1.
Lai, Kuei-Hung
(författare)
Studies on anti-leukemic terpenoids from medicinal mushrooms and marine sponges with ChemGPS-NP-based targets investigation of lead compounds
2017
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
This thesis investigates the anti-leukemic activity of terpenoids isolated from medicinal mushrooms and marine sponges, as well as their possible targets and mechanisms of action.In the first section, we focused on studying the triterpenoidal components of three triterpenoid-enriched medicinal mushrooms Antrodia cinnamomea, Ganoderma lucidum, and Poria cocos, which have been used in folk medicine for centuries and also developed into several contemporary marketed products. We isolated the major and characteristic triterpenoids from these mushrooms, together with six new lanostanoids (II-1–II-6). The anti-leukemic activity of the isolates was evaluated in vitro using MTT proliferative assay and seven of them exhibited potential anti-leukemic effect. The active lead compounds were further subjected to computational analyses utilizing the ChemGPS-NP tool. We established a database for the anti-leukemic relevant chemical space of triterpenoids isolated from these three medicinal mushrooms, which could be used as a reference database for further research on anti-leukemic triterpenoids. Our results indicated that the anti-leukemic effect of the active lead compounds was mediated not only through topoisomerases inhibition but also through inhibiting DNA polymerases.The second and third sections focused on isolation of anti-leukemic sesterterpenoids from sponges. The investigation of Carteriospongia sp. led to the isolation of two new scalarane-type sesterterpenoids (III-1 and III-2) and one known tetraprenyltoluquinol-related metabolite (III-3). All isolates exhibit an apoptotic mechanism of action against Molt 4 cells, found to be mediated through the disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and inhibition of topoisomerase IIα expression. Detailed investigation of the apoptotic mechanism of action using molecular docking analysis revealed that compound III-1 might target Hsp90 protein. The apoptotic-inducing effect of III-3 was supported by in vivo experiment by suppressing the volume of xenograft tumor growth (47.58%) compared with the control.In the final section of this thesis we studied manoalide and its derivatives, sesterterpenoids isolated from the sponge Luffariella sp.. Manoalide has been studied as a potential anti-inflammatory agent for the last thirty years with more than 200 publications and 40 patents. However, the configurations at positions 24 and 25 were never revealed. In the current study, ten manoalide-type sesterterpenoids (IV-1–IV-10) were isolated from Luffariella sp. and their stereoisomers at positions 24 and 25 were identified and separated for the first time. The configuration at positions 24 and 25 showed to have a significant effect on the anti-leukemic activity of manoalide derivatives, with the 24R,25S-isomer exhibiting the most potent anti-leukemic activity. The apoptotic mechanism of action of compound IV-7 against Molt 4 cells was investigated, and the compound was found to trigger MMP disruption and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Compound IV-7 also inhibited activity against both human topoisomerases, I and II. The in vivo experiment further supported the anti-leukemic effect of IV-7 with a 66.11% tumor volume suppression compared to the control.
2.
Bhandage, Amol K., 1988-
(författare)
Glutamate and GABA signalling components in the human brain and in immune cells
2016
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are the principal excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system (CNS). They both can activate their ionotropic and metabotropic receptors. Glutamate activates ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGlu - AMPA, kainate and NMDA receptors) and GABA activates GABA-A receptors which are modulated by many types of drugs and substances including alcohol. Using real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, I have shown that iGlu and/or GABA-A receptor subunits were expressed in the hippocampus dentate gyrus (HDG), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DL-PFC), central amygdala (CeA), caudate and putamen of the human brain and their expression was altered by chronic excessive alcohol consumption. It indicates that excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission may have been altered in the brain of human alcoholics. It is possible that changes in one type of neurotransmitter system may drive changes in another. These brain regions also play a role in brain reward system. Any changes in them may lead to changes in the normal brain functions.Apart from the CNS, glutamate and GABA are also present in the blood and can be synthesised by pancreatic islet cells and immune cells. They may act as immunomodulators of circulating immune cells and can affect immune function through glutamate and GABA receptors. I found that T cells from human, rat and mouse lymph nodes expressed the mRNAs and proteins for specific GABA-A receptor subunits. GABA-evoked transient and tonic currents recorded using the patch clamp technique demonstrate the functional GABA-A channel in T cells. Furthermore, the mRNAs for specific iGlu, GABA-A and GABA-B receptor subunits and chloride cotransporters were detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from men, non-pregnant women, healthy and depressed pregnant women. The results indicate that the expression of iGlu, GABA-A and GABA-B receptors is related to gender, pregnancy and mental health and support the notion that glutamate and GABA receptors may modulate immune function. Intra- and interspecies variability exists in the expression and it is further influenced by physiological conditions.
3.
4.
Klawonn, Anna, 1985-
(författare)
Molecular Mechanisms of Reward and Aversion
2017
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Various molecular pathways in the brain shape our understanding of good and bad, as well as our motivation to seek and avoid such stimuli. This work evolves around how systemic inflammation causes aversion; and why general unpleasant states such as sickness, stress, pain and nausea are encoded by our brain as undesirable; and contrary to these questions, how drugs of abuse can subjugate the motivational neurocircuitry of the brain. A common feature of these various disease states is involvement of the motivational neurocircuitry - from mesolimbic to striatonigral pathways. Having an intact motivational system is what helps us evade negative outcomes and approach natural positive reinforcers, which is essential for our survival. During disease-states the motivational neurocircuitry may be overthrown by the molecular mechanisms that originally were meant to aid us.In study I, to investigate how inflammation is perceived as aversive, we used a behavioral test based on Pavlovian place conditioning with the aversive inflammatory stimulus E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Using a combination of cell-type specific gene deletions, pharmacology, and chemogenetics, we uncovered that systemic inflammation triggered aversion by MyD88-dependent activation of the brain endothelium followed by COX1-mediated cerebral prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis. Moreover, we showed that inflammation-induced PGE2 targeted EP1 receptors on striatal dopamine D1 receptor–expressing neurons and that this signaling sequence induced aversion through GABA-mediated inhibition of dopaminergic cells. Finally, inflammation-induced aversion was not an indirect consequence of fever or anorexia but constituted an independent inflammatory symptom triggered by a unique molecular mechanism. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that PGE2-mediated modulation of the dopaminergic circuitry is a key mechanism underlying inflammation-induced aversion.In study II, we investigate the role of peripheral IFN-γ in LPS induced conditioned place aversion by employing a strategy based on global and cell-type specific gene deletions, combined with measures of gene-expression. LPS induced IFN-ɣ expression in the blood, and deletion of IFN-ɣ or its receptor prevented conditioned place aversion (CPA) to LPS. LPS increased the expression of chemokine Cxcl10 in the striatum of normal mice. This induction was absent in mice lacking IFN-ɣ receptors or Myd88 in blood brain barrier endothelial cells. Furthermore, inflammation-induced aversion was blocked in mice lacking Cxcl10 or its receptor Cxcr3. Finally, mice with a selective deletion of the IFN-ɣ receptor in brain endothelial cells did not develop inflammation-induced aversion. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that circulating IFN-ɣ binding to receptors on brain endothelial cells which induces Cxcl10, is a central link in the signaling chain eliciting inflammation-induced aversion.In study III, we explored the role of melanocortin 4 receptors (MC4Rs) in aversive processing using genetically modified mice in CPA to various stimuli. In normal mice, robust aversions were induced by systemic inflammation, nausea, pain and kappa opioid receptor-induced dysphoria. In sharp contrast, mice lacking MC4Rs displayed preference towards most of the aversive stimuli, but were indifferent to pain. The unusual flip from aversion to reward in mice lacking MC4Rs was dopamine-dependent and associated with a change from decreased to increased activity of the dopamine system. The responses to aversive stimuli were normalized when MC4Rs were re-expressed on dopamine D1 receptor-expressing cells or in the striatum of mice otherwise lacking MC4Rs. Furthermore, activation of arcuate nucleus proopiomelanocortin neurons projecting to the ventral striatum increased the activity of striatal neurons in a MC4R-dependent manner and elicited aversion. Our findings demonstrate that melanocortin signaling through striatal MC4Rs is critical for assigning negative motivational valence to harmful stimuli.The neurotransmitter acetylcholine has been implied in reward learning and drug addiction. However, the role of cholinergic receptor subtypes in such processes remains elusive. In study IV we investigated the function of muscarinic M4Rs on dopamine D1R expressing neurons and acetylcholinergic neurons, using transgenic mice in various reward-enforced behaviors and in a “waiting”-impulsivity test. Mice lacking M4-receptors from D1-receptor expressing neurons exhibited an escalated reward seeking phenotype towards cocaine and natural reward, in Pavlovian conditioning and an operant self-administration task, respectively. In addition, the M4-D1RCre mice showed impaired waiting impulsivity in the 5-choice-serial-reaction-time-task. On the contrary, mice without M4Rs in acetylcholinergic neurons were unable to learn positive reinforcement to natural reward and cocaine, in an operant runway paradigm and in Pavlovian conditioning. Immediate early gene expression mirrored the behavioral findings arising from M4R-D1R knockout, as cocaine induced cFos and FosB was significantly increased in the forebrain of M4-D1RCre mice, whereas it remained normal in the M4R-ChatCre mice. Our study illustrates that muscarinic M4Rs on specific neural populations, either cholinergic or D1R-expressing, are pivotal for learning processes related to both natural reward and drugs of abuse, with opposing functionality.
5.
Nowak, Christoph, 1986-
(författare)
Insulin Resistance : Causes, biomarkers and consequences
2017
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
The worldwide increasing number of persons affected by largely preventable diseases like diabetes demands better prevention and treatment. Insulin is required for effective utilisation of circulating nutrients. Impaired responsiveness to insulin (insulin resistance, IR) is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes and independently raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. The pathophysiology of IR is incompletely understood. High-throughput measurement of large numbers of circulating biomarkers may provide new insights beyond established risk factors.The aims of this thesis were to (i) use proteomics, metabolomics and genomics methods in large community samples to identify biomarkers of IR; (ii) assess biomarkers for risk prediction and insights into aetiology and consequences of IR; and (iii) use Mendelian randomisation analysis to assess causality.In Study I, analysis of 80 circulating proteins in 70-to-77-year-old Swedes identified cathepsin D as a biomarker for IR and highlighted a tentative causal effect of IR on raised plasma tissue plasminogen activator levels. In Study II, nontargeted fasting plasma metabolomics was used to discover 52 metabolites associated with glycaemic traits in non-diabetic 70-year-old men. Replication in independent samples of several thousand persons provided evidence for a causal effect of IR on reduced plasma oleic acid and palmitoleic acid levels. In Study III, nontargeted metabolomics in plasma samples obtained at three time points during an oral glucose challenge in 70-year-old men identified associations between a physiologic measure of IR and concentration changes in medium-chain acylcarnitines, monounsaturated fatty acids, bile acids and lysophosphatidylethanolamines. Study IV provided evidence in two large longitudinal cohorts for causal effects of type 2 diabetes and impaired insulin secretion on raised coronary artery disease risk.In conclusion, the Studies in this thesis provide new insights into the pathophysiology and adverse health consequences of IR and illustrate the value of combining traditional epidemiologic designs with recent molecular techniques and bioinformatics methods. The results provide limited evidence for the role of circulating proteins and small molecules in IR and require replication in separate studies and validation in experimental designs.
6.
Chebli, Jasmine
(författare)
Physiological roles of amyloid precursor protein in vivo - zebrafish as a model
2021
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) is an evolutionarily conserved transmembrane protein expressed in many different tissues. APP belongs to a gene family consisting of two other APP-like proteins (APLP1 and APLP2). APP has been shown to be involved in biological processes such as neurite outgrowth, neuronal migration, synapse formation and plasticity, and cell-cell interactions. APP also plays a central role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). APP's physiological role has been difficult to understand and despite all research is not yet completely understood. The purpose of this thesis was to study the role of APP during early development with zebrafish as the main model system. We have focused on the zebrafish's Apps and have tried to understand their function with the help of genetic knockout models created using the CRISPR / Cas9 method. We report that appb mutants have weakened cell adhesions that give rise to changes in cell organization. We also report that the appb mutants are smaller but develop into fertile and healthy adult individuals. We also found defects in the formation of the trigeminal ganglia (TG) and that Appb seems to have a role in cell-cell interaction. The more widespread TG also consisted of fewer nerve cells, indicating that Appb promotes nerve cell formation. Furthermore, our studies demonstrate APP expression in cilia on sensory nerve cells and ependymal cells covering the brain chambers. The conserved expression of APP in ependymal cilia in mice and humans suggest an important and preserved function. Zebrafish with mutated App were found to have defects in the formation of both cilia and cerebral ventricles. To identify new signalling pathways through which Appb controls these functions, we studied protein changes in appb mutants using mass spectrometry. These studies highlight changes that both confirm known and suggest new regulations by appb, especially in neural development, cell adhesion and in gene regulation. Finally, we tried to answer the underlying mechanisms behind compensation within the App family. We found that mutations in the app genes activate expression of homologous genes via so-called transcriptional adaptation. In conclusion, the findings reported in this thesis showed that App is implicated already in early cellular adhesion and sensory neuronal differentiation processes and is located to several sensory cilia in vivo. The use of zebrafish as a model organism allowed us to gain valuable knowledge on the physiological roles of App.
7.
Rodriguez, Juan, 1983
(författare)
Targeting apoptosis-inducing factor as a novel therapeutic strategy for preventing perinatal brain injury
2020
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Perinatal complications such as asphyxia can cause brain injuries that are often associated with subsequent neurological deficits. The mechanisms of perinatal brain injury are not fully understood, but mitochondria play a prominent role, not only due to their central function in metabolism, but also because many proteins with apoptosisrelated functions are located in the mitochondrion. Among these proteins, CHCHD4 and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) have already been shown to make important contributions to neuronal cell death upon hypoxia-ischemia (HI), but a better understanding of the mechanisms behind these processes is required for the development of improved treatments. By inducing HI in 9-day-old mice, leading to moderate brain injury, we studied these mechanisms from multiple perspectives. First, we determined the effect of chchd4 haploinsufficiency, and we showed that neonatal mice with this genotype experienced less brain damage due to reduced translocation of AIF and Cytochrome c from the mitochondrion. Second, we characterized the role of a newly discovered AIF isoform (AIF2), which is only expressed in the brain and the functions of which are unknown. By using Aif2 knockout mice, we showed that under physiological conditions there is an increase in Aif1 expression (the ubiquitously expressed isoform) due to a compensatory effect of loss of Aif2 expression. As a result, these mice showed a higher degree of brain damage after HI and were more vulnerable to oxidative stress. Third, we used another transgenic mouse in which Aif was overexpressed by knocking in a proviral insertion of Aif, leading to an increased expression of Aif1 without affecting the expression of Aif2. This mouse also showed a higher degree of brain damage and higher levels of oxidative stress. Finally, we used a peptide designed to block the apoptotic function of AIF. The results in young mice showed that the neuroprotective effect of the peptide was greater in male mice than in female mice. In summary, this PhD project has opened new perspectives in the comprehension of the mechanisms by which CHCHD4 and AIF are crucial proteins for brain damage after HI, and it has showed that AIF is a promising therapeutic target for improving outcome after perinatal brain injury.
8.
Vieira, João
(författare)
Profiling Plasma Metabolite Alterations in Diet-Induced Obesity and Diabetes Using NMR Metabolomics
2023
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Diets rich in saturated fat and sedentary lifestyles markedly contribute to obesity and metabolic syndrome-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Metabolite profiling plays a pivotal role in understanding these metabolic diseases. This thesis comprises insights from four distinct studies to illuminate metabolic imbalances induced by diet-induced obesity (DIO), covering topics related to the duration of dietary regimens, potential benefits of dietary interventions on the brain and metabolism, and the impact of underlying T2D on post-stroke recovery. Using a combination of proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS), study I initially demonstrated the superiority of the combined approach in characterizing the effects of DIO on plasma metabolites. The robustness of this method was further validated in a human cohort, underscoring its translational potential in unravelling metabolic imbalances. In study II, female mice exposed to high-fat diet (HFD) exhibited brain metabolism alterations and memory deficits, which were mitigated by taurine and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) supplementation. These supplements not only ameliorated HFD-induced memory impairment but also elicited distinct effects on metabolic alterations within the hippocampus. Systemically, 1H-NMR metabolomics data in study III revealed that NAC and taurine treatments impacted plasma metabolites. Ultimately, as explored in study IV using 1H-NMR metabolomics, unique metabolite changes in male mice with T2D following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion were reported. Specifically, metabolite changes that link T2D to poor neurological outcomes after stroke were observed. In summary, this thesis underscores the significance of metabolite profiling in elucidating the complexities of metabolic diseases, memory impairment, and post-stroke recovery in DIO mouse models. It also emphasizes the translational character of such findings to human pathophysiology.
9.
Senkowski, Wojciech
(författare)
High-throughput screening using multicellular tumor spheroids to reveal and exploit tumor-specific vulnerabilities
2017
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
High-throughput drug screening (HTS) in live cells is often a vital part of the preclinical anticancer drug discovery process. So far, two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cell cultures have been the most prevalent model in HTS endeavors. However, 2D cell cultures often fail to recapitulate the complex microenvironments of in vivo tumors. Monolayer cultures are highly proliferative and generally do not contain quiescent cells, thought to be one of the main reasons for the anticancer therapy failure in clinic. Thus, there is a need for in vitro cellular models that would increase predictive value of preclinical research results. The utilization of more complex three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures, such as multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS), which contain both proliferating and quiescent cells, has therefore been proposed. However, difficult handling and high costs still pose significant hurdles for application of MCTS for HTS.In this work, we aimed to develop novel assays to apply MCTS for HTS and drug evaluation. We also set out to identify cellular processes that could be targeted to selectively eradicate quiescent cancer cells. In Paper I, we developed a novel MCTS-based HTS assay and found that nutrient-deprived and hypoxic cancer cells are selectively vulnerable to treatment with inhibitors of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). We also identified nitazoxanide, an FDA-approved anthelmintic agent, to act as an OXPHOS inhibitor and to potentiate the effects of standard chemotherapy in vivo. Subsequently, in Paper II we applied the high-throughput gene-expression profiling method for MCTS-based drug screening. This led to discovery that quiescent cells up-regulate the mevalonate pathway upon OXPHOS inhibition and that the combination of OXPHOS inhibitors and mevalonate pathway inhibitors (statins) results in synergistic toxicity in this cell population. In Paper III, we developed a novel spheroid-based drug combination-screening platform and identified a set of molecules that synergize with nitazoxanide to eradicate quiescent cancer cells. Finally, in Paper IV, we applied our MCTS-based methods to evaluate the effects of phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors in PDE3A-expressing cell lines.In summary, this work illustrates how MCTS-based HTS yields potential to reveal and exploit previously unrecognized tumor-specific vulnerabilities. It also underscores the importance of cell culture conditions in preclinical drug discovery endeavors.
10.
Tripathi, Rekha, PhD student, 1985-
(författare)
Unlocking the Role Of Orphan Solute Carrier SLC38A10 In Brain Metabolism : The SLC38A10 transporter in nutrient and metabolic regulation
2021
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Membrane transporters are the primary gatekeepers of cells and regulate the transport of nutrients, metabolites, ions, water, and neurotransmitters into and across the human cells. The solute carrier transporters (SLCs) are the most prominent transporters, comprising 430 members divided into 65 subfamilies. SLCs are located on the plasma membrane and organelles such as mitochondria, vesicles, peroxisomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, and lysosomes. This thesis aimed to study SLCs of the SLC38 family under nutrient stress, focused particularly on the orphan SLC38A10 transporter.In Paper I, regulation of members of SLC38 family transporter, after amino acid starvation in mouse hypothalamic cells and primary cortex cells, was studied using microarrays and qPCR. We found several members of the SLC38 family that were strongly affected under amino acid starvation and showing a potential role in amino acid signaling in the brain. In Paper II, we performed a cellular and tissue localization and functional study of SLC38A10 transporter and revealed that SLC38A10 was expressed in both excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the mouse brain and has a unique subcellular localization in the ER and Golgi membrane. Furthermore, knockdown of the SLC38A10 gene resulted in reduced nascent protein synthesis in PC12 cells. Further, to unlock the biological function of the SLC38A10 transporter, in Paper III and Paper IV, we used SLC38A10 knockout mouse model.In Paper III, the goal was to uncover the role of SLC38A10 in acute glutamate and oxidative stress. Here, we found that a loss of SLC38A10 KO resulted in changes in the p53 levels and affected the mitochondrial function. Thus, this study established a possible role of SLC38A10 in cell survival, linked with p53, in mouse primary cortex cells. In Paper IV, we examined the role of SLC38A10 in amino acid metabolism and nutrient sensing in the mTOR signaling pathway. We performed complete amino acid starvation and refeed experiment on SLC38A10 knockout primary cortex cells. We concluded that SLC38A10 acts as a transceptor and regulates mTOR-dependent protein and lipid synthesis in brain cells, corroborating the findings from Paper II. To summarize, the present work has uncovered the function of SLC38A10 in the brain. It also provides knowledge of SLC38A10’s role in amino acid metabolism and signaling pathway(s). The findings of this thesis will enhance an understanding of SLC38A10 transporter and provide insight into future disease targeted drug studies focused on metabolic disorder and neurodegenerative disease.
