de tumorigênese em melanomas, ainda não há tratamento eficaz para melanomas metastáticos. Esta ineficácia terapêutica pode estar relacionada com a adaptação e seleção de células de melanoma à indução de estresse de RE. Ultrapassar os níveis sustentados de estresse de RE, interferindo nas vias de adaptação a este estresse, foi o alvo deste estudo na tentativa de propor uma nova estratégia terapêutica para sensibilizar células de melanoma a morte induzida por cisplatina. Mostramos que GADD153, um dos componentes da via de UPR (Unfolded Protein Response) responsável por induzir apoptose em reposta ao estresse de RE, está excluída do núcleo em melanomas primários, metástases ganglionares e viscerais. Este dado sugere que a localização citoplasmática do fator de transcrição GADD153 possa estar envolvida na resposta adaptativa de melanomas ao estresse de RE, uma vez que se sabe que GADD153 se acumula no núcleo em resposta a este estresse. Investigamos se a indução de estresse de RE seria capaz de induzir a translocação de GADD153 para o núcleo e resultar na sensibilização de células de melanoma a morte induzida por cisplatina (CDDP). Realizamos o tratamento de células de melanoma (SbCl2, Mel85, SK-MEL- 29, SK-MEL-28 e SK-MEL-147) com tunicamicina (Tuni), indutor clássico de estresse de RE, previamente ao tratamento com CDDP. Demonstramos que em todas as linhagens exceto em SK-MEL-29, houve um aumento na porcentagem de células hipodiploides (>50%) no tratamento combinado (Tuni>CDDP) comparado ao tratamento com CDDP. As células SK-MEL-147 se mostraram mais sensíveis à indução de estresse de RE e as células SK-MEL-29 mais resistentes. Algumas diferenças entre estas linhagens como a expressão de GRP78 de superfície e presença de oligossacarídeos ?1-6 ligados de superfície podem estar relacionadas com esta resposta diferencial ao estresse de RE. Em todas as linhagens verificamos a acúmulo dos marcadores de UPR, GRP78 e GADD153, após o tratamento com tunicamicina. Além disso, GADD153 foi direcionada para o núcleo em reposta ao tratamento com tunicamicina. O acúmulo de vacúolos acídicos, da proteína autofágica LC3-II e de ROS após o tratamento com Tuni>CDDP, sugerem que tanto a autofagia quanto o estresse oxidativo parecem estar envolvidos na resposta de sensibilização. A inibição de autofagia com cloroquina aumentou a morte induzida por Tuni>CDDP, sugerindo que autofagia desempenha função protetora neste esquema terapêutico. Testamos um segundo agente genotóxico, temozolomida (TMZ), uma droga equivalente à dacarbazina, e a mesma capacidade de sensibilização foi observada pelo prévio tratamento com tunicamicina. A validação deste conceito in vivo foi dificultada pela acentuada toxicidade apresentada por tunicamicina. Avaliamos alguns candidatos a agentes estressores do RE que poderiam apresentar menor toxicidade celular, como swainsonina, atorvastatina, metformina e o composto de cobre [Cu2(apyhist)2(dpam)](ClO4)4. No entanto, não obtivemos resultados promissores com nenhum destes candidatos. Estes resultados mostram que as células tumorais podem ser pré-condicionadas à morte celular se expostas a um prévio estressor de RE, como Tuni, o que leva ao comprometimento da resposta adaptativa a indutores de morte celular como CDDP e TMZ. No entanto, ainda é necessário o estudo de agentes indutores de estresse de RE pouco tóxicos para que esta estratégia terapêutica possa ser utilizada em pacientes com melanoma / Melanoma is among the most aggressive malignancies with increasing worldwide incidence and there is no effective treatment for the metastatic disease. The absence of an effective therapy may be due to adaptation and selection of melanoma cells to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. We showed that GADD153, one of the components of the ER stress-mediated apoptosis pathway, was mostly excluded from the nucleus of primary and metastatic melanoma cells compared to nevus cells. These data suggest that the unexpected GADD153 cellular localization could be involved in melanoma cell adaption to ER stress, since GADD153 accumulates in the nucleus during ER stress. Unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling induced in response to ER stress, is a dual process that induces a protective response to restore ER homeostasis or cell death if ER stress is severe or persistent. We investigated if induction of ER stress was a potential strategy to chemosensitize melanoma cells to a second insult by surpassing the adaptive levels to ER stress. We first treated human melanoma cells (SbCl2, SK-MEL-28, Mel85, SK-MEL-29 and SK-MEL-147) with tunicamycin (Tuni), an ER stress inducer, before cisplatin (CDDP) treatment. CDDP is a low cost chemotherapeutic drug currently used in Brazil as a second line for melanoma treatment, especially in youngsters. All cell lines, except SK-MEL-29, demonstrated an >50% increase in the percentage of hypodiploid cells with Tuni>CDDP treatment when compared to CDDP only. The same results were obtained with temozolomide (TMZ), equivalent drug to the active form of dacarbazine, the first line of cytotoxic treatment of melanomas. UPR markers, GRP78 and nuclear translocation of GADD153 were induced by Tuni. Differences between SK-MEL-29 and SK-MEL-147 as cell surface GRP78 and ?1-6 oligossacharides can be related with the differential ER stress sensitization observed in these cells. One of the cellular mechanisms that are regulated by ER stress is autophagy. Accordingly, we observed an increase in the acidic vesicular organelles and accumulation of LC3II in response to Tuni>CDDP treatment. Autophagy inhibition with chloroquine increased Tuni>CDDP induced-cell death, suggesting that autophagy plays a protective role in this response. Oxidative stress can be involved in this scenario since we demonstrated an accumulation of reactive oxygen species in response to Tuni>CDDP. Tunicamycin was cytotoxic in vivo and we investigated alternatives to this antibiotic as swainsonine, atorvastatin, metformin and [Cu2(apyhist)2(dpam)](ClO4)4 but we did not observed ER stress induction. These results indicate that tumor cells could be preconditioned to cell death if exposed to a first ER stressor, such as Tuni, which would compromise an effective adaptive response to a cell death inducer, as CDDP and TMZ. This combined approach may be a promising strategy for melanoma therapy but further studies are necessary to find noncytotoxic alternatives to tunicamycin

Masters of Science / The main objective of this study was to investigate promoter sequences of putative HSR genes for the presence of unique regulatory elements and modules that might be involved in the regulation of HSR. In order to achieve this objective, an in silico promoter analysis strategy was devised, which focused on the identification of promoter sequences and regulatory elements, and modelling of promoter modules by using Genomatix software tools such as MatInspector and ModelInspector. Results showed that two modules (EGRF_SP1F_01 and SP1F_CEBP_01) were conserved in the promoter sequences of three well-known Hsp-genes (Hsp90, Hsp105β and αβ-crystallin). Screening the 60 target gene promoters for the presence of the two modules revealed that 12 genes (20 %) contained both modules. These included Moesin, Proline-4 hydroxylase, Poly(A) binding protein and Formin-binding protein. None of these genes had been previously associated with heat shock response. / South Africa

La dureté du grain de blé est un des paramètres fondamentaux de la texture de l’albumen. Ce caractère, essentiel pour la valeur d’utilisation des farines, est fortement lié à l’absence ou à la modification des puroindolines. Afin de mieux comprendre la fonction biologique de ces protéines dans le grain de blé (Triticum aestivum L.), nous avons étudié à quatre stades de développement du grain la localisation subcellulaire des puroindolines par immunocytochimie et les protéomes dans deux lignées de blé quasi-isogéniques pour la dureté. Dès la fin de la cellularisation de l’albumen, les puroindolines sont localisées sur la face interne des membranes vésiculaires et dans les corps protéiques en formation, structures dans lesquelles s’accumulent les protéines de réserve du grain. L’analyse par AFFFF (Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation) des deux lignées Hard et Soft, qui diffèrent essentiellement par l’absence du gène Pina dans la lignée Hard, a montré une corrélation entre la dureté et la taille des polymères de protéines de réserve. L’analyse protéomique des fractions albumines/globulines et amphiphiles des grains en développement a révélé une augmentation des protéines de la machinerie de repliement et de réponse au stress dans la lignée Hard, par rapport à la lignée Soft. Les deux approches méthodologiques utilisées semblent également mettre en évidence une cinétique de développement du grain raccourcie dans la lignée Hard. Ces observations suggèrent que les puroindolines interagissent avec les protéines de réserve du grain et suivent le même routage cellulaire. Elles pourraient être impliquées dans les mécanismes de repliement et d’assemblage des prolamines. / Wheat grain hardness, a major trait for endosperm texture and flour end-use properties, is strongly associated to absence or modification of puroindolines. To gain insight into biological function of those proteins in bread wheat kernel (Triticum aestivum L.), puroindolines’ subcellular localization was sought by immunocytochemistry and proteomes were analyzed at four stages of developing kernels in two near-isogenic lines for hardness, differing mainly in the absence of Pina in the Hardline. As early as the end of endosperm cellularisation, puroindolines were localized onto vesicular membranes and into protein bodies, where storage proteins accumulate. Using AFFFF (Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation), we observed a correlation between hardness and storage protein polymer size. Proteomic analyses of the albumin/globulin and amphiphilic fractions revealed an increase in folding and stress-related proteins in the Hard line, as compared to the Soft one. Both ultrastructural and proteomic studies suggested also that the Hard/Soft genotype affects the kinetics of kernel development. These lines of evidence imply that puroindolines interact with storage proteins and display the same routage. Puroindolines could therefore be involved in prolamines folding and assembly mechanisms.

Bakgrund: Endoplasmatiskt retikulum upprätthåller proteinhomeostasen genom syntes och degradering av proteiner. Tre signalvägar reglerar processen via ”unfolded protein response” på olika sätt. Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 alpha är en signalväg aktiverad av en störd proteinhomeostas. Stressen uppstår om cellen utsätts för kemiska substanser t.ex. i samband med djurförsök vid framtagning av läkemedel. Den aktiverade signalvägens respons leder bl.a. till splicing av X-box-binding Protein 1 mRNA. Syfte: Projektets syfte är att minska behovet av djurförsök genom att möjliggöra ökad implementering av 3R-principen. Frågeställningen är om den fluorescerande plasmiden pEGFP-XBP1∆dDBD-STOP-tagRFPt som binder till X-box binding protein 1 mRNA kan användas för detektion av celler vars endoplasmatiska retikulum är stressat. Metod: Plasmid pEGFP-XBP1∆dDBD-STOP-tagRFPt renades ur DH5-Alpha Escherichia coli med JETstar 2.0 Plasmid Purification Midiprep Kit. Humana epiteliala njurceller 293 transfekterades med plasmiden varpå de doserades med tunicamycin. Kontrollen utgjordes av dimetylsulfoxid. Mikroskopering skedde i fluorescensmikroskopet Zeiss Axiovert 200. Mjukvaran AxioVision Ver. 4.8.1.0. Carl Zeiss Imaging Solutions framställde cellerna på dataskärm. Resultat: Hypotestestets signifians bestämdes till p < 0,05. Resultatet antyder att antalet ER- stressade celler ökar med ökande inkubationstid (p = 0,001 – 0,966). En mindre antydan finns också mot en ökande koncentration av tunicamycin (p = 0,096 – 0,690). Slutsats: En rimlig slutsats kan inte dras då antalet utförda analyser är för få. / Background: Endoplasmic reticulum maintains protein homeostasis by protein synthesis and degradation. Three signal paths regulates the process by ”unfolded protein response” in different ways. Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 alpha is one path activated by a disturbed protein homeostasis. Stress starts if the cell is exposed to chemical substances as in connection with scientific animal experiments when pharmaceuticals are developed. The response of the activated signal path leads e.g. to splicing of X-box-binding protein 1 mRNA. Object: The object of the project is to reduce the need of scientific animal experiments by enabling increased implementation of the 3R principle. The question is if the fluorescent plasmid pEGFP-XBP1∆dDBD-STOP-tagRFPt binding to X-box binding protein 1 mRNA can be used for detection of cells whose endoplasmatic reticulum is stressed. Method: Plasmid pEGFP-XBP1 ∆ dDBD-STOP-tagRFPt was purified from DH5-Alpha Escherichia coli with JETstar 2.0 Plasmid Purification Midiprep Kit. Human epithelial kidney cells 293 were transfected with the plasmid whereupon they were dosed with tunicamycin. The control was made off dimethylsulfoxide. Microscopy was done in the fluorescence microscope Zeiss Axiovert 200. The software AxioVision Ver. 4.8.1.0. Carl Zeiss Imaging Solutions imaged cells on the computer screen. Result: The significans of the hypothesis test was set to p < 0,05. The result suggests that the number of ER-stressed cells increase with increasing incubation time (p = 0,001 – 0,966). A smaller hint is also pointing toward increasing concentrations of tunicamycin (p = 0,096 – 0,690). Conclusion: A reasonable conclusion cannot be made because of too few tests.

Les problèmes inverses en traitement d'images peuvent être résolus en utilisant des méthodes variationnelles classiques, des approches basées sur l'apprentissage profond, ou encore des stratégies bayésiennes. Bien que différentes, ces approches nécessitent toutes des algorithmes d'optimisation efficaces. L'opérateur proximal est un outil important pour la minimisation de fonctions non lisses. Dans cette thèse, nous illustrons la polyvalence des algorithmes proximaux en les introduisant dans chacune des trois méthodes de résolution susmentionnées.Tout d'abord, nous considérons une formulation variationnelle sous contraintes dont la fonction objectif est composite. Nous développons PIPA, un nouvel algorithme proximal de points intérieurs permettant de résoudre ce problème. Dans le but d'accélérer PIPA, nous y incluons une métrique variable. La convergence de PIPA est prouvée sous certaines conditions et nous montrons que cette méthode est plus rapide que des algorithmes de l'état de l'art au travers de deux exemples numériques en traitement d'images.Dans une deuxième partie, nous étudions iRestNet, une architecture neuronale obtenue en déroulant un algorithme proximal de points intérieurs. iRestNet nécessite l'expression de l'opérateur proximal de la barrière logarithmique et des dérivées premières de cet opérateur. Nous fournissons ces expressions pour trois types de contraintes. Nous montrons ensuite que sous certaines conditions, cette architecture est robuste à une perturbation sur son entrée. Enfin, iRestNet démontre de bonnes performances pratiques en restauration d'images par rapport à une approche variationnelle et à d'autres méthodes d'apprentissage profond.La dernière partie de cette thèse est consacrée à l'étude d'une méthode d'échantillonnage stochastique pour résoudre des problèmes inverses dans un cadre bayésien. Nous proposons une version accélérée de l'algorithme proximal de Langevin non ajusté, baptisée PP-ULA. Cet algorithme est incorporé à un échantillonneur de Gibbs hybride utilisé pour réaliser la déconvolution et la segmentation d'images ultrasonores. PP-ULA utilise le principe de majoration-minimisation afin de gérer les distributions non log-concaves. Comme le montrent nos expériences réalisées sur des données ultrasonores simulées et réelles, PP-ULA permet une importante réduction du temps d'exécution tout en produisant des résultats de déconvolution et de segmentation très satisfaisants. / Inverse problems in image processing can be solved by diverse techniques, such as classical variational methods, recent deep learning approaches, or Bayesian strategies. Although relying on different principles, these methods all require efficient optimization algorithms. The proximity operator appears as a crucial tool in many iterative solvers for nonsmooth optimization problems. In this thesis, we illustrate the versatility of proximal algorithms by incorporating them within each one of the aforementioned resolution methods.First, we consider a variational formulation including a set of constraints and a composite objective function. We present PIPA, a novel proximal interior point algorithm for solving the considered optimization problem. This algorithm includes variable metrics for acceleration purposes. We derive convergence guarantees for PIPA and show in numerical experiments that it compares favorably with state-of-the-art algorithms in two challenging image processing applications.In a second part, we investigate a neural network architecture called iRestNet, obtained by unfolding a proximal interior point algorithm over a fixed number of iterations. iRestNet requires the expression of the logarithmic barrier proximity operator and of its first derivatives, which we provide for three useful types of constraints. Then, we derive conditions under which this optimization-inspired architecture is robust to an input perturbation. We conduct several image deblurring experiments, in which iRestNet performs well with respect to a variational approach and to state-of-the-art deep learning methods.The last part of this thesis focuses on a stochastic sampling method for solving inverse problems in a Bayesian setting. We present an accelerated proximal unadjusted Langevin algorithm called PP-ULA. This scheme is incorporated into a hybrid Gibbs sampler used to perform joint deconvolution and segmentation of ultrasound images. PP-ULA employs the majorize-minimize principle to address non log-concave priors. As shown in numerical experiments, PP-ULA leads to a significant time reduction and to very satisfactory deconvolution and segmentation results on both simulated and real ultrasound data.

No description available.

No description available.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Eukaryotic cells rapidly modulate protein synthesis in response to environmental cues through the reversible phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α~P) by a family of eIF2α kinases. The eIF2 delivers initiator Met-tRNAiMet to the translational apparatus, and eIF2α~P transforms its function from a translation initiation factor into a competitive inhibitor of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) eIF2B, which is responsible for the recycling of eIF2-GDP to the translationally-competent eIF2-GTP state. Reduced eIF2-GTP levels lower general protein synthesis, which allows for the conservation of energy and nutrients, and a restructuring of gene expression. Coincident with global translational control, eIF2α~P directs the preferential translation of mRNA encoding ATF4, a transcriptional activator of genes important for stress remediation. The term Integrated Stress Response (ISR) describes this pathway in which multiple stresses converge to phosphorylate eIF2α and enhance synthesis of ATF4 and its downstream effectors. In this study, we used sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation and a genome-wide microarray approach to measure changes in mRNA translation during ER stress. Our analysis suggests that translational efficiencies vary across a broad range during ER stress, with the majority of transcripts being either repressed or resistant to eIF2α~P, while a notable cohort of key regulators are subject to preferential translation. From this latter group, we identify IBTKα as being subject to both translational and transcriptional induction during eIF2α~P in both cell lines and a mouse model of ER stress. Translational regulation of IBTKα mRNA involves the stress-induced relief of two inhibitory uORFs in the 5’-leader of the transcript. Also identified as being subject to preferential translation is mRNA encoding the bifunctional aminoacyl tRNA synthetase EPRS. During eIF2α~P, translational regulation of EPRS is suggested to occur through the bypass of a non-canonical upstream ORF encoded by a CUG start codon, highlighting the diversity by which upstream translation initiation events can regulate expression of a downstream coding sequence. This body of work provides for a better understanding of how translational control during stress is modulated genome-wide and for the processes by which this mode of gene regulation in the ISR contributes to cell fate.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is characterized by the induction of hepatocellular death and inflammation, is associated with the activation of cellular stress pathways such as the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), an adaptive response to disruptions in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis. Because the role of the UPR in the progression of liver disease is not well understood, we established an in vitro model to evaluate the role of the UPR in NASH and translated results to clarify disease progression in human liver biopsy samples. Treating HepG2 cells and primary human hepatocytes with saturated, but not unsaturated free fatty acids (FFAs), at physiologic concentrations induced hepatotoxicity by inhibiting autophagic flux. Saturated FFA treatment activated the UPR, including the transcription factors CHOP (GADD153/DDIT3) and NF-κB, leading to increased expression and secretion of cytokines such as TNFα and IL-8 that contributed to hepatic cell death and inflammation. Depletion of either CHOP or the RELA subunit of NF-κB in hepatocytes alleviated autophagy and cytokine secretion, resulting in enhanced cell viability and lowered inflammatory responses during exposure to saturated FFAs. We carried out next generation sequencing on cells deleted for either CHOP or RELA and identified IBTKα as a novel UPR member directly regulated by CHOP and NF-κB. In response to saturated FFAs, loss of IBTKα increased cell survival through lowered phagophore formation and reduced cytokine secretion. We also identified binding partners of IBTKα by immunoprecipitation and LC/MS, indicating that that IBTKα is part of a protein complex which functions at ER exit sites to facilitate initiation of autophagy and protein secretion. Furthermore, we discovered that CHOP and RELA coordinately regulate proteasome activity through NRF2 as an adaptive response to an inhibition of autophagic flux following palmitate exposure. To validate our model, we utilized human liver biopsy samples and demonstrated up-regulation of the UPR coincident with accumulation of autophagy markers, as well as secretion of cytokines IL 8 and TNFα in serum of NASH patients. Our study provides a mechanistic understanding of the roles of the UPR and autophagy in regulating saturated FFA induced hepatotoxicity at the cellular level.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Disturbances in membrane composition and protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) trigger the unfolded protein response (UPR). Three UPR sensory proteins, PERK (PEK/EIF2AK3), IRE1, and ATF6 are each activated by ER stress. PERK phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eIF2 represses global protein synthesis, lowering influx of nascent polypeptides into the stressed ER, coincident with the preferential translation of ATF4 (CREB2). Results from cultured cells demonstrate that ATF4 induces transcriptional expression of genes directed by the PERK arm of the UPR, including genes involved in amino acid metabolism, resistance to oxidative stress, and the proapoptotic transcription factor CHOP (GADD153/DDIT3). In this study, we characterized two ATF4 knockout mouse models and show in liver exposed to ER stress that ATF4 is not required for CHOP expression, but rather ATF6 is a primary inducer. RNA-sequence analysis indicated that ATF4 was responsible for a small portion of the PERK-dependent genes in the UPR. This smaller than expected subset of gene expression lends itself to the relevance of UPR crosstalk, with ATF6, XBP1, and CHOP being capable of upregulating UPR genes in the absence of ATF4. RNA-sequence analysis also revealed a requirement for expression of ATF4 for expression of a comparable number of genes basally, including those involved in oxidative stress response and cholesterol metabolism. Consistent with this pattern of gene expression, loss of ATF4 in our mouse model resulted in enhanced oxidative damage and increased free cholesterol in liver under stress accompanied by lowered cholesterol in sera. Taken together, this study highlights both an expansion of the role of ATF4 in transcriptional regulation of genes involved in metabolism in the basal state and a more specialized role during ER stress. These findings are important for understanding the variances of the UPR signaling between cell culture and in vivo and for a greater understanding of all the roles ATF4 plays within the cell.