No description available.

No / Carbon monoxide (CO) is firmly established as an important, physiological signalling molecule as well as a potent toxin. Through its ability to bind metal-containing proteins, it is known to interfere with a number of intracellular signalling pathways, and such actions can account for its physiological and pathological effects. In particular, CO can modulate the intracellular production of reactive oxygen species, NO and cGMP levels, as well as regulate MAPK signalling. In this review, we consider ion channels as more recently discovered effectors of CO signalling. CO is now known to regulate a growing number of different ion channel types, and detailed studies of the underlying mechanisms of action are revealing unexpected findings. For example, there are clear areas of contention surrounding its ability to increase the activity of high conductance, Ca2+-sensitive K+ channels. More recent studies have revealed the ability of CO to inhibit T-type Ca2+ channels and have unveiled a novel signalling pathway underlying tonic regulation of this channel. It is clear that the investigation of ion channels as effectors of CO signalling is in its infancy, and much more work is required to fully understand both the physiological and the toxic actions of this gas. Only then can its emerging use as a therapeutic tool be fully and safely exploited.

No / The importance of H2S as a physiological signaling molecule continues to develop, and ion channels are emerging as a major family of target proteins through which H2S exerts many actions. The purpose of the present study was to investigate its effects on T-type Ca2+ channels. Using patch-clamp electrophysiology, we demonstrate that the H2S donor, NaHS (10 μM−1 mM) selectively inhibits Cav3.2 T-type channels heterologously expressed in HEK293 cells, whereas Cav3.1 and Cav3.3 channels were unaffected. The sensitivity of Cav3.2 channels to H2S required the presence of the redox-sensitive extracellular residue H191, which is also required for tonic binding of Zn2+ to this channel. Chelation of Zn2+ with N,N,N′,N′-tetra-2-picolylethylenediamine prevented channel inhibition by H2S and also reversed H2S inhibition when applied after H2S exposure, suggesting that H2S may act via increasing the affinity of the channel for extracellular Zn2+ binding. Inhibition of native T-type channels in 3 cell lines correlated with expression of Cav3.2 and not Cav3.1 channels. Notably, H2S also inhibited native T-type (primarily Cav3.2) channels in sensory dorsal root ganglion neurons. Our data demonstrate a novel target for H2S regulation, the T-type Ca2+ channel Cav3.2, and suggest that such modulation cannot account for the pronociceptive effects of this gasotransmitter. / This work was supported by the British Heart Foundation, the Medical Research Council, and the Hebei Medical University

La plasticité synaptique représente un mécanisme fondamental de l'apprentissage et de la mémoire au cours du développement et durant la vie adulte. Au niveau moléculaire, il est connu que la CaMKII joue un rôle important dans la plasticité et la maturation des synapses. L'objectif était de démontrer par mesure électrophysiologique que la translocalisation de la CaMKII à la synapse est nécessaire à la potentialisation à long terme (LTP) des courants synaptiques. Pour tester cette hypothèse, une étape critique devait d'abord être franchie, celle d'établir une méthode robuste pour induire de la LTP dans des neurones d'hippocampe de rat maintenus en culture, où on peut manipuler l'expression et la dynamique spatiale de la CaMKII. Ce mémoire montre que cette première étape n ' a pu être établie et qu'ainsi l'hypothèse de départ n'a pu être testée. Néanmoins, je présente une méthode candidate prometteuse, faisant appel à une lumière intense, pour augmenter la fréquence des événements synaptiques. De plus, j ' a i développé un outil qui permettra bientôt d'automatiser les mesures d'électrophysiologie et microscopie nécessaires pour tester l'hypothèse de départ. Il devrait entre autre accélérer notre capacité de trouver un protocole optimal pour induire de la LTP en culture en testant un plus grand nombre de conditions expérimentales de manière rapide et reproductible.

Le bulbe olfactif (BO) est un réseau neuronal complexe qui traite et transfert les informations olfactives aux structures corticales supérieures. Le réseau bulbaire est composé d’une large population de cellules granulaires (CGs) GABAergiques qui sont continuellement renouvelées tout au long de la vie de l’animal. Cette population peut exprimer différents marqueurs neuronaux comme la calretinine (CR+) et la CaMKIIα (CaMKIIα+), mais jusqu’à présent les études ayant eues pour but de comprendre le rôle des CGs dans le BO n’ont pas pris en considération cette hétérogénéité. Cependant, il est possible que différentes sous-populations de CGs présentent des propriétés morpho-fonctionnelles différentes et jouent un rôle spécifique dans le comportement olfactif. Ici nous comparons les caractéristiques morphologiques et eléctrophysiologiques des cellules CR+ générées chez l’adulte versus les cellules qui ne n’expriment pas la calretinine (CR−), ainsi que des cellules CaMKIIα+ générées chez l’adulte versus les cellules qui ne l’expriment pas (CaMKIIα−). Nous démontrons que les CGs CR+ et les CGs CaMKIIα+ présentent des morphologies similaires mais reçoivent moins de courants inhibiteurs que les cellules négatives. Nous révélons également qu’au sein d’une même souspopulation, des cellules générées pendant le développement ou bien générées chez l’adulte ont les mêmes propriétés morpho-fonctionnelles. De plus, nous démontrons par quantification de l’expression de gènes à expression précoce immédiate ainsi que par l’inhibition de sous-populations de CGs à l’aide d’outils pharmacogénétiques combiné à des tests de comportement l’implication spécifique des cellules CR+ et des cellules CaMKIIα+ dans la discrimination olfactive spontanée et suite à un apprentissage associatif. Dans le dernier chapitre de la section Résultat, nous révélons l’existence d’une nouvelle forme de plasticité structurelle présente uniquement sur les CGs générées chez l’adulte, permettant la formation de nouvelles synapses dans un lapse de temps très court. Nous montrons que les épines disposent de fins filopodes sur leurs têtes qui scrutent l’environnement et induisent une relocalisation des épines dépendamment de l’activité. Nous montrons également que ce phénomène dépend de l’activation des récepteurs AMPA et TrkB se trouvant sur les CGs par le glutamate et le BDNF libéré par les cellules mitrales. / The olfactory bulb (OB) is a complex neuronal network which processes and transfers olfactory information to higher cortical structures. The bulbar network is composed of a large population of GABAergic granule cells (GCs) which is continuously renewed throughout animal lifetime. This population can express diverse neurochemical markers such as calretinin (CR) and CaMKIIα, but so far most of the studies that aimed to unveil the role of GCs in the OB and odor behaviors didn’t take into consideration this heterogeneity. However, it is possible that different subpopulations of GCs display different morpho-functional properties and play specific roles in olfactory behaviors. Here we compared morphological and electrophysiological characteristics of adult-born CR-expressing cells versus CR-non expressing cells, as well as CaMKIIα-expressing cells versus CaMKIIαnon expressing cells. We showed that CR-expressing and CaMKIIα-expressing GCs display similar morphological properties but receive less inhibitory inputs than their respective negative counterparts. I also revealed that among the same subpopulation, cells generated during brain development or adulthood, display the same morpho-functional properties. In addition, we demonstrated by immunostaining for early-immediate gene markers as a proxy of neuronal activity and pharmacogenetic inhibition of GC subpopulations combined with behavioral tasks, the specific implication of CR- and CaMKIIα-expressing cells in spontaneous and odor-associative learning discrimination. In the last chapter in Result section, we revealed the existence of a new form of structural plasticity occurring in adult-born, but not early-born GCs, in a very short time. We showed that spines display thin filopodia on their heads which scrutinize the microenvironment and induce spine relocation in an activity-dependent manner. We also revealed that this phenomenon depends on activation of AMPA and TrkB receptors located on GCs by glutamate and BDNF released by active mitral cells.

A ação aguda direta da Ang-(1-7) sobre o fluxo reabsortivo de bicarbonato (JHCO3-) foi avaliada por microperfusão estacionária in vivo em túbulos proximais de ratos utilizando microelétrodo sensível a H+. Em ratos WKY, a Ang-(1-7) tem efeito bifásico sobre o NHE3: em baixas concentrações causa queda do JHCO3-, enquanto que em altas concentrações estimula o JHCO3-. Em ratos SHR, a Ang-(1-7) demonstrou efeitos opostos aos dos ratos WKY; a Ang-(1-7; 10-9 M) aumentou o JHCO3-, enquanto a Ang (1-7; 10-6 M) causou significante queda do JHCO3-. Em adição, monitoramos fluorimétricamente a concentração de cálcio citosólico ([Ca2+]i) em túbulos proximais isolados, por meio do probe sensivél a cálcio FURA-2-AM. Nossos dados indicam que a [Ca2+]i em ratos WKY no controle é 99,7 ± 2,28 nM; a Ang-(1-7) aumenta esse valor. Em animais SHR o controle é 94,3 ± 1,66 nM; a Ang-(1-7) aumenta esse valor. Em conclusão, nossos dados indicam que a interação dos efeitos opostos dose dependente da Ang-(1-7) e Ang II sobre JHCO3- e a [Ca2+]i representa importante mecanismo de regulação fisiológica do volume e do pH intra-extracelular. / Direct acute effects of Ang-(1-7) on the resorptive bicarbonate flow (JHCO3-) was evaluated by stationary microperfusion in vivo in proximal tubules using microelectrode sensitive to H+. In WKY control rats, Ang-(1-7) has biphasic effects on Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 3 (NHE3): at low dose inhibits and at higher one stimulates the NHE3. In SHR rats, Ang-(1-7) displayed opposite effects on SHR when compared to WKY rats: Ang- (1-7) at low dose increases JHCO3- whereas Ang (1-7) at higher dose reduces JHCO3-. In addition, we have fluorimetrically monitored cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i) in isolated proximal tubule through FURA-2-AM. Our data show that [Ca2+]i in the WKY control group is 99.7 ± 2.28 nM. Ang-(1-7) at 10-9 or 10-6 M increases [Ca2+]i. In SHR control rats [Ca2+]i is 94.3 ± 1.66 nM; Ang-(1-7) increase [Ca2+]i. Thus, our data are indicating that the interaction of the opposing dose-dependent effects of Ang-(1-7) and Ang II on JHCO3- and [Ca2+]i may represent an important physiological mechanism for regulating the intra and extracellular volume and pH in normotensive and hypertensive individuals.

Proteínas de membrana estão envolvidas em processos fisiológicos essenciais como, por exemplo, a manutenção do equilíbrio iônico e sinalização intracelular. No entanto, apesar do envolvimento em inúmeros processos fisiológicos e de grande interesse farmacêutico, o estudo estrutural de proteínas de membrana ainda é um processo custoso e muito mais complexo do que o estudo estrutural de proteínas solúveis. Os trocadores de Na+/Ca2+ são proteínas de membrana que atuam na manutenção da homeostase de Ca2+ intracelular e estão envolvidos em processos patológicos como doenças cardíacas. Estes trocadores estão presentes em diversas espécies de mamíferos (NCX) e insetos, por exemplo, na mosca Drosophila melanogaster (CALX). A topologia destas proteínas é constituída de dois domínios. O domínio transmembranar, que contém dois segmentos de 5 hélices transmembranares (TMH) e é responsável por promover o transporte específico de íons Ca2+ e Na+ através da membrana, e o domínio citoplasmático, responsável por regular a atividade do trocador. O domínio citoplasmático consiste de uma alça que contém dois domínios sensores de Ca2+ intracelular (CBD1 e CBD2). Trabalhos mostraram que o trocador CALX é inibido pela ligação de Ca em CBD1, enquanto que trocadores NCX são ativados. As regiões citosólicas que conectam CBD1 e CBD2 à TMH5 e TMH6 são conservadas e ainda não foram caracterizadas estruturalmente. Adjacente à TMH5 há um segmento anfipático, denominado exchanger inhibitory peptide (XIP), que está envolvido no mecanismo de regulação do trocador. Na ausência de dados estruturais do CALX completo, o estudo de TMH5-XIP poderá aumentar a compreensão sobre a estrutura e o funcionamento do trocador. A construção TMH5-XIP foi fusionada à MBP no N-terminal e a uma sequência de 8 histidinas no C-terminal. Apesar da expressão da proteína de fusão ter sido bem sucedida, problemas de precipitação e ineficiência durante a clivagem da conexão com a MBP impediram a conclusão dos estudos estruturais. Logo, uma construção menor, contendo apenas a região equivalente ao XIP, foi estudada por espectroscopia de RMN em solução e dicroísmo circular. XIP forma uma 310-hélice a baixa temperatura, 7 oC, que se desestabiliza a maior temperatura, 27 oC. Estes dados permitem a formulação de hipóteses sobre o papel de XIP no mecanismo de regulação do domínio transmembranar de CALX. / Membrane proteins are involved in essential physiological processes such as maintenance of the ionic balance and intracellular signaling. However, despite their role in numerous physiological processes of well-recognized pharmaceutical relevance, structural studies of membrane proteins remain being more complex than structural studies of globular proteins. Na+/Ca2+ exchangers (NCX) are membrane proteins that play essential roles in the maintenance of the intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Not surprisingly, the NCXs are involved in pathologies such as heart diseases. These exchangers are present in several species of mammals (NCX) and insects, for example, in the fly Drosophila melanogaster (CALX). The topology of these proteins consists of a transmembrane and a hydrophilic domain. The transmembrane domain corresponds to two segments of 5 transmembrane helices (TMH) forming a 10-helix bundle that is responsible for the specific transport of Ca2+ and Na+ across the cellular membrane. The hydrophilic domain is composed of a large cytoplasmic loop, which is associated with the regulation of the ion exchange activity of the transmembrane domain. The loop contains two Ca2+-sensors domains, CBD1 and CBD2, and uncharacterized regions. Studies showed that Ca2+ binding to CBD1 inhibits the CALX, whereas it activates the NCX. The juxtamembrane cytosolic regions linking the CBD1 and CBD2 domains to the TMH5 and TMH6, respectively, are highly conserved but have not yet been structurally characterized. The segment near TMH5 is amphipathic, and it is also called exchanger inhibitory peptide (XIP). In the absence of a three-dimensional structure of the complete CALX, the study of TMH5-XIP may contribute to our understanding of the structure and operation of the exchanger. In order to study TMH5-XIP, it was fused to an MBP tag at the N-terminus, and to a sequence of 8 histidines at the C-terminus. Although the expression of the fusion protein was successful, precipitation and inefficient MBP-tag cleavage prevented the isolation of pure TMH5-XIP for structural studies. Hence, a smaller construct, containing only the region equivalent to XIP, was studied by NMR spectroscopy in solution and circular dichroism. The structure assumed by XIP in solution is temperature dependent, being intrinsically disordered at 27 C or a 310-helix at 7 C, respectively. These findings allowed us to infer how XIP could participate in the CALX regulation mechanism.

Ca2+ is a universal intracellular messenger that regulates many cellular responses. Most cells express inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3R) that mediate Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) when they bind IP3 produced after activation of cell-surface receptors. Vertebrate genomes encode three closely related subtypes of IP3R (IP3R1-3). High-resolution optical analyses have revealed a hierarchy of IP3-evoked Ca2+ signals that are thought to arise from the co-regulation of IP3Rs by IP3 and Ca2+. The smallest events ('blips') report the opening of single IP3Rs, Ca2+ 'puffs' report the almost simultaneous opening of a few clustered IP3Rs, and as stimulus intensities increase further Ca2+ signals propagate regeneratively as Ca2+ waves. The aim of this study was to establish whether all three IP3R subtypes can generate Ca2+ puffs. I first used a haploid cell line (HAP1 cells) to generate, using CRISPR/Cas9, a line lacking all endogenous IP3Rs. However, for analyses of Ca2+ puffs, I used HEK cells that had been engineered, using CRISPR/Cas9 to disrupt endogenous genes, to express single IP3R subtypes. Local Ca2+ signals evoked by flash-photolysis of caged- IP3 were recorded using Cal520 and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. The Flika algorithm was used, and validated, for automated detection of Ca2+ puffs and to measure their properties. IP3 evoked Ca2+ puffs in wild-type HEK cells and in cells expressing single IP3R subtypes. In wild-type cells, the Ca2+ signals invariably propagated regeneratively to give global increases in cytosolic [Ca2+]. This occurred less frequently in cells expressing single IP3R subtypes, commensurate with their lower overall levels of IP3R expression. The properties of the Ca2+ puffs, including their rise and decay times, durations, the size of the unitary fluorescence steps as channels closed channel during the falling phase, and the estimated number of active IP3Rs in each Ca2+ puff, were broadly similar in each of the four cell lines. The latter observation suggests that despite lower overall levels of IP3R expression (~30%) in cells with single subtypes relative to WT cells, there is a mechanism that ensures formation of similarly sized IP3R clusters. The only significant differences between cell lines were the slower kinetics of the Ca2+ puffs evoked by IP3R2, which may suggest dissociation of IP3 from its receptor contributes to the termination of Ca2+ puffs. My results demonstrate, for the first time, that all three IP3R subtypes can generate Ca2+ puffs. I conclude that Ca2+ puffs are fundamental building blocks of all IP3-evoked Ca2+ signals.

No description available.

La Maurocalcine (MCa), excellent peptide de pénétration cellulaire (CPP, Cell Penetrating Peptide) issu du venin de scorpion, présente un grand intérêt pour des applications d'administration intracellulaire de molécules ou de nanoparticules expérimentales ou thérapeutiques. Afin de développer ces applications, le peptide a auparavant subi une série d'optimisations, dont la suppression de l'activité biologique native et l'élimination des ponts disulfures intramoléculaires. Dans le présent travail, nous avons poursuivi l'optimisation du peptide par la réduction de la taille. Ensuite, nous avons développé une des applications possibles du peptide consistant en la vectorisation d'un nanobiodétecteur du Ca2+ intracellulaire.La taille de la MCa native (33 résidus) est plus longue que celle des CPPs populaires, telles que la Tat et la pénétratine (13 et 16 résidus, respectivement). Pour réduire la taille du peptide, nous avons procédé à la troncation de la MCa linéaire antérieurement conçue. Douze nouveaux puissants CPPs de taille réduite ont été produits, dont la MCaUF1-9 qui s'est révélée la plus efficace de tous à de faibles concentrations. Le CPP MCaUF1-9 paraît donc très intéressant pour des applications utilisant de faibles concentrations. La caractérisation approfondie de la MCaUF1-9 a montré sa meilleure efficacité en pénétration cellulaire comparativement à Tat, à pénétratine, et à de petits analogues dérivés des peptides de la même famille de calcine, à l'exception de l'hadrucalcineUF1-11 (HadUF1-11) et de l'hadrucalcineUF3-11 qui se sont révélés plus performants.En guise d'application, l'analogue le plus efficace en pénétration cellulaire, l'HadUF1-11, a été efficacement utilisé comme vecteur pour la délivrance intracellulaire d'un nanobiodétecteur du Ca2+ cytoplasmique formé d'un quantum dot recouvert des molécules indicatrices de Ca2+(CaRuby).Les petits analogues de MCa (dérivés de MCa ou des autres peptides de la famille de calcine) pourraient être des CPPs de choix pour divers types d'applications de délivrance intracellulaire. Pour le confirmer (ou l'infirmer) leur caractérisation extensif est nécessaire.Mots clés: Maurocalcine, hadrucalcine, nanoparticules, quantum dots, pénétration cellulaire, nanobiodétecteur de Ca2+. / The Maurocalcine (MCa), an excellent cell penetrating peptide (CPP) from the scorpion venom, presents a real interest for the development of applications for the intracellular delivery of experimental or therapeutic molecules or particles. In order for these applications to be developed, the peptide previously underwent a series of optimization processes, such as the suppression of native biological activity and the removal of intramolecular disulfide bonds. In this research, we carried on the optimization by reducing the size of the MCa and then developed one among other possible applications of this peptide which consists of the vectorization of the intracellular Ca2+ nanobiosensor.The native size of MCa (33 residues) is much longer than the size of popular CPPs such as Tat and penetratin (13 and 16 residues, respectively). To reduce the size of the peptide, we truncated the previously designed linear MCa. Twelve new powerful small CPPs were produced, among which the MCaUF1-9 that was the best in cell penetration at low concentrations. Thus, the MCaUF1-9 appears very interesting for applications that require low concentrations. The MCaUF1-9 was further characterized and happened to be more efficient in cell penetration than the Tat, the penetratin, and other small analogous peptides derived from the peptides belonging to the same family as the MCa's, except from the hadrucalcineUF1-11 (HadUF1-11) and the hadrucalcinUF3-11 which showed best performance.As application, the most efficient analogous in cell penetration, the HadUF1-11, was efficiently utilized as a vector for the intracellular delivery of an intracellular Ca2+ nanobiosensor composed of a quantum dot coated with Ca2+ indicator (CaRuby) molecules.Small MCa analogous (derived from MCa or the other peptides of the calcine family) might be the choice CPPs for diverse intracellular delivery applications. In order to confirm this, their extensive characterization is necessary.Key words: Maurocalcine, hadrucalcine, nanoparticles, quantum dots, cell penetration, Ca2+ nanobiosensor.