O câncer de próstata é o segundo câncer mais freqüentemente diagnosticado em homens. Durante o crescimento tumoral, as células neoplásicas interagem com a matriz extracelular (MEC). Analisamos o efeito de C16, peptídeo derivado da clivagem da MEC, sobre a migração, invasão e regulação dos invadopódios em células de câncer de próstata (DU145). Ensaios de migração e invasão demonstraram que C16 promoveu um aumento da atividade migratória e invasiva de células DU145 de maneira dose dependente. Demonstramos que o peptídeo estimula a fosforilação de Src. Ensaios de degradação em substrato fluorescente mostraram que C16 promoveu a formação de invadopódios de células DU145. O immunoblot nos revelou que este peptídeo também estimula a expressão de Tks4, Tks5, cortactina e MT1-MMP. C16 estimulou a produção de espécies reativas de oxigênio, importantes para o fenótipo invasivo das células tumorais. Nossos resultados sugerem que o peptídeo C16 regula migração, invasão, invadopódios e suas moléculas-chave e a geração de espécies reativas de oxigênio em células DU145. / Prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in males. During tumor growth, neoplastic cells interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM) Our Laboratory has demonstrated that peptides derived from ECM cleavage are involved in migration, invasion and invadopodia formation in different tumor cell lines. Invadopodia activity depends on expression of the proteins Tks4, Tks5, cortactin, MT1-MMP, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Migration and invasion assays in chemotaxis chambers demonstrated that C16 increased migration and invasion activities of DU145 cells in a dose-dependent manner. We observed that the peptide stimulated phosphorylation of Src. Fluorescent substrate degradation assay showed that C16 increased invadopodia activity of DU145 cells. Immunoblot revealed that this peptide stimulated Tks4, Tks5, cortactin and MT1-MMP expression. Furthermore, C16 increased ROS production. Our results strongly suggested that C16 regulates migration, invasion, invadopodia key-molecules, and ROS generation in DU145 cells.

Les cellules cancéreuses mammaires invasives expriment des canaux sodiques NaV1.5 dont l’activité semble être associée au développement métastatique. L’activité de ce canal dans les cellules MDA-MB-231 conduit à une acidification péricellulaire favorable à l’activité des cathepsines à cystéine B et S extracellulaires et à la dégradation de la matrice extracellulaire. Au cours de cette thèse, nous avons montré que l’échangeur NHE1 est le principal régulateur du pH des cellules MDA-MB-231 et que l’activité du canal NaV1.5 augmente l’activité d’efflux de protons par NHE1 vraisemblablement par modulation allostérique. NaV1.5 et NHE1 sont co-localisés dans des radeaux lipidiques et plus particulièrement dans les invadopodes des cellules MDA-MB-231. Les activités de NHE1 et NaV1.5 stimulent l’activité protéolytique des invadopodes. Enfin, l’activité du canal NaV1.5 semble moduler le cytosquelette et la morphologie des cellules cancéreuses MDA-MB-231 pour leur donner un phénotype invasif. En conclusion, NaV1.5 augmente l’activité de NHE1 dans les invadopodes stimulant ainsi l’invasivité des cellules cancéreuses mammaires. / Invasive breast cancer cells express NaV1.5 sodium channels which activity seems to be associated with metastatic progression. The activity of the channel in MDA-MB-231 cells leads to a pericellular acidification favourable for the activity of extracellular cysteine cathepsins B and S and for extracellular matrix degradation. During this thesis, we have shown that NHE1 exchanger is the main pH regulator in MDA-MB-231 cells and that the activity of NaV1.5 channels increases protons efflux activity of NHE1 possibly through allosteric modulation. NaV1.5 and NHE1 are co-localised in lipid rafts and in invadopodia of MDA-MB-231 cells. The activity of NHE1 and NaV1.5 promotes the proteolytic activity of invadopodia. Finally, the activity of NaV1.5 channels seems to modulate cytoskeleton and morphology of MDA-MB-231 cancer cells to promote the acquisition of a proinvasive phenotype. In conclusion NaV1.5 increases NHE1 activity in invadopodia to stimulate breast cancer cells invasiveness.

Name: Anna Jadwiga Kielkowska Dissertation title: The role of PTEN as a PI(3,4)P2 lipid phosphatase in Class I phosphoinositide 3-kinase signalling Abstract Class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases (Class I PI3Ks) are essential players involved in the signalling events in the cell and are critical promoters of cellular growth, survival and metabolism. Once activated by environmental stimuli such as growth factors, cytokines or antigens, they exert their catalytic activity by phosphorylating phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) to yield a second messenger - PI(3,4,5)P3. Unrestrained PI(3,4,5)P3 signalling has been classically associated with hyperactivation of the Class I PI3K/AKT pathway and has been shown to be a molecular trigger of many pathophysiologies in humans, including autoimmune disorders, respiratory diseases and cancer. To date, two classes of lipid phosphatases SHIP1/2 and PTEN have been reported, which dephosphorylate PI(3,4,5)P3 on positions 5’ and 3’ of the inositol ring to generate PI(3,4)P2 and PI(4,5)P2 respectively, and thus quench Class I PI3K signalling. Moreover, PI(3,4)P2 levels in the cell are regulated by two important lipid 4-phosphatases - INPP4A/B. While the role of PTEN as a tumour suppressor is well established, functions of SHIP1/2 and INPP4A/B are just starting to emerge. A major barrier to progress in this field has been the lack of high quality measurements of PI(3,4)P2, to assess the impact it may have on shaping cellular behaviour. This dissertation summarises the work performed to develop a novel, HPLC-ESI MS/MS based method, in order to measure the product of PI(3,4,5)P3 5-dephosphorylation, PI(3,4)P2, separated from its more abundant regioisomer in cells - PI(4,5)P2. This and an existing HPLC-ESI MS/MS method for measuring PI(3,4,5)P3, have enabled us to describe the fluxes through Class I PI3K-controlled PI(3,4,5)P3 generation and its subsequent 3- and 5- dephosphorylation pathways in human mammary epithelial cells (Mcf10a) stimulated with epidermal growth factor (EGF). By means of genetic suppression of PTEN and INPP4B, we revealed an unexpectedly high level of PI(3,4)P2 that accumulates in EGF-stimulated PTEN-INPP4B-KO Mcf10a cells. Further, an in vitro biochemical assay suggested a novel role for PTEN as a direct PI(3,4)P2 3-phosphatase in Mcf10a cells. This important observation was supported by in sillico phosphatidylinositol lipid modelling of the relevant pathways. In an effort to understand its potential physiological significance, we demonstrated that PI(3,4)P2 accumulation correlates with the ability of genetically modified Mcf10a cells to form gelatin-degrading invadopodia. Finally, we used a mouse prostate cancer model to show PTEN’s importance in controlling PI(3,4)P2 levels in vivo, pointing to a potential role for PI(3,4)P2 in PTEN-dependent tumourigenesis. I hope that the work described in this dissertation will contribute to the current knowledge of phosphatidylinositol lipid biology in the context of Class I PI3K signalling and will simulate future efforts to gain an in-depth understanding of the roles of PTEN and PI(3,4)P2 in cellular physiology.

Metastasis is the main cause of death from solid cancer. The dissemination of cancer cells from a primary tumour is a very complex process that involves many steps and cells must overcome many obstacles to colonize distant organs. The tumour microenvironment influences the mode and the dynamics of invasion of cancer cells. Cancer cells have the ability to adapt to distinct environmental conditions in order to stay motile. Invasive cancer cells form membrane protrusions called invadopodia that are able to degrade extracellular matrix. The formation of invadopodia by cancer cells is interconnected to the production of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). Metastasizing tumour cells use MMPs to break through extracellular matrix barriers and migrate in dense matrix. Both invadopodia formation and MMPs secretion is crucial for the degradation of the extracellular matrix. The most important is the membrane bound MMP-14 (MT1-MMP) and soluble MMP-2 and MMP-9. The invasive structures of tumour cells and the proteolytic enzymes in 2D environment is well described. However, a suitable model of localization and transport of MMPs and connection with invadopodia of tumour cells in 3D environment is still lacking. This diploma thesis focused on the extension of current knowledge of these key MMPs and on the...

1. Abstract Protein kinase C α (PKCα) is a serine/threonine protein kinase regulating many different signaling pathways. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of PKCα in amoeboid morphology and invasion of cancer cells. It was observed, that expression of PKCα as well as its phosphorylation on Thr497 remained unchanged upon amoeboid-mesenchymal transition of A375m2 cells (induced by inhibition of ROCK kinase) both in 3D and in 2D environment. However, activation of PKCα by PKC activator treatment resulted in mesenchymal- amoeboid transition of K2 and MDA-MB-231 mesenchymal cell lines, although it did not change overall invasivity ability of cells to invade 3D collagen. Notably, PKCα activation significantly reduced matrix degrading abilities of A375m2 cells. Conversely, inhibition of PKCα by PKCα inhibitor treatment caused amoeboid-mesenchymal transition of amoeboid A375m2 cells and it was associated with decreased invasiveness of all three cell lines used. PKCα inhibitor did not have any effect on gelatin degradation area of A375m2 cells. Consistently, specific siRNA mediated downregulation of PKCα lead to transition from amoeboid to mesenchymal morphology of A375m2 cells and reduced invasiveness of cells into 3D collagen. Moreover, gelatin degrading abilities of A375m2 cells were...

Depuis plusieurs décennies, la communication intercellulaire par jonctions gap (CIJG) est connue pour être impliquée dans la cancérogenèse. Cette implication semble complexe par le fait que les connexines pourraient augmenter la capacité d’invasion des cellules cancéreuses tout en diminuant leur prolifération. Ceci était particulièrement observé pour la connexine 43 (Cx43) dans le cas de cellules de gliomes. Or, les propriétés d’invasion des gliomes de haut grade, les glioblastomes multiformes (GBM), les rendent difficiles à supprimer par résection chirurgicale et favorisent leur récidive.<br/> Afin de préciser le rôle de la Cx43 dans le contrôle des capacités invasives de cellules de GBM, nous avons utilisé une lignée de cellules de glioblastome humaine U251 exprimant par shRNA des niveaux, en ARNm et protéiques, de Cx43 réduits. Ces clones shRNA des cellules U251 montrent une corrélation entre le niveau d’expression de la Cx43 et le processus d’invasion. Au cours de ce travail, nous avons montré, pour la première fois, que la Cx43 est localisée dans les structures protéolytiques permettant l’invasion, les invadopodes. Nous avons démontré aussi que, par sa localisation, la Cx43 favorise la formation des invadopodes en agissant comme une protéine d’échafaudage qui permet l’interaction de Src de la Cortactine. De plus, l’activité hémicanal de la Cx43, probablement inhibée par le Bisphénol A, possède des effets négatifs sur la cinétique de développement des invadopodes. Une étude du protéome et du sécrétome des cellules U251 et des clones shRNA a permis l’identification des protéines impliquées dans l’invasion et la formation et fonction des invadopodes.<br/> En conclusion, la Cx43 participe au processus invasif des cellules de GBM en favorisant la formation et la fonction des invadopodes. Cette nouvelle fonction de la Cx43 semble être la conséquence de ses propriétés de protéines d’échafaudage et hémicanal, et non de son rôle principalement décrit dans la CIJG. / Since several decades, the gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) is known to be involved in carcinogenesis. This involvement seems complicated by the fact that connexins could increase cancer cells invasion ability while decreasing their proliferation. This was especially observed for connexin 43 (Cx43) in the case of glioma cells. But high-grade gliomas, glioblastoma multiform (GBM) has invasion properties that make it difficult to remove surgically and promote their recurrence.<br/> To clarify the Cx43 role in the control of GBM cells invasive capacities, we used the GBM U251 cell line expressing Cx43 levels, mRNA and protein, reduced by shRNA strategy. Through this approach, we confirmed that Cx43 expression level is associated with the invasive capacity of GBM cells. Furthermore we have shown, for the first time, that Cx43 is localized in invasive proteolytic structures, the invadopodia. We also show that, by its location, Cx43 promotes invadopodia formation by acting as a scaffolding protein that allows Src and Cortactin interaction. Moreover, Cx43 hemichannel activity, probably inhibited by Bisphenol A, has negative effects on invadopodia kinetics development. A proteome and secretome study of U251 cells and shRNA clones allowed the identification of proteins involved in invasion and invadopodia formation and function.<br/>In conclusion, Cx43 participates in the invasive process of GBM cells by promoting invadopodia formation and function. This new function of Cx43 seems to be the result of its scaffold proteins and hemichannel properties, but not its role described mainly in CIJG.