La O-fucosylation, catalysée par Pofut1, est une glycosylation rare qui consiste en l’ajout d’un fucose O-lié sur la sérine ou la thréonine d’une séquence consensus (C2X4(S/T)C3), portée par un domaine EGF-like (ELD) d’une glycoprotéine membranaire ou sécrétée. Notre analyse de la lignée murine Pofut1cax/cax, hypomorphe pour le gène Pofut1, a révélé une hypertrophie musculaire post-natale associée à une diminution du pool de cellules satellites. Ce phénotype est en partie associé à un défaut d’interaction entre les récepteurs NOTCH hypo-O-fucosylés des myoblastes dérivés de cellulessatellites (MDCS) et leurs ligands DSL, ce qui aboutit à une plus faible activation de la signalisation Notch. D’autres protéines potentiellement impliquées dans la myogenèse peuvent également être la cible de POFUT1. C’est notamment le cas de la protéine Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF1), qui dispose de cinq ELDs, dont deux sont potentiellement aptes à recevoir un O-fucose (ELDs III et V). Par une approche phylogénétique, nous avons montré la conservation de ces deux sites de O-fucosylation et de deux sites de N-glycosylation chez la plupart des bilatériens. Nos expériences démontrent l’occupationde tous ces sites, excepté le site de O-fucosylation de l’ELD V, chez la protéine WIF1 murine. La capacité de l’ELD III, produit de manière isolée, à recevoir un fucose O-lié a été démontrée après O-fucosylation in vitro, par l’association de cycloaddition azide-alcyne assistée au cuivre (CuAAC) et de spectrométrie de masse en mode MRM. Cette nouvelle approche expérimentale a par la suite été standardisée et sa sensibilité évaluée en comparant deux autres ELDs (ELDs 12 et 26 de NOTCH1) connus pour être O-fucosylés mais présentant des affinités différentes pour POFUT1. De façonsurprenante, l’ELD V de WIF1 ne peut être O-fucosylé, probablement en raison d’un clash stérique entre cet ELD et POFUT1, prévenant ainsi leur interaction. L’analyse de la protéine WIF1 entière a confirmé les résultats obtenus sur les ELDs isolés et démontre l’occupation des deux sites de N-glycosylation. Enfin, nos résultats montrent également l’importance de ces deux N-glycanes, mais également celle du O-fucose de l’ELD III, pour une sécrétion optimale de la protéine WIF1 murine. / The, Pofut1-catalyzed O-fucosylation, is a rare glycosylation which consists of the addition of an O-linked fucose to the serine or threonine of a consensus sequence (C2X4(S/T)C3), carried by an EGF-like domain (ELD) of a membrane or secreted glycoprotein. Our analysis of the murine line Pofut1cax/cax, hypomorphic for the Pofut1 gene, revealed post-natal muscle hypertrophy associated with a decrease in the satellite cell pool. This phenotype was partly associated with a lack of interaction between hypo-O-fucosylated NOTCH receptors of satellite cell-derived myoblasts (SCDM) and their DSL ligands, which resulted in a lower activation of Notch signaling. Other proteins potentially involved in myogenesis may also be the target of POFUT1. This is indeed the case for the protein Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF1), which has five ELDs, whose only two are potentially able to receive an O-fucose (ELDs III and V). Using a phylogenetic approach, we showed in most bilaterians that these two O-fucosylation sites and two N-glycosylation sites were conserved. Our experiments showed theoccupation of all these sites, except for the O-fucosylation site of murine WIF1 protein ELD V. The ability of the ELD III, produced as an isolated protein, to receive O-linked fucose was demonstrated after an in vitro O-fucosylation by combination of copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) and MRM-mass spectrometry. This new experimental approach was then standardized and its sensitivity was evaluated by comparing two other ELDs (NOTCH1 ELDs 12 and 26) known to beO-fucosylated but with different affinities for POFUT1. Surprisingly, WIF1's ELD V could not be O-fucosylated, probably due to a steric clash between this ELD and POFUT1, thus preventing their interaction. The analysis of the full-length WIF1 protein confirmed our results obtained with isolated ELDs and demonstrated the occupation of the two N-glycosylation sites. Finally, our results also showed the importance of these two N-glycans, but also the importance of ELD III’s O-fucose, foroptimal secretion of the murine WIF1 protein.

Dictyostelium discoideum is a social amoebozoan that is used a model system for studying a variety of cell and developmental processes, especially cell motility and chemotaxis. Genome analyses suggest that this model organism possesses a higher percentage of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)-like (EGFL) repeats than any other sequenced eukaryote, including humans. EGFL repeats share strong sequence similarity with EGF. In mammals, EGF binds to an EGF receptor (EGFR) to initiate intracellular signalling that regulates a diversity of cellular processes including cell motility and chemotaxis. Some EGFL repeats, like EGF, have also been shown to increase the rate of cell motility by binding to the EGFR and activating EGFR-dependent signalling. Despite their abundance in Dictyostelium, a function for EGFL repeats in this model eukaryote had not previously been studied. This thesis presents a collection of studies that investigated the function of a specific EGFL repeat from the extracellular, cysteine-rich, calmodulin (CaM)-binding protein CyrA. A synthetic peptide (DdEGFL1), equivalent in sequence to the first 18 amino acids of the first EGFL repeat (EGFL1) of CyrA, was shown to increase random cell motility and cAMP-mediated chemotaxis via a novel signalling pathway that did not require either of the two cAMP receptors that are active during early development of Dictyostelium. Several intracellular signalling components were identified and then incorporated into a model detailing the signal transduction regulating EGFL repeat-enhanced cell movement in Dictyostelium. Finally the expression, secretion, and localization of CyrA are presented to couple the findings from studies on DdEGFL1 function with those for the full-length protein. In mammals, a protein that localizes to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and modulates cellular processes by binding to a cell surface receptor and initiating intracellular signalling is termed a ‘matricellular’ protein. The research presented in this thesis suggests that CyrA is the first matricellular protein identified in Dictyostelium.

Dictyostelium discoideum is a social amoebozoan that is used a model system for studying a variety of cell and developmental processes, especially cell motility and chemotaxis. Genome analyses suggest that this model organism possesses a higher percentage of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)-like (EGFL) repeats than any other sequenced eukaryote, including humans. EGFL repeats share strong sequence similarity with EGF. In mammals, EGF binds to an EGF receptor (EGFR) to initiate intracellular signalling that regulates a diversity of cellular processes including cell motility and chemotaxis. Some EGFL repeats, like EGF, have also been shown to increase the rate of cell motility by binding to the EGFR and activating EGFR-dependent signalling. Despite their abundance in Dictyostelium, a function for EGFL repeats in this model eukaryote had not previously been studied. This thesis presents a collection of studies that investigated the function of a specific EGFL repeat from the extracellular, cysteine-rich, calmodulin (CaM)-binding protein CyrA. A synthetic peptide (DdEGFL1), equivalent in sequence to the first 18 amino acids of the first EGFL repeat (EGFL1) of CyrA, was shown to increase random cell motility and cAMP-mediated chemotaxis via a novel signalling pathway that did not require either of the two cAMP receptors that are active during early development of Dictyostelium. Several intracellular signalling components were identified and then incorporated into a model detailing the signal transduction regulating EGFL repeat-enhanced cell movement in Dictyostelium. Finally the expression, secretion, and localization of CyrA are presented to couple the findings from studies on DdEGFL1 function with those for the full-length protein. In mammals, a protein that localizes to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and modulates cellular processes by binding to a cell surface receptor and initiating intracellular signalling is termed a ‘matricellular’ protein. The research presented in this thesis suggests that CyrA is the first matricellular protein identified in Dictyostelium.

Les cancers hépatiques, bronchiques et mammaires sont responsables de 35 % de décès par le cancer en 2012. Les études sur des facteurs contribuant à la progression tumorale devraient approfondir nos connaissances sur la biologie de ces cancers et ouvrir de nouvelles voies pour le développement de stratégies thérapeutiques. Dans ce contexte, nous avons étudié l'impact de la neurotensine (NTS) et de son récepteur NTSR1 sur la progression tumorale et son rôle potentiel pour de futures applications cliniques. J’ai initié ce projet dans le carcinome hépatocellulaire (CHC) et participé aux projets dans le cancer du poumon et du sein qui avaient été initiés par les anciens doctorants de l’équipe. Dans le CHC, sur une série de 73 patients, la NTS et le NTSR1 ont été détectés dans respectivement 56 % et 64 % des cas. En utilisant deux modèles cellulaires nous avons montré que l’expression du NTSR1 est une cible de la voie wnt/β-caténine. Le couple NTS/NTSR1 augmente l’expression et l’activation de l’EGFR et favorise la croissance des tumeurs expérimentales et la capacité de migration et d’invasion des cellules. La régulation entre le complexe NTS/NTSR1 et les récepteurs des HERs a également été observée dans les cancers bronchiques et mammaires, la NTS induit l'expression et l'activation constitutive des récepteurs EGFR, HER2 et HER3, par l'intermédiaire de l'activation des métalloprotéinases qui libèrent les ligands “EGF-like” spécifiques d'EGFR et d’HER3. L’activation constitutive des HER par le couple NTS/NTSR1 mime les mutations activatrices des HERs, ainsi la réponse des tumeurs aux inhibiteurs de tyrosine kinase est potentialisée dans le cancer du poumon, du sein et du foie. / In 2012, Liver, lung and breast cancers represented 30% of new cancer cases, and 35% of cancer related deaths. Identification of factors contributing to tumor progression can strengthen our understanding of the cancer biology and suggest new therapeutic strategies. In this context, we studied the impact of neurotensin (NTS) and its receptor NTSR1 on tumor progression and its potential clinical application. I have initiated the project in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and participated in the projects on lung and breast cancers initiated by former PhD students. In HCC, on a series of 73 patients, NTS and NTSR1 were detected in 56% and 64% of the cases, respectively. Meanwhile, I showed that NTSR1 expression is the target of the Wnt/¦Â-catenin pathway. The NTS / NTSR1 complex increases the expression and activation of EGFR and promotes the growth of experimental tumors and the ability of the cell for migration and invasion. The regulation between the NTS/NTSR1 complex and EGF receptors were also thoroughly studied in lung and mammary cancers. Indeed, NTS induced the expression and the constitutive activation of EGFR, HER2, and HER3, through the activation of metalloproteinases which released specific "EGF-like" ligands for EGFR and HER3. Constitutive activation of HERs by the NTS/NTSR1 complex mimics the activating mutations of HERs and therefore potentiates the tumor response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors treatment in liver, lung and breast cancers.