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Autoantibodies against calreticulin in patients with dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Sánchez, Daniel ; Tlaskalová - Hogenová, Helena (advisor) ; Javorková, Eliška (referee)
Distinct cellular level of the Ca2+ binding chaperone calreticulin (CRT) is essential for cardiac development and postnatal function. However, CRT is also a potential autoantigen eliciting formation of antibodies (Ab), whose role is not yet clarified. Immunization with CRT leads to cardiac injury, and overexpression of CRT in cardiomyocytes induces dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in experimental animals. Hence, we analysed levels of anti-CRT Ab and calreticulin in the sera of patients with idiopatic DCM and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). ELISA and immunoblot using human recombinant CRT and Pepscan with synthetic, overlapping decapeptides of CRT were used to detect anti-CRT Ab. Significantly increased levels of anti-CRT Ab of IgA (P<0.001) and IgG (P<0.05) isotypes were found in patients with both DCM (12/34 seropositive for IgA, 7/34 for IgG) and HCM (13/38 seropositive for IgA, 11/38 for IgG) when compared with controls (2/79 for IgA, 1/79 for IgG). Titration analysis in seropositive DCM and HCM patients documented anti-CRT Ab detected at 1/1600 dilution for IgG and 1/800 for IgA (and IgA1) and at least at 1/200 dilution for IgA2, IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3. Pepscan identified several immunogenic CRT epitopes: EVKIDNSQVESGSLED, IDDPTDSKPE, DKAPEHIPDPDA and RKEEEEAEDKEDDAEDKDEDEEDE recognised by IgA and...
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Significance of somatic mutations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Tauchmanová, Petra ; Savvulidi Vargová, Karina (advisor) ; Javorková, Eliška (referee)
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) represents the most prevalent leukemia in Europe and USA. CLL affects predominatly elderly people (median age, 70y). This lymphoproliferative disorder is characterised by an accumulation of mature B-cells in the peripheral blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes. The lifespan of CLL cells is longer than normal healthy B-cells due to impaired cell cycle and apoptosis. CLL cells dysplay several chromosomal aberations and genetic abnormalities. The next generation sequencing revealed many somatic mutations in CLL cells. Analysis of these somatic mutations in CLL facilitates detail understanding at the disease molecular basis and opens new possibilities to the personalised therapy. The main aim of this thesis is brief description of CLL as disease and to summarise the recent knowledge in the field of next generation sequencing with attention to CLL.
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Epigenetic mechanisms in the interferon γ signalling pathway
Fišerová, Lenka ; Reiniš, Milan (advisor) ; Javorková, Eliška (referee)
IFNγ is an important cytosine mediating imune responses, including antitumor immunity. It can affect expression of a lot of genes, which regulate different cellular processes. In tumor cells defects in signal cascade of IFNγ and mistakes in expression of genes regulated by IFNγ, for example genes for antigen adjustment and presentation (APM) or genes for major histocompatibility complex (MHC), were observed. Epigenetic mechanisms, can play a role in regulation of expression of genes for IFNγ, as well as in regulation of expression of genes regulated by IFNγ, including the components of the IFNγ signalling pathway. In lymphocytes from tumors the ability to produce IFNγ was limited by epigenetic silencing of genes for IFNγ. In tumor cells, epigenetic silencing of genes regulated by IFNγ, of genes of the IFNγ signaling cascade, for example IRF transcription factors, and other genes regulated by IFNγ, such as genes for APM, MHC or indoldioxygenase coding genes (IDO), was demonstrated. In case of their activation by IFNγ, epigenetic changes in regulation sequences of appropriate genes, were observed. IFNγ thus can be considered as an epigenetic agent. Epigenetic modulators are able to activate expression of genes regulated by IFNγ. By this way it's possible to explain some of immunomudullatory effects...
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Induction of Xenopus tropicalis testicular stem cell differentiation in vitro.
Strnadová, Karolína ; Tlapáková, Tereza (advisor) ; Javorková, Eliška (referee)
Origin of mammalian somatic cells in the developing testes remains unclear. This origin could be explained by established cell culture derived from testes of Xenopus tropicalis juvenile male. The expression profile of the cell culture showed transcription of some pluripotency genes, somatic Sertoli and peritubular myoid cell markers and last but not least, the mesenchymal stem cell markers. Conversely, germ cell genes were downregulated. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed expression of Vimentin, Sox9 and α-smooth muscle actin, indicating that the testicular cell culture is a common mesenchymal progenitor of the Sertoli and peritubular myoid cells and that the cell culture did not arise from spermatogonial stem cells undergoing incomplete reprogramming in vitro. Testing of X. tropicalis cell culture during induction of differentiation in vitro revealed that these cells are probably multipotent with the ability to differentiate into adipocytes, chondroblasts and osteoblasts. The ability to derive multipotent stem cells from the juvenile testes opens new possibilities of using these cells for biotechnology and medicine. Keywords: Testicular somatic cells, Xenopus tropicalis, progenitor, mesenchymal stem cells, induction of differentiation, multipotency
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Immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and healthy donors
Matějčková, Nicole ; Javorková, Eliška (advisor) ; Kanderová, Veronika (referee)
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) possess a multilineage differentiation potential and have the ability to regulate reactivity of the immune system. They are usually isolated and expanded from the bone marrow, adipose tissue or umbilical cord. MSC represent promising cell population for the treatment of some severe diseases, such as amyotrofic lateral sclerosis (ALS), due to the combination of regenerative and immunomodulatory properties. The aim of this study is to compare MSC from ALS patients and healthy donors in their phenotype, proliferative activity and mainly their immunomodulatory properties. The assessment of impact of the disease on the properties of MSC is important for their autologous use in clinical trials. In this study we used MSC isolated from bone marrow of 14 ALS patients and 15 patients undergoing mostly orthopedic surgery as control group. We also used MSC stimulated for 24 hours by poinflammatory cytokines. Cells were compared in terms of immunophenotype, differentiation in adipocytes and osteoblasts, metabolic activity, expression of selected genes for immunomodulatory molecules and for inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation. Further experiments were focused on evaluation of immunomodulatory properties of MSC. The effect of MSC on peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated...
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New biomarkers and candidate molecules in antifibrotic therapy in systemic scleroderma
Štorkánová, Hana ; Tomčík, Michal (advisor) ; Javorková, Eliška (referee)
Systemic scleroderma (SSc) is a systemic connective tissue disease affecting skin and internal organs. The pathogenesis of SSc is characterized by inflammation, vasculopathy and fibrosis. No agent has been proven effective in the treatment of SSc. There is a lack of suitable biomarkers for monitoring the disease activity or the response to the treatment of SSc. Therefore our aim was to analyse the extracellular levels of S100A4, Hsp90 (Heat shock protein 90) and IL-35 (interleukin-35) in SSc. S100A4 and Hsp90 have been initially studied in tumours; in some of them considered as suitable prognostic markers and candidates for future therapies. We have recently described the profibrotic role of S100A4 and Hsp90 in the pathogenesis of SSc. Our results showed that inactivation of S100A4 and Hsp90 effectively prevented the development of experimental skin fibrosis. This was consequently confirmed by the analysis of S100A4 and Hsp90 in the peripheral blood of patients with SSc, where significant associations with disease activity and organ involvement were detected. IL-35 may become another potential biomarker of SSc. We detected increased expression of IL-35 in the affected skin, dermal fibroblasts and in serum of patients with SSc. Moreover, the main profibrotic mediator transforming growth factor...
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The use of immunoregulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells/ and their therapeutic potential
Javorková, Eliška ; Krulová, Magdaléna (advisor) ; Stříž, Ilja (referee) ; Tučková, Ludmila (referee)
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the potential to differentiate into various cell types, possess potent immunomodulatory properties and can influence various functions of immune cells. Since the immunomodulatory properties of MSCs can be modified by cytokines, we compered the effect of unstimulated MSCs and MSCs pretreated with interleukin (IL)-1, interferon (IFN)- , transforming growth factor (TGF)- and IL-10 on the development of regulatory T cells (Treg) and T helper 17 (Th17) cells in vitro and on the inflammatory environment in the eye. MSCs can produce significant levels of TGF- and IL-6. These cytokines represent the key factors that reciprocally regulate the development of naive T cells into Treg and Th17 cells. Unstimulated MSCs produce TGF- , but not IL-6, and the production of TGF- can be further enhanced by IL-10 or TGF- . In the presence of IL-1, MSCs secrete significant levels of IL-6, in addition to spontaneous production of TGF- . MSC producing TGF- induced preferentially expression of Foxp3 and activation of Treg lymphocytes, whereas MSCs supernatants containing TGF- together with IL-6 supported ROR t expression and development of Th17 cells. We demonstrated that MSCs and their products effectively control the development of Tregs and Th17 cells in a population of...
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The analysis of immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor gene rearrangements using next generation sequencing
Hašek, Daniel ; Froňková, Eva (advisor) ; Javorková, Eliška (referee)
DNA sequencing is a molecular genetic method that results in data about sequence and type of nucleotides present in a given sample of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), a molecular carrier of genetic information. These data are frequently of a crucial value for many fields; research, medicine, industry, criminalistics or others. During a long period of time almost all the sequencing was performed using a method invented by Frederick Sanger in the 70's, a technique that uses modified nucleotides that once incorporated into a DNA strand prevent this from further elongation. DNA synthesis in presence of such nucleotides leads to a formation of a mixture of fragments of different lenght that are electrophoretically separated by lenght and the sequence is read from the resulting gel. Since the principle of this method entails some inherent drawbacks (e.g. low throughput and coverage) a significant effort is made lately to develop alternative sequencing approaches. These methods colectively refered to as next-generation sequencing (NGS) use several technologies in order to overcome the limitations of the Sanger sequencing. This thesis discusses the most important NGS methods and focuses on their possible application for sequencing of immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor gene rearrangements, an area of undisputable...
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B- and T- lymphocyte subpopulations in lymphocyte-associated immunodeficiencies
Šinkorová, Vendula ; Kalina, Tomáš (advisor) ; Javorková, Eliška (referee)
The antigen-specific immunity consists of cells called T and B lymphocytes. These cells together with cells of non-specific (innate) immunity begin their development in fetal liver and later in bone marrow from the common progenitor, the hematopoietic stem cell. Both B and T lymphocyte lineages then undergo differentiation which is regulated by many cytokines and transcriptional factors and leads to very heterogeneous cohort of subsets. Because the immune system is not only protecting the organism from infections and malignant growth but also from itself, lymphocyte differentiation must pass many checkpoints where B and T clones are strictly selected. Cells of both lineages closely communicate with each other and also with cells of innate immunity. If, due to mutation of protein encoding genes, disturbance of differentiation or malfunction of effector activities providing some of these functions occurs, an immune system malfunction called immunodeficiency arises. Multiparametric immunophenotyping followed by flow cytometry examination has been proven one of the most suitable techniques for studying lymphocyte subsets and lymphocyte- associated immunodeficiencies. Here we describe examples of primary lymphocyte- associated immunodeficiencies, how they affect individual lymphocyte subsets, what it...
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: Investigation of lymphocyte populations in the porcine small intestine
Kárová, Kristýna ; Šinkora, Marek (advisor) ; Javorková, Eliška (referee)
8 ABSTRACT Historically pig is allocated to a group of animals which use certain parts of their small intestine to acquire a fully developed primary B cell reperoire. Development of such primary repertoire is independent on the antigen presence and resembles the primary lymphopoietic activity of avian bursa of Fabricius. However, some findings concernig the pig's alignment in the above mentioned group suggest otherwise. This graduation thesis is focused on the investigtion of lymphocyte populations and subpopulations in the small intestine of germ-free and conventional piglets. The aim is to determine whether the percentage amounts of lymphocyte populations is dependent on the intestinal colonization. Using Flow Cytometry the significant differences between individual samples were assesed allowing us to conclude which parts of the small intestine could possibly be used for the development of B cell repertoire. Moreover, the status of isotype switching of B lymphocytes isolated from different intestinal parts was determined by the means of PCR analysis. Our data suggest that the small intestine colonization has a crucial role in development of all the main lymphocyte populations as well as some of their subpopulations. The greatest influence of colonization was observed concerning B lymphocytes and their...
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