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Spontaneous calcium permeability of ionic channel of P2X receptor after substitution ofconserved tyrosine in the 1st transmembrae domajn
Rupert, Marian ; Zemková, Hana (advisor) ; Balík, Aleš (referee)
Purinergic receptors are membrane ion channels that are activated by extracellular ATP. In vertebrates, seven genes encode subunits of P2X receptors. The subunits, designated P2X1-7, are 40 - 50% identical in amino acid sequences. P2X receptors are composed of three subunits and are found as homo- and heterotrimers in tissues of vertebrates. P2X receptors have a wide distribution in the organism, functional receptors are found in neurons, glial cells, muscle cells and also in nonexcitable tissues as epithelial, endothelial, and in hemopoietic tissue. Purinergic signalling plays an important role in pain transmission, at CNS injury and immune processes. P2X receptor subunit consists of two transmembrane domains, extracellular domain and intracellular N-and C-termini. Each transmembrane domain contains two amino acids conserved across all P2X subunits. In the first transmembrane domain receptor P2X2 are that Gly30 and Tyr43. In previous experiments performed on P2X2 receptor, electrophysiological measurements demonstrated that substitution of conserved Tyr43 in the first transmembrane domain with alanine prolongs the deactivation time of ion channel after agonist wash out. This work is focused on clarifying the role of conserved tyrosine in the process of opening and closing of ion channel of P2X...
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Incidence and role of the purinergic P2X7 receptor in the immune system
Piskačová, Kateřina ; Zemková, Hana (advisor) ; Červená, Kateřina (referee)
It has been shown recently that extracellular ATP and its metabolite adenosine are key mediators in the immune system. Depending on the concentration, ATP may act as an activator or an inhibitor to the immune response, whereas adenosine is generally well known as a specific immunosupressor. Signals delivered by extracellular ATP and adenosine are detected and transduced by purinergic P2- and P1- receptors, respectively. In principle, all cells of the immune system express P2X, P2Y and adenosine P1 receptors on their plasmatic membrane. Therefore, the purinergic signaling extends to all components of the immune and inflammatory responses, including neurodegenerative diseases. This knowledge triggered a wave of interest in research, development and synthesis of new compounds having effect on P1- and P2- receptors that could help in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. This bachelor thesis will summarize the most recent knowledge on the role of the P2X7 receptor in these processes. This subtype of P2-receptor is unique because it is involved in the release of cytokines from immune cells and plays a role in the cell growth and apoptosis.
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Characterization of phosphatases in tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.)
Růžičková, Kateřina ; Ryšlavá, Helena (advisor) ; Tichá, Marie (referee)
Phosphateses (EC 3.1.3.x) are a group of enzymes that hydrolyze phosphoesters. That way they affect the energetic metabolism of a cell and its regulation. Phosphatases that dephosphorylate proteins are an integral part of signaling pathways, stress responses and they modulate enzymatic activity. This thesis deals with the study of phosphatases obtained from tobacco leaves (Nicotiana tabacum, L.). Solution of enzymes was prepared by extraction in both acidic and alkaline buffers. Through the use of the chromogenic substrate pNP-phosphate it was determined that there is a higher phosphatase activity in the glycosylated fraction than in the fraction that did not bind to Con A Sepharose. The research of the ions effect on the phosphatase activity has determined that Mg2+ and Ca2+ show positive effect on the phosphatase activity while the effect of Co2+ and Mn2+ is inhibitory. The Zn2+ ions have shown no effect whatsoever. The glycosylated phosphatases also dephosphorylated low-weight-molecular substrates phosphoserine, ATP and glucose-6-phosphate. The research of protein phosphatase activity discovered the affinity to the substrate phosvitin, although neither to casein nor its tryptic cleaves. Detailed experiments have shown that the pH optima for all the substrates lie from pH 5 to 6. Glycosylated phosphatases...
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Circadian system in astrocytes
Ľalíková, Kristýna ; Bendová, Zdeňka (advisor) ; Honc, Ondřej (referee)
The circadian system affects almost all cells in the mammalian body. These cells include astrocytes, which together with microglia and oligodendrocytes represent the main types of glial cells found in the brain. The first chapter of this thesis presents a summary of circadian system characteristics and focuses mainly on the molecular mechanism underlying its functioning. The second chapter is devoted to astrocytes, astrocyte calcium signaling, and the process of gliotransmission. The third and last chapter connects both topics and discusses the circadian system in astrocytes. It presents evidence of astrocytic circadian oscillations existence and physiological consequences of its action. Great attention is paid to circadian rhythms in gliotransmission, with a focus on gliotransmitters ATP and glutamate. As the most impressive output of the circadian system of astrocytes is presented the participation in maintaining the rhythmic activity of the main circadian oscillator located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Key words: circadian system, clock genes, astrocytes, gliotransmission, calcium signaling, glutamate, ATP
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Immunogenic cell death
Šímová, Michaela ; Drbal, Karel (advisor) ; Javorková, Eliška (referee)
According to the danger model, the immune system is activated by endogenous molecules known as danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMP) that are externalized from the interior of a dying cell to the cell surface or released into the extracellular space. Due to the loss of plasma membrane integrity a necrotic cell death as well as several types of proinflammatory programmed cell death are considered to be immunogenic, whereas apoptosis, on contrary, has been initially defined as a tolerogenic type of cell death. However, under certain circumstances, the immune response can be initiated by an apoptotic cell after exnternalization of DAMP molecules by newly described secretory pathways. This phenomenon was observed on tumor cells as a result of some widely used therapeutic modalities and is known as immunogenic cell death (ICD). Nomenclature of selected types of cell death is part of this thesis. The aim of this bachelor thesis is to provide an evidence of the experimental support for ICD theory during in vivo initiation of the immune response. I will evaluate the correlation between ICD and the induced exposure of DAMP molecules on the surface of tumor cells or their secretion to the extracellular space.
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Molecular bases of sensitivity to electron transport chain inhibition-induced cell death
Blecha, Jan
1 Abstract in English Mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) targeting shows a great promise in cancer therapy. However, why modern ETC-targeted compounds are tolerated on the organismal level and what are the molecular reasons for this tolerance remains unclear. Most somatic cells are in a non-proliferative state, and features associated with the ETC in quiescence might therefore contribute to specificity. Thus, we investigated the ETC status and the role of two major consequences of ETC blockade, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and inhibition of ATP production, in cell death induction in breast cancer cells and in proliferating and quiescent non-transformed cells. First, we characterised the effect of a newly developed ETC inhibitor mitochondria- targeted tamoxifen (MitoTam) in in vitro and in vivo tumour models of breast cancer with varying status of the Her2 oncogene. We document that Her2high cells and tumours have increased assembly of respiratory supercomplexes (SCs) and increased complex I-driven respiration in vitro and in vivo. They are also highly sensitive to MitoTam. Unlike the parental compound tamoxifen, MitoTam efficiently suppressed experimental Her2high tumours without systemic toxicity. Mechanistically, MitoTam inhibits complex I- driven respiration and disrupts respiratory...
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Mechanisms of regulation of inhibitory factor IF1
Sklenář, Filip ; Dlasková, Andrea (advisor) ; Zelenka, Jaroslav (referee)
Inhibitory factor 1 (IF1) is one of the major regulators of mitochondrial ATP synthase activity, a key enzyme of energy metabolism. Its inhibitory effects are known in conditions such as hypoxia or starvation, but the hypothesis that IF1 inhibits ATP synthase activity even under physiological conditions is still not entirely accepted. Disorders of ATP synthase regulation can be fatal to the cell and have been described, for example, in carcinogenesis and ischemia. It has also been found that silencing of the IF1 gene in pancreatic β-cells increases insulin secretion, and thus, IF1 may be important in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. The goal of this work is to summarize the current knowledge about the IF1 protein and to obtain new results that will help elucidate the mechanism by which this protein regulates mitochondrial ATP synthase. Specifically, this work deals with the ratio of IF1 protein to ATP synthase in pancreatic β-cells, depending on different culture conditions. It further investigates the occurrence of post-translational modifications of the IF1 protein in pancreatic β-cells (INS- 1E model cells), which may play a role in the regulation of IF1 activity. It also deals with the cellular ATP/ADP ratio, which is one of the key factors for insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells. An...
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Molecular bases of sensitivity to electron transport chain inhibition-induced cell death
Blecha, Jan
1 Abstract in English Mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) targeting shows a great promise in cancer therapy. However, why modern ETC-targeted compounds are tolerated on the organismal level and what are the molecular reasons for this tolerance remains unclear. Most somatic cells are in a non-proliferative state, and features associated with the ETC in quiescence might therefore contribute to specificity. Thus, we investigated the ETC status and the role of two major consequences of ETC blockade, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and inhibition of ATP production, in cell death induction in breast cancer cells and in proliferating and quiescent non-transformed cells. First, we characterised the effect of a newly developed ETC inhibitor mitochondria- targeted tamoxifen (MitoTam) in in vitro and in vivo tumour models of breast cancer with varying status of the Her2 oncogene. We document that Her2high cells and tumours have increased assembly of respiratory supercomplexes (SCs) and increased complex I-driven respiration in vitro and in vivo. They are also highly sensitive to MitoTam. Unlike the parental compound tamoxifen, MitoTam efficiently suppressed experimental Her2high tumours without systemic toxicity. Mechanistically, MitoTam inhibits complex I- driven respiration and disrupts respiratory...
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Molecular bases of sensitivity to electron transport chain inhibition-induced cell death
Blecha, Jan ; Rohlena, Jakub (advisor) ; Brábek, Jan (referee) ; Pecinová, Alena (referee)
1 Abstract in English Mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) targeting shows a great promise in cancer therapy. However, why modern ETC-targeted compounds are tolerated on the organismal level and what are the molecular reasons for this tolerance remains unclear. Most somatic cells are in a non-proliferative state, and features associated with the ETC in quiescence might therefore contribute to specificity. Thus, we investigated the ETC status and the role of two major consequences of ETC blockade, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and inhibition of ATP production, in cell death induction in breast cancer cells and in proliferating and quiescent non-transformed cells. First, we characterised the effect of a newly developed ETC inhibitor mitochondria- targeted tamoxifen (MitoTam) in in vitro and in vivo tumour models of breast cancer with varying status of the Her2 oncogene. We document that Her2high cells and tumours have increased assembly of respiratory supercomplexes (SCs) and increased complex I-driven respiration in vitro and in vivo. They are also highly sensitive to MitoTam. Unlike the parental compound tamoxifen, MitoTam efficiently suppressed experimental Her2high tumours without systemic toxicity. Mechanistically, MitoTam inhibits complex I- driven respiration and disrupts respiratory...
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