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Cytochrome c and its role in apoptosis
Rajsiglová, Lenka ; Kalous, Martin (advisor) ; Švadlenka, Jan (referee)
Cell energetic metabolism and cell survival are strictly controlled by pathways in which cytochrome molecules play a central role, in particular cytochrome c. It is localized in the mitochondrial intermembrane space with other molecules cooperating in keeping energetic metabolism. Permeabilization of outer mitochondrial membrane by proteins from Bcl-2 family or changes in Ca2+ levels causes cytochrome c release into cytosol. In cytosol cytochrome c interacts with other pro-apoptotic proteins (Apaf-1, procaspase-9) cooperating to form apoptosome and phosphatidylserine. As a result of these interactions, the cell is going to apoptosis. This bachelor thesis summarizes the current state of knowledge of these processes. In the first part it focuses on the biosynthesis of cytochrome c, further on the mechanisms of its releasing from mitochondria and its interactions with other proteins within apoptosis including options of regulation of these processes.
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Effect of cancer-associated fibroblasts on the survival, proliferation and invasiveness of cancer cells.
Nováková, Gita ; Anděra, Ladislav (advisor) ; Brábek, Jan (referee)
Tumour microenvironment, in addition to cancer cells themselves, represents important structural and functional part of the tumour. Similarly to the normal organs tumour microenvironment comprises several cell types (fibroblasts, immune cells, endothelial cells etc.) and non-cellular components, particularly extracellular matrix. All of them form favourable conditions for the growth, proliferation, protection from the immune system- mediated destruction and nutrition of cancer cells. Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) represent the most abundant cell type of tumour microenvironment. Their origin can be traced to local normal fibroblasts, endothelial cells or epithelial cells and the transition into the CAFs phenotype is influenced with several factors secreted by cancer cells (particularly TGF-β). In contrast to fibroblasts activated during wound healing newly formed cancer associated fibroblasts expressing α-SMA are not subsequently eliminated from the respektive tissue. They persist and produce a number of pro-tumorigenic factors - SDF-1, HGF, IGF-1, IL-6, VEGF, PDGF-C, TGF-β, MMPs etc. CAFs and their secreted factors target several signalling pathways enhancing basic characteristics of the tumour, so called Hallmarks of Cancer. Cancer associated fibroblasts promote proliferation and invasiveness of...
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The effect of endothelial cell proliferation on susceptibility to mitochondrially controlled apoptosis and oxidative stress.
Blecha, Jan ; Novák, Petr (advisor) ; Plecitá, Lydie (referee)
Mitochondria are multifunctional organelles playing a key role in energy metabolism and cell death induction. Mitochondria, and specifically their respiratory chain, are also the main producers of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells. Metabolism can be affected by the state of cellular proliferation and certain ROS-inducing agents have an antiangiogenic effect based on the preferential elimination of proliferating endothelial cells (EC). Therefore, in this work we investigated, whether mitochondria could be responsible for different sensitivity of proliferation and confluent EC to cell death. We mainly focused on systems that regulate ROS level and apoptosis: respiratory chain (ROS production), antioxidant defense (ROS detoxification) and Bcl-2 family of proteins (apoptosis regulation). First, we treated EC with functional and nonfunctional respiratory chain with various oxidative stress- and apoptosis-inducing agents and determined ROS production and susceptibility to apoptosis in proliferating and confluent cells. Our results show that functional respiratory chain greatly increases the susceptibility of proliferating cells to ROS induction and apoptosis, whereas in qiescent cells it protects against cell death. Given these findings, we assessed the activity of respiratory chain in proliferating...
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The role of caspase 2 in apoptosis induction in tumor cells.
Schmiedlová, Martina ; Kovář, Jan (advisor) ; Horníková, Lenka (referee)
Within the cell, caspase-2 probably fulfills several functions. Caspase-2 can be involved in apoptosis induction, DNA repair as well as cell cycle regulation. Caspase-2 has the character of initiator and also executioner caspase. A stimulus for caspase 2 activation can be oxidative stress or DNA damage. Caspase-2 is activated by cleavadge during an interaction with protein complexes. One of protein complexes,i.e. PIDDosome, is made of protein PIDD, RAIDD and pro-caspase-2. Withine the PIDDosome, caspase-2 is activated. Activated caspase-2 occures in a short S form and in long L form. L form of caspase-2 has proapoptotic effects and S form of caspase-2 has antiapoptotic effects. Caspase-2S has been only detected on mRNA level but not on protein level. The main role of caspase-2L is apoptosis induction in normal and tumor cells. Caspase-2 in tumour cells is activated by extrinstic as well as intristic apoptotic pathway. Apoptosis induction by caspase-2 is for example studied in connection with breast cancer treatment with taxanes. Caspase-2 ability of apoptosis induction in cancer cells independently of p53 protein is employed in cancer treatment including overcoming the resistance to apoptosis induction which is based on loosing p53 activity. Caspase-2 is involved in apoptosis induction by different...
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Role of STAT3 signalling in oncogenesis and cancer therapy
Machalová, Veronika ; Hodný, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Brábek, Jan (referee)
STAT3 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3) is considered to be one of the possible targets of cancer treatment. The ability of STAT3 constitutive activation to form tumors is a foundation of such theories. Additionally, constitutively activated STAT3 is present in many types of cancer with high occurrence, such as breast and prostate carcinoma. This protein is required in normal body cells as well. STAT3 is a transcription factor targeting many genes that are essential for the cell. STAT3 is activated by phosphorylation of its tyrosine residue and homodimerization. Proteins transcribed with help of STAT3 function in cell cycle progression, cell growth, replication, negative regulation of apoptosis, and other roles, typical for cancer. Moreover, STAT3 is modulating mitochondrial function and maintaining ROS production in mitochondria, but in form of transcriptionally inactive monomers. The purpose of this Thesis is to review known data about STAT3 in oncogenesis and by that, to show STAT3 has great potential to become the target of cancer treatment. This Thesis contains a short overview of known STAT3 inhibitors as well. Key words: Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3), JAK/STAT3 pathway, constitutive activation, cancer, tumor, inhibitor, mitochondria, apoptosis
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Analysis of embryotoxic effect of hydrocortisone using chick embryotoxicity screening test (CHEST).
Janíková, Michaela ; Peterka, Miroslav (advisor) ; Hovořáková, Mária (referee)
Cleft lip is one of the most common human birth deffects. Its etiopathogenesis is multifactorial and many aspects of its occurrence remain unknown in the fields of both genetics and teratology. One of the set of known negative external factors causing cleft lip is chemical hydrocortisone. Its effect on cell proliferation is highly heterogeneous and depends on attributes of a specific cell population. In this work we studied the cleft beak origin after the hydrocortisone treatment on the basis of Chick Embryotoxicity Screening Test (CHEST). Our main aim was to detect cell cycle changes in the chick frontonasal process after hydrocortisone injection via flow cytometry analysis. Hydrocortisone caused S phase arrest within a minor subpopulation of highly granular cells with specific cell cycle. This sensitive subpopulation was localized in the areas of previously defined proliferative centers within the frontonasal process using immunohistochemistry of frozen sections. Quantitative analysis of cells in these areas revealed significant decrease of M phase portion in the hydrocortisone treated samples in comparison with the control samples. The TUNEL staining of histological sections was used to determine the apoptotic rate in the frontonasal process. The comparison between the control and the...
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Interference of selected DNA viruses with apoptotic processes
Sauerová, Pavla ; Forstová, Jitka (advisor) ; Štěpánek, Luděk (referee)
This work is focused on selected DNA viruses and some of their mechanisms used for inhibition or induction of the apoptotic processes. The selected DNA viruses are Hepatitis B virus, polyomaviruses, papillomaviruses and herpesviruses. Viruses developed different strategies for fighting the host defense mechanism during their evolution. One of the host defense mechanisms that reacts against virus infection is apoptosis. In case of viruses we can observe the phenomenon of inhibition or induction of apoptosis (which both depend on the life cycle phase of the virus). The purpose of these "fighting" strategies is to ensure successful replication, virus releasing from the cell and finally to let it spread in an organism or among them. Some "fighting" strategies are similar e.g. targeting and manipulation on p53 oncosupresor level or production of Bcl-2 homologs; other strategies are very specific. Certain viruses have mechanisms which allow them to survive in a host organism for a long time.
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Energy metabolism and apoptotsis markers in cold heart aclimated rat.
Pospíšilová, Barbora ; Horníková, Daniela (advisor) ; Knytl, Martin (referee)
Cold adaptation and her effects has been known for many decates. Positive or negative impact depends especially on its length and strength. The lower temperature can very often cause the stress for organism. On the other hand in expreriment with long-term adapatation were found positive consequences on cardiovascular system. We found the lack of studies devoted to the energy metabolism and apoptosis in heart tissue during long-term cold adaptation. In this work we used a model with milder conditions of the adaptation (10žC±1), so there wouldn't be damage of the experimental animals. We compared the resuls betwen control, cold and regressive group of rats. In this expreriment we used methods of electrophoresis and Western blot. The target of the work was found if we can find any differences betwen chosen HIF targeted genes. The next goal was to detect the differences betwen chosen pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic markers. Keywords: cold adaptation, heart, energetic metabolism, HIF, apoptosis
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Apoptosis of tumor cells : role of TRAIL and caspase 10
Truxová, Iva ; Živný, Jan (advisor) ; Anděra, Ladislav (referee)
One of the key features of cancer cells is the ability to escape programmed cell death (apoptosis). As a mechanism of apoptosis inactivation in cancer cells, somatic mutations of pro-apoptotic genes have been reported in many cancers. Caspase 10 is an initiator caspase whose physiological function remains poorly understood. Also the ability of caspase 10 to substitute for caspase 8 in the death receptors apoptotic pathway is still controversial. However, the fact that some of the mutations found in CASP10 gene was associated with apoptosis defects (79, 81) suggest that caspase 10 could be also important in apoptosis initiation. In our lab, there was found a heterozygous mutation in CASP10 gene of Jurkat (human T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia) clone resistant to TRAIL (J-TR1). This mutation influence the amino acid composition close to the active site of the enzyme. The aim of this thesis was to confirm the mutation by ARMS-PCR and to determine if an overexpression of normal (unmutated) or mutated caspase 10 D in TRAIL sensitive and/or TRAIL resistant Jurkat cells (J-WT and/or J-TR1) will influence TRAIL induced apoptosis. Mutation was confirmed. We created J-WT and J-TR1 stable clones transfected by vector with unmutated or mutated CASP10 D (CASP10 D WT or CASP10 D MUT). CASP10 D MUT overexpression in J-WT...
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