| 1. |
- Christakoudi, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
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Steroid regulation : An overlooked aspect of tolerance and chronic rejection in kidney transplantation
- 2018
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Ingår i: Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. - : ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD. - 0303-7207 .- 1872-8057. ; 473, s. 205-216
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Steroid conversion (HSD11B1, HSD11B2, H6PD) and receptor genes (NR3C1, NR3C2) were examined in kidney-transplant recipients with "operational tolerance" and chronic rejection (CR), independently and within the context of 88 tolerance-associated genes. Associations with cellular types were explored. Peripheral whole-blood gene-expression levels (RT-qPCR-based) and cell counts were adjusted for immunosuppressant drug intake. Tolerant (n = 17), stable (n = 190) and CR patients (n = 37) were compared. Healthy controls (n= 14) were used as reference. The anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) and the cortisol-activating HSD11B1 and H6PD genes were up-regulated in CR and were lowest in tolerant patients. The pro-inflammatory mineralocorticoid gene (NR3C2) was downregulated in stable and CR patients. NR3C1 was associated with neutrophils and NR3C2 with T-cells. Steroid conversion and receptor genes, alone, enabled classification of tolerant patients and were major contributors to gene-expression signatures of both, tolerance and CR, alongside known tolerance-associated genes, revealing a key role of steroid regulation and response in kidney transplantation.
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| 2. |
- Costeira-Paulo, Joana, et al.
(författare)
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Lipids Shape the Electron Acceptor-Binding Site of the Peripheral Membrane Protein Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase
- 2018
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Ingår i: Cell Chemical Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 2451-9456 .- 2451-9448. ; 25:3, s. 309-317
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The interactions between proteins and biological membranes are important for drug development, but remain notoriously refractory to structural investigation. We combine non-denaturing mass spectrometry (MS) with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to unravel the connections among co-factor, lipid, and inhibitor binding in the peripheral membrane protein dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), a key anticancer target. Interrogation of intact DHODH complexes by MS reveals that phospholipids bind via their charged head groups at a limited number of sites, while binding of the inhibitor brequinar involves simultaneous association with detergent molecules. MD simulations show that lipids support flexible segments in the membrane-binding domain and position the inhibitor and electron acceptor-binding site away from the membrane surface, similar to the electron acceptor-binding site in respiratory chain complex I. By complementing MS with MD simulations, we demonstrate how a peripheral membrane protein uses lipids to modulate its structure in a similar manner as integral membrane proteins.
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| 3. |
- Fåhraeus, R, et al.
(författare)
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Response to cAMP levels of the Epstein-Barr virus EBNA2-inducible LMP1 oncogene and EBNA2 inhibition of a PP1-like activity.
- 1994
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Ingår i: The EMBO journal. - 0261-4189. ; 13:24, s. 6041-51
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The expression of the Epstein-Barr virus LMP1 oncogene is regulated by viral and non-viral factors in a tissue dependent fashion. The virus encoded transcription factor EBNA2 induces its expression in human B-cells. However, this induction also requires the contribution of cellular and/or other viral factors. In nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells and in cells from Hodgkin's lymphoma, LMP1 gene transcription is independent of viral products. Here we show that the effect of a factor binding to a cAMP responsive-like element (CRE) in the LMP1 gene transcription regulatory sequence (LRS) is essential for efficient promoter activity in the DG75 B-cell line and that elevation of cAMP levels in the cells induces LRS-derived CAT activity in a CRE dependent fashion. Incubation of two EBV-immortalized B-cell lines expressing endogenous EBNA2A with 8-Br cAMP increased the levels of the latency associated 66 kDa LMP1 within 2 h. Interestingly, LMP1 expression in DG75 cells conferred resistance to the inhibitory effect of 8-Br cAMP on cell proliferation. The protein phosphatase 1 and 2A (PP1 and PP2A, respectively) inhibitor okadaic acid also stimulated LRS-CAT activity in DG75 cells. EBNA2A from an EBV-immortalized B-cell line co-immunopurified with a PP1-like protein. An EBNA2A fragment spanning residues 324-436 fused to the GST protein specifically rescued a PP1/PP2A-like component from DG75 cell extracts. This GST-EBNA2A fusion product inhibited a PP1-like activity in nuclear extracts from these cells.
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| 4. |
- Gault, Joseph, et al.
(författare)
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Mass Spectrometry Reveals the Direct Action of a Chemical Chaperone
- 2018
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Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1948-7185. ; 9:14, s. 4082-4086
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite their fundamental biological importance and therapeutic potential, the interactions between chemical chaperones and proteins remain difficult to capture due to their transient and nonspecific nature. Using a simple mass spectrometric assay, we are able to follow the interactions between proteins and the chemical chaperone trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). In this manner, we directly observe that the counteraction of TMAO and the denaturant urea is driven by the exclusion of TMAO from the protein surface, whereas the surfactant lauryl dimethylamine-N-oxide cannot be displaced. Our results clearly demonstrate a direct chaperoning mechanism for TMAO, corroborating extensive computational studies, and pave the way for the use of nondenaturing mass spectrometry and related techniques to study chemical chaperones in molecular detail.
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| 5. |
- Kapun, Martin, et al.
(författare)
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Drosophila Evolution over Space and Time (DEST) : A New Population Genomics Resource
- 2021
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Ingår i: Molecular biology and evolution. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0737-4038 .- 1537-1719. ; 38:12, s. 5782-5805
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Drosophila melanogaster is a leading model in population genetics and genomics, and a growing number of whole-genome data sets from natural populations of this species have been published over the last years. A major challenge is the integration of disparate data sets, often generated using different sequencing technologies and bioinformatic pipelines, which hampers our ability to address questions about the evolution of this species. Here we address these issues by developing a bioinformatics pipeline that maps pooled sequencing (Pool-Seq) reads from D. melanogaster to a hologenome consisting of fly and symbiont genomes and estimates allele frequencies using either a heuristic (PoolSNP) or a probabilistic variant caller (SNAPE-pooled). We use this pipeline to generate the largest data repository of genomic data available for D. melanogaster to date, encompassing 271 previously published and unpublished population samples from over 100 locations in >20 countries on four continents. Several of these locations have been sampled at different seasons across multiple years. This data set, which we call Drosophila Evolution over Space and Time (DEST), is coupled with sampling and environmental metadata. A web-based genome browser and web portal provide easy access to the SNP data set. We further provide guidelines on how to use Pool-Seq data for model-based demographic inference. Our aim is to provide this scalable platform as a community resource which can be easily extended via future efforts for an even more extensive cosmopolitan data set. Our resource will enable population geneticists to analyze spatiotemporal genetic patterns and evolutionary dynamics of D. melanogaster populations in unprecedented detail.
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| 6. |
- Kharaziha, Pedram, et al.
(författare)
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Functional characterization of novel germline TP53 variants in Swedish families
- 2019
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Ingår i: Clinical Genetics. - : Wiley. - 0009-9163 .- 1399-0004. ; 96:3, s. 216-225
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pathogenic germline TP53 variants predispose to a wide range of early onset cancers, often recognized as the Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS). They are also identified in 1% of families with hereditary breast cancer (HrBC) that do not fulfill the criteria for LFS. In this study, we present a total of 24 different TP53 variants identified in 31 Swedish families with LFS or HrBC. Ten of these variants, nine exonic and one splice, have previously not been described as germline pathogenic variants. The nine exonic variants were functionally characterized and demonstrated partial transactivation activity compared to wild-type p53. Some show nuclear localization similar to wild-type p53 while others possess cytoplasmic or perinuclear localization. The four frameshift variants (W91Gfs*32, L111 Wfs*12, S227 Lfs*20 and S240Kfs*25) had negligible, while F134 L and T231del had low level of p53 activity. The L111 Wfs*12 and T231del variants are also deficient for induction of apoptosis. The missense variant R110C retain p53 effects and the nonsense E349* shows at least partial transcription factor activity but has reduced ability to trigger apoptosis. This is the first functional characterization of novel germline TP53 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in the Swedish cohort as an attempt to understand its association with LFS and HrBC, respectively.
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| 7. |
- Ladds, Marcus J. G. W., et al.
(författare)
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A DHODH inhibitor increases p53 synthesis and enhances tumor cell killing by p53 degradation blockage
- 2018
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The development of non-genotoxic therapies that activate wild-type p53 in tumors is of great interest since the discovery of p53 as a tumor suppressor. Here we report the identification of over 100 small-molecules activating p53 in cells. We elucidate the mechanism of action of a chiral tetrahydroindazole (HZ00), and through target deconvolution, we deduce that its active enantiomer (R)-HZ00, inhibits dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). The chiral specificity of HZ05, a more potent analog, is revealed by the crystal structure of the (R)-HZ05/DHODH complex. Twelve other DHODH inhibitor chemotypes are detailed among the p53 activators, which identifies DHODH as a frequent target for structurally diverse compounds. We observe that HZ compounds accumulate cancer cells in S-phase, increase p53 synthesis, and synergize with an inhibitor of p53 degradation to reduce tumor growth in vivo. We, therefore, propose a strategy to promote cancer cell killing by p53 instead of its reversible cell cycle arresting effect.
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| 8. |
- Ladds, Marcus J. G. W., et al.
(författare)
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Autophagic flux blockage by accumulation of weakly basic tenovins leads to elimination of B-Raf mutant tumour cells that survive vemurafenib
- 2018
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 13:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tenovin-6 is the most studied member of a family of small molecules with antitumour activity in vivo. Previously, it has been determined that part of the effects of tenovin-6 associate with its ability to inhibit SirT1 and activate p53. However, tenovin-6 has also been shown to modulate autophagic flux. Here we show that blockage of autophagic flux occurs in a variety of cell lines in response to certain tenovins, that autophagy blockage occurs regardless of the effect of tenovins on SirT1 or p53, and that this blockage is dependent on the aliphatic tertiary amine side chain of these molecules. Additionally, we evaluate the contribution of this tertiary amine to the elimination of proliferating melanoma cells in culture. We also demonstrate that the presence of the tertiary amine is sufficient to lead to death of tumour cells arrested in G1 phase following vemurafenib treatment. We conclude that blockage of autophagic flux by tenovins is necessary to eliminate melanoma cells that survive B-Raf inhibition and achieve total tumour cell kill and that autophagy blockage can be achieved at a lower concentration than by chloroquine. This observation is of great relevance as relapse and resistance are frequently observed in cancer patients treated with B-Raf inhibitors.
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| 9. |
- Mofers, Arjan, 1990-
(författare)
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Proteasome Inhibitors against Cancer: Determining Biology and Finding Novel Compounds
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Cancer continues to be a tremendous burden on society in terms of loss of quality of life and life-years. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS), responsible for the bulk of protein turnover in the cell, is considered an attractive target in cancer therapy. The proteolytic subunit of the UPS, the 20S, is targeted by three clinically approved anti-cancer drugs: Bortezomib, Carfilzomib, and Ixazomib. Proteins destined for degradation by the UPS are tagged with small protein ubiquitin. The 19S regulatory cap is responsible for recognition and processing of these ubiquitinated substrates, followed by proteolysis by the 20S. Deubiquitination by proteolytic enzymes of the 19S is an essential step in the progression of substrates to progress into the 20S. Our strategy is to pharmacologically inhibit the deubiquitinating enzymes associated with the 19S with the goal of disrupting the degradation of substrates. In Paper I of this thesis, we explore the occurrence of resistance to the 19S deubiquitinating enzyme inhibitor b-AP15. We find that minimal resistance to this compound occurs, and the small observed induction of resistance is likely mediated by glutathione. We also find that cells that are slow- or non-cycling are particularly insensitive to the treatment. In Paper II we employ screening methods based on the chemical properties of b-AP15 and find that a small subset of the screened compounds are relatively selective UPS inhibitors. In Paper III we employ a different screening methods, based on the gene expression profiles associated with disruption of the UPS. This screen finds several compounds with previously described UPS inhibitory effects but also compounds with different proposed mechanisms of action. In both Paper II and Paper III we reflect on the chemical structure of the compounds and challenges that come with chemical groups that are potentially promiscuously reactive. In Paper IV we explore the validity of b-AP15 as a treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a form of cancer for which the efficacy of b-AP15 has not been fully elucidated. This thesis contributes to the body of work supporting 19S inhibition in general, and 19S inhibition with b-AP15 in particular, as a promising modality for the treatment of cancer.
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| 10. |
- Popova, Gergana, et al.
(författare)
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Optimization of Tetrahydroindazoles as Inhibitors of Human Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase and Evaluation of Their Activity and In Vitro Metabolic Stability
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0022-2623 .- 1520-4804. ; 63:8, s. 3915-3934
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), an enzyme in the de novo pyrimidine synthesis pathway, is a target for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis and is re-emerging as an attractive target for cancer therapy. Here we describe the optimization of recently identified tetrahydroindazoles (HZ) as DHODH inhibitors. Several of the HZ analogues synthesized in this study are highly potent inhibitors of DHODH in an enzymatic assay, while also inhibiting cancer cell growth and viability and activating p53-dependent transcription factor activity in a reporter cell assay. Furthermore, we demonstrate the specificity of the compounds toward the de novo pyrimidine synthesis pathway through supplementation with an excess of uridine. We also show that induction of the DNA damage marker gamma-H2AX after DHODH inhibition is preventable by cotreatment with the pancaspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. Additional solubility and in vitro m etabolic stability profiling revealed compound 51 as a favorable candidate for preclinical efficacy studies.
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