three capsid proteins. Middle T antigen is known to bind to cellular membranes. Exosomes are membrane derived structures, so we investigated a possible transfer of middle T antigen. To this goal the successful isolation of exosomes and their characterization was necessary. Exosomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation and further purified by the density gradient OptiPrep. Exosomes were characterized by electron microscopy, NanoSight and by protein exosomal markers. These markers are for example Alix and flotillin-1. The cells were transfected in order to produce middle T antigen. It was shown, that exosomes isolated from these cells...