Activée par la chimiothérapie, la sénescence est un mécanisme suppresseur de tumeur qui bloque la progression tumorale. Cependant, des cellules cancéreuses sont capables d’échapper à cette pression ce qui provoque une rechute clinique. Nous avons récemment décrit que les cellules émergentes acquièrent la capacité de résister à l’anoïkis et dépendent de Mcl-1. Cette voie de survie est activée par la kinase Akt qui inhibe la protéine Noxa et l’apoptose. L’une des caractéristiques de la sénescence est l’apparition d’un phénotype sécrétoire appelé SASP qui peut induire des effets délétères aux cellules voisines. Dans cette étude nous avons observé que le sécrétome des cellules persistantes induit la résistance à l’anoïkis, la migration et l’invasion des cellules parentales. Des études de protéomique réalisées au laboratoire ont montré que laTSP-1 est surexprimée dans les stades avancés de tumeurs de patients du sein et du colon. Lors de la persistance, la TSP-1 et son récepteur CD47 sont exprimés plus fortement par les cellules sénescentes. Le blocage de la TSP-1 ou de sa liaison à CD47 augmente l’émergence et induit la formation de sphéroïdes traduisant une augmentation de la proportion de cellules souches. Les facteurs d’auto-renouvellement Nanog etKlf4 sont induits précocement en réponse au traitement. Suite à l’inactivation de CD47 ou à une stimulation avec laTSP-1, l’expression de Nanog est bloquée. L’inhibition de Nanog ou de Klf4 diminue l’émergence. Ainsi, dans les cellules sénescentes, CD47 activerait le mécanisme d’auto-renouvellement et favoriserait l’émergence. En seliant, la TSP-1 bloquerait ces mécanismes et agirait comme un suppresseur de tumeur. / Activated by chemotherapy, senescence is a suppressive mechanism that prevents tumor progression. However some cancer cells can emerge and induce clinical relapse. We have recently described that emergent cells resist toanoikis and depend on Mcl-1. This survival pathway is activated by Akt kinase that inhibits Noxa and apoptosis. One of the caracteristics of senescence is the appearance of the secretory phenotype called SASP that can induce deleterious effects to neighboring cells. In this study, we observed that the secretome of persistant cells induces anoïkis resistance, migration and invasion of parental cells. Proteomics analysis performed at laboratory showed that TSP-1 is over expressed in advanced stages of colon and breast tumors. During persistance, TSP-1 and its receptor CD47 are more expressed by senescent cells. Blockade of TSP-1 or its binding on CD47 increases persistence and induces spheroïds generation showing an increase in the proportion of stem cells. Self-renewal factors Nanog and Klf4 are early expressed following treatment. Following CD47 inactivation or stimulation withTSP-1, the expression of Nanog is blocked. The inhibition of Nanog or Klf4 reduces emergence. So, in senescent cells, CD47 could activate self-renewal and could promote emergence. By linking to its receptor, TSP-1 could block these processes et coud act as a tumor suppressor.

Parkinson’s disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder,is characterized by loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. To date,there is no defined cause and cure for the disease. An ideal treatmentstrategy is to replace the lost neurons by transplanting fetal dopaminergicneurons to the brain of parkinsonian patients. Clinical trials have beenperformed and the outcome was variable where one significant obstaclewas the limited graft reinnervation of the host brain. To study this issue,organotypic tissue culture can be utilized to monitor dopaminergic nervefiber outgrowth in vitro and their association with astrocytes. Using thisculture technique, dopaminergic nerve fibers appear in twomorphologically and temporally different types. The early appearing nervefibers are formed in the absence of astrocytes, reach long distances, andare called non-glial-associated tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) -positive nervefibers. After a few days, the second sequence of nerve fibers, the glialassociatedTH-positive nerve fibers, are formed, and their growth arelimited to the presence of astrocytes, that migrate and form a monolayersurrounding the plated tissue. The aim of this thesis was to study theinteraction between nerve fiber formation and astrocytes with a specialfocus on the long-distance growing nerve fibers. Ventral mesencephalic(VM) organotypic slice cultures from embryonic day (E) 12, E14, and E18were incubated for 14, 21, 28, and 35 days in vitro (DIV). The resultsrevealed that the two morphologically different processes were found incultures from the younger stages, while no non-glial-associated growthwas found in cultures of tissue from E18. Instead neurons had migratedonto the migrating astrocytes. Astrocytes migrated longer distances intissue from older stages, and the migration reached a plateau at 21 DIV.Co-cultures of E14 VM tissue pieces and cell suspension of matureastrocytes promoted migration of neurons, as seen in E18 cultures. Thus,9the maturity of the astrocytes was an important factor for nerve fiberoutgrowth. Hence, targeting molecules secreted by astrocytes might bebeneficial for regeneration. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG), amember of proteoglycan family, is produced by the astrocytes and has adual role of being permissive during development and inhibitory afterbrain injury in adult brain. Cultures were treated with chondroitinase ABC(ChABC) or methyl-umbelliferyl-β-D-xyloside (β-xyloside) in twodifferent protocols, early and late treatments. The results from the earlytreated cultures showed that both compounds inhibited the outgrowth ofnerve fibers and astrocytic migration in cultures from E14 tissue, while β-xyloside but not ChABC promoted the non-glial-associated growth incultures derived from E18 fetuses. In addition, β-xyloside but not ChABCinhibited neuronal migration in E18 cultures. Taken together, β-xylosideappeared more effective than ChABC in promoting nerve fiber growth.Another potential candidate, integrin-associated protein CD47, was studiedbecause of its role in synaptogenesis, which is important for nerve fibergrowth. Cultures from E14 CD47 knockout (CD47-/-) mice were plated andcompared to their wildtypes. CD47-/- cultures displayed a massive and longnon-glial-associated TH-positive nerve fiber outgrowth despite theirnormal astrocytic migration. Blocking either signal regulatory protein-α(SIRPα) or thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), which bind to CD47, had nogrowth promoting effect. In conclusion, to promote nerve growth, youngertissue can grow for longer distances than older tissue, and inhibiting CSPGproduction promotes nerve growth in older tissue, while gene deletion ofCD47 makes the astrocytes permissive for a robust nerve fiber growth.

Efficient removal of apoptotic cells is critical for development, tissue remodelling, maintenance of homeostasis, and response to injury. Phagocytosis of apoptotic cells is mediated by many phagocytic receptors, soluble bridging molecules, and pro-phagocytic ligands on the surface of apoptotic cells. Macrophage phagocytosis in general is controlled by stimulatory and inhibitory mechanisms. An example of the latter mechanism is that mediated by the cell surface glycoprotein CD47, which by binding to the inhibitory receptor Signal Regulatory Protein alpha (SIRPα) on macrophages, is known to inhibit phagocytosis of viable host cells. The studies of the present thesis aimed at investigating possible changes to CD47 on apoptotic cells, which could influence their elimination by macrophages. The endoplasmatic protein calreticulin (CRT), in conjunction with Low density lipoprotein Receptorrelated Protein 1 (LRP1) on the phagocyte, can act as a receptor for collectin family members and mediate uptake of apoptotic cells. However, CRT itself was found to also be expressed on the surface of many viable cell types, and the CRT expression increased on apoptotic cells. By using antibodies to LRP1 or receptor‐associated protein (RAP), an antagonist blocking LRP1 ligand binding, we found that CRT on target cells could interact in trans with LRP1 on a phagocyte and stimulate phagocytosis. CD47 on the target cell inhibited LRP1‐mediated phagocytosis of viable cells (e.g. lymphocytes or erythtocytes), but not that of apoptotic cells. The inability of CD47 on apoptotic cells to inhibit LRP1‐ mediated phagocytosis could be explained in two ways: 1) Some apoptotic cell types (fibroblasts and neutrophils, but not Jurkat T cells) lost CD47 from the cell surface, or 2) CD47 is evenly distributed on the surface of viable cells, while it was redistributed into patches on apoptotic cells, segregated away from areas of the plasma membrane where the pro‐phagocytic ligands CRT and phoaphatidylserine (PS) were concentrated. Apoptotic murine thymocytes also showed a patched distribution of CD47, but no significant loss of the receptor. However, both PS‐independent and PS‐dependent macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic CD47‐/‐ thymocytes was less efficient than uptake of apoptotic wild‐type (wt) thymocytes. This contradictory finding was explained by the fact that CD47 on apoptotic thymocytes did no longer inhibit phagocytosis, but rather mediated binding of the apoptotic cell to the macrophage. These effects could in part be dependent on the apoptotic cell type, since uptake of experimentally senescent PS+ wt or CD47‐/‐ erythrocytes by macrophage in vitro, or by dendritic cells (DC) in vivo, were the same. In vivo, PS+ erythrocytes were predominantly trapped by marginal zone macrophages and by CD8+ CD207+ DCs in the splenic marginal zone. DCs which had taken up PS+ erythrocytes showed a slight increase in expression levels of CD40, CD86 and MHC class II. These findings suggest that PS+ erythrocytes may be recognized by splenic macrophages and DCs in ways similar to that reported for apoptotic T cells. Uptake of senescent erythrocytes by DCs may serve as an important mechanism to maintain self‐tolerance to erythrocyte antigens, and defects in this function may facilitate development of AIHA. Glucocorticoids are used to treat inflammatory conditions and can enhance macrophage uptake of apoptotic cells. We found that the glucocorticoid dexamethasone time‐ and dose‐dependently stimulated macrophage cell surface LRP1 expression. Dexamethasone‐stimulated macrophages also showed enhanced phagocytosis of apoptotic thymocytes and unopsonized viable CD47‐/‐ erythrocytes. In summary, LRP1 can mediate phagocytosis of both viable and apoptotic cells by binding CRT on the target cell. Macrophage expression of LRP1 is increased by glucocorticoids, which could be one explanation for the anti‐inflammatory role of glucocorticoids. While CD47 on viable cells efficiently inhibits phagocytosis in macrophages, CD47 on apoptotic cells does not and can sometimes even promote their removal.

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) binding to its membrane receptor CD47 results in an inhibtion of the nitric oxide (NO) receptor soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) and a decrease in intracellular cGMP levels. This causes physiologic effects such as vasoconstriction and a rise in blood pressure. The mechanism by which TSP-1 binds to CD47 at the membrane to decrease sGC activity is largely unknown. CD47 can physically associate with a number of binding partners, including α(v)β₃ and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). Binding of a C-terminal fragment of TSP-1 called E3CaG1 to CD47 leads to a rise in intracellular calcium ([Ca²⁺](i)), which decreases sGC activity via a phosphorylation event. Binding of E3CaG1 is also known to disrupt the interaction between CD47 and VEGFR2, leading to a decrease in endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) activity and cGMP levels through an Akt signaling pathway. However, it is not known whether other membrane proteins associated with CD47 are required for E3CaG1 binding and a subsequent [Ca²⁺](i) increase. Plasmon-waveguide resonance (PWR) spectroscopy was employed to elucidate the mechanism of TSP-1 inhibition of sGC activity through membrane complexes involving CD47. Using PWR, I found E3CaG1 can bind specifically to CD47 within native Jurkat membranes with picomolar and nanomolar dissociation constants (K(d)), suggesting multiple CD47 complexes are present. Among these complexes, CD47/VEGFR2 was found to bind E3CaG1 with a picomolar K(d)and CD47/α(v)β₃ was found to bind E3CaG1 with a nanomolar K(d). In addition, the presence of an anti-VEGFR2 antibody inhibited the E3CaG1-induced calcium response, which suggested CD47 in complex with VEGFR2 was responsible for TSP-1 reduction of sGC activity. I show that when both CD47 and VEGFR2 are returned to a HEK 293T cell line that does not contain these receptors, an increase in [Ca²⁺](i) upon E3CaG1 binding is restored. Interestingly, E3CaG1 was also found to bind to VEGFR2 in complex with the integrin α(v)β₃ on CD47-null cell lines and their derivations, causing a decrease in [Ca²⁺](i) levels. Therefore, the third type 2 repeat and C-terminal domains of TSP-1 can cause both increases and decreases in calcium based upon the availability of protein complexes to which it binds.

No description available.

The link between polyadenylation (pA) and various biological, behavioral, and pathological events of eukaryotes underlines the need to develop in vivo polyadenylation assay methods for characterization of the cis-acting elements, trans-acting factors and environmental stimuli that affect polyadenylation efficiency and/or relative usage of two alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites. The current protein-based CAT or luciferase reporter systems can measure the polyadenylation efficiency of a single pA site or candidate cis element but not the choice of two APA sites. To address this issue, we developed a set of four new bicistronic reporter vectors that harbor either two luciferase or fluorescence protein open reading frames connected with one Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES). Transfection of single or dual insertion constructs of these vectors into mammalian cells demonstrated that they could be utilized not only to quantify the strength of a single candidate pA site or cis element, but also to accurately measure the relative usage of two APA sites at both the mRNA (qRT-PCR) and protein levels. This represents the first reporter system that can study polyadenylation efficiency of a single pA site or element and regulation of two APA sites at both the mRNA and protein levels.

La Thrombospondine-1 (TSP-1) représente l'un des principaux activateurs endogènes du TGF-?1 et possède des propriétés anti-angiogéniques et immunomodulatrices. L'un de ses récepteurs, le CD47, joue un rôle critique dans son effet anti-angiogénique et module l'inflammation. Après obstruction urétérale unilatérale (UUO), l'expression de la TSP-1 augmente, est corrélée à celle du TGF-?1 et du collagène III et décroît avec la réparation tissulaire qui accompagne la désobstruction urétérale. L'utilisation de souris knock-out pour la TSP-1 a permis de montrer qu'elle participe au développement des lésions tubulaires rénales en favorisant les altérations vasculaires et le recrutement des cellules inflammatoires. Cet effet pro-inflammatoire dépend, au moins en partie, du facteur chimiotactique MCP-1, de l'augmentation du rolling leucocytaire et de l'activation de la voie Th17. Les souris knock-out pour CD47 bénéficient également d'une protection tubulaire et vasculaire. Cependant, elles présentent une fibrose interstitielle accrue associée à une augmentation de l'expression de la TSP-1 et du TGF-?1 qui pourrait compromettre une éventuelle récupération rénale. L'étude préliminaire de modèles de néphroangiosclérose chez le rat et la souris révèle que la TSP-1 est surexprimée dans le parenchyme rénal au cours de l'hypertension artérielle. L'intensité de son expression est corrélée à la sévérité des lésions histologiques, suggérant son rôle physiopathologique. Ces résultats montrent que la TSP-1 et le récepteur CD47 participent au développement de la fibrose rénale et représentent donc des cibles thérapeutiques potentielles au cours des maladies rénales chroniques. / Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a major endogenous activator of TGF-β1 and has anti-angiogenic and immunomodulatory properties. One of its partners, receptor CD47, plays a critical role in its anti-angiogenic activity and also regulates inflammation. After unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), TSP-1 expression increases, correlates to TGF-β1 and collagen III expression and decreases with renal repair after desobstruction. Use of TSP-1 knock-out mice allowed us to demonstrate that TSP-1 favours renal injury by increasing vascular lesions and inflammatory cells recruitment. This pro-inflammatory effect depends, at least in part, on chemotactic factor MCP-1, increasing in leukocyte rolling and engagement of T cells in Th17 pathway. CD47 knock-out mice also benefit from tubular and vascular protection after UUO. However, they exhibit increased interstitial fibrosis associated with higher expression of TSP-1 and TGF-β1, which could compromise renal repair. Preliminary study of nephroangiosclerosis models in rats and mice revealed that TSP-1 expression is induced in renal tissue by arterial hypertension and is correlated to the severity of histological lesions, suggesting its physiopathological role. These results show that TSP-1 and CD47 are involved in renal fibrosis and that they represent potential therapeutic target in the management of chronic kidney disease.

Le remodelage de la membrane plasmique de la cellule-hôte est une des stratégies d’évasion immunitaire utilisée par le VIH-1 pour persister chez un hôte. Une des protéines accessoires du VIH-1, la protéine virale U (Vpu), joue un rôle important dans ce processus en régulant négativement l’expression de plusieurs protéines de surface. Lors d’une étude de protéomique quantitative du protéome de la membrane plasmique des cellules T exprimant Vpu de manière inductible, nous avons identifié le cluster de différenciation 47 (CD47) comme une protéine potentiellement ciblée et régulée négativement par Vpu. CD47 est une protéine multifonctionnelle exprimée de manière ubiquitaire et impliquée dans plusieurs processus cellulaires, telle que l’inhibition de la phagocytose via son interaction avec la protéine régulatrice SIRPα (« signal-regulatory protein alpha »), un récepteur principalement exprimé par les cellules myéloïdes, telles que les macrophages. CD47 module aussi l’apoptose caspase-indépendante directement via son engagement induit par la thrombospondine 1 (TSP-1) ou des anticorps monoclonaux anti-CD47 spécifiques. Les macrophages sont des cellules cibles importantes du VIH-1 qui sont infectés depuis les phases initiales de l’infection malgré l’absence des virus macrophage (M)-tropiques. Plusieurs études ont suggéré que l’infection des macrophages pourrait être le résultat de la phagocytose des lymphocytes T CD4+ infectés. Dans ce contexte, nous avons examiné si la régulation négative de CD47 par Vpu durant l’infection de cellules T pouvait favoriser la phagocytose par les macrophages et ainsi contribuer à leur infection. Nous avons initialement confirmé que CD47 est régulée négativement par le VIH-1, de manière Vpu-dépendante en utilisant des souches virales de laboratoire ainsi que des souches transmises/fondatrices (T/F). De plus, la coculture des cellules T infectées avec des macrophages dérivés de monocytes (MDMs) a démontré que la régulation négative de CD47 par Vpu provoque la capture et la phagocytose des cellules T infectées par les MDMs. Bien que les MDMs soient peu susceptibles à l’infection par les virus T/F, des expériences de coculture de MDMs avec des cellules T infectées par un virus T/F ont montré l’infection des MDMs et la relâche de particules infectieuses. Sur le plan du mécanistique, nous avons démontré que la déplétion de CD47 médiée par Vpu nécessite le domaine transmembranaire (TMD) de la protéine, ainsi que les motifs double-sérine (DSGNES, qui permet le recrutement du complexe E3 ubiquitine ligase SCFβTrCP1/2) et de trafic (ExxxLV) de Vpu. En effet, Vpu forme un complexe avec CD47 via son TMD et cible CD47 pour la dégradation lysosomale, ce qui est cohérent avec un mode d’action par lequel Vpu perturbe le trafic et/ou le renouvellement de CD47 à la membrane plasmique. Pour mieux définir les implications fonctionnelles de la régulation négative de CD47 par Vpu, nous avons par la suite évalué si celle-ci a un effet sur l’apoptose. Ainsi, nous avons confirmé que l’anticorps monoclonal anti-CD47 (clone CC2C6) permet d’induire l’engagement de CD47 et provoquer l’apoptose de manière CD47-dépendante. De plus, nous avons démontré que Vpu inhibe la réponse de cellules T infectées à l’apoptose suite à l’engagement de CD47 par l’anticorps CC2C6. L’ensemble de nos résultats souligne une nouvelle fonction de Vpu dans l’infection des macrophages en augmentant la phagocytose de cellules T infectées via un processus qui implique la régulation négative de CD47 à la surface des lymphocytes. Cette découverte permettra de mettre en lumière de nouveaux mécanismes régissant la transmission intercellulaire du VIH-1 et l’établissement de l’infection dans les macrophages durant les phases précoces de l’infection, une étape clé favorisant une transmission virale systémique et potentiellement l’établissement de réservoirs viraux persistants. Nos résultats mettent en évidence également un nouveau mécanisme par lequel le VIH-1 module l’apoptose de cellules infectées pour optimiser sa réplication et sa dissémination. Une meilleure connaissance de ces processus est importante pour le développement de nouvelles stratégies thérapeutique et vaccinale contre l’infection par le VIH-1. / Remodelling of the host cell plasma membrane is one of the strategies used by HIV to evade host immune responses. One of the accessory proteins of HIV-1, the viral protein U (Vpu), plays a key role in this process by downregulating the expression of several cell-surface molecules. In the context of plasma membrane profiling studies of T cells inducibly-expressing HIV-1 Vpu, we identified the cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47) as a putative target downregulated by Vpu. CD47 is a ubiquitously expressed multifunctional protein involved in many cellular processes, such as inhibition of phagocytosis via its interaction with the signal-regulatory protein alpha (SIRPα), a surface receptor mainly expressed by myeloid cells, such as macrophages. In addition, CD47 modulates caspase-independent apoptosis directly through its ligation induced by thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1) or specific anti-CD47 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Macrophages are important targets of HIV-1, they are infected at early stages of infection despites the absence of macrophage (M)-tropic viruses, and several studies suggested that the infection of macrophages might result from phagocytosis of HIV-1-infected CD4+ T lymphocytes. In this context, we investigated whether Vpu-mediated CD47 downregulation during infection of T cells promotes the phagocytosis by macrophages and contributes to their infection. We firstly confirmed that surface CD47 is downregulated by HIV-1, in a Vpu-dependent manner by using either laboratory adapted or transmitted/founder (T/F) strains. Furthermore, cocultures of HIV-1-infected T cells with monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) revealed that CD47 downregulation by Vpu promotes capture and phagocytosis of infected T cells by MDMs. Importantly, while MDMs were weakly susceptible to infection by cell-free T/F virus, coculture experiments of MDMs with T/F virus-infected T cells led to infection of MDMs and release of infectious particles. Mechanistically, Vpu-mediated depletion of CD47 was found to require the transmembrane domain (TMD), the SCFβTrCP1/2 E3 ubiquitin ligase-interacting diserine motif (DSGNES), as well as the trafficking motif (ExxxLV) of Vpu. Indeed, Vpu can form a physical complex with CD47 through its TMD and target CD47 for lysosomal degradation, consistent with a mechanism whereby Vpu alters the trafficking and/or turnover of CD47 at the plasma membrane. To better define the functional implications of the Vpu-mediated CD47 downregulation, we subsequently evaluated whether this would regulate apoptosis. We confirmed that anti-CD47 mAb CC2C6 was able to induce CD47 ligation and promote apoptosis in a CD47-dependent manner. Furthermore, we showed that Vpu inhibited the response of HIV-1-infected cells to apoptosis following CD47 ligation induced by CC2C6 mAb. Altogether, our results highlight a novel function of Vpu in promoting infection of macrophages by increasing the phagocytosis of HIV-1-infected T cells through a process that involves downregulation of surface CD47. This finding provides new insights into the mechanisms governing the intercellular transmission of HIV-1 and the establishment of infection in macrophages during early stages of infection, a key step for a systematic viral transmission and potentially the establishment of persistent viral reservoirs. Our results also identify a new mechanism by which HIV-1 modulates apoptosis of infected T cells to optimize its replication and dissemination. A better understanding of these processes is important for developing novel therapeutic and vaccine strategies against HIV-1 infection.

L’importance respective des lymphocytes T régulateurs naturels générés dans le thymus ou induits en périphérie dans la régulation immunitaire et la résolution de l’inflammation est désormais bien établie. Nous avons contribué à mettre en évidence une nouvelle voie d’induction de lymphocytes T régulateurs périphériques à partir de cellules T humaines CD4+CD25- naïves et mémoires. Nous avons montré que l’engagement de la molécule ubiquitaire transmembranaire CD47 sur la cellule T par un anticorps monoclonal ou par le peptide 4N1K (peptide dérivé du domaine carboxy-terminal de la thrombospondine-1 et spécifique du site de liaison à CD47) induisait des lymphocytes T CD4+ régulateurs exerçant une fonction suppressive sur les lymphocytes T effecteurs. Les propriétés suppressives induites par la thrombospondine-1 confortent les fonctions anti-inflammatoires de cette protéine de la matrice extracellulaire. L’inhibition exercée par les lymphocytes T régulateurs induits dépend du contact intercellulaire entre les cellules T régulatrices et leurs cibles, et est indépendante du TGF-. Nos résultats démontrent également le rôle de CD47 sur le lymphocyte T CD4+ dans la réponse immunitaire spécifique de l’antigène in vivo. En effet, les souris BALB/c déficientes pour CD47 présentent un biais de la sécrétion d’anticorps et de cytokines de type Th1, alors que les souris BALB/c sont décrites comme exprimant un profil de production de cytokines de type Th2. Nos travaux mettent en évidence le rôle de CD47 dans l’inhibition du développement d’une réponse cellulaire et humorale de type Th1 in vivo, confirmant de précédentes études in vitro réalisées avec des cellules T CD4+ humaines. Nous présentons également le rôle inhibiteur de l’engagement de CD28 in vitro sur la différenciation en cellules Th17 des lymphocytes T CD4+ naïfs isolés de souris BALB/c. Le mécanisme proposé est dépendant de la production de l’IL-2 et de l’IFN- et indépendant de la présence de lymphocytes T régulateurs. Notre étude du rôle de deux molécules transmembranaires CD47 et CD28 exprimées sur la cellule T CD4+, contribue à une meilleure connaissance des mécanismes impliqués dans la tolérance immunologique, la résolution de l’inflammation et la différenciation des cellules T "helper" CD4+. / Nowadays, the importance of natural regulatory T cells and adaptive regulatory T lymphocytes in immune regulation and resolution of inflammation are well established. We report a previously unknown pathway to generate adaptive regulatory T cells in the periphery from naive and memory human CD4+CD25- T cells. We show that the stimulation of the broadly expressed transmembrane proteins CD47 on T cells by a monoclonal antibody or by the 4NK1 peptide (carboxy-terminal peptide of thrombospondin-1 (TSP) specific of the binding site of CD47) induced regulatory T cells that exerted an inhibitory function on effector T cells. Our study on the suppressive proprieties of the TSP corroborates with reported anti-inflammatory activities of this extracellular matrix protein. The suppressive function of TSP induced regulatory T cells was contact-dependent and TGF--independent. Our data further demonstrate the role of CD47 expression on T cells in the antigenic-specific immune response in vivo. We report that the CD47-deficient BALB/c mice displayed a Th1-biased antibody and cytokine responses, instead of the Th2 cytokine profile observed in unmanipulated BALB/c mice. Our study outlines the role of CD47 as a self-control mechanism to negatively regulate type 1 cellular and humoral immune responses and most importantly confirm in vivo previous in vitro studies with human CD4+ T cells. We also report that soluble anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody suppressed in vitro differentiation of naïve CD4+ T cells isolated from BALB/c mice into IL-17-producing cells by mechanism that are IL-2 and IFN-γ-dependent but independent of the presence of regulatory T cells. Our studies highlight the suppressive function of two transmembrane molecules CD47 and CD28 expressed by CD4+ T cells in vitro and in vivo in human and mice. They thus may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the induction of immune tolerance, the resolution of inflammation and the differentiation of the T helper cells.

L’importance respective des lymphocytes T régulateurs naturels générés dans le thymus ou induits en périphérie dans la régulation immunitaire et la résolution de l’inflammation est désormais bien établie. Nous avons contribué à mettre en évidence une nouvelle voie d’induction de lymphocytes T régulateurs périphériques à partir de cellules T humaines CD4+CD25- naïves et mémoires. Nous avons montré que l’engagement de la molécule ubiquitaire transmembranaire CD47 sur la cellule T par un anticorps monoclonal ou par le peptide 4N1K (peptide dérivé du domaine carboxy-terminal de la thrombospondine-1 et spécifique du site de liaison à CD47) induisait des lymphocytes T CD4+ régulateurs exerçant une fonction suppressive sur les lymphocytes T effecteurs. Les propriétés suppressives induites par la thrombospondine-1 confortent les fonctions anti-inflammatoires de cette protéine de la matrice extracellulaire. L’inhibition exercée par les lymphocytes T régulateurs induits dépend du contact intercellulaire entre les cellules T régulatrices et leurs cibles, et est indépendante du TGF-. Nos résultats démontrent également le rôle de CD47 sur le lymphocyte T CD4+ dans la réponse immunitaire spécifique de l’antigène in vivo. En effet, les souris BALB/c déficientes pour CD47 présentent un biais de la sécrétion d’anticorps et de cytokines de type Th1, alors que les souris BALB/c sont décrites comme exprimant un profil de production de cytokines de type Th2. Nos travaux mettent en évidence le rôle de CD47 dans l’inhibition du développement d’une réponse cellulaire et humorale de type Th1 in vivo, confirmant de précédentes études in vitro réalisées avec des cellules T CD4+ humaines. Nous présentons également le rôle inhibiteur de l’engagement de CD28 in vitro sur la différenciation en cellules Th17 des lymphocytes T CD4+ naïfs isolés de souris BALB/c. Le mécanisme proposé est dépendant de la production de l’IL-2 et de l’IFN- et indépendant de la présence de lymphocytes T régulateurs. Notre étude du rôle de deux molécules transmembranaires CD47 et CD28 exprimées sur la cellule T CD4+, contribue à une meilleure connaissance des mécanismes impliqués dans la tolérance immunologique, la résolution de l’inflammation et la différenciation des cellules T "helper" CD4+. / Nowadays, the importance of natural regulatory T cells and adaptive regulatory T lymphocytes in immune regulation and resolution of inflammation are well established. We report a previously unknown pathway to generate adaptive regulatory T cells in the periphery from naive and memory human CD4+CD25- T cells. We show that the stimulation of the broadly expressed transmembrane proteins CD47 on T cells by a monoclonal antibody or by the 4NK1 peptide (carboxy-terminal peptide of thrombospondin-1 (TSP) specific of the binding site of CD47) induced regulatory T cells that exerted an inhibitory function on effector T cells. Our study on the suppressive proprieties of the TSP corroborates with reported anti-inflammatory activities of this extracellular matrix protein. The suppressive function of TSP induced regulatory T cells was contact-dependent and TGF--independent. Our data further demonstrate the role of CD47 expression on T cells in the antigenic-specific immune response in vivo. We report that the CD47-deficient BALB/c mice displayed a Th1-biased antibody and cytokine responses, instead of the Th2 cytokine profile observed in unmanipulated BALB/c mice. Our study outlines the role of CD47 as a self-control mechanism to negatively regulate type 1 cellular and humoral immune responses and most importantly confirm in vivo previous in vitro studies with human CD4+ T cells. We also report that soluble anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody suppressed in vitro differentiation of naïve CD4+ T cells isolated from BALB/c mice into IL-17-producing cells by mechanism that are IL-2 and IFN-γ-dependent but independent of the presence of regulatory T cells. Our studies highlight the suppressive function of two transmembrane molecules CD47 and CD28 expressed by CD4+ T cells in vitro and in vivo in human and mice. They thus may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the induction of immune tolerance, the resolution of inflammation and the differentiation of the T helper cells.