Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis (IPN), due to infection with the IPN virus (IPNv), continues to cause heavy mortalities and is endemic across the major Atlantic salmon farming regions of the world. Prevalances of 0.3-0.8 or more at the freshwater stage and 0.05 to 0.3 in the seawater phase of production are typical. Partially effective injectable vaccines are available against seawater IPN but biosecurity measures remain the main methods of control. To explore the feasibility of selecting salmon for resistance to IPN, a selective breeding program was initiated in 1996, including a series of field and experimental trials challenging known full-sib families with IPNv. A total of 404,723 fish faced IPNv challenge (376,541 seawater and 28,182 freshwater) covering 14 years and 17 separate locations across 7 sites. Mortalities and survivors following IPN challenge were counted by full-sib family and analysed as binomial data (alive / dead). Initial heritabilities were obtained from expressions based on the variance and covariance of full-sib family means for the 2001 year-group, indicating heritabilities (h2) of 0.16, range 0.08 to 0.24, and genetic correlations (rg) between replicate families of 0.71 to 0.78. These results were then confirmed by residual maximum likelihood across all seawater challenged data (year-groups 1997-2003), indicating a h2 of 0.43 (s.e.0.02) across all sites, range 0.06 to 0.40 for individual sites, and a range of rg between replicates of 0.70 to 0.87 (s.e. approx 0.05). To accommodate datasets and pedigrees approaching half a million individually identified fish, an implementation of the Reduced Animal model (RAM) was used to obtain these estimates. A similar level of genetic variation for resistance to freshwater IPN (year-groups 2005-2009) was confirmed with a h2 of 0.49, (s.e. 0.03), range 0.31 to 0.59, and rg between replicates ( 0.80 to 0.95, s.e. approx 0.05), using an Individual Animal Model. When all the data were analysed together, assuming seawater and freshwater survival to be the same trait, the heritability increased to 0.67, (s.e. 0.02). On testing this assumption, the genetic correlation between freshwater and seawater survival was found to be 0.68 s.e. 0.09. Both these pooled estimates account better than those for the individual site estimates, for the known selection of superior families that was incorporated at the earliest opportunity (2001) into the selective breeding program. To further investigate if there were favourable or antagonistic relationships operating between traits under active selection, genetic correlations between IPN mortality and a range of performance and harvest traits were obtained. When restricting the harvest data to year-groups where the harvested fish had not experienced an IPN event (2003 for seawater IPN, 2005 for freshwater IPN) : fish length and flesh colour just reached significance with seawater IPN (0.27 to 0.53. s.e. 0.14), while only harvest weight (0.30 s.e 0.11) attained significance with freshwater IPN mortality. All these correlations were antagonistic. When all the data were combined, (ie both IPN and harvest events taken from all yeargroups) these became non-significant. Taken as a whole, these results indicate that selecting salmon for resistance to both seawater and freshwater IPN challenge certainly is feasible, and that adverse effects on selection for other important production traits is not expected. How these medium to high heritabilities relate to the discovery of a major QTL for IPN resistance segregating in these populations, reported in a parallel scheme of work but based on a sub-set of the same families, is discussed.

Les lysosomes contiennent environ soixante hydrolases différentes, qui peuvent dégrader une grande variété de macromolécules. L’activité de ces enzymes est dépendante du pH, maintenu dans les lysosomes entre 4.5 et 5.0 par une pompe à protons : la v-ATPase. Les produits de dégradation sont recyclés dans le cytoplasme par des transporteurs actifs secondaires de la membrane des lysosomes.Les maladies de surcharges lysosomales sont causées par des mutations de gènes codant pour des protéines lysosomales, souvent des enzymes. Elles sont caractérisées par un engorgement des lysosomes avec des agrégats ou des cristaux. Les symptômes associés à ces maladies sont variés, mais la moitié d’entre elles induisent des défauts neurologiques. L’étude de ces maladies a permis d’élucider la fonction de nombreuses enzymes, mais la connaissance des transporteurs lysosomaux reste parcellaire. Peu de ces transporteurs sont ainsi caractérisés au niveau moléculaire.Je me suis intéressé à deux gènes dont la mutation provoque une maladie de surcharge particulière : CLN3 et CLN7. Leur mutation provoque des céroïdes lipofuscinoses neuronales, des maladies de surcharge lysosomales caractérisées par une neurodégénérescence précoce et par l’accumulation dans les lysosomes d’un pigment autofluorescent, la lipofuscine. La mutation de 14 gènes différents cause une céroïde lipofuscinose neuronale. J’ai étudié CLN3 et CLN7 car ils codaient pour des protéines membranaires du lysosome, qui pourraient donc être des transporteurs.Sur CLN7, j’ai effectué des tests de transport en utilisant les acides aminés comme substrats potentiels, sans résultats probants. Concernant CLN3, le contenu métabolique de lysosomes a été étudié par spectrométrie de masse dans des souris WT ou de souris où le gène CLN3 était déficient. Les lysosomes des cellules déficientes contenaient moins de produits de la protéolyse, ce qui suggérait que CLN3 était important pour la protéolyse lysosomale. Cela a été confirmé par des mesures plus directes sur des neurones et des fibroblastes primaires, et sur des fibroblastes immortalisés. Ces résultats pourraient aider à comprendre les premières étapes de la physiopathologie dans les cellules où des gènes CLN sont déficients.Pour accroître le nombre de transporteurs lysosomaux potentiels, j’ai participé à la finalisation d’une étude par protéomique de la membrane lysosomale. Elle a révélé 46 potentiels transporteurs de fonction encore inconnue. Dans cette liste, j’ai étudié TMEM104, SPINSTER, MFSD1, SLC37A2, TTYH3 et SNAT7. Pour ce faire, j’ai d’abord muté les motifs d’adressage de ces protéines pour les rediriger, lors de leur synthèse, vers la membrane plasmique, afin de faciliter leur étude. Aucune fonction claire n’a pu être identifiée par cette approche.SNAT7 appartenait cependant à une famille de transporteurs de glutamine, ce qui était suffisamment encourageant pour envisager d’autres approches. Sa fonction a ainsi été étudiée en développement un nouveau test indirect basé sur la détection d’une surcharge artificielle des lysosomes en acides aminés. Un test fonctionnel plus direct a ensuite été mis au point sur des fractions enrichies en lysosomes en utilisant des acides aminés radiomarqués. Ces deux tests ont montré que SNAT7 était un transporteur spécifique de l’asparagine et de la glutamine.J’ai enfin étudié l’hypothèse suggérant que SNAT7 pourrait jouer dans la nutrition de cellules cancéreuses. En effet, certaines utilisent la glutamine comme nutriment principal à la place du glucose ; mais les apports sanguins en glutamine, dans les tumeurs, sont parfois insuffisants. La glutamine est donc obtenue par macropinocytose de protéines extracellulaires et dégradation lysosomale de ces protéines, avant un recyclage vers le cytoplasme. J’ai montré qu’en l’absence de SNAT7, ce phénomène était bloqué. SNAT7 est donc une cible thérapeutique intéressante pour tenter de bloquer l’approvisionnement des cellules cancéreuses en glutamine. / Within lysosomes, about sixty different hydrolases degrade macromolecules. This degradation is dependent on the acidity of the lysosomal lumen, which pH ranges between 4.5 and 5.0. The lysosomal pH is maintained by the v-ATPase, a proton pump. Lysosomal degradation generates catabolites, which can be recycled to cytosol by secondary active transporters: lysosomal transporters.The dysfunction of lysosomal proteins leads to lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs), rare inherited metabolic diseases characterised by accumulation of material inside lysosomes. Depending on the mutated gene, symptoms of LSDs vary greatly, although about half of LSD patients display some kind of neurodegenerative symptoms. Studying the physiopathology of LSDs has led to a good understanding of the function of lysosomal enzymes, but the knowledge of lysosomal transporters remain poor, since only a few LSDs has been shown to be linked with a mutation in a lysosomal transporter gene.I focused on two proteins which dysfunction causes a special type of LSDs: CLN3 and CLN7. Mutations in CLN3 and CLN7 cause neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs), a special type of LSD which has mostly neurodegenerative symptoms and which is characterized by the accumulation of a specific pigment inside lysosomes: lipofuscin. There are fourteen NCL genes, but CLN3 and CLN7 are the two only proteins of the family which are resident proteins of the lysosomal membrane, suggesting they might be transporters.Amino acids were screened as possible substrates for CLN7, but none could be shown to be transported. For CLN3, the content in metabolites of lysosomes from Cln3-deficient mice and from WT mice were compared by mass spectrometry, revealing a specific decrease in the amount of catabolites of proteins in lysosomes from Cln3-deficient mice. This suggested a lack of lysosomal proteolysis, which was checked in neurons, in primary fibroblasts and in immortalized fibroblasts. These results suggested that CLN proteins could take part to a metabolic pathway important for lysosomal proteolysis and, more generally, for neuronal health. These results could help improve the understanding of the early steps of NCL physiopathology.To extend the number of candidates for lysosomal transporters, I took part to the validation step of an extensive proteomic study of the lysosomal membrane, which revealed forty-six new candidates for lysosomal transporters. I studied in more details TMEM104, SPINSTER, MFSD1, SLC37A2, TTYH3 and SNAT7. Proteins were overexpressed in HeLa cells to check for lysosomal localization. Then, their putative sorting motifs were mutated to misroute their expression to plasma membrane and to enable their functional study. No function could elucidate for the first five candidates.SNAT7 could not be misrouted to plasma membrane either, but, since it belonged to a family of transporters for glutamine, its function was studied by an indirect assay based on a lysosomal overload in amino acids and a direct transport measure on lysosome-enriched cellular fractions. Thus, SNAT7 was shown to be a lysosomal transporter selective for glutamine and asparagine.The function of SNAT7 is the nutrition of cancer cells was then studied. Many cancer cells use glutamine as their main source of carbon, nitrogen and energy. Because of insufficient blood supply, they use macropinocytosis to uptake extracellular proteins, which degradation in lysosomes generates glutamine. Then, glutamine is recycled to the cytosol. SNAT7 was shown to be critical in this process: in glutamine-dependent cancer cells, when SNAT7 expression is reduced, cells cannot obtain glutamine from extracellular proteins. Thus, blocking SNAT7 is a promising approach to target specifically the metabolism of cancer cells.

Orientador: José Paes de Oliveira Filho / Resumo: A Trombastenia de Glanzmann (TG) é uma doença hereditária autossômica recessiva caracterizada por alterações na agregação plaquetária, culminando em sinais clínicos como hemorragias e epistaxe. Duas mutações (c.122G>C e g.1456_1466del) no gene Integrin subunit alpha2β (ITGA2B) foram descritas como responsáveis pela ocorrência da TG em equinos de diversas raças, dentre elas: Quarto de Milha, Puro Sangue Inglês, Standardbred, Oldenburg e Passo Fino. Este gene codifica a subunidade αIIb da integrina αIIbβ3, que é receptora de fibrinogênio nas plaquetas. Embora a TG tenha sido diagnosticada nos EUA, Canadá, Japão e Austrália, estudos de prevalência em equinos no Brasil e no mundo são inexistentes. Objetivou-se determinar a prevalência destas mutações em equinos no Brasil. Utilizou-se 1.053 amostras, oriundas do banco de DNA do LBMCV, de equinos Quarto de Milha (n=679) e Warmblood (n=374) clinicamente saudáveis. Segmentos do DNA foram amplificados por PCR e sequenciados. O genótipo de cada animal foi analisado e comparado à sequência de nucleotídeos do gene ITGA2B depositada no GenBankTM. As mutações responsáveis pela TG não estavam presentes na população estudada. Em outras palavras, todos os animais testados apresentaram genótipo wild type. Sendo assim, nas condições em que este estudo foi realizado, pode-se inferir que, apesar de não ser possível afirmar que não existam cavalos carreadores de alelos mutados para a doença no Brasil, a TG parece ser uma doença extremamente rara n... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder characterized by changes in platelet aggregation, leading to hemorrhage and epistaxis. Two different mutations (c.122G>C and g.1456_1466del) in the Integrin subunit alpha2β gene (ITGA2B) have been identified in different breeds, i.e., Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, Standarbred, Oldenburg and Paso Fino. ITGA2B codifies the αIIb subunit of the αIIbβ3 integrin, also termed platelet fibrinogen receptor. Horses with GT have been diagnosed in USA, Canada, Japan and Australia. However, there are no studies on prevalence of GT in equines in the world. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of the mutations responsible for GT in horses in Brazil. A total of 1,053 DNA samples of clinically healthy Quarter Horse (n = 679) and Warmblood horses (n = 374) were used. DNA fragments were amplified by PCR and sequenced. Subsequently, the genotype of each animal was analyzed and compared to the nucleotide sequence of the ITGA2B gene found on GenBankTM. The mutations involved with GT in horses were not prevalent in the cohort of horses assessed. In other words, all animals tested were wild type. Therefore, under the conditions in which this study was carried out, it can be inferred that, although it is not possible to state the absence of mutated allelles in Brazilian horses, GT seems to be extremely rare in the population of Quarter Horse and Warmblood in Brazil. / Mestre

Orientador: José Paes de Oliveira Filho / Resumo: O estudo das doenças de origem genética em animais domésticos se torna cada vez mais relevante, sobretudo em cães, uma vez que estes animais podem servir como modelos experimentais para certas doenças em humanos. Além disso, o reconhecimento clínico de algumas destas enfermidades pode ser um entrave ao Médico Veterinário e em algumas ocasiões o teste genético que confirmaria a etiologia não está disponível no país. A Nefropatia Familiar (FN) causada pela mutação c.115A>T no gene colágeno tipo 4α4 (COL4A4), e a Atrofia Progressiva da Retina (prcd-PRA), causada pela mutação c.5G>A no gene da degeneração cone-bastonete progressiva (PRCD), se destacam entre as principais enfermidades hereditárias de origem genética que acometem cães da raça Cocker Spaniel Inglês (CSI). Até o momento a prevalência destas enfermidades nesta raça não havia sido verificada no Brasil, sendo assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a frequência alélica destas mutações no CSI. Para tanto, foram genotipados 220 e 216 CSI para a prcd-PRA e FN, respectivamente. Fragmentos do DNA, contendo cada uma das mutações, foram amplificados por reação em cadeia da polimerase e submetidos ao sequenciamento gênico direto. A frequência alélica da mutação c.115A>T no gene COL4A4 foi de 0,9% e da mutaçao c.5G>A no gene PRCD foi de 25,5%. Tais valores enfatizam a importância da realização dos testes de genotipagem nos cães da raça CSI como método de diagnóstico precoce principalmente para a orientação dos acasalamentos v... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The study of genetic diseases in domestic animals has become more relevant, especially in dogs, once these animals can serve as experimental models in the study of some human genetic diseases. Besides, these diseases can be hard to recognize on their clinical signs by the practitioners, and the genetic tests that can confirm them are usually available only abroad. Familial Nephropathy (FN) due to the mutation c.115A> T in the 4α4 collagen gene (COL4A4), and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (prcd-PRA) due to the mutation c.5G> A in the progressive rod cone degeneration gene (PRCD), are important genetic diseases of English Cocker Spaniel dogs (ECS) dogs. Since the prevalence of these diseases wasn’t verified in Brazil so far, this study aims to evaluate the allelic frequencies of the mutations c.115A>T in the COL4A4 gene and c.5G>A in the PRCD gene in English Cocker Spaniel dogs. For that, purified DNA from blood samples or buccal swab from 220 and 216 ECS for prcd-PRA and FN, respectively. DNA fragments with the mutation region were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and submitted to direct genomic sequencing. The allelic frequency of the mutation c.115A>T in the COL4A4 gene was 0.9% and the c.5G>A in the PRCD gene was 25.5%. The results in this study emphasizes the importance to realize the genotyping test in ECS as an early diagnostic test, not only for trying an improvement of the affected dogs’ life quality but also for breeding orientation to avoid clinical cases of the d... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Concernant près de 7000 personnes en France, la mucoviscidose est une maladie génétique évolutive dont les atteintes sont multiples. Ces dernières décennies, l’amélioration de la prise en charge des malades a permis de faire évoluer leur durée de vie, et donc d’augmenter la part d’adultes dans la population touchée. Cela a naturellement amené à de nouvelles problématiques concernant la vie des malades, notamment en termes de procréation. A partir des données du Registre Français de la Mucoviscidose récoltées entre 1992 et 2011, ce travail avait d’une part pour objectif d’étudier la fécondité de cette population et de mieux cerner les caractéristiques des femmes atteintes de la maladie, et d’autre part d’identifier les interactions se jouant entre la mucoviscidose et la survenue d’une grossesse. Les résultats ont montré un certain décalage entre la fécondité de la population française générale et celle de la population malade, expliqué en partie par la jeunesse des patientes et leurs comportements conjugaux et scolaires. Une étude de leurs caractéristiques a permis de mettre en évidence l’évolution du nombre de femmes suivies chaque année et leur avancée en âge, mais également l’amélioration de leur état de santé et de l’offre de soin qui leur est proposée. Des analyses multi-variées ont permis par la suite de distinguer les caractéristiques les plus prédictives de la survenue d’une première grossesse : si certaines variables médicales apparaissent significatives, la plupart sont d’ordre sociodémographique. Enfin, ces analyses ont pu mettre en avant le fait que l’effet à court terme de la grossesse sur l’état de santé des patientes n’apparait pas de façon évidente, et lorsqu’il apparaît, reste modeste ; mais également que les modalités du déroulé de la grossesse peuvent avoir un impact sur la santé de la mère.Mots clés : Mucoviscidose, grossesse, fécondité, maladie génétique / Cystic fibrosis is a progressive genetic disease with multiple levels of harm that affects nearly 7000 people in France. Over the last decades, health care improvements has led to an increase in patients’ life expectancy and hence the proportion of adults in the affected population. This has naturally led to new issues relative to the life of patients, notably procreation. Data from the French Cystic Fibrosis Register recorded between 1992 and 2011 were used in this work, firstly to study the fertility of that population and to pinpoint the characteristics of female patients, secondly to identify any interaction between cystic fibrosis and the occurrence of pregnancy. Results showed a discrepancy between the fertility of general French population and that of the patients, which is partly explained when considering the young age of the patients and their conjugal and school behaviour. By studying their characteristics, an increase in both the age and the number of women being followed, as well as an improvement in their health and the treatments provided to them are observed. In the following multivariate analyses single out the most predictive characteristics of the occurrence of first pregnancy: while some medical variables appear to be significant, most of those are socio-demographic. Finally, those analyses showed that the short-term effect of pregnancy on the patients’ state of health does not appear to be evident and remains low when it occurs ; however specific modalities or events throughout the course of the pregnancy could have an impact on the mother’s health.

O camundongo mutante denominado bate palmas (BALB/cbapa) originou-se de mutagênese química induzida por N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU). Suas principais características fenotípicas são alterações posturais com movimentos anormais dos membros posteriores quando suspenso pela cauda, simulando o ato de bater palmas. A partir do padrão de herança a mutação foi identificada como autossômica recessiva. Os resultados do sequenciamento do exoma apontaram como forte candidato o gene lysine (K)-specific methyltransferase 2D (kmt2d, também conhecido como mll2 ou mll4), localizado no cromossomo 15 do camundongo. Essa mutação foi confirmada através de sequenciamento do DNA pelo método de Sanger. A perda da função do gene KMT2D, localizado no cromossomo 12 em humanos, foi descrita como responsável pela síndrome de Kabuki, que é uma anomalia congênita rara, autossômica dominante, também conhecida como síndrome Niikawa-Koruki. O fenótipo clínico da doença é variável, mas algumas características mais comuns são face dismórfica, anormalidades esqueléticas, alterações dermatoglíficas, leve a moderado retardo mental e retardo do crescimento pós-natal. O presente estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar o fenótipo do camundongo mutante bate palmas a partir da análise de parâmetros comportamentais. Para tanto, foram utilizados 30 camundongos mutantes bate palmas- sendo 15 machos e 15 fêmeas- e seus respectivos controles BALB/c, com oito semanas de idade no início dos experimentos. Os testes comportamentais foram realizados em ordem crescente de estresse e ordenados na seguinte sequência 1) observação direta em campo aberto dos parâmetros da atividade geral, sensoriais, psicomotores e os ligados ao sistema nervoso central e autônomo; 2) ansiedade e memória no teste do labirinto em cruz elevada; 3) memória operacional no teste do labirinto em T; 4) coordenação motora no teste da trave elevada e 5) comportamento do tipo depressivo nos testes de suspensão pela cauda e natação forçada. Os dados obtidos no presente estudo demostraram que o mutante bate palmas apresentou aumento na frequência de levantar em ambos os sexos, sugerindo comportamento estereotipado; no entanto, não houve alteração na atividade geral. Na avaliação do sistema sensorial houve redução no reflexo auricular e na resposta de aperto de cauda do mutante bate palmas. Em relação aos parâmetros psicomotores houve diminuição do reflexo de endireitamento e queda do trem posterior, sugerindo deficiência motora, como a hipotonia. Os resultados do teste de labirinto em cruz elevada identificaram menor nível de ansiedade nos mutantes em comparação aos controles. Ainda, as respostas observadas no segundo dia do teste mostraram que não houve perda de memória dos bate palmas. Além disso, o teste do labirinto em T mostrou que não houve alteração na memória espacial dos camundongos mutantes em relação aos BALB/c. Já os resultados dos testes de suspensão pela cauda e de natação forçada foram semelhantes, indicando maior tempo de imobilidade dos mutantes em comparação aos BALB/c. Analisados em conjunto, os resultados desse estudo sugerem que o mutante bate palmas apresentou alterações nos parâmetros sensoriais e psicomotores e possível comportamento estereotipado, relacionadas à mutação do gene kmt2d. / The mutant mouse denominated bate palmas (BALB/cbapa) originated from chemical mutagenesis induced by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU). Its main phenotypic characteristics are postural alterations with abnormal movements of the hind limbs when suspended by the tail, simulating the act of clap hands. The inheritance pattern of the mutation was identified as autosomal recessive. The potential candidate gene lysine (K) -specific methyltransferase 2D (kmt2d, also known as mll2 or mll4), located on chromosome 15 of the mouse, was identified by the exome sequencing. This mutation was confirmed by DNA sequencing by the Sanger method. The loss of function of KMT2D gene, located on chromosome 12 in humans, has been described as responsible for Kabuki syndrome, which is a rare congenital anomaly, autosomal dominant, also known as Niikawa-Koruki syndrome. The clinical phenotype of the disease is variable, but some common features are dysmorphic face, skeletal abnormalities, dermatoglyphic changes, mild to moderate mental retardation and postnatal growth retardation. The present study aimed to characterize the phenotype of the mutant mouse bate palmas from the analysis of behavioral parameters. Therefore, 30 mutant mice were used - 15 males and 15 females - and their respective BALB/c controls, at eight-wk-old at the beginning of the experiments. Behavioral tests were performed in increasing order of stress and ordered in the following sequence: 1) direct observation in the open field of the parameters linked to general activity, sensorial and psychomotor systems, and those connected to the central and autonomic nervous system; 2) anxiety and memory in the elevated plus maze test; 3) operating memory in the T-maze test; 4) motor coordination in the balance beam test, and 5) depressive-like behavior in the tail suspension and forced swimming tests. The data obtained in the present study demonstrated that the mutant bate palmas presented increase in the rearing frequency in both sexes, suggesting stereotyped behavior; however, there was no change in the general activity. The evaluation of the sensory system demonstrated reduction in the auricular reflex and the tail flick response of the mutant bate palmas. Regarding to the psychomotor parameters, there were observed impairments in the surface-righting reflex and hindquarter fall, suggesting motor deficiency, such as hypotonia. The results of the elevated plus maze test identified a lower level of anxiety in the mutants compared to controls. Still, the responses observed on the second day of the test showed that there was no loss of memory of the bate palmas. In addition, the T-maze test showed that there was no change in the spatial memory of the mutant mice in relation to BALB/c mice. Data of the tail suspension and forced swimming tests were similar, indicating a longer immobilization time of the mutants compared to BALB/c mice. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that the mutant bate palmas showed impairments of the sensorial and psychomotor parameters, and possibly stereotyped behavior related to the mutation of the kmt2d gene.

O camundongo mutante denominado bate palmas (BALB/cbapa) originou-se de mutagênese química induzida por N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU). Suas principais características fenotípicas são alterações posturais com movimentos anormais dos membros posteriores quando suspenso pela cauda, simulando o ato de bater palmas. A partir do padrão de herança a mutação foi identificada como autossômica recessiva. Os resultados do sequenciamento do exoma apontaram como forte candidato o gene lysine (K)-specific methyltransferase 2D (kmt2d, também conhecido como mll2 ou mll4), localizado no cromossomo 15 do camundongo. Essa mutação foi confirmada através de sequenciamento do DNA pelo método de Sanger. A perda da função do gene KMT2D, localizado no cromossomo 12 em humanos, foi descrita como responsável pela síndrome de Kabuki, que é uma anomalia congênita rara, autossômica dominante, também conhecida como síndrome Niikawa-Koruki. O fenótipo clínico da doença é variável, mas algumas características mais comuns são face dismórfica, anormalidades esqueléticas, alterações dermatoglíficas, leve a moderado retardo mental e retardo do crescimento pós-natal. O presente estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar o fenótipo do camundongo mutante bate palmas a partir da análise de parâmetros comportamentais. Para tanto, foram utilizados 30 camundongos mutantes bate palmas- sendo 15 machos e 15 fêmeas- e seus respectivos controles BALB/c, com oito semanas de idade no início dos experimentos. Os testes comportamentais foram realizados em ordem crescente de estresse e ordenados na seguinte sequência 1) observação direta em campo aberto dos parâmetros da atividade geral, sensoriais, psicomotores e os ligados ao sistema nervoso central e autônomo; 2) ansiedade e memória no teste do labirinto em cruz elevada; 3) memória operacional no teste do labirinto em T; 4) coordenação motora no teste da trave elevada e 5) comportamento do tipo depressivo nos testes de suspensão pela cauda e natação forçada. Os dados obtidos no presente estudo demostraram que o mutante bate palmas apresentou aumento na frequência de levantar em ambos os sexos, sugerindo comportamento estereotipado; no entanto, não houve alteração na atividade geral. Na avaliação do sistema sensorial houve redução no reflexo auricular e na resposta de aperto de cauda do mutante bate palmas. Em relação aos parâmetros psicomotores houve diminuição do reflexo de endireitamento e queda do trem posterior, sugerindo deficiência motora, como a hipotonia. Os resultados do teste de labirinto em cruz elevada identificaram menor nível de ansiedade nos mutantes em comparação aos controles. Ainda, as respostas observadas no segundo dia do teste mostraram que não houve perda de memória dos bate palmas. Além disso, o teste do labirinto em T mostrou que não houve alteração na memória espacial dos camundongos mutantes em relação aos BALB/c. Já os resultados dos testes de suspensão pela cauda e de natação forçada foram semelhantes, indicando maior tempo de imobilidade dos mutantes em comparação aos BALB/c. Analisados em conjunto, os resultados desse estudo sugerem que o mutante bate palmas apresentou alterações nos parâmetros sensoriais e psicomotores e possível comportamento estereotipado, relacionadas à mutação do gene kmt2d. / The mutant mouse denominated bate palmas (BALB/cbapa) originated from chemical mutagenesis induced by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU). Its main phenotypic characteristics are postural alterations with abnormal movements of the hind limbs when suspended by the tail, simulating the act of clap hands. The inheritance pattern of the mutation was identified as autosomal recessive. The potential candidate gene lysine (K) -specific methyltransferase 2D (kmt2d, also known as mll2 or mll4), located on chromosome 15 of the mouse, was identified by the exome sequencing. This mutation was confirmed by DNA sequencing by the Sanger method. The loss of function of KMT2D gene, located on chromosome 12 in humans, has been described as responsible for Kabuki syndrome, which is a rare congenital anomaly, autosomal dominant, also known as Niikawa-Koruki syndrome. The clinical phenotype of the disease is variable, but some common features are dysmorphic face, skeletal abnormalities, dermatoglyphic changes, mild to moderate mental retardation and postnatal growth retardation. The present study aimed to characterize the phenotype of the mutant mouse bate palmas from the analysis of behavioral parameters. Therefore, 30 mutant mice were used - 15 males and 15 females - and their respective BALB/c controls, at eight-wk-old at the beginning of the experiments. Behavioral tests were performed in increasing order of stress and ordered in the following sequence: 1) direct observation in the open field of the parameters linked to general activity, sensorial and psychomotor systems, and those connected to the central and autonomic nervous system; 2) anxiety and memory in the elevated plus maze test; 3) operating memory in the T-maze test; 4) motor coordination in the balance beam test, and 5) depressive-like behavior in the tail suspension and forced swimming tests. The data obtained in the present study demonstrated that the mutant bate palmas presented increase in the rearing frequency in both sexes, suggesting stereotyped behavior; however, there was no change in the general activity. The evaluation of the sensory system demonstrated reduction in the auricular reflex and the tail flick response of the mutant bate palmas. Regarding to the psychomotor parameters, there were observed impairments in the surface-righting reflex and hindquarter fall, suggesting motor deficiency, such as hypotonia. The results of the elevated plus maze test identified a lower level of anxiety in the mutants compared to controls. Still, the responses observed on the second day of the test showed that there was no loss of memory of the bate palmas. In addition, the T-maze test showed that there was no change in the spatial memory of the mutant mice in relation to BALB/c mice. Data of the tail suspension and forced swimming tests were similar, indicating a longer immobilization time of the mutants compared to BALB/c mice. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that the mutant bate palmas showed impairments of the sensorial and psychomotor parameters, and possibly stereotyped behavior related to the mutation of the kmt2d gene.

<p>Exoner är de sekvenser i DNA vilka rymmer koden för proteiner i människan och i alla andra organismer. Intronerna, vilka utgör utrymmet mellan exoner, består av ickekodande sekvenser och kontrollelement. Exoner tillhörande en gen måste inte alltid inkluderas i den slutliga mRNA produkten, alternativ splicing tillåter exkludering av vissa sekvenser och gör att en gen kan ha mer än en mRNA produkt, därigenom kan en gen koda för flera olika proteiner. Alternativ splicing är ett fält som snabbt utvecklas och dess relevans för många sjukdomar har blivit uppenbar. Detta arbete går igenom ett flertal av dessa sjukdomar för att sammanställa ny forskning och tydliggöra rollen av alternativ splicing i dem. De sjukdomar som undersökts är cystisk fibros, ärftlig frontotemporal dementia, systemisk lupus erythematosus, aniridi, myotonisk dystrofi, amyotrophic lateral sclerosoch familial dysautonomia. Dessa sjukdomar har involvering av alternativ splicing, de genetiska processerna bakom dem är dock mycket olika och kan visa på de många sätt alternativ splicing kan påverka cell och kroppsfunktion. Målet med arbetet är en översiktlig bild av framstegen som gjorts och vilken forskning som nu bedrivs.</p>

Exoner är de sekvenser i DNA vilka rymmer koden för proteiner i människan och i alla andra organismer. Intronerna, vilka utgör utrymmet mellan exoner, består av ickekodande sekvenser och kontrollelement. Exoner tillhörande en gen måste inte alltid inkluderas i den slutliga mRNA produkten, alternativ splicing tillåter exkludering av vissa sekvenser och gör att en gen kan ha mer än en mRNA produkt, därigenom kan en gen koda för flera olika proteiner. Alternativ splicing är ett fält som snabbt utvecklas och dess relevans för många sjukdomar har blivit uppenbar. Detta arbete går igenom ett flertal av dessa sjukdomar för att sammanställa ny forskning och tydliggöra rollen av alternativ splicing i dem. De sjukdomar som undersökts är cystisk fibros, ärftlig frontotemporal dementia, systemisk lupus erythematosus, aniridi, myotonisk dystrofi, amyotrophic lateral sclerosoch familial dysautonomia. Dessa sjukdomar har involvering av alternativ splicing, de genetiska processerna bakom dem är dock mycket olika och kan visa på de många sätt alternativ splicing kan påverka cell och kroppsfunktion. Målet med arbetet är en översiktlig bild av framstegen som gjorts och vilken forskning som nu bedrivs.

Submitted by Luis Guilherme Macena (guilhermelg2004@gmail.com) on 2013-04-08T15:15:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Joyce Cantoni.pdf: 528656 bytes, checksum: b67e6826616a4089c8c4f4677f9606de (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-04-08T15:15:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Joyce Cantoni.pdf: 528656 bytes, checksum: b67e6826616a4089c8c4f4677f9606de (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Fernandes Figueira. Departamento de Ensino. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde da Criança e da Mulher. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / O objetivo geral foi o de analisar o entendimento de pacientes com Neurofibromatose tipo1 (NF1) sobre sua doença, considerando especialmente o fato desta ser de etiologia genética, sendo objetivos específicos: identificar o que os pacientes pensam sobre ter uma doença genética; captar o entendimento que os pacientes têm a respeito do padrão de herança da doença e a importância dada ao aconselhamento genético; avaliar compreensão que possuem acerca da condição crônica da doença; analisar como os pacientes vêem e quais são as implicações práticas da doença nas suas vidas, considerando principalmente a necessidade de tratamento regular, consultas com especialistas e realização periódica de exames; conhecer as fontes de informação que levam os pacientes a construir seu entendimento sobre a doença. Para atingir estes objetivos, adotou-se a abordagem qualitativa, através de entrevistas temáticas com quatro pacientes, procedendo-se, então, à transcrição do material gravado e à subsequente análise de conteúdo deste. Esta análise evidenciou que a etiologia genética era conhecida por todos, mas as implicações decorrentes não se mostraram motivo de maior preocupação. Evidenciou-se também que manifestações correlatas e a etiologia se confundem. Todos foram diagnosticados tardiamente, acima dos 15 anos de idade, o que merece ser alvo de mais reflexão acerca da premência de se diagnosticar precocemente doenças com a NF 1, para melhor controlá-las. Os entrevistados tinham noção que sua doença era progressiva, crônica, mas este fator isoladamente não foi referido como contribuindo para o acompanhamento regular. Todos reportaram ter nascido, ou ter desde a infância, manchas café leite e “tumores” espalhados pelo corpo (os neurofibromas), entretanto negam ter sofrido qualquer preconceito, porém é evidente que sua aparência incomoda, por isso acabam por relatar como essas características fenotípicas são notadas pelos outros. Um deles, por ser rapaz e adolescente, mostra-se mais centrado na ginecomastia que o acomete, sem estabelecer qualquer tipo de associação entre ela e a NF 1. Quanto ao aconselhamento genético, dois entrevistados reconheceram sua importância, enquanto dois outros se mostraram indiferentes. Só uma paciente recorreu espontaneamente a outras fontes de informação, especificamente a Internet, porém declarou-se assustada com o que viu e revoltada com o tom geral de “vitimização”. Os outros declaram não ter procurado nada na rede por dificuldade de acesso ou por falta de interesse. A exceção de um entrevistado, os demais demonstram estarem desinformados sobre genes, cromossomos e mutações. A doença genética, para todos, é algo que está no sangue, sendo transmitida verticalmente dos pais para os filhos. Conclui-se que diante dos avanços da genômica faz-se necessário preparar os profissionais de saúde, mais especificamente, aqueles que estão na ponta da assistência aos pacientes, fazendo-os entender que se todos estão imersos numa mesma macro-cultura, entretanto, ao nível micro as diferença de hábitos, valores, conhecimentos, linguagens, histórias individuais, emoções e personalidades precisam ser consideradas quando se deseja uma compreensão dos elementos envolvidos numa doença de origem genética, cuja evolução implica em comorbidades que demandam intervenções constantes e cuja etiologia envolve padrões de herança autossômica dominante. / The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of patients with Neurofibromatosis 1 about the disease and its genetic etiology. The specific objectives were: identify what they think about “having” a genetic disease; identify what they think about the inheritance of the disease, and how important they consider the genetic counseling; evaluate how and what they think about living with a chronic disease and about the practical consequences of the disease on their everyday life, with the need for several and regular medical appointments, and complementary exams; try to investigate if they searched for more information about their condition, and where; and how this search helped them to reach the knowledge they have about the NF1. Thematic interviews were applied to four patients in order to accomplish these objectives. Content analysis was then applied in a qualitative approach. All patients were conscious of the genetic etiology, but the consequence of that was not matter of concern for all of them. Also they mixed the etiology with the clinical features, and associated diseases. All of then were diagnosed over 15 years of age. This fact deserves more attention because as more precocious the diagnosis of conditions like the NF 1 is done, better control of the disease becomes possible. Even though all of them knew about that the disease was chronic and progressive, this was not enough to warrant a regular treatment. Although all of them report having the café au lait spots since birth or early childhood, and neurofibromas over their bodies, they denied being victims of prejudice, but, in different ways, they revealed their shame about their physical appearances, being aware that they were noticed by others. For one of them, the youngest, a 19 years male, the main problem was a gynecomastia. Two of them recognized the importance of genetic counseling but for the others, it is completely indifferent. Only one of the interviewed searched by herself information in other sources, mainly in the Internet, what made her scared. Also she refers she did not like the general note of victimization she have found there. The others did not make any kind of research, by lack of interest or because they have not known how to do it. Three of the patients had any kind of knowledge about genes, chromosomes and mutations. For all of them, genetic disease is something in the blood, transmitted from parents to the offspring. With the advances in genomics, health professionals, specially those which deal directly with patients, need to be prepared, educated to understand that in spite of all we live in one and same macro culture, although aspects of the micro level such as values, languages, individual experiences, emotions, and others have to be considered in order to achieve a comprehension of what it is involved in a genetic disease, with autossomic dominant pattern of inheritance, and that can present many comorbities that demand frequent interventions, and has to be carefully and regularly “spyed” by health professionals to assure better conditions of life for those affected.