O desenvolvimento de novas ferramentas para manipulação genética é necessário para um melhor entendimento da biologia de protozoários que causam doenças sérias e negligenciadas. Neste contexto, apresentamos uma nova aplicação do sistema Cre recombinase em Leishmania major, utilizado para a expressão condicional de genes de interesse. Como prova de conceito demonstramos por ensaios de PCR, western blotting e imunofluorescência que o gene da Proteína Fluorescente Verde (Green Fluorescent Protein, GFP) é condicionalmente expresso em função do tempo e dose de rapamicina necessários para a ativação da recombinase. A aplicação do sistema diCre em L. major é feita com o estudo da proteína Rad9, que participa na sinalização e resposta a danos ao DNA. A Rad9 de L. major possui um domínio C-terminal desestruturado, que no homólogo humano não é essencial para a formação do complexo 911 (Rad9-Hus1-Rad1), mas possui sítios de fosforilação importantes para a cascata de sinalização que mantém a integridade do DNA. Usando predições da estrutura de Rad9, a proteína foi dividida em domínios e foram geradas linhagens que expressam, condicionalmente, versões truncadas de Rad9. Por análises de PCR, western blotting, citometria de fluxo e imunofluorescência, acessamos alguns dos papeis que o domínio C-terminal de Rad9 pode desempenhar em L. major. / The development of new tools for genetic manipulation is necessary for a better understanding of the biology of protozoa that cause severe and neglected diseases. In this context, we present a new application of the Cre recombinase system in Leishmania major, using it for the conditional expression of genes of interest. As proof of concept we show by PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence assays that the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) gene can be conditionally expressed depending on the time and dose of the rapamycin treatment required for the recombinase activation. The application of the diCre system in L. major was tested with the study of the Rad9 protein, which participates in the parasite\'s DNA damage response. Rad9 from L. major presents an unstructured C-terminal domain, which in the human homolog is not essential for the 911 (Rad9-Hus1-Rad1) complex formation, but has phosphorylation sites that are important in the signaling cascade that maintains the DNA integrity. Using structure predictions of Rad9, the protein was divided into specific domains and cell lines were generated conditionally expressing truncated versions of Rad9. By PCR, western blotting, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence assays, we assessed some of the roles that the C-terminal domain of Rad9 can perform in L. major.

O desenvolvimento de novas ferramentas para manipulação genética é necessário para um melhor entendimento da biologia de protozoários que causam doenças sérias e negligenciadas. Neste contexto, apresentamos uma nova aplicação do sistema Cre recombinase em Leishmania major, utilizado para a expressão condicional de genes de interesse. Como prova de conceito demonstramos por ensaios de PCR, western blotting e imunofluorescência que o gene da Proteína Fluorescente Verde (Green Fluorescent Protein, GFP) é condicionalmente expresso em função do tempo e dose de rapamicina necessários para a ativação da recombinase. A aplicação do sistema diCre em L. major é feita com o estudo da proteína Rad9, que participa na sinalização e resposta a danos ao DNA. A Rad9 de L. major possui um domínio C-terminal desestruturado, que no homólogo humano não é essencial para a formação do complexo 911 (Rad9-Hus1-Rad1), mas possui sítios de fosforilação importantes para a cascata de sinalização que mantém a integridade do DNA. Usando predições da estrutura de Rad9, a proteína foi dividida em domínios e foram geradas linhagens que expressam, condicionalmente, versões truncadas de Rad9. Por análises de PCR, western blotting, citometria de fluxo e imunofluorescência, acessamos alguns dos papeis que o domínio C-terminal de Rad9 pode desempenhar em L. major. / The development of new tools for genetic manipulation is necessary for a better understanding of the biology of protozoa that cause severe and neglected diseases. In this context, we present a new application of the Cre recombinase system in Leishmania major, using it for the conditional expression of genes of interest. As proof of concept we show by PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence assays that the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) gene can be conditionally expressed depending on the time and dose of the rapamycin treatment required for the recombinase activation. The application of the diCre system in L. major was tested with the study of the Rad9 protein, which participates in the parasite\'s DNA damage response. Rad9 from L. major presents an unstructured C-terminal domain, which in the human homolog is not essential for the 911 (Rad9-Hus1-Rad1) complex formation, but has phosphorylation sites that are important in the signaling cascade that maintains the DNA integrity. Using structure predictions of Rad9, the protein was divided into specific domains and cell lines were generated conditionally expressing truncated versions of Rad9. By PCR, western blotting, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence assays, we assessed some of the roles that the C-terminal domain of Rad9 can perform in L. major.

Based on their highly bioactive properties in membrane phospholipids, there is growing recognition that dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may be of significant benefit in the prevention and treatment of many lifestyle related pathologies, however direct evidence is lacking. The fat-1 transgenic mouse, a genetic model of n-3 PUFA enrichment, is a useful tool in nutritional research which has provided enhanced insight into the health effects of lifelong n-3 PUFA exposure. However, the influence of timing of n-3 PUFA exposure on health related outcomes remains unclear. This thesis describes the functional characterization of the novel Cre recombinase dependent inducible fat-1 (iFat-1) transgene. In the presence of Cre, the iFat-1 transgene was found to reduce phospholipid n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios both in vitro (100%) and in vivo (upwards of 70%), suggesting that the iFat-1 transgene has potential application to address temporal effects of n-3 PUFA in health and disease. / Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship, Sun Life Financial

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Les néoplasies myéloprolifératives (NMP) sont des maladies hématologiques acquises de la cellule souche hématopoïétique. Une mutation activatrice de la protéine de signalisation JAK2, JAK2V617F, a été identifiée chez la moitié des patients atteints de NMP Philadelphie négatives. Il a été rapporté que les patients avec des NMP avaient une augmentation du risque thrombotique et de la densité microvasculaire dans la rate et la moelle osseuse, sans explication physiopathologique claire. Des travaux récents ont mis en évidence la présence de la mutation JAK2V617F non seulement dans les cellules sanguines mais également dans les cellules endothéliales (CE) de ces patients. Nous faisons l’hypothèse que la présence de JAK2V617F dans les CE pourrait modifier leurs propriétés expliquant l’augmentation de l’angiogenèse dans les NMP. Pour répondre à cette hypothèse, nous avons voulu étudier le phénotype angiogénique des cellules endothéliales portant la mutation JAK2V617F. In vitro, nous disposons des particules lentivirales permettant d’obtenir des CE JAK2V617F par transduction lentivirale. In vivo, nous disposons des souris transgéniques exprimant la mutation JAK2V617F de manière conditionnelle (JAK2V617F/WT) grâce à la stratégie Cre-lox. Pour répondre à notre hypothèse, il été nécessaire de travailler avec des modèles murins exprimant la mutation JAK2V617F spécifiquement dans les CE sans atteinte concomitante de la lignée hématopoïétique. Dans un premier temps, nous avons voulu caractériser deux modèles endothéliaux inductibles couramment utilisés, Cdh5(PAC)-CreERT2 et Pdgfb-iCreERT2, en termes d’efficacité et de spécificité de recombinaison dans les cellules endothéliales vis-à-vis du compartiment hématopoïétique. Nous avons démontré que les souris adultes Cdh5(PAC)-CreERT2 pouvaient être utilisées comme modèles endothéliaux spécifiques, avec toutefois la mise en garde que la recombinaison est très variable entre les souris. Nous avons constaté que les souris PDGFB-iCreERT2 sont appropriées pour cibler les cellules endothéliales dans une large gamme d’organes à l'exception du foie, et devraient être utilisées dans les quatre premières semaines qui suivent l'induction, pour cibler un gène d’intérêt au niveau des cellules endothéliales, sans qu’il ait une atteinte concomitante dans la lignée hématopoïétique. Nous avons ensuite étudié les propriétés angiogéniques des cellules endothéliales JAK2V617F, in vitro en utilisant des HUVEC transduites avec un lentivirus permettant l’expression de JAK2V617F, et in vivo avec les souris Pdgfb-iCreERT2;JAK2V617F/WT. Nous avons démontré que les HUVEC JAK2V617F avaient un profil proangiogénique lié à une capacité proliférative élevée, résultant de l’activation de la voie JAK2/STAT3/PI3K. L’avantage hyperprolifératif que confère la mutation JAK2V617F aux cellules endothéliales a été confirmé in vivo avec le modèle de la vascularisation post-natale de la rétine, avec toutefois une diminution de la densité du réseau vasculaire due à une augmentation de la régression vasculaire au niveau de la rétine des souris Pdgfb-iCreERT2;JAK2V617F/WT. / Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are acquired hematopoietic stem cell disorders. An activating mutation in the JAK2 signaling protein, JAK2V617F, was identified in half of the patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative MPNs. It has been reported that patients with MPN had an increased risk of thrombosis but also an increased microvessel density in the spleen and bone marrow with no clear pathophysiological explanation. Several recent studies have demonstrated the presence of JAK2V617F mutation not only in blood cells but also in endothelial cells (EC) in MPN patients. We hypothesized that the presence of JAK2V617F in EC could change their properties leading to an increased angiogenesis process in MPNs. To address this question, our aim was to study the angiogenic phenotype of endothelial cells carrying the JAK2V617F mutation. For the in vitro experiments, we used lentiviral transduction of human JAK2V617F in EC. For the in vivo approach, we used transgenic mice (JAK2V617F/WT) that conditionally express JAK2V617F through Cre-lox strategy. To investigate our hypothesis, it was necessary to work with mice that express JAK2V617F specifically in EC without concomitant expression in hematopoietic cells. We first characterized two commonly-used inducible endothelial models, Cdh5(PAC)-CreERT2 and Pdgfb-iCreERT2, in terms of efficiency and specificity of recombination in endothelial cells. We showed that adult Cdh5(PAC)-CreERT2 mice can be used as specific endothelial model with however the wariness that recombination is highly variable among mice. We found that Pdgfb-iCreERT2 mice are appropriate to target endothelial cells in a wide range of organs except liver, and should be used within the four weeks after induction of Cre-mediated recombination to target a gene of interest in endothelial cells, without having a concomitant expression in hematopoietic lineage. We then studied the angiogenic properties of JAK2V617F endothelial cells, in vitro using JAK2V617F transduced HUVECs, and in vivo using Pdgfb-iCreERT2;JAK2V617F/WT mice. We observed that JAK2V617F HUVECs had a proangiogenic profile that was related to a highly proliferative potency, and that this phenotype results from a constitutive activation of JAK2/STAT3/PI3K pathway. The hyperproliferative advantage conferred by JAK2V617F to endothelial cells was confirmed in vivo using the postnatal vascularization model of the retina, with however a decrease in the density of the vascular network due to an increased vascular regression in Pdgfb-iCreERT2;JAK2V617F/WT mice’s retinas.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), such as scrapie and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are infectious, fatal, neurodegenerative diseases. Following peripheral infection TSE agents usually accumulate in lymhoid tissues before spreading to the central nervous system. In mice, follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) expressing the host prion protein (PrPC) are essential for scrapie agent accumulation in lymphoid tissues. The accumulation of the scrapie agent on FDCs is critical for the efficient spread of infection to the brain. However, it is unknown whether FDCs themselves actively replicate the scrapie agent, or simply accumulate it following production by other cells types such as neurones, lymphocytes or other stromal cell populations. To definitively address this issue a transgenic mouse model was created in which PrPC is switched on or off exclusively on FDCs. Expression of cre-recombinase (Cre) under the action of cell-specific gene promoters can be used to induce or delete the expression of a target gene in specific cell populations. In this model, Cre expression is driven by the complement receptor type 2 gene (Cr2/CD21) which is expressed by FDCs and mature B lymphocytes. Characterisation of the CD21-cre mouse line was achieved by crossing with a ROSA26 reporter strain. The CD21-cre mouse line was subsequently crossed with floxed-PrP mouse lines to produce compound transgenic mouse lines in which PrPC expression was switched on or off, only in FDCs. Cre expression by B lymphocytes was eliminated by γ-irradiation and grafting recipient mice with Cre-deficient bone marrow. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the expression PrPC had been switched on or off exclusively on FDCs. Subsequently, the mice were challenged with scrapie by intra-peritoneal injection to determine the precise role of FDCs in the accumulation of scrapie in lymphoid tissues. Switching off PrPC expression exclusively on FDCs prevented the accumulation of TSE agent specific disease-associated PrPSc in the spleen after i.p inoculation. Conversely, in mice in which PrPC was expressed only on FDC, successful replication of the agent occurred on the FDC network in the spleen. Taken together, these data show PrPC-expressing FDCs alone are sufficient to support the accumulation of the scrapie agent within lymphoid tissues. Furthermore, these data suggest FDC replicate the TSE agent and do not simply accumulate it following synthesis by other cell types.

Dans le système nerveux central, les monoamines modulent de nombreuses fonctions essentielles comme la locomotion, la motivation, la cognition, l’humeur et le sommeil. Le niveau extracellulaire de ces neurotransmetteurs est régulé par des transporteurs à haute affinité,cependant d’autres transporteurs, à faible affinité, peuvent contribuer à la recapture des monoamines, comme les transporteurs de cations organiques (OCT) et le transporteur plasmique des monoamines (PMAT). Récemment, l’implication des OCT dans différentes fonctions centrales, notamment le contrôle de l’humeur, la réponse au stress et aux antidépresseurs a été mise en évidence. Le rôle de PMAT dans le cerveau reste quant à lui encore peu caractérisé. Il transporte in vitro les monoamines, avec une préférence pour la dopamine et la sérotonine, avec des affinités submillimolaires. Ce transporteur est exprimé dans de nombreuses régions du cerveau humain et murin et dans différents types neuronaux. Par hybridation in situ fluorescente nous avons déterminé sa distribution cellulaire précise, dans des régions à fort niveau d’expression comme le complexe du cerveau antérieur basal (BFC) et des régions appartenant aux ganglions de la base comme le globus pallidus et la substance noire réticulée (SNr). Nous avons montré qu’il est fortement exprimé dans les neurones GABAergiques exprimant la parvalbumine, dans tous les interneurones cholinergiques dustriatum ainsi qu’une petite fraction des neurones cholinergiques du BFC. Il est également retrouvé dans certains noyaux monoaminergiques comme le locus coeruleus et les noyaux duraphé mais est absent des noyaux dopaminergiques, la substance noire compacte et l’aire tegmentale ventrale.Afin d’étudier sa fonction, nous avons exploité le système Cre-lox, approche couramment utilisée en biologie, en injectant un virus adéno-associé exprimant la recombinase Cre (AAVCre)dans la substance noire (SN) de souris comportant des allèles de PMAT floxés. Cette étude ne nous a pas permis de conclure quant à la fonction de PMAT dans la SN, mais nous a conduit à mettre en évidence une toxicité majeure de cet outil. Nous avons montré que l’injection d’AAV-Cre dans la SN entraine une perturbation anatomique et fonctionnelle des systèmes dopaminergiques et de la SNr, noyau de sortie des ganglions de la base, induisant des altérations comportementales importantes, avec une hyperlocomotion basale robuste et une insensibilité à la cocaïne, potentiellement par une action génotoxique.Nous avons également généré des souris invalidées constitutivement pour PMAT (PMAT-/-). Les tests comportementaux que nous avons commencés récemment nous ont révélé des altérations comportementales significatives chez ces souris de l’activité locomotrice dans un nouvel environnement ainsi que du niveau d’anxiété. Ces altérations pourraient résulter d'une perturbation des voies aminergiques en l’absence de PMAT. Nous poursuivrons cette étude par l'exploration d'autres aspects comportementaux ainsi que par l’évaluation des modifications neurochimiques engendrées par l'invalidation. Ces approches devraient fournir des pistes afin d’identifier les conséquences de l'absence de PMAT sur la signalisation aminergique, que l'on pourra explorer plus précisément par la suite sur le plan fonctionnel / High-affinity reuptake transporters exert a crucial role in the control of synaptic transmissionby ensuring the recycling of the released transmitters into the presynaptic terminals. Other typesof transporters such as Organic Cation Transporters (OCTs) and the Plasma MembranemonoAmine Transporter (PMAT), have been shown to transport, with low-affinity but highcapacity, aminergic neurotransmitters. While the role of OCTs in central nervous system hasbeen partially unraveled, the function of PMAT remains poorly characterized. In vitro, PMATtransports preferentially dopamine and serotonin and its expression is widespread in the brain,encompassing monoamine nuclei but also projection regions. In this study, we determined theprecise neuronal specificity of PMAT in several highly-expressing regions. We show that it isfound mostly in PV+ GABAergic neurons of basal forebrain and basal ganglia, in allcholinergic interneurons of the striatum and in some cholinergic neurons of basal forebraincomplex. These systems, highly regulated by monoamines, are important for locomotion,motivation, learning and wakefulness. Our result show that PMAT is located at a strategicposition to control the aminergic modulation of these integrated functions.To investigate the implication of PMAT in these regions, we used the Cre-lox technology, avalued and widely used approach for the study of gene function in vivo, injecting an adenoassociatedvirus expressing Cre recombinase in substantia nigra (SN) of mice in which PMATgene was floxed. In this study, we could not assess PMAT function in this SN but found thatAAV-CRE expression in this region produces major toxic effects. We showed that AAV-Creinjection in this region engenders a massive decrease of neuronal populations in both parscompacta and reticulata, leading to DA depletion in the nigrostriatal pathway. This wasassociated with a drastic behavioral phenotype with increased basal locomotor activity and lossof locomotor response to cocaine. Several hallmarks of Cre toxicity were found in SN of AAVCreinjected mice, including an increase of the DNA break markers. These observationsunderscore the need for careful control of Cre toxicity in the brain and reassessment of previous studies.To study the role of PMAT, we also generated PMAT knock out mice (PMAT-/-). Behavioralstudies that we just started have revealed significant impairments of locomotor activity in a newenvironment and anxiety level, supporting a possible disruption of monoaminergic systems inthese mice. On-going studies aim to explore other behaviors and search for eventualneurochemical changes provoked by PMAT invalidation. These experiments should providesome cues to understand which monoamines and circuits may be affected, that can beinvestigated functionnally and more specifically in a second step

Engineered cellular systems are a promising avenue for production of a wide range of useful products including renewable fuels, commodity and specialty chemicals, industrial enzymes, and pharmaceuticals. Achieving this breadth of biological products is facilitated by the diversity of organisms found in nature. Using biological and engineering principles, this diversity can be harnessed to make efficient and renewable bio-based products. Such advancements rely upon our ability to modify host genetics and metabolism. This work focuses on the development of new biotechnological tools which enable cellular engineering, and the implementation of these tools in eukaryotic systems. Mammalian cell engineering has important implications in protein therapeutics and gene therapy. One major limitation, however, is the ability to predictably control gene expression. We address this challenge by examining critical aspects of gene expression in human cells. First, we evaluate the impact of selection markers, a common mammalian expression element, on cell line development. In doing so, we determine that Zeocin is the best selection agent for human cells. Next, we identify loci across the genome that support high level expression of recombinant DNA and demonstrate their advantage for stable integration. Finally, we optimize a Cre recombinase based methodology that enables efficient retargeting of genomic loci. Collectively, this work augments the current genetic toolbox for human cell lines. Beyond basic gene expression, there is interest in understanding global interactions within the cell and how they relate to phenomena including gene regulation, expression and disease states. Although our tools are not yet sufficient to study these phenomena in many hosts, methods can be developed in lower eukaryotes and then adapted for more complex hosts later. We demonstrated two methods in S. cerevisiae that utilize a systems-level approach to understand complex phenotypes. First, we developed condition-specific codon optimization that utilizes systems biology information to optimize gene sequence in a condition-specific manner. Additionally, we developed a Graded Dominant Mutant Approach which can be used to dissect multifunctional proteins, understand epigenetic factors, and quantitatively determine protein-DNA interactions. Both can be implemented in many cellular hosts and expand our ability to engineer complex phenotypes in eukaryotic cell systems.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第22366号 / 医博第4607号 / 新制||医||1043(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 林 康紀, 教授 岩田 想, 教授 高橋 淳 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

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