La transition épithélio-mésenchymateuse (TEM) est un processus qui interviendrait lors des étapes précoces (fibrose) et tardives (métastases) de cancérogenèse. Elle consiste en la perte des caractères cellulaires épithéliaux tels que les jonctions adhérentes, pour le gain de propriétés mésenchymateuses, et confère ainsi aux cellules la capacité de migration et d'invasion. Nos travaux ont eu pour objectifs d'identifier et de caractériser, sur des cellules d'origine hépatique, des biomarqueurs de TEM, afin d'évaluer de manière prédictive et fiable les effets pro-tumoraux de contaminants chimiques environnementaux. Nous avons d'abord décrypté les évènements cellulaires et moléculaires intervenant en réponse à des inducteurs de TEM, tels que le TPA sur la lignée HepG2 et le TGFβ sur des hépatocytes humains en culture primaire. Puis, combinés à l'utilisation d'une technologie innovante de mesure de l'impédance cellulaire en temps réel et à d'autres biomarqueurs (apoptose, cycle cellulaire…), ces travaux nous ont permis d'estimer l'impact de pesticides dans l'initiation de la TEM et leur potentiel cancérogène sur le foie. / The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process that occurs during the early (fibrosis) and late (metastases) stages of carcinogenesis. It is defined as the loss of epithelial characteristics such as cell adherent junctions and the gain of mesenchymal properties, thereby conferring to cells the ability to migrate and invade. Our objectives were to identify and characterize, in hepatic cells, EMT biomarkers that could reliably predict pro-tumoral effects of environmental chemical contaminants. We first characterized the cellular and molecular events that occur in response to EMT inducers, such as TPA on cell line HepG2 and TGFβ on human hepatocytes in primary culture. Then, using an innovative technology capable of measuring real time cellular impedance alongside other biomarkers of such as apoptosis and the cell cycle, we estimated the impact of pesticides on EMT and assessed their carcinogenic potential on liver.

<p>Tumor angiogenesis is critical to tumor growth and metastasis, yet much is unknown about the role vascular cells play in the tumor microenvironment. A major outstanding challenge associated with studying tumor angiogenesis is that existing preclinical models are limited in their recapitulation of in vivo cellular organization in 3D. This disparity highlights the need for better approaches to study the dynamic interplay of relevant cells and signaling molecules as they are organized in the tumor microenvironment. In this thesis, we combined 3D culture of lung adenocarcinoma cells with adjacent 3D microvascular cell culture in 2-layer cell-adhesive, proteolytically-degradable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based hydrogels to study tumor angiogenesis and the impacts of neovascularization on tumor cell behavior. </p><p>In initial studies, 344SQ cells, a highly metastatic, murine lung adenocarcinoma cell line, were characterized alone in 3D in PEG hydrogels. 344SQ cells formed spheroids in 3D culture and secreted proangiogenic growth factors into the conditioned media that significantly increased with exposure to transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), a potent tumor progression-promoting factor. Vascular cells alone in hydrogels formed tubule networks with localized activated TGF-β1. To study cancer cell-vascular cell interactions, the engineered 2-layer tumor angiogenesis model with 344SQ and vascular cell layers was employed. Large, invasive 344SQ clusters developed at the interface between the layers, and were not evident further from the interface or in control hydrogels without vascular cells. A modified model with spatially restricted 344SQ and vascular cell layers confirmed that observed 344SQ cluster morphological changes required close proximity to vascular cells. Additionally, TGF-β1 inhibition blocked endothelial cell-driven 344SQ migration. </p><p>Two other lung adenocarcinoma cell lines were also explored in the tumor angiogenesis model: primary tumor-derived metastasis-incompetent, murine 393P cells and primary tumor-derived metastasis-capable human A549 cells. These lung cancer cells also formed spheroids in 3D culture and secreted proangiogenic growth factors into the conditioned media. Epithelial morphogenesis varied for the primary tumor-derived cell lines compared to 344SQ cells, with far less epithelial organization present in A549 spheroids. Additionally, 344SQ cells secreted the highest concentration of two of the three angiogenic growth factors assessed. This finding correlated to 344SQ exhibiting the most pronounced morphological response in the tumor angiogenesis model compared to the 393P and A549 cell lines. </p><p>Overall, this dissertation demonstrates the development of a novel 3D tumor angiogenesis model that was used to study vascular cell-cancer cell interactions in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines with varying metastatic capacities. Findings in this thesis have helped to elucidate the role of vascular cells in tumor progression and have identified differences in cancer cell behavior in vitro that correlate to metastatic capacity, thus highlighting the usefulness of this model platform for future discovery of novel tumor angiogenesis and tumor progression-promoting targets.</p> / Dissertation

Le tissu adipeux périprostatique (TAPP) est potentiellement impliqué dans l’agressivité du cancer de la prostate (CaP). Nous avons identifié une association négative entre un taux élevé d’acide linoléique (AL) et d’acide eicosapentaénoïque (EPA) dans le TAPP, l’agressivité de la maladie et la migration des cellules cancéreuses in vitro. La migration des cellules tumorales est liée au phénomène de transition épithélio-mésenchymateuse (TEM), induit par des facteurs du microenvironnement, dont le TGFb et l’hypoxie. Nous avons démontré dans le CaP la signification clinique de la TEM et son facteur de transcription clé Zeb1, dont l’expression augmente lors de la progression du cancer avec un impact sur la survie. Nous avons ensuite montré que l’incorporation de l’AL et de l’EPA dans la membrane plasmique des cellules cancéreuses prostatiques inhibe la migration cellulaire et l’expression de Zeb1 induite par le TGFb et l’hypoxie, in vitro et ex vivo. Nous avons également démontré que l’expression de Zeb1 est dépendante d’une entrée SOCE, impliquant le canal SK3, et régulée par l’AL et l’EPA. Cette régulation de l’entrée calcique par l’AL et l’EPA a également été observée ex vivo dans des explants de CaP humains. / Periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) has been suggested to be involved in the modulation of prostate cancer (PCa) progression. We demonstrated herein that low contents of linoleic acid (LA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in PPAT are associated with PCa aggressiveness and cancer cell migration in vitro. Cell migration is linked to the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), induced by microenvironmental factors, such as TGFb and hypoxia. We demonstrated in PCa the clinical value of EMT and its key transcription factor Zeb1, which expression increases with the stages of PCa progression, with an impact on survival. Then we have shown, in vitro and ex vivo, that the incorporation of LA and EPA into the plasma membrane of PCa cells inhibits TGFb- and hypoxia-induced cell migration and Zeb1 expression. We also demonstrated that Zeb1 expression is dependent on SOCE influx, involving SK3 channel, and regulated by LA and EPA. This regulation of calcium entry by LA and EPA has also been observed ex vivo in human PCa slices.

Introdução: o câncer de mama que apresenta amplificação/superexpressão do HER2 apresenta-se com pior prognóstico e seu amplicon se localiza no locus 17q12-q21. O gene WIPF2, relacionado a motilidade celular, localiza-se no mesmo locus e também se encontra presente no amplicon do HER2. Objetivo: avaliar a superexpressão simultânea do HER2 e WIPF2 através de marcação imunohistoquímica. Métodos: foram selecionados 94 casos de carcinoma ductal invasor de mama, sendo possível a obtenção de material em 87. Foi realizada técnica de microarranjo tecidual e as lâminas foram analisadas. Informações clínicas foram obtidas de prontuário médico. Resultados: após microscopia óptica das lâminas de TMA obtidas e comparação com lâminas convencionais arquivadas, validou-se o método, com bom índice de correlação kappa (0,83 para receptores de estrógeno e 0,84 para receptores de progesterona). Houve associação entre a superexpressão do WIPF2 com casos Ki-67 positivos e em pacientes nuligestas. O grupo HER2 apresentou maior porcentagem de casos WIPF2 positivos em relação ao grupo triplo-negativo à microscopia óptica (66,7% vs. 22,7%, respectivamente; p=0,03). Na análise digital, o perfil molecular HER2 apresentou maior expressão do WIPF2 em relação ao perfil luminal A e ao triplo negativo (23,9 ± 9,0% vs. 14,6 ± 9,0% e 14,2 ± 9,0%, respectivamente; p=0,01). Conclusão: O WIPF2 é mais expresso por tumores com o perfil HER2, assim como se associa a tumores com maior proliferação e tumores em pacientes nulíparas. / Introduction: the breast cancer with amplification/overexpression of HER2 shows worse prognosis and its amplicon is located in the 17q12-21 locus. The gene WIPF2, related to cellular mobility, is located in the same locus and is also present in the HER2 amplicon. Objective: to evaluate HER2 and WIPF2 simultaneous overexpression using immunohistochemistry technique. Methods: we selected 94 invasive ductal carcinoma samples and it was possible to evaluate 87. Tissue microarray has been done and slides analyzed. Clinical informations were obtained from clinical files. Results: after optical microscopy of TMA slides and comparison with conventional slides, the method was validated with a high correlation kappa index (0.83 for estrogen receptors and 0.84 for progesterone receprtors). The WIPF2 overexpression was associated with positive Ki-67 tumors and nuliparous women. The HER2 group presented greater percentage of WIPF2 positive cases when compared with triple-negative group using optical microscopy (66.7% vs. 22.7%, respectively, p=0.03). With the digital analysis, the HER2 group presented greater expression of WIPF2 when compared with luminal A and triple-negative groups (23.9 ± 9.0% vs. 14.6 ± 9.0% e 14.2 ± 9.0%, respectively; p=0.01). Conclusion: WIPF2 is more expressed in the HER2 group tumors. It is also related to high proliferation index and nuliparous women´s tumors.

O carcinoma epidermóide da mucosa oral (CEMO) é uma neoplasia maligna comum; no Brasil, são estimados, para 2016, 15.490 novos casos. A invasão óssea ocorre em casos avançados.; esta é classificada em erosiva e infiltrativa. Aparentemente, o processo de transição epitélio-mesenquimal, com o envolvimento da E-caderina, é implicado. Foi investigada a expressão de E-caderina, por meio da imunoistoquímica em 15 casos avançados de CEMO e avaliada sua correlação com as características clínicas e histológicas da invasão óssea. A imunoexpressão da E-caderina foi estudada nos 15 casos de CEMO com evidência histológica de invasão óssea. A maioria dos pacientes eram homens (10 pacientes) e apresentavam invasão em mandíbula (9 casos). A expressão de E-caderina foi negativa em CEMOs com invasão erosiva e positiva nos casos que apresentavam infiltração óssea. A expressão de E-caderina na invasão óssea sugere que a participação do fenômeno de transição epitélio-mesenquimal é um fator diretamente envolvido com o tipo de invasão óssea. / Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignancy; in Brazil it is estimated, in 2016,15.490 new cases. Bone invasion occurs in advanced cases; it is classified in erosive and infiltrative patterns. Apparently, the epithelial-mesenchymal phenomenon, with important participation of E-cadherin is implicated. We investigated the expression of E-cadherin in advanced OSSC and correlated its expression with the clinical characteristics and histologic patterns of bone invasion. Immunoexpression of E-cadherin was studied in 15 cases of OSCC with histological evidence of bone invasion. Most patients were men (10 patients) and presented mandible invasion (9 cases). The expression of E-cadherin was negative in OSCC in erosive bone invasion and positive in the infiltrative bone invasion. E-cadherin expression in bone invasion suggests that participation of epithelial-mesenchymal phenomenon is dependent on the patterns of tumour bone invasion.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and unspayed female dogs. The Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a process involved in embryogenesis, carcinogenesis, and metastasis. The Transforming Growth Factor- Beta (TGF-β) pathway and its associated transcription factors are crucial for EMT induction, during which epithelial cells lose their defining characteristics and acquire mesenchymal properties. EMT has been implicated as a driver of metastasis as it allows cells to migrate and invade different organs. Recent evidence indicates that cancer stem cells are required to establish metastatic tumours at distant sites, and that EMT may promote development of cancer cells with stem-cell characteristics, thus, the EMT pathway may be an important molecular determinant of tumour metastasis. The main objective of this project was to characterise TGF-β-induced EMT in breast cancer models. EMT was induced by TGF-β in human, canine and feline breast cancer cell lines, and confirmed by morphological changes and molecular changes at the protein level by Western blot analysis. Changes at the mRNA level were confirmed in human and canine mammary carcinoma cell lines by qRT-PCR; migratory properties were assessed by invasion assays in vitro in feline and canine mammary carcinoma cells. Importantly, we observed that feline and canine mammary carcinoma cells stimulated by TGF-β acquired stem cell characteristics including sphere-forming ability, self-renewal, and resistance to apoptosis, and also enhanced migration potential. Canine cells showed resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs after TGF-β stimulation. These data suggests a link between EMT and cancer stem-cells. Moreover, global changes in microRNA expression were mapped during TGF-β-induced EMT of canine mammary carcinoma cells. This gave significant insight into the regulation of EMT in canine cancer cells and identified several potential targets, which require further investigation. During EMT cells acquire migratory properties and cancer stem-cell characteristics, suggesting that EMT and the stem-cell phenotype are closely related during cell migration and metastasis, therefore making the TGF-β pathway a potential target for the development of novel therapies against cancer and its progression.

Resumo: Transição epithelial-mesenquimal (EMT) é a conversão de células epiteliais polarizadas para células migratórias com fenótipo fibroblasto-símile. A EMT está envolvida na progressão e metástase em diversos cânceres nos seres humanos, porém permanece a ser mais bem explorada na literatura veterinária. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a imunoexpressão de proteínas relacionadas à EMT nos carcinomas mamários de cadelas (CMCs). Seis proteínas foram avaliadas por meio de imunoistoquímica em 94 amostras de CMCs. Tecidos mamários não neoplásicos de 17 cadelas e amostras de 9 tumores mamários benignos de cadelas foram avaliados de modo a determinar o perfil de imunoexpressão de Snai-1. Características anatomopatológicas foram comparadas com a imunoexpressão de proteínas relacionadas à EMT nos CMCs. A perda de proteínas epiteliais e/ou a aquisição de proteínas mesenquimais foi observada principalmente em neoplasias com evidência de invasão estromal; entretanto, somente foi observada significância estatística quando comparado S100A4 e invasão vascular. Snai-1 foi observado em células luminais de neoplasias simples malignas e em células mioepiteliais de tumores benignos ou malignos de caráter complexo, sendo também significativamente relacionado à baixa de expressão de Caderina-E. Conclui-se que a perda de proteínas epiteliais e/ou a aquisição de proteínas mesenquimais está associada com EMT e pode possuir importante papel na avaliação de CMCs. O padrão único de imunoexpressão de Snai-1 pode ajudar a distinção entre um adenoma e um carcinoma não metastático e aparenta estar relacionado à conversão de células mioepiteliais a um fenótipo mesenquimal completo. A perda de Caderina-E e citoqueratina e a mudança no padrão de imunoexpressão de Snai-1, Caderina-N, S100A4 e MMP-2 indica a ocorrência de EMT em carcinomas mamários de cadelas... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is defined as switching of polarized epithelial cells to a migratory fibroblastoid phenotype. EMT is known to be involved in the progression and metastasis of various cancers in humans, but this specific process is still little explored in the veterinary literature. The aim of this research was to evaluate the expression of EMT-related proteins in canine mammary carcinomas (CMCs). The expression of six EMT-related proteins in CMC of 94 female dogs was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, mammary tissues from 17 female dogs with no history of mammary tumor development and from 9 bitches with benign tumors were evaluated in order to determine Snai-1 immunoexpression patterns. Anatomopathological characteristics were compared with the expression of EMTrelated proteins in CMCs. Loss of epithelial protein and/or acquisition of the expression of mesenchymal proteins were observed, particularly in tumors with evidence of stromal invasion; however, significance was only observed between the S100A4 and vascular invasion. Snai-1 was only expressed in luminal cells of histologically malignant tumors and in myoepithelial cells of benign and malignant complex tumors and was significantly related to E-cadherin loss. In conclusion, loss of epithelial proteins and/or the acquisition of mesenchymal proteins are associated with EMT and may have an important role in the evaluation of CMC patients. The unique immunoexpression pattern of Snai-1 could help to distinguish between an adenoma and a non-metastatic carcinoma and seems to be related to conversion of myoepithelial cells to a complete mesenchymal-like phenotype. Loss of E-cadherin and cytokeratin and change of immunoexpression pattern of Snai-1, N-cadherin, S100A4 and MMP-2 indicate the occurrence of EMT in canine mammary carcinomas and should result in an en bloc resection or a close follow-up. / Orientador: Noeme Souza Rocha / Coorientador: Rafael Malagoli Rocha / Banca: Deilson Elgui de Oliveira / Banca: Geovanni Dantas Cassali / Mestre

Since the discovery of DNA packaging into chromatin, and McClintock's (1951) work on position-effect variegation providing evidence of non-mendelian inheritance, the principal of a genome maintaining 'on' and 'off' states has been widely adopted. However, the underlying mechanisms that regulate these dynamic chromatin states and their effect on disease are still poorly understood. DNA methylation and histone trimethylation at H3K9 and H4K20 are the core hallmarks of the heterochromatic constitutively 'off' state. Constitutive heterochromatin is predominantly comprised of repetitive satellite containing pericentromeric regions and telomeres and in mouse heterochromatin clusters into large chromocenters. These regions are cytologically more compact and generally transcriptionally silent across embryonic and differentiated mouse cell types. However, in addition to increased genomic instability, mouse tumour cells sustain increased satellite expression suggesting constitutive heterochromatin is disrupted. Therefore how constitutive heterochromatin is maintained has important implications for genome regulation and disease, and remains poorly understood. While satellite DNA sequences are not evolutionarily conserved, pericentromeric and telomeric heterochromatin occurs across species. Heterochromatin formation is therefore independent of the underlying DNA sequence, supporting the hypothesis that epigenetic components can regulate chromatin structure. DNA methylation is generally thought to be associated with transcriptional silencing and chromatin compaction. However, Gilbert et al (2007) showed that the complete loss of DNA methylation did not affect the compaction at heterochromatin or global genome compaction. The role of H3K9me3 in regulating heterochromatin has also been an area of keen interest. H3K9me3 patterns are established by suppressor of variegation 3-9 homologues and provide the binding site for heterochromatic protein 1 [HP1] which can in turn recruit Suv39h1. This Suv3-9h-HP1-H3K9 axis enables its propagation throughout heterochromatin. Peters et al (2001) demonstrated that in mice loss of suv39 homologues 1 and 2 caused a loss of H3K9me3 at constitutive heterochromatic domains. These Suv39h null mice demonstrated decreased genome stability, and an increased prevalence of oncogenesis. However cytological chromocenters are still present in the absence of H3K9me3. Therefore the function of H3K9me3 as a causative agent in heterochromatin formation is still debated. Broadly the aim was to investigate the phenotypic role of heterochromatic epigenetic components in cancer progression, and address whether H3K9me3 effects large scale chromatin structure. To identify heterochromatic gene silencing components, an inhibitor screen was performed in an artificial silenced reporter system. The reporter fluorophore was silenced by the presence of centromeric arrays from yeast/bacterial artificial chromosomes and human alpha satellite repeats enriched for H3K9me3. To address the function of the de-silencing components identified in cancer, the fitness of colon cancer cells [HCT116] was investigated before and after the development of resistance to the MEK inhibitor trametinib. The most intriguing result was that BET protein inhibition resulted in derepression of the reporter construct and trametinib resistant HCT116 cells were more sensitive to BET inhibitors, while subsequent investigation showed HP1 protein levels were altered. Analysis of publically available datasets of tumour drug resistance, showed elevated BET protein binding at HP1 promoters in resistant cell lines suggesting an indirect role in gene silencing. To investigate the consequence of H3K9me3 loss on chromatin structure, mouse embryonic stem cells that lacked both Suv39 homologues were used. Microccocal nuclease digestion and sucrose sedimentation demonstrated a global decompaction of large-scale chromatin fibres whilst re-expression of suv39h1 rescued H3K9me3 at chromocenters and global chromatin decompaction. Loss of Suv39h also increased chromatin associated RNA levels that were also rescued by Suv39h1 re-expression. This suggests that H3K9me3 has a role chromatin fibre compaction globally as well as at constitutive heterochromatin, potentially mediated by chromatin associated RNA. To conclude, multiple components were identified that are involved in transcriptional silencing. Evaluating their function in tumour progression demonstrated a possible role of BET proteins in the development of MEKi resistance that may be mediated through HP1 proteins. H3K9me3 and its binding partner HP1 affect global chromatin compaction. The global decompaction after Suv39h loss correlates with an increase in chromatin associated RNA, suggesting a possible mechanism for changes in chromatin compaction beyond H3K9me3.

Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF)–induced Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a complex cellular pathway that causes epithelial cell scattering by breaking cell–cell contacts, eliminating apical–basal polarity, and replacing epithelial markers and characteristics with mesenchymal markers. Early EMT events include a brief period of cell spreading, followed by cell compaction and cell–cell contact breaks. A forward chemical genetics drug screen of 50,000 unique compounds measuring HGF–induced cell scattering identified 26 novel EMT inhibitors, including 2 proteolytic inhibitors. Here, we show that B5500–4, one of the EMT inhibitors from the screen, blocks HGF–induced EMT by a predicted blocking of the protease furin, in addition to secondarily blocking Beta–Secretase (BACE).We also show that MMP–12 and MMP–9 are required for HGF–induced EMT to progress. MMP–12 is required for cell contraction, and its inhibition produces a continuous cell spreading phenotype.We also demonstrate that both furin and BACE activity are required for HGF–induced EMT to proceed, but that they are involved in separate pathways. We show that BACE inhibition leads to a failure of cell spreading in early EMT, and that EphA2 is a member of this pathway. We also demonstrate that it is likely BACE2, and not BACE1 that is responsible for early cell spreading. Furin is also required for HGF–induced cell scattering, but does not play a role in the cell spreading process. These findings highlight the importance of proteolytic activity at the earliest stages of HGF–induced EMT.

The ability of cells to sense oxygen is a highly evolved process that facilitates adaptations to the local oxygen environment and is critical to energy homeostasis. In vertebrates, this process is largely controlled by three intracellular prolyl-4-hydroxylases (PHD 1-3). These related enzymes share the ability to hydroxylate the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF), and therefore control the transcription of genes involved in metabolism and vascular recruitment. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that proline-4-hydroxylation controls much more than HIF signaling, with PHD3 emerging as the most unique and functionally diverse of the PHD isoforms. In fact, PHD3-mediated hydroxylation has recently been purported to function in such diverse roles as sympathetic neuronal and muscle development, sepsis, glycolytic metabolism, and cell fate. PHD3 expression is also highly distinct from that of the other PHD enzymes, and varies considerably between different cell types and oxygen concentrations. This thesis will specifically examine the role of PHD3 expression in cancer cells, with a focus on the mechanisms of PHD3 gene silencing. In the final chapters, I will examine the consequences of this silencing in cancer, and discuss the discovery of a novel role for PHD3 in epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like transition and cell migration.