Triphasic pattern in the ex vivo response of human proliferative phase endometrium to oestrogens

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ex vivo oestrogen responsiveness of human proliferative phase endometrium using short-term explant cultures. The effects of oestrogen (17beta-E2) on proliferation and the expression of oestrogen-responsive genes known to be involved in regulating endometrial function were evaluated. Three distinct response patterns could be distinguished: (1) the menstrual (M) phase pattern (cycle days 2-5), which is characterised by a complete lack in the proliferative response to 17beta-E2, while an increased expression of AR (2.6-fold, P<0.01), PR (2.7-fold, P<0.01) and COX-2 (3.5-fold, P<0.01) at the mRNA level was observed and a similar upregulation was also found for AR, PR and COX-2 at the protein level; (2) the early proliferative (EP) phase pattern (cycle days 6-10) with 17beta-E2 enhanced proliferation in the stroma (1.7-fold, P<0.05), whereas the expression of AR, PR and COX-2 were not affected at the mRNA and protein levels and ER-a mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced by 17beta-E2; (3) the late proliferative (LP) phase pattern (cycle days 11-14), which is characterised by a moderate stimulation of proliferation (1.4-fold, P<0.05) and PR mRNA expression (1.7-fold, P<0.01) by 17beta-E2. In conclusion, three distinct response patterns to 17beta-E2 could be identified with respect to proliferation and the expression of known oestrogen-responsive genes in human proliferative phase endometrium explant cultures.

Molecular bases of classic galactosemia : searching for new therapeutic strategies

Tese de doutoramento, Farmácia (Biologia Celular e Molecular), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia, 2014

Caracterização molecular dos genes PSO2 e PSO4 de Saccharomyces cerevisiae envolvidos na reparação do DNA : análise funcional e identificação de interações proteína-proteína

O alelo mutante termo-condicionalmente letal pso4-1 do gene PRP19, que codifica uma proteína associada ao spliceossoma, permitiu investigar a influência deste gene no processamento de pré-mRNA, reparação do DNA e esporulação. Fenótipos relacionados a genes portadores de introns foram correlacionados à temperatura. Sistemas repórteres para processamento de pré-mRNA e RT-PCR mostraram que eficiência de processamento de mRNA no mutante pso4-1 é inversamente correlacionada com a temperatura de crescimento. Uma mutação pontual, substituindo uma leucina por uma serina foi identificada dentro da região codificadora N-terminal do alelo Pso4-1 e afeta as propriedades bioquímicas de Pso4-1p. Entre 24 clones isolados utilizando o sistema doishíbridos, 7 foram identificados como partes dos genes RAD2, RLF2 e DBR1. RAD2 codifica uma endonuclease indispensável para a via reparação por excisão de nucleotídeos (NER), RLF2 codifica a subunidade maior do fator de montagem da cromatina I, cuja deleção resulta em sinsibilidade à radiação UVC, enquanto que DBR1 codifica uma enzima que atua sobre substratos de RNA na forma lariat, degradando estruturas lariat em introns durante o processamento de mRNA. A caracterização dos fenótipos após tratamentos com mutágenos em linhagens mutantes simples e duplos de rad2∆, rlf2∆ e pso4-1 mostraram sensibilidade aumentada para para mutantes rad2∆/pso4-1 e rlf2∆/pso4-1, sugerindo uma interferência funcional destas proteínas no processo dereparação do DNA em Saccharomyces cerevisiae. O mecanismo exato de reparação de pontes inter-cadeia (ICL) em S. cerevisiae não é ainda totalmente conhecido. Identificando novos fenótipos e isolando proteínas potencialmente capazes de interagir com Pso2p através da técnica do sistema dois-híbridos, foi possível extender a caracterização deste gene específica para reparação de pontes intercadeia. Tratamentos com acetaldeído (ACA), um metabólito natural da via glicolítica, foi mais tóxico a linhagem mutante pso2 em comparação com a linhagem selvagem e também capaz de induzir a expressão da fusão contendo o promotor de PSO2 à lacZ (PSO2-lacZ) por um fator comparável à tratamentos com outros agentes indutores de ICLs, indicando que o metabólito natural ACA pode causar danos do tipo ICL em S. cerevisiae. A utilização do sistema dois-híbridos permitiu isolar partes de proteínas codificadas por nove diferentes genes, entre eles a proteína quinase Pak1p, um supressor de mutações termosensíveis da DNA Polimerase alfa. Pak1p interage com a extremidade C-terminal conservada de Pso2p, uma região da proteína recentemente nomeada β-CASP entre v ortólogos conhecidos do gene PSO2. A integridade do domínio β-CASP é essencial para a reparaçãode DNA proficiente como demonstrado em ensaios de complementação com mutantes pso2 ∆. Comparação da sobrevivência após tratamento com agentes mutagênicos de simples mutantes pso2 ∆ e pak1 ∆ assim com o dulpo mutante pso2 ∆/pak1 ∆ revelaram que o gene PAK1 é necessário para reparação do DNA proficiente como na linhagem selvagem. A interação epistática dos dois alelos mutantes na linhagem duplo mutante sugere que Pak1p atua na mesma via de reparação a qual PSO2 pertence e que PAK1 constitui um novo locus envolvido na reparação do DNA em S. cerevisiae.

Caracterização molecular de UsnRNAs em trypanosoma cruzi

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Reação de trans-splicing in vitro utilizando extrato nuclear livre de células e sequencia parcial de alfa tubulina de Trypanosoma cruzi

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Padronização da reação de trans-splicing in vitro em tripanosomas utilizando a técnica de RT-PCR

Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia - IQ

Regelmechanismen und Determinanten der Transkription in Polytänchromosomen von Chironomus und Drosophila

Die kumulative Habil.‐Schrift gründet sich auf 6 Originalpublikationen, die beschreiben: [Sass, H. (1982), Cell 28: 269‐278]. RNA polymerase B in polytene chromosomes: Immunofluorescent and autoradiographic analysis during stimulated and repressed RNA synthesis. Elektronenmikroskopie charakterisierte das C. tentans Balbianiring BR2‐Gen von Speicheldrüsenchromosomen als hoch aktives 5‐6 μm langes single‐copy Gen, das 33/μm RNAPolymerasen B (Pol II) transkribieren (Diss., Sass, H., 1978, Univ. Tübingen). Diese Immunfluoreszenzstudie ortet Pol II in allen Interbanden von Region IV‐3B10‐3B5 des nichtinduzierten BR2. Prominente Fluoreszenz im BR2‐Genort 3B9/10 zeigt, das BR2‐Gen ist präaktiv, wie erwartet. 3H‐Autoradiogramme beweisen, in allen fluoreszierenden BR2, BR1, BR3, Puffs, aufgelockerten Banden, Interbanden und Loci ohne Puffing, synthetisiert Pol II RNA. Die genomweite ständige Pol II‐Präsenz zeigt, dass, wie beim nichtinduzierten BR2‐Gen, bereits schon gebundene Pol II wohl auch andere Gene präaktiviert. So erfolgt die Regulation der Transkription mehr über die transkriptionelle Elongation. Auch durch α‐Amanitin, oder Actinomycin D, oder Hitzeschock in vivo kollabierte BR2, BR1, BR3 besitzen Pol II. [Sass, H. (1984), Chromosoma 90: 20‐25]. Gene identification in polytene chromosomes: some Balbiani ring 2 gene sequences are located in an interband‐like region of Chironomus tentans. Immunfluoreszenz und 3H‐Autoradiographie zeigen, dass Injektionen von DRB in Larven die Balbianiringe (BR) sowie andere Puffs und deren Pol II‐Konzentration dramatisch reduzieren. Trotzdem zeigen 3H‐Uridin markierte Speicheldrüsenchromosomen, dass RNA‐Synthese doch in nichtinduzierten BR2, BR1, BR3 erfolgt, aber nur auf reduziertem Level. Das widerspricht der von Egyházi E. (1975, PNAS 73:947‐950) propagierten „Inhibition of Balbiani ring RNA synthesis at the initiation level“ durch DRB. Vielmehr sieht es so aus, DRB wirkt bei der transkriptionellen Elongation inhibierend. Durch in situ‐Hybridisierung von Sequenzen klonierter BR2‐DNA wurde in Speicheldrüsenchromosom IV das BR2‐Gen in Region 3B9/10 direkt identifiziert. [Sass, H. and Pederson, T. (1984), J. Mol. Biol. 180: 911‐926]. Transcription‐dependent localization of U1 and U2 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins at major sites of gene activity in polytene chromosomes. Immunolokalisation von Sm‐, U1‐ und U2snRNP‐spezifischen Antigenen in Speicheldrüsenchromosomen von C. tentans hat zur Entdeckung der beim Spleißen von prä‐mRNA beteiligten U1/U2snRNPs in Balbianiringen BR2, BR1, BR3 sowie anderen Puffs und aufgelockerten Banden geführt. Die überraschenden BR‐Daten zeigen erstmals: (i) Der Spleiß‐Apparat ist in Genloci mit intensiver RNA‐Synthese schon vorhanden. (ii) Immunfluoreszenz reflektiert den Exon‐Intron‐Bau dieser BR‐Gene. (iii) Transkription und spleißosomales Ausschneiden von Introns sind koordiniert. [Sass, H. (1989), Nucleic Acids Research 17: 10508]. Hsp82‐neo transposition vectors to study insertional mutagenesis in Drosophila melanogaster and tissue culture cells; [Sass, H. (1990), Gene 89: 179‐186]. P‐transposable vectors expressing a constitutive and thermoinducible hsp82‐neo fusion gene for Drosophila germline transformation and tissue‐culture transfection. Beschrieben sind Design, Konstruktion und Expression der Genfusion hsp82‐neo als ein in vivo selektierbares Reporter‐/Markergen, die Transposons P{hsp82‐neo/Adh} sowie P{hsp82‐neo} und Transformations‐Vektoren pHS22, pHS24, pHS85, pHS103 und pHS104. Sie stellen das von der Fliege gebildete Enzym bakteriellen Ursprungs, Neomycin‐Phosphotransferase II, für die G418‐Selektion bereit, um die Position, Struktur, Expression und Funktion von Genen mittels hsp82‐neo‐Mutagenese zu erforschen. [Sass, H. and Meselson, M. (1991), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88: 6795‐6799]. Dosage compensation of the Drosophila pseudoobscura Hsp82 gene and the D. melanogaster Adh gene at ectopic sites in D. melanogaster. Quantitative Unterschiede in der Dosiskompensation des X‐chromosomalen hsp82‐Gens von D. pseudoobscura und autosomalen Adh‐Gens von D. melanogaster wurden als Erhöhung der RNAMenge in D. melanogaster gemessen. Beide Transgene sind dosiskompensiert, sprang P{hsp82‐ neo/Adh} in euchromatische Regionen des D. melanogaster X‐Chromosoms. Beide Transgene sind nicht dosiskompensiert, insertierte P{hsp82‐neo/Adh} ins β‐Heterochromatin in Region 20 an der Basis des X. Keine der zehn autosomalen Insertionen ist dosiskompensiert. Die Ergebnisse lassen vermuten, dass X‐chromosomale regulatorische Sequenzen, die für die Verstärkung der Genaktivität um Faktor 2 in Männchen verantwortlich sind, gehäuft im X vorkommen, jedoch im β‐ Heterochromatin und den Autosomen fehlen. Das Kompensationsverhalten der transponierten Gene wird durch das neue chromosomale Milieu des Insertionsortes bestimmt.

Colostrogenesis: candidate genes for IgG1 transcytosis mechanisms in primary bovine mammary epithelial cells.

Bovine colostrogenesis is distinguished by the specific transfer of IgG1 from the blood to mammary secretions. The process has been shown to be initiated by hormones and occurs during the last weeks of pregnancy when steroid concentrations of estradiol (E2 ) and progesterone (P4 ) are highly elevated. Rodent intestinal uptake of immunoglobulin G is mediated by a receptor termed Fc fragment of IgG, Receptor, Transporter, alpha (FcGRT) and supported by light chain Beta-2-Microglobulin (β2M). We hypothesized that steroid hormone treatments (E2 and P4 ) of bovine mammary epithelial cells in vitro would induce up-regulation of IgG1 transcytosis candidate gene mRNA expression suggesting involvement in IgG1 transcytosis. Two different primary bovine mammary epithelial cell cultures were cultured on plastic and rat tail collagen and treated with hormonal combinations (steroids/lactogenic hormones). Evaluated mRNA components were bLactoferrin (bLf: a control), bFcGRT, β2M, and various small GTPases; the latter components are reported to direct endosomal movements in eukaryotic cells. All tested transcytosis components showed strong expression of mRNA in the cells. Expression of bFcGRT, bRab25 and bRhoB were significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05) by steroid hormones. bRab25 and bRhoB showed increased expression by steroid treatments, but also with lactogenic hormones. Analysis for the oestrogen receptor (ER) mRNA was mostly negative, but 25% of the cultures tested exhibited weak expression, while the progesterone receptor (PR) mRNA was always detected. bRab25 and bRhoB and likely bFcGRT are potential candidate genes for IgG1 transcytosis in bovine mammary cells.

Disruption of estrogen signaling does not prevent progesterone action in the estrogen receptor α knockout mouse uterus

Estrogen is known to increase progesterone receptor (PR) levels in the wild-type mouse uterus, and this estrogen induction was thought to be important for progesterone action through the PR. The estrogen receptor α knockout (ERKO) mouse uterus was observed to express PR mRNA that cannot be induced by estrogen. Progesterone action was characterized to determine whether it was diminished in ERKO mice. The PR protein is present in the ERKO uterus at 60% of the level measured in a wild-type uterus. The PR-A and PR-B isoforms are both detected on Western blot, and the ratio of isoforms is the same in both genotypes. Although the level of PR is reduced in the ERKO uterus, the receptor level is sufficient to induce genomic responses, since both calcitonin and amphiregulin mRNAs were increased after progesterone treatment. Finally, the ERKO uterus can be induced to undergo a progesterone-dependent decidual response. Surprisingly, the decidual response is estrogen independent in the ERKO, although it remains estrogen dependent in a wild type. These results indicate that estrogen receptor α modulation of PR levels is not necessary for expression of the PR or genomic and physiologic responses to progesterone in the ERKO uterus.

Responses in the brain of estrogen receptor α-disrupted mice

These studies sought to determine if neurons in the estrogen receptor-α knockout (ERαKO) mouse brain concentrated 16α-[125I]iodo-11β-methoxy-17β-estradiol (125I-estrogen), and if so, whether estrogen binding augmented the expression of progesterone receptor (PR) mRNA. Mice were injected with 125I-estrogen and cryostat sections thaw mounted onto emulsion-coated slides. After 30–90 days of exposure, cells with a nuclear uptake and retention of 125I-estrogen were observed in a number of ERαKO mouse brain regions including the preoptic nucleus and arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and amygdala, although the number of labeled cells and intensity of nuclear concentration was markedly attenuated when compared with wild-type littermates. Competition studies with excess 17β-estradiol, diethylstilbestrol, or moxestrol, but not with R5020 or dihydrotestosterone, prevented the nuclear concentration of 125I-estrogen. To determine if the low level of estrogen binding was capable of regulating gene expression, in situ hybridization was used to evaluate PR mRNA in the brain. ERαKO and wild-type mice were ovariectomized and treated with vehicle or 17β-estradiol, and brains were sectioned and hybridized with a PR cRNA probe. Analysis of hybridization signal revealed a similar, low level of PR mRNA in ovariectomized wild-type and homozygous mice, and a marked increase in expression after treatment of ovariectomized animals with 17β-estradiol, with the level of hybridization signal being significantly higher in wild-type animals when compared with ERαKO mice. The results demonstrate that estrogen binds in the ERαKO brain and is capable of modulating PR gene expression, thus supporting the presence and functionality of a nonclassical estrogen receptor.

Estrogen-induced transcription of the progesterone receptor gene does not parallel estrogen receptor occupancy

The activation of the silent endogenous progesterone receptor (PR) gene by 17-β-estradiol (E2) in cells stably transfected with estrogen receptor (ER) was used as a model system to study the mechanism of E2-induced transcription. The time course of E2-induced PR transcription rate was determined by nuclear run-on assays. No marked effect on specific PR gene transcription rates was detected at 0 and 1 h of E2 treatment. After 3 h of E2 treatment, the PR mRNA synthesis rate increased 2.0- ± 0.2-fold and continued to increase to 3.5- ± 0.4-fold by 24 h as compared with 0 h. The transcription rate increase was followed by PR mRNA accumulation. No PR mRNA was detectable at 0, 1, and 3 h of E2 treatment. PR mRNA accumulation was detected at 6 h of E2 treatment and continued to accumulate until 18 h, the longest time point examined. Interestingly, this slow and gradual transcription rate increase of the endogenous PR gene did not parallel binding of E2 to ER, which was maximized within 30 min. Furthermore, the E2–ER level was down-regulated to 15% at 3 h as compared with 30 min of E2 treatment and remained low at 24 h of E2 exposure. These paradoxical observations indicate that E2-induced transcription activation is more complicated than just an association of the occupied ER with the transcription machinery.

Physiological coupling of growth factor and steroid receptor signaling pathways: estrogen receptor knockout mice lack estrogen-like response to epidermal growth factor.

Past studies have shown that epidermal growth factor (EGF) is able to mimic the uterotropic effects of estrogen in the rodent. These studies have suggested a "cross-talk" model in which EGF receptor (EGF-R) signaling results in activation of nuclear estrogen receptor (ER) and its target genes in an estrogen-independent manner. Furthermore, in vitro studies have indicated the requirement for ER in this mechanism. To verify the requirement for ER in an in vivo system, EGF effects were studied in the uteri of ER knockout (ERKO) mice, which lack functional ER. The EGF-R levels, autophosphorylation, and c-fos induction were observed at equivalent levels in both genotypes indicating that removal of ER did not disrupt the EGF responses. Induction of DNA synthesis and the progesterone receptor gene in the uterus were measured after EGF treatment of both ERKO and wild-type animals. Wild-type mice showed increases of 4.3-fold in DNA synthesis, as well as an increase in PR mRNA after EGF treatment. However, these responses were absent in ERKO mice, confirming that the estrogen-like effects of EGF in the mouse uterus do indeed require the ER. These data conclusively demonstrate the coupling of EGF and ER signaling pathways in the rodent reproductive tract.

Associação do receptor toll-like 2 com o estado pró-inflamatório do diabetes tipo 1

Inflammation has been pointed out as an important factor in development of chronic diseases, as diabetes. Hyperglycemia condition would be responsible by toll-like receptors, TLR2 and TLR4, and, consequently by local and systemic inflammation induction. Thus, the objective of present study was to evaluate type 1 Diabetes mellitus (T1DM) pro-inflammatory state through mRNA expression of TLRs 2 and 4 and proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α correlating to diabetic nephropathy. In order to achieve this objective, 76 T1DM patients and 100 normoglycemic (NG) subjects aged between 6 and 20 years were evaluated. T1DM subjects were evaluated as a total group DM1, and considering glycemic control (good glycemic control DM1G, and poor glycemic control DM1P) and considering time of diagnosis (before achieving 5 years of diagnosis DM1< 5yrs, and after achieving 5 years of diagnosis DM1 <5yrs). Metabolic control was evaluated by glucose and glycated hemoglobin concentrations; to assess renal function serum urea, creatinine, albumin, total protein and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio were determined and to evaluate hepatic function, AST and ALT serum activities were measured. Pro-inflammatory status was assessed by mRNA expression of TLRs 2 and 4 and the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. Except for DM1G group (18.4%), DM1NC patients (81.6%) showed a poor glycemic control, with glycated hemoglobin (11,2%) and serum glucose (225,5 md/dL) concentrations significantly increased in relation to NG group (glucose: 76,5mg/dL and glycated hemoglobin: 6,9%). Significantly enhanced values of urea (20%) and ACR (20,8%) and diminished concentrations of albumin (5,7%) and total protein (13,6%) were found in T1DM patients, mainly associated to a poor glycemic control (DM1P increased values of urea: 20% and ACR:49%, and diminished of albumin: 13,6% and total protein:13,6%) and longer disease duration (DM1 <5yrs - increased values of urea: 20% and ACR:20,8%, and diminished of albumin: 14,3% and total protein:13,6%). As regarding pro-inflammatory status evaluation, significantly increased mRNA expressions were presented for TLR2 (37,5%), IL-1β (43%), IL-6 (44,4%) and TNF-α (15,6%) in T1DM patients in comparison to NG, mainly associated to DM1P (poor glycemic control TLR2: 82%, IL-1β: 36,8% increase) and DM1 <5yrs (longer time of diagnosis TLR2: 85,4%, IL-1β: 46,5% increased) groups. Results support the existence of an inflammatory state mediated by an increased expression of TLR2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in T1DM

Progesterone (PR), Oestrogen (ER-alpha and ER-beta) and Oxytocin (OTR) Gene Expression in the Oviduct and Uterus of Pregnant and Non-pregnant Bitches

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)