La voie Wnt est une voie de signalisation importante pour l’embryogenèse, la morphogenèse et l’homéostasie des tissus au stade adulte. Des mutations dans cette voie de signalisation sont souvent associées à une létalité embryonnaire ou à des pathologies sévères.Une caractéristique singulière de la signalisation Wnt est sa grande complexité génétique. Chez les vertébrés, ce sont 19 ligands Wnt différents qui peuvent potentiellement lier les 10 membres de la famille des récepteurs Frizzled (Fz). De plus, la liaison d’un ligand Wnt à un récepteur Fz peut conduire à l’activation d’au moins trois voies de transduction distinctes. Pourtant, l’interaction Wnt/Fz est incompatible avec une reconnaissance monospécifique étant donné que Wnt et Fz interagissent via des résidus conservés dans les deux familles. Les patrons d’expression des différents Wnt et des différents Fz sont complexes et souvent chevauchant. Malgré cela, la délétion sélective d’un Wnt peut conduire à des phénotypes spécifiques non-observés lors de la délétion d’un autre ligand Wnt co-exprimé. C’est notamment le cas des ligands Wnt7a et Wnt7b. Seules leurs expressions par les progéniteurs neuronaux permettent d’activer la voie de signalisation Wnt/β-caténine dans les cellules endothéliales malgré l’expression simultanée d’autres ligands Wnt. Dès lors, comment les cellules des vertébrés sont-elles capables de discriminer les différents ligands Wnt ?L’étude de l’activation des signalisations induites par les ligands Wnt7a et Wnt7b permet d’illustrer par quel mécanisme moléculaire des co-récepteurs, tels que Gpr124 et Reck, médient la reconnaissance spécifique d’un ligand Wnt et permettent la formation d’un signalosome spécifique. Reck est un récepteur spécifique des ligands Wnt7a et Wnt7b qui permet de les discriminer de tous les autres ligands Wnt. Il interagit avec ceux-ci via une région intrinsèquement désordonnée et divergente dans la famille Wnt appelée « le peptide linker ». Etant donné que cette région est exposée au solvant et qu’elle ne comprend pas les sites d’interaction avec le récepteur Fz, elle pourrait jouer un rôle critique dans la discrimination des différents ligands Wnt. Gpr124, quant à lui, interagit avec Reck via son domaine extracellulaire et permet la co-localisation de ce dernier et des récepteurs Fz dans le même signalosome. Pour ce faire, Gpr124 interagit avec la protéine adaptatrice Dvl via son domaine intracellulaire. Le recrutement membranaire et la polymérisation de Dvl permettent la formation d’une plateforme d’ancrage facilitant la formation du complexe Reck/Gpr124/Fz/Lrp5/6 qui active alors sélectivement la voie la signalisation Wnt/β-caténine en réponse aux ligands Wnt7a et Wnt7b. L’identification d’un tel mécanisme de décodage laisse supposer qu’il pourrait exister plusieurs modules de reconnaissance spécifique adaptés à d’autres ligands Wnt assurant ainsi un réglage précis de la signalisation Wnt en fonction du contexte moléculaire de la membrane plasmique. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Alzheimers sjukdom är en kronisk och obotlig neurodegenerativ sjukdom. Sjukdomen kommer smygandes och drabbar individer sent i livet. En av flera riskfaktorer för att utveckla Alzheimers sjukdom är hyperkolesterolemi. Hyperkolesterolemi kan orsaka en ökad syntes av amyloid-β i hjärnan. Proteinet aggregeras, bildar plack och orsakar celldöd i hjärnan. Syftet med arbetet var att utvärdera om statiner har en effekt på försämrad kognition, en klinisk bild som ses hos patienter med Alzheimers sjukdom. Utvärderingen gjordes efter att vetenskapliga studier sammanställts. Studier har gjorts och görs än idag för att se om en hämmad kolesterolsyntes i hjärnan kan minska syntesen av amyloid-β och därmed reducera risken för att utveckla Alzheimers sjukdom. Alzheimers sjukdom är en komplicerad sjukdom med en oklar sjukdomsorsak och otydliga stadium innan diagnos. Detta försvårar utförandet av studier med ändamål för att utvärdera om statiner kan reducera risken för sjukdomen. Idag finns djur- och humanstudier som visar på olika resultat, både att statiner har en positiv effekt på nedsatt kognition och amyloid-β men även att statiner inte har en effekt på Alzheimers sjukdom.

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder that results in β-cell dysfunction and ultimate destruction, and leads to impaired glucose homeostasis. High rates of proliferation and differentiation of pancreatic β-cells occurs mostly during neonatal development. However, research shows these mechanisms remain intact as β-cell proliferation has been observed during pregnancy and obesity. We have shown that overexpression of the β-cell transcription factor Nkx6.1 is sufficient to induce β-cell proliferation. Exploration of the transcriptional targets of Nkx6.1 has identified histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) as a down-stream target of Nkx6.1. Here we demonstrate that HDAC1 overexpression is sufficient to induce β-cell proliferation, enhance β-cell survival upon exposure to apoptotic stimuli and maintains glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Our data suggests overexpression of HDAC1 leads to p15/INK4b suppression, a cell cycle inhibitor, potentially explaining the mechanism behind these observed effects. These data demonstrate that HDAC1 overexpression is sufficient to induce β-cell proliferation and enhance cell survival while maintaining glucose stimulated insulin secretion.

A hallmark of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is β-cell dysfunction and the eventual loss of functional β-cell mass. Therefore, mechanisms that improve or preserve β-cell function could be used to improve the quality of life of individuals with T2D. Studies have shown that monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric cocoa flavanols have different effects on obesity, insulin resistance and glucose tolerance. We hypothesized that these cocoa flavanols may have beneficial effects on β-cell function. INS-1 832/13 derived β-cells and primary rat islets cultured with a monomeric catechin-rich cocoa flavanol fraction demonstrated enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, while cells cultured with total cocoa extract, oligomeric, or polymeric procyanidin-rich fractions demonstrated no improvement. The increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in the presence of the monomeric catechin-rich fraction corresponded with enhanced mitochondrial respiration, suggesting improvements in β-cell fuel utilization. Mitochondrial complex III, IV and V components were upregulated after culture with the monomer-rich fraction, corresponding with increased cellular ATP production. The monomer-rich fraction improved cellular redox state and increased glutathione concentration, which corresponds with Nrf2 nuclear localization and expression of Nrf2 target genes, including NRF-1 and GABPA, essential genes for increasing mitochondrial function. We propose a model by which monomeric cocoa catechins improve the cellular redox state, resulting in Nrf2 nuclear migration and upregulation of genes critical for mitochondrial respiration, and, ultimately, enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and β-cell function. These results suggest a mechanism by which monomeric cocoa catechins exert their effects as an effective complementary strategy to benefit T2D patients.

Iron oxides, have been widely studied as promising anode materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for their high capacity (≈ 1000 mA h g-1 for Fe2O3 and Fe3O4,), non-toxicity, and low cost. In this work, β-FeOOH has been evaluated within a LIB half-cell showing an excellent capacity of ≈ 1500 mA h g-1 , superior to Fe2O3 or Fe3O4. Reaction mechanism has been proposed with the assistance of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Various magnetic properties have been suggested for β-FeOOH such as superparamagnetism, antiferromagnetism and complex magnetism, for which, size of the material is believed to play a critical role. Here, we present a size-controlled synthesis of β-FeOOH nanorods. Co-existing superparamagnetism and antiferromagnetism have been revealed in β-FeOOH by using a Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS). Compared with the high price of lithium in LIBs, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have attracted increasing attentions for lower cost. Recent studies have reported Na0.44MnO2 to be a promising candidate for cathode material of SIBs. This thesis has approached a novel solid-state synthesis of Na0.44MnO2 whiskers and a nano-scaled open cell for in situ TEM study. Preliminary results show the first-stage fabrication of the cell on a biasing protochip.

Reversible adenosine methylation (N6-methylation; m6A) at the RNA level was described in connection to the regulation of RNA fate. The N6-methyladenosine pathway is important for cognitive function and mechanisms related to memory, including the regulation of adult neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that a decreased activity of the RNA-demethylase FTO is associated with improved cognitive function in rats. The RNA-demethylase FTO is a key regulator of the m6A pathway. In this study, we administered MO-I-500, a pharmacological inhibitor of FTO in TgF344-AD transgenic rats, which resulted in an improvement of spatial cognition. We further investigated the cognitive enhancement induced by a caloric restriction as a possible compensatory mechanism of cognitive disorders and its effect on the proteins regulating the N6-methyladenosine pathway. Long-term caloric restriction ameliorated cognitive functions and led to changes in the expression of the major proteins controlling the m6A pathway (FTO, METTL3) which are consistent with the aforementioned hypothesis. Although we do not know the exact mechanism of action, these findings support the hypothesis that m6A pathway regulators, such as the FTO demethylase, may be a promising molecular target for...

L'augmentation des résistances aux antibiotiques ces dernières années et le faible nombre de nouveaux antibiotiques récemment approuvés ont suscité un intérêt considérable pour les associations médicamenteuses. Parmi celles-ci, les associations β-lactamine-inhibiteur de β-lactamases, comme l’aztréonam-avibactam (ATM-AVI), visent à surmonter la résistance due à la production de β-lactamases, l'un des principaux mécanismes de résistance chez les bactéries à Gram négatif. Cependant, les interactions PD entre molécules associées peuvent être complexes. Afin de mieux comprendre la PK/PD de l’ATM-AVI, deux problématiques ont été abordées dans cette thèse :i. La PK de l’ATM-AVI au site infectieux. Une étude de microdialyse réalisée chez le rat avec ou sans péritonite a montré que la distribution de l’ATM-AVI dans le liquide péritonéal était rapide et que les concentrations au site infectieux pourraient être prédites à partir des concentrations sanguines.ii. L’interaction PD entre ATM et AVI. Des études de checkerboard analysées avec un modèle Emax ont permis de caractériser l’effet de l’AVI sur la CMI de l’ATM en termes d’efficacité et de puissance en présence de souches multi-résistantes. Pour compléter ces résultats, un modèle PK/PD a été développé à partir de données in vitro afin d’évaluer l’évolution de l’effet combiné de l’ATM-AVI au cours du temps et d’étudier la contribution individuelle de chacun des effets de l’AVI à l’activité combinée. Selon les résultats de cette modélisation, l’activité bactéricide de l’association serait principalement expliquée par l’effet potentialisateur de l’AVI et ce malgré sa capacité à prévenir la dégradation de l’ATM de manière efficace. / The rapid increase in antibiotic resistance during the last decades and the few numbers of recently approved new antibiotics lead to a significant interest to drug combinations. Among these combinations, the β-lactam-β-lactamase inhibitor combination, such as aztreonam-avibactam (ATM-AVI), is one strategy that aims to overcome the resistance due to β-lactamases production, one of the most relevant mechanisms of resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. However, drug interactions can be complex. To better understand the PK/PD of ATM-AVI, two issues have been addressed in this thesis: i. ATM-AVI PK at the infection site. A microdialysis study performed in rats with or without peritonitis showed that ATM and AVI distribution in intraperitoneal fluid was rapid and that concentrations at the target site could be predicted from blood concentrations.ii. PD interaction between ATM and AVI. Checkerboard experiments analyzed with an Emax model have been used to characterize AVI effect on ATM MIC in terms of efficacy and potency in the presence of various multi-drug resistant strains. A PK/PD model was developed based on in vitro data to describe the time-course of ATM-AVI combined effect and to investigate the individual contribution of each of the AVI effects to the combined activity. According to the modeling results, the combined bactericidal activity was mainly explained by AVI enhancing effect, even though AVI demonstrated high efficiency to prevent ATM hydrolysis.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Background: The development of the blood supply in the primate retina has been extensively studied; however the relationship of the differentiating retina to the choroidal blood supply is less well known. The interaction of astrocytes and vascular endothelial cells promotes the development of the retinal vasculature from 14 weeks’ gestation (WG). Initially, astrocytes lead the developing capillaries from the optic nerve towards the macular area. However, neither astrocytes nor endothelial cells enter a prescribed avascular area, within which the fovea later forms. This may be attributed to expression of a factor that inhibits astrocyte and endothelial cell proliferation in the fovea. A factor found in the CNS that is already known to have these effects is transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Aims: This thesis investigated the relationship between retinal maturation and choroidal blood vessel supply and the possible role for TGF-β as an antiangiogenic factor in maintaining an avascular fovea during primate retinal development. Methods: Human eyes between 11 WG and 40 years were obtained with ethical approval from Prince of Wales Hospital and the NSW Lions Eye Bank and fixed and sectioned for histological procedures or prepared for polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Macaque eyes from foetal day (fd) 64 to postnatal 11years (p11y) were obtained from Bogor Agriculture University, Indonesia with the approval of the Ethics Committee of the University of Washington, Seattle, USA. Macaque eyes were also fixed and sectioned for immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation. RNA was extracted from human foetal retinas and used for RTPCR (Reverse Transcriptase PCR), QPCR (Quantitative PCR) and preparation of riboprobes. PCR products were analysed using both restriction digest and sequencing. RTPCR was used to identify TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and TGF-β3 in the developing human and in the developing and adult macaque retinas whilst QPCR was used to quantify the TGF-β isoforms in central compared to peripheral retina and in foetal compared to adult retina. In situ hybridisation was performed according to a standard protocol and visualised using Roche HNPP Fast Red detection set with designed riboprobes for TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and TGF-β3 (DIG RNA labelling kit). Some sections were counterstained with vimentin antibody. Immunohistochemistry was performed on human retina and choroid sections using antibodies to CD34 and Ki67 and on human and macaque retina using antibodies to synaptophysin, vimentin, GFAP, calbindin, S-opsin, RG-opsin, rhodopsin, TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3 and their receptors TβRI and TβRII. Sections of the retina were imaged and analysed using either a Leica Confocal microscope and TCSNT software or Zeiss Confocal microscope and LSM 5 Pascal software. Data from the human retina and choroid sections corresponding to different regions (foveal, parafoveal nasal, parafoveal temporal, nasal and temporal) was collected to measure the number of Ki-67 immunolabelled mitotic endothelial cells and the area of CD34 immunolabelled choriocapillaris using Adobe Photoshop version 5.0.2, NIH software version 1.62 (measurement macros) and Excel. In the human and macaque sections the intensity of TGF-β protein and mRNA expression was captured from different regions of the retina (foveal, parafoveal nasal, parafoveal temporal, nasal, temporal, nasal to disc) to compile montages. Montages were then re-imported into LSM 5 Pascal software to measure the optical density across each montage along the ganglion cell layer, outer neuroblastic zone and photoreceptor layer collecting data in Excel for graphical representation. In addition to the montages, individual sections were assessed for co-localisation of TGF-β and TβR to various retinal cell types. Results: Analyses of choriocapillaris area and endothelial cell (EC) proliferation were able to demonstrate that the area of choriocapillaris endothelium is greater in the foveal region at all ages (14-18.5WG), that the rate of choriocapillaris EC proliferation declines dramatically over this same period and that the lowest rates of EC proliferation are at the incipient fovea. Most importantly these findings indicate that EC proliferation in the choriocapillaris does not appear to be promoted by increased metabolic activity in central retinal neurons which are more developed with higher oxygen and nutrient demands, which is the mechanism widely thought to regulate development of the retinal vasculature. PCR showed all TGF-β isoforms to be present in the human developing and adult retina. QPCR revealed that TGF-β2 was the most predominant isoform, followed by TGF-β3 with very small amounts of TGF-β1 seen. The isoforms were more abundant in developing rather than adult retina and in central rather than peripheral retina. Studies of the distribution of TGF-β protein and mRNA using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation confirmed the low levels of TGF-β1 protein and mRNA observed in QPCR and demonstrated distinct centroperipheral gradients in the photoreceptor layer for TGF-β2 and TGF-β3. Relative high amounts of TGF-β in the fovea could affect vascular patterning due to TβRI seen in astrocytes which lead the blood vessels at the foveal rim at the level of the ganglion cell plexus. TGF-β2 and TGF-β3 expression is detected before formation of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) at fd64 (~15WG) - fd73 (~17WG) with levels peaking in the foveal region at fd105 (~25WG) by the time the FAZ forms. Conclusions: This thesis has shown that EC proliferation in the choriocapillaris does not appear to be promoted by increased metabolic activity in central retinal neurons as reduced rates of EC proliferation in the ‘foveal’ chorioretinal location were observed at all ages studied between 14 and 18.5WG. The findings suggest that mechanisms regulating proliferation and growth of the choroidal vasculature are independent of differentiation in the neural retina and are therefore different to those governing the formation of the retinal vasculature. All TGF-β isoforms are expressed in developing and adult human and macaque retina with TGF-β2 being the predominant isoform. TGF-β isoforms are more abundant in central compared to peripheral retina and in developing compared to adult retina. Centro-peripheral gradients of TGF-β2 and TGF-β3 across the photoreceptor layer and TβRI on astrocytes support the presence of TGF-β in the fovea as an antiproliferative and antiangiogenic factor by helping to define the FAZ early in development, well before 23-25 WG in humans and before fd100 in macaques.

L'évolution de la structure nucléaire loin de la stabilité est un sujet d'actualité de la physique nucléaire expérimentale et théorique.<br> Dans cette étude nous nous sommes intéressés à la structure des noyaux riches en neutrons autour de N=40. L'évolution en énergie de l'orbitale νg9/2 avec le nombre de neutrons est un des points clés pour définir la structure à basse énergie de ces noyaux.<br> Comme outils d'investigation, nous avons utilisé la mesure des moments magnétiques dipolaires et la décroissance β. Pour la mesure du facteur gyromagnétique de l'état 9/2+ du 61mFe nous avons appliqué la méthode TDPAD. Cette méthode (comme la majorité des méthodes de mesure de moments nucléaires statiques) nécessite que le spin du noyau mesuré soit orienté. L'orientation du 61mFe a été obtenue lors de la réaction de fragmentation du 64Ni à 55 MeV/u et par sélection en moment des fragments avec le spectromètre LISE au GANIL. Le dispositif expérimental utilisé nous a permis de garder cette orientation jusqu'au point d'implantation. La valeur mesurée du facteur g a été comparée avec les prédictions des calculs de modèle en couches à grande échelle et Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov.<br> Pour l'étude de la décroissance β nous avons produit les noyaux riches en neutrons autour de N=40 par la fragmentation du 86Kr à 58 MeV/u. La sélection des produits de réaction a été faite en utilisant pour la première fois le spectromètre LISE2000. Les rayonnements γ ont été détectés avec quatre détecteurs segmentés EXOGAM. Nous avons ainsi déterminé pour la première fois les valeurs de 5 périodes radioactives et amélioré la précision sur 4 autres valeurs. Le peuplement des états excités dans les noyaux fils nous a permis d'identifier de nouvelles transitions et de déterminer pour la première fois la position en énergie du premier état 2+ de 68Fe et de 72Ni. Les résultats expérimentaux ont été comparés avec des prédictions de modèle en couches. D'autres transitions ont été observées pour la première fois dans la décroissance βγ du 60Ti, 70Fe, 71,73Co.

<p>Both Notch and the Wnt pathways are key regulators in maintaining the homeostasis in the intestine. Defects on the key tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli, APC a gene in the Wnt pathway is most frequently mutated in colorectal cancer. Previous studies have indicated that there is a crosstalk between these two pathways. We investigate if there is correlation by first using bioinformatics to find Lef1/Tcf sites in several of the Notch pathway gene promoters. Bioinformatically we found that a lot of the genes contained theses sites controlled by the APC's destruction target β-catenin. By using semi quantitative PCR and western blot we found that Hes 1, Hes 7, JAG 2, MAML 1, Notch 2, NUMB, NUMBL, RFNG and LFNG was downregulated in HT29 colon cancer cells carrying a vector containing wild type APC. All but JAG 2 contains at least one Lef1/Tcf site in their promoter region. The results were verified in HT29 cells transfected with siRNA against β-catenin. We also investigated what would happen to the Lef1/Tcf target gene program of the Wnt pathway, if the Notch pathway was inhibited with the gamma-secretase inhibitor DAPT. Results showed no downregulution of β-catenin or its target gene Cyclin D1.Taken together, these results demonstrate that the Wnt pathway can be placed upstream of the Notch pathway and regulates the latter through β-catenin and the Lef1/Tcf target gene program. However, preliminary results indicate that there is no regulation of APC/β-catenin by the Notch pathway.</p>