| 1. |
- Barral, Anna-Maria, 1963-
(författare)
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Immunological Studies in Malignant Melanoma : Importance of TNF and the Thioredoxin System
- 2001
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Malignant melanoma is a tumor whose incidence is dramatically increasing in persons with light-coloured skin in all parts of the world. Due to its resistance against traditional chemo- and radiotherapy, melanoma has been a favourite target of alternative therapies, in particular those involving immunological mechanisms. Cytokines and particularly tumor necrosis factor (TNF) have been studied as possible antitumoral agents, but also as endogenous growth or differentiation factors. Previous studies showed that melanomas could express TNF in situ and that this expression correlated to decreased lymphocyte infiltration. On the other hand, redox reagents can modulate expression of cytokines, and the thioredoxin (Trx) system is particularly known to influence expression and secretion of TNF in vitro.The overall aim of this research was to explore immunological aspects of melanoma, particularly the role of TNF both in vitro and in vivo, as well as its possible modulation by Trx.In the in vitro studies first we developed a novel method for obtention of monoclonal antibodies against melanoma antigens, and generated and characterized specific monoclonal antibodies against both full-length and truncated Trx. We studied the cytokine expression of a panel of normal and transformed melanocytic cells by immunofluorescence, all of which presented TNF and Trx at levels comparable to monocytic cells, and TNF-receptors (TNFR) at low but detectable levels. Melanoma cells did not secrete TNF upon stimulation in spite of its presence in the Golgi apparatus. However, melanoma cells expressed the TNF-processing enzyme TACE and were capable of cleaving transfected GFP-tagged TNF. Imaging studies point to a possible cell-cell tranfer of endogenous TNF in melanoma cells.On the other hand, TNF and Trx expression in melanoma cell lines correlated to resistance against exogenous TNF. We studied then the in situ expression of TNF and Trx by immunohistochemistry in a group of 44 cutaneous melanoma patients. Trx expression did not correlated to survival or other clinicalpathological parameters. TNF expression significantly correlated to better survival in tumors thicker than 0,8 mm, and constituted an independent prognostic factor.These results point to a biological role of endogenous TNF in malignant melanoma, either by constituting an autocrine/paracrine differentiation factor or by modulating communication with other cell types, particularly of the host’s immune system.
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| 2. |
- Bergh, Ann-Charlotte, 1980-
(författare)
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Importance of microenvironment and antigen in the regulation of growth and survival of CLL cells
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells rapidly die when put in culture implying that microenvironmental signals delivered by accessory cells confer CLL cells with a growth advantage. Recent findings show that CLL cells are antigen experienced and antigen binding play a critical role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The overall aim of this thesis was to study the influence of the microenvironment and antigen binding in CLL.In paper I, we studied the influence of the small redox-regulatory molecule thioredoxin (Trx) on CLL cell survival and proliferation. We found Trx to be highly expressed in CLL lymph nodes (LNs), secreted from stromal cells surrounding proliferating CLL cells in proliferation centers, indicating growth promoting properties. Secreted Trx was also shown to protect CLL cells from apoptosis.In paper II, oxidized LDL was added to subset #1 CLL cells. However, in contrast to our hypothesis, we could not observe activation and proliferation of CLL cells. Instead subset #1 CLL cells were unresponsive/anergic through the B cell receptor (BcR). This anergic state could however be overcome by “wash out” of bound antigen or addition of toll-like receptor 9 stimulation in some patients.Gene expression profiles differ between groups of CLL patients and in peripheral blood (PB) and LN compartment, due to different microenvironments. However, it is not known whether these differences also apply for DNA methylation. In paper III, we identified various genes that were alternatively methylated between IGHV mutated (M) and unmutated (UM) groups. For example prognostic genes, CLLU1 and LPL, genes involved in B cell signaling, IBTK, as well as numerous TGF-β and NF-κB/TNF pathway genes.The intensity and duration of BcR signals are fine-tuned by enhancing or inhibitory coreceptors. SHP-1 inhibits BcR-signals by dephosphorylation. In paper IV, we compared the expression and activity of SHP-1 in CLL cells from LN with matched PB samples. However, in contrast to our hypothesis, SHP-1 activity/phosphorylation status in PB and LN, did not differ significantly.This thesis, add another piece to the puzzle, on how the microenvironment and antigens influence CLL pathogenesis. Since great variations among individuals are seen, further studies in different groups of patients are necessary to elucidate the importance of antigen for the development of CLL.
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| 3. |
- Hellqvist, Eva, 1978-
(författare)
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Antigen interaction with B cells in two proliferative disorders : CLL and MGUS
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of the work presented in this thesis was to elucidate B cell interaction with antigen in the two B cell proliferative disorders chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). In the first part we investigated the antigen specificity of CLL cells and characterized Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed CLL cell lines with regard to phenotype and genotype. The second part consists of studies on the antigen presenting capacity of myelin protein zero (P0) specific MGUS B cells and their relation to T cells and development of polyneuropathy.The aim of the work presented in this thesis was to elucidate B cell interaction with antigen in the two B cell proliferative disorders chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). In the first part we investigated the antigen specificity of CLL cells and characterized Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed CLL cell lines with regard to phenotype and genotype. The second part consists of studies on the antigen presenting capacity of myelin protein zero (P0) specific MGUS B cells and their relation to T cells and development of polyneuropathy.CLL cells are considered antigen experienced and different patient-derived CLL cells expressing B cell receptors (BCR) with highly homologous antigen binding sites are believed to have been selected by a common antigen at some point during the leukemogenesis. In paper I we investigated the antigen specificity of CLL-cell derived antibodies (Abs) with various IGHV gene usage and stereotyped BCR subset belonging. Identified CLL antigens included vimentin, filamin B, cofilin-1, proline rich acidic protein-1, cardiolipin, oxidized low density lipoprotein and Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular polysaccharides. Many of the CLL Abs studied displayed an oligo- or polyreactive antigen binding pattern and the identified antigens were either associated with apoptotic cells or microbial infection. This is similar to what has been described for innate natural antibodies, possibly indicating that CLL cells are derived from a natural-antibody- producing B cell population. Further characterization of CLL homology subset-2 antigen specificity showed binding to glands in human gastric mucosa corpus tissue sections for a CLL homology subset-2 Ab with HCDR3 motif-1, suggesting that this CLL subset recognize an autoantigen much like the CLL Abs tested in Paper I.Characterization of EBV-transformed CLL and normal lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) in paper II showed that eight of the CLL cell lines were verified to be of authentic neoplastic origin. Indication for a biclonal CLL was found in two of the cell lines and two of the presumably normal LCLs turned out to represent the malignant CLL clone. For three cell lines no conclusive evidence for CLL origin could be found emphasizing the importance of verifying the identity of cell lines used in research.
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| 4. |
- Hossain, Akter, 1967-
(författare)
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Studies on Redox-proteins and Cytokines in inflammation and Cancer
- 2007
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The redox state in the cell plays a major role in determining vital functions and its major imbalance can lead to severe cell injury or death. Redox active proteins and cytokines involved in this process includes thioredoxin (Trx), protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamilies. Trx is a multipotent protein and key regulator of cellular redox balance operating in synergy with Trx reductase and NADPH (the Trx system). Trx has gene regulatory activity of several transcription factors. It also controls in a fascinating way redox-sensitive “on-off” decisions for apoptotic or hypertrophic pathways. Trx protects against H2O2 and TNFmediated cytotoxicity, a pathway in which TNF receptor-binding generates ROS. TNF is an autocrine growth factor and survival factor in vitro and in vivo for B-type of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cells. The overall aim of this study was to investigate the importance of redox active proteins and cytokines in inflammation and cancer. We focused on: i) the role of Trx, TrxR, and selenium in carcinogenesis and in resistant cancer cells. ii) the importance of Trx in cancer cells and the redox regulation of TNF and its receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2. iii) the potential role of Trx as a key regulator in cellular redox balance, in the pathogenesis of cardiac dysfunction; its relationship to stress response parameters. iv) whether unmutated CLL (UCLL) responses to PKC and ROS pathways were different from mutated CLL (M-CLL) responses.Our results demonstrate pronounced selective selenium-mediated apoptosis in therapy resistant cells and suggest that redox regulation through the Trx system is an important target for cancer therapy. Trx was strikingly elevated in heart failure cases compared with controls signifying an adaptive stress response that is higher the more severe the disease. TNF autocrine release was redox modulated and the TNF receptors interacted at the cell surface membrane with the redox-active PDI, which excerted a stringent redox-control of the TNFR signaling. The proliferative response as well as increase of autocrine TNF and Trx were higher in U-CLL than in M-CLL.The overall conclusion of the four papers included in this thesis is that redox-active proteins and cytokines plays an important role in control and regulation of cancer and inflammation. Furthermore, redox regulation via thioredoxin by selenium, may offer novel treatment possibilities for resistant tumors disease.
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| 5. |
- Sahaf, Bita
(författare)
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Thioredoxin system in normal and transformed human cells
- 2000
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Thioredoxin (Trx) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), together with NADPH, constitute the Trx system, a major antioxidant entity that helps maintain a reducing environment within living cells. Trx designates a family of proteins that are related on the basis of structure and function. Human full-length Trx is a 12 kDa redox-active protein that contains the evolutionarily conserved active site sequence Cys-Gly Pro-Cys. Truncated Trx is a shorter, 10 kDa form of human Trx that shows complete homology to the N-terminal 80 or 84 amino acids of 12 kDa Trx. Truncated Trx displays no reducing activity, even though it contains an intact active site. Human TrxR is a homodimeric, FAD-containing, selenoprotein that reduces oxidized Trx back to the enzymatically active form by consuming NADPH. Expression of human Trx and TrxR is induced by a variety of stressors. The Trx system functions directly and indirectly in important biological features such as DNA synthesis, gene expression, co-cytokine activity, chemokine properties, scavenging reactive oxygen intermediates, apoptosis, and growth regulation.Aims: The overall objective of this research was to examine the regulation and biological role of the Trx system in normal and transformed cells, and a possible connection with tumorigenesis. The specific aims were as follows: i) to study the presence and function of full-length and truncated Trx in normal and transformed human cells; ii) to assess the expression and function of TrxR; iii) to investigate the functional importance of truncated Trx; iv) to examine the regulatory mechanisms behind secretion of Trx, truncated Trx, and TrxR; v) to study full-length secreted Trx in human plasma.Methods: Using Köhler and Milstein hybridoma technology, monoclonal antibodies against full-length and truncated Trx, as well as TrxR, were developed and applied in various immunological methods to detect the proteins in and secreted from normal and transformed human cells.Results: Using selective monoclonal antibodies distinct intracellular localization of full-length and truncated Trx was shown. The latter was present in lower amounts, primarily associated with the plasma membrane; only small amounts of the 12 kDa were present on the plasma membrane. Moreover, we found that human TrxR was secreted from normal and transformed cells via a Golgi-dependent pathway. Using sensitive EUSPOT, TrxR release was quantified at the single-cell level and found to be inducible. TrxR was detected in plasma from healthy blood donors, and this protein was overexpressed in transformed cells, compared to their normal counterparts. Truncated 10 kDa Trx was present in and secreted from normal and transformed cells. Treatment of normal peripheral blood monocytes with LPS, IL-1, IFN-γ, PMA, ionomycin, and the thiol oxidant diarnide induced secretion of Trx. Trx was found within platelets, and liberation of this Trx was induced by diamide, implying a novel mechanism for release of Trx.Conclusions: Monoclonal antibodies were generated against full-length and truncated Trx as well as TrxR and proved to be useful tools for investigating these proteins. Full-length and truncated Trx were found to have different cellular functions, suggesting that C-temrinal truncation regulates the activity of Trx. Secretion of TrxR and the presence of thls enzyme in plasma imply that the Trx system has both intracellular and extracellular functions. The presence of Trx in platelets indicates participation of the protein in coagulation and possibly also in the effects of platelets that maintain the reducing capacity of human plasma.
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