Deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) catalyzes the first step in the hypusination of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A). In human cells, two eIF5A isoforms are present, eIF5A-1 and eIF5A-2, and DHS catalyzes the hypusination of both. Since both eIF5As are substrates for DHS, the biological functions of DHS are likely to be exerted through the various post-translational forms of these two eIF5As. The lysine form of eIF5A-1 has been associated with apoptosis, while the hypusinated form of eIF5A-1 has been associated with cell viability and proliferation. eIF5A-2 has been found to be over-expressed in certain cancers and has been proposed to function as an oncogene. Dhs is also over-expressed in certain human cancers and is a metastatic signature gene. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of DHS in cancer cell invasiveness, cell proliferation, and apoptosis using RNA interference. The main finding of the study is that DHS siRNA treatment decreases invasiveness of PC3 cells in vitro. Both DHS 0 siRNA treatment and DHS 1/b siRNA treatment significantly reduced cell invasiveness of PC3 cells as measured by the Matrigel invasion assay. Potential confounding variables, such as differences in cell proliferation or differences in apoptosis in response to DHS siRNA treatment, were assessed using the XTT cell proliferation assay and the Annexin V/Pi apoptosis assay, and they were found not to have an effect. In the absence of serum, DHS siRNA treatment did not result in significant decrease in cell proliferation compared to the control siRNA treatment. Furthermore, DHS siRNA treatment did not induce apoptosis in PC3 cells under the present experimental conditions. In conclusion, depletion of DHS with RNAi reduces invasiveness, but does not induce apoptosis in PC3 cells. The significance of the research is that the anti-invasiveness effect of DHS depletion in metastatic cancer cells is shown for the first time in the present study. Thus, DHS depletion may be useful to combat cancer in conjunction with L-eIF5A-1 over-expression.

Due to the high energetic expenditure for the cell, the protein biosynthesis in eukaryotes is an extensively controlled process predominantly regulated at the ribosomal biogenesis and translation initiation steps. The ribosomal biogenesis defines the global translational aptitude of the cell. It is a mainly nucleolar process which is regulated at multiple steps (e.g. transcription, rRNA processing and modification, ribosomal protein translation etc). However, the most extensively regulated and the rate limiting step of translation is the initiation. Multiple eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs) function to facilitate this priming step of translation. The initial recognition of the mRNA molecule happens through the 5' cap structure found in all mRNAs of nuclear origin. This event is mediated through the recruitment of heterotrimeric complex eIF4F consisting of cap-binding protein eIF4E, scaffolding protein eIF4G and the RNA helicase eIF4A unwinding secondary structures found in 5'UTR of mRNA and thus thought to facilitate the scanning process. The helicase activity of elF4F complex or of eIF4A alone is further potentiated by eIF4B in vitro. The latter protein is at the focus of present thesis. / Signal transduction regulates multiple cellular processes including mitogenesis, differentiation, apoptosis, chemotaxis etc. Signaling pathways also regulate ribosomal biogenesis to coordinate mitogenic cues, nutrient and energy availability with the translational capacity of the cells. Mounting evidence links PI3K-Akt-mTOR and Ras-MAPK cascades to the translational control. In this thesis, I show that PI3K/mTOR and MAP kinase cascades converge to phosphorylate eIF4B on Ser422. This phosphorylation results in an increased interaction with eIF3, an essential factor bridging between eIF4F and the small ribosomal subunit. Physiological significance of eIF4B phosphorylation on Ser422 has been demonstrated by the stimulatory effect of eIF4B Ser422Asp phosphomimetic mutant on cap-dependent translation. Taken together, this represents a new paradigm of translational control mechanism regulated by signaling crosstalk. The function of eIF4B in vitro is well characterized but its in vivoeffects are disputed in literature. To address this I established HeLa cell line stably expressing shRNA targeting eIF4B. eIF4B silencing inhibits proliferation rates and anchorage-independent growth. Expression of luciferase reporter gene containing 5' terminal oligopyrimidine tract (TOP) is selectively repressed in eIF4B-silenced cells and can be rescued by exogenous eIF4B regardless of Ser422 phosphorylation status. Moreover, the de novo synthesis rates of endogenous ribosomal proteins in serum starved cultures recapitulate the luciferase reporter assay data. Utilizing polysomal analysis, I was able to show more significant inhibition of translation initiation in serum starved eIF4B-silenced cells. Our attempt to discover novel eIF4B-interacting proteins by Mass Spectrometry approach led to the identification of nucleolar RNA helicase DDX21. Confocal microscopy has shown partial co-localization of tagged eIF4B and DDX21 in nucleolar periphery. Pulse chase experiments metabolically labeling rRNA show an attenuated 28S rRNA production and concomitant accumulation of 36S intermediates in eIF4B-silenced cells. Since ribosomal biogenesis is highly coordinated process and requires strict stoichiometry maintenance of ribosomal components the observed inhibition of rRNA processing could be consequential to the decreased ribosomal protein expression. However, given the fact that eIF4B is associated with the nucleolar pre-ribosomal particle complexes its direct effect on rRNA processing cannot be ruled out. Regulation of ribosomal biogenesis by translation initiation factor may represent an important control mechanism allowing cells to co-ordinate these two processes.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2005. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

MAGALHÃES, Vladimir Gonçalves. Prospecção bioquímica e molecular de fatores possivelmente envolvidos na defesa de feijão-de-corda [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] ao vírus do mosaico severo do caupi (CPSMV). 2011. 109 f. : Dissertação (Mestrado em Bioquímica)-Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, 2011. / Submitted by Eric Santiago (erichhcl@gmail.com) on 2016-07-15T14:36:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2011_dis_vgmagalhaes.pdf: 4392892 bytes, checksum: 571bbf928e7a06498a9e935694d2ab1d (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by José Jairo Viana de Sousa (jairo@ufc.br) on 2016-08-02T20:26:15Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2011_dis_vgmagalhaes.pdf: 4392892 bytes, checksum: 571bbf928e7a06498a9e935694d2ab1d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-02T20:26:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2011_dis_vgmagalhaes.pdf: 4392892 bytes, checksum: 571bbf928e7a06498a9e935694d2ab1d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Cowpea [(Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.)] has a major socioeconomic importance in Northeastern Brazil. However, its production is low due abiotic and biotic factors. Amongst the biotic factors the cowpea severe mosaic virus (CPSMV, Secoviridae family) has a great importance because it causes the most prevalent and serious virus disease that affects this crop in the country. Although there are resistant cultivars to CPSMV, the defense mechanisms involved is not understood. For this reason, a comparative study was conducted between resistant and susceptible cultivars, using two experimental approaches. In the first one, the biochemical approach, possible differences of enzyme activities related to oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase) and pathogenesis (β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase), in addition of phenyl amonium lyase, and H2O2 generation in the leaves of the cultivars Pitíuba (susceptible) and Macaibo (resistant) were analyzed. The secondary leaves were harvested at 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 h after treatment with CPSMV or carborundum (controls) and these above parameters were measures in the protein extracts obtained. It was shown that, in general, the response amongst the cultivars did not differ significantly, suggesting that the defense mechanisms of cowpea are different from the classic response of defense observed for several plant species. In the second approach, molecular, the nucleotide sequences of the genes that code for the translation initiation factors (eIF4E, eIF(iso)4E, eIF4G, eIF(iso)4G and nCBP) and the primary strucuture of the correspondent putative proteins were analyzed in order to search patterns of polymorphis between the studied cowpea cultivars that could be related to a constitutive defense conferred by recessive genes. After sequence analysis, it was found that eIF4E showed polymorphisms between cultivars, and, in at least two positions (68 and 108), there were differences between susceptible and resistant cultivars (Arg68/Pro68; Val108 or Pro108/Ala108). The molecular modeling revealed that differences in amino acid are located in two external loops close to the cap (m7G) binding domain, well reported in cases of recessive resistance within the Potyviridae family. Through immunodetection studies with the leaf extracts and the protein fractions obtained after the affinity chromatography on a Sepharose-7-metil-guanosina column, it was found that the amino acid mutations found did not impair the ability of eIF4E to bind to M7G in vitro. However, as it was observed two variants for eIF4E comparing the resistant and susceptible cultivars to CPSMV, at spatially neighboring regions, it could not be ruled out the hypothesis that this constitutive/recessive resistant trait is correlated with these mutations detected, which could impair, consequently, the in vivo interaction of eIF4E with the viral VPg. / O feijão-de-corda [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] tem grande importância socioeconômica no Nordeste brasileiro. Entretanto, sua produção é baixa devida a diversos fatores abióticos e bióticos. Dentre os fatôres bióticos, o vírus do mosaico severo do caupi (CPSMV, família Secoviridae) apresenta grande destaque, por causar a virose que mais acomete essa cultura no país. Embora existam cultivares resistentes ao vírus, não se sabe quais os mecanismos de defesa envolvidos. Por essa razão, foi elaborado um estudo comparativo entre cultivares resistentes e susceptíveis, utilizando duas abordagens experimentais. Na abordagem bioquímica, possíveis diferenças de atividades de enzimas relacionadas ao estresse oxidativo (dismutase do superóxido, peroxidase do ascorbato, peroxidase) e à patogênese (β-1,3-glucanase e quitinase), além da fenilamônia liase, e teores de H2O2 foram estudadas nos cultivares Pitiúba (susceptível) e Macaibo (resistente). Após tratamento com o CPSMV ou com apenas carborundum (plantas controles), foram realizadas coletas nos tempos de 6, 12, 24, 48 e 72 h, tendo sido realizadas as análises bioquímicas nos extratos protéicos obtidos das folhas secundárias. Foi verificado que, de maneira geral, a resposta entre os cultivares não diferiram significamente, sugerindo que os mecanismos de defesa de feijão-de-corda sejam diferentes da resposta clássica de defesa. Na segunda abordagem, molecular, as sequências nucleotídicas dos genes codificantes para os fatores de iniciação de tradução (eIF4E, eIF(iso)4E, eIF4G, eIF(iso)4G e nCBP) e as sequências primárias putativas das proteínas correspondentes foram analisados, no intuito de se averiguar a existência de padrões de polimorfismos entre cultivares resistentes e susceptíveis, que pudessem estar relacionados à defesa constitutiva conferida por genes recessivos. Após análise das sequências, foi observado que eIF4E apresentava polimorfismos entre os cultivares, sendo que, em pelo menos duas posições nas sequências primárias putativas do fator (68 e 108), existiram diferenças entre cultivares susceptíveis e resistentes (Arg68/Pro68; Val108 ou Pro108/Ala108). A modelagem molecular revelou que as diferenças em aminoácidos situam-se em dois loops externos, próximos ao domínio de ligação ao capacete (m7G), bastante relatados em casos de resistência recessiva para a família Potyviridae. Através de estudos de imunodectecção posterior ao passo cromatográfico em coluna de afinidade, foi observado que as mudanças de aminoácidos não comprometiam, a capacidade de eIF4E em se ligar ao m7G in vitro. Entretanto, como foram observadas duas variantes para eIF4E, entre cultivares resistentes e susceptíveis ao CPSMV, em regiões próximas espacialmente, não se pode descartar a hipótese de que a resistência recessiva constitutiva esteja associada com essas mutações detectadas nessas sequências, que iriam modificar, consequentemente, a interação da VPg viral com eIF4E in vivo.

Studies reported in this thesis address the question of how pre-termination ribosomal complexes stalled during translation of mRNA are recycled. The process of recycling of the stalled ribosomes involves many translational factors. During the course of my studies, I have uncovered new roles of SsrA (tmRNA), IF3 and ribosome recycling factor (RRF) in recycling stalled ribosomes. These findings are summarized as follows: (i) A physiological connection between tmRNA and peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase functions in Escherichia coli The bacterial ssrA gene codes for a dual function RNA, tmRNA, which possesses tRNA-like and mRNA-like regions. The tmRNA appends an oligopeptide tag to the polypeptide on the P-site tRNA by a trans-translation process that rescues ribosomes stalled on mRNAs and targets the aberrant protein for degradation. In cells, processing of the stalled ribosomes is also pioneered by drop-off of peptidyl-tRNAs. The ester bond linking the peptide to tRNA is hydrolyzed by peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase (Pth), an essential enzyme, which releases the tRNA and the aberrant peptide. As the trans-translation mechanism utilizes the peptidyl-transferase activity of the stalled ribosomes to free the tRNA (as opposed to peptidyl-tRNA drop-off), the need for Pth to recycle such tRNAs is bypassed. Thus, we hypothesized that tmRNA may rescue a defect in Pth. The findings of the experiments detailed in this thesis show that SsrA rescues a defect in Pth by reducing the peptidyl-tRNA load on Pth. (ii) Evidence for a role of initiation factor 3 in recycling ribosomal complexes stalled on mRNAs in Escherichia coli. Specific interactions between ribosome recycling factor (RRF) and EF-G mediate disassembly of post-termination ribosomal complexes for new rounds of initiation. The interactions between RRF and EF-G are also important in peptidyl-tRNA release from pre-termination complexes. Unlike the post-termination complexes (harboring tRNA), the pre-termination complexes (harboring peptidyl-tRNA) are not recycled by RRF and EF-G in vitro, suggesting participation of additional factor(s) in the process. Using a combination of biochemical and genetic approaches, we show that, 1. Inclusion of IF3 with RRF and EF-G results in recycling of the pre-termination complexes; 2. IF3 overexpression in Escherichia coli LJ14 rescues its temperature sensitive phenotype for RRF; (3) Transduction of infC135 (encoding functionally compromised IF3) in E. coli LJ14 generates a ‘synthetic severe’ phenotype; (4) The infC135 and frr1 (a promoter down RRF gene) alleles synergistically rescue a temperature sensitive mutation in peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase in E. coli; and (5) IF3 facilitates ribosome recycling by Thermus thermophilus RRF and E. coli EFG in vivo and in vitro. These lines of evidence clearly demonstrate the physiological importance of IF3 in the overall mechanism of ribosome recycling in E. coli. (iii) The role of RRF in dissociating of pre-termination ribosomal complexes stalled during elongation Translating ribosomes often stall during the repetitive steps of elongation for various reasons. The stalled ribosomes are rescued by the process of trans-translation involving tmRNA (SsrA) or by a factor mediated dissociation of the stalled ribosome into its subunits leading to the drop-off of the peptidyl-tRNA. The mechanistic details of how the factor mediated dissociation is carried out, is not well studied. Studies described in the above section have highlighted the role of RRF in dissociating stalled pre-termination complexes. However, the in vivo studies in this area have been limited for lack of defined pre-termination complexes. Two in vivo systems based on translation of AGA minigene and the ung gene (EcoUngstopless) transcripts were designed. Evidence is presented to show that translation of both of these transcripts is toxic to E. coli because of the accumulation of the transcript specific stalled pre-termination complexes. Availability of these model systems has allowed us to address the role of RRF in dissociating stalled ribosomes. We show that RRF rescues stalled ribosomes on these constructs and its overexpression can rescue the toxicity. The physiological importance of this observation is highlighted by the rescue of AGA minigene inhibitory effect on λimmP22 hybrid phage growth upon RRF overexpression.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / O feijÃo-de-corda [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] tem grande importÃncia socioeconÃmica no Nordeste brasileiro. Entretanto, sua produÃÃo à baixa devida a diversos fatores abiÃticos e biÃticos. Dentre os fatÃres biÃticos, o vÃrus do mosaico severo do caupi (CPSMV, famÃlia Secoviridae) apresenta grande destaque, por causar a virose que mais acomete essa cultura no paÃs. Embora existam cultivares resistentes ao vÃrus, nÃo se sabe quais os mecanismos de defesa envolvidos. Por essa razÃo, foi elaborado um estudo comparativo entre cultivares resistentes e susceptÃveis, utilizando duas abordagens experimentais. Na abordagem bioquÃmica, possÃveis diferenÃas de atividades de enzimas relacionadas ao estresse oxidativo (dismutase do superÃxido, peroxidase do ascorbato, peroxidase) e à patogÃnese (β-1,3-glucanase e quitinase), alÃm da fenilamÃnia liase, e teores de H2O2 foram estudadas nos cultivares PitiÃba (susceptÃvel) e Macaibo (resistente). ApÃs tratamento com o CPSMV ou com apenas carborundum (plantas controles), foram realizadas coletas nos tempos de 6, 12, 24, 48 e 72 h, tendo sido realizadas as anÃlises bioquÃmicas nos extratos protÃicos obtidos das folhas secundÃrias. Foi verificado que, de maneira geral, a resposta entre os cultivares nÃo diferiram significamente, sugerindo que os mecanismos de defesa de feijÃo-de-corda sejam diferentes da resposta clÃssica de defesa. Na segunda abordagem, molecular, as sequÃncias nucleotÃdicas dos genes codificantes para os fatores de iniciaÃÃo de traduÃÃo (eIF4E, eIF(iso)4E, eIF4G, eIF(iso)4G e nCBP) e as sequÃncias primÃrias putativas das proteÃnas correspondentes foram analisados, no intuito de se averiguar a existÃncia de padrÃes de polimorfismos entre cultivares resistentes e susceptÃveis, que pudessem estar relacionados à defesa constitutiva conferida por genes recessivos. ApÃs anÃlise das sequÃncias, foi observado que eIF4E apresentava polimorfismos entre os cultivares, sendo que, em pelo menos duas posiÃÃes nas sequÃncias primÃrias putativas do fator (68 e 108), existiram diferenÃas entre cultivares susceptÃveis e resistentes (Arg68/Pro68; Val108 ou Pro108/Ala108). A modelagem molecular revelou que as diferenÃas em aminoÃcidos situam-se em dois loops externos, prÃximos ao domÃnio de ligaÃÃo ao capacete (m7G), bastante relatados em casos de resistÃncia recessiva para a famÃlia Potyviridae. AtravÃs de estudos de imunodectecÃÃo posterior ao passo cromatogrÃfico em coluna de afinidade, foi observado que as mudanÃas de aminoÃcidos nÃo comprometiam, a capacidade de eIF4E em se ligar ao m7G in vitro. Entretanto, como foram observadas duas variantes para eIF4E, entre cultivares resistentes e susceptÃveis ao CPSMV, em regiÃes prÃximas espacialmente, nÃo se pode descartar a hipÃtese de que a resistÃncia recessiva constitutiva esteja associada com essas mutaÃÃes detectadas nessas sequÃncias, que iriam modificar, consequentemente, a interaÃÃo da VPg viral com eIF4E in vivo. / Cowpea [(Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.)] has a major socioeconomic importance in Northeastern Brazil. However, its production is low due abiotic and biotic factors. Amongst the biotic factors the cowpea severe mosaic virus (CPSMV, Secoviridae family) has a great importance because it causes the most prevalent and serious virus disease that affects this crop in the country. Although there are resistant cultivars to CPSMV, the defense mechanisms involved is not understood. For this reason, a comparative study was conducted between resistant and susceptible cultivars, using two experimental approaches. In the first one, the biochemical approach, possible differences of enzyme activities related to oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase) and pathogenesis (β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase), in addition of phenyl amonium lyase, and H2O2 generation in the leaves of the cultivars PitÃuba (susceptible) and Macaibo (resistant) were analyzed. The secondary leaves were harvested at 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 h after treatment with CPSMV or carborundum (controls) and these above parameters were measures in the protein extracts obtained. It was shown that, in general, the response amongst the cultivars did not differ significantly, suggesting that the defense mechanisms of cowpea are different from the classic response of defense observed for several plant species. In the second approach, molecular, the nucleotide sequences of the genes that code for the translation initiation factors (eIF4E, eIF(iso)4E, eIF4G, eIF(iso)4G and nCBP) and the primary strucuture of the correspondent putative proteins were analyzed in order to search patterns of polymorphis between the studied cowpea cultivars that could be related to a constitutive defense conferred by recessive genes. After sequence analysis, it was found that eIF4E showed polymorphisms between cultivars, and, in at least two positions (68 and 108), there were differences between susceptible and resistant cultivars (Arg68/Pro68; Val108 or Pro108/Ala108). The molecular modeling revealed that differences in amino acid are located in two external loops close to the cap (m7G) binding domain, well reported in cases of recessive resistance within the Potyviridae family. Through immunodetection studies with the leaf extracts and the protein fractions obtained after the affinity chromatography on a Sepharose-7-metil-guanosina column, it was found that the amino acid mutations found did not impair the ability of eIF4E to bind to M7G in vitro. However, as it was observed two variants for eIF4E comparing the resistant and susceptible cultivars to CPSMV, at spatially neighboring regions, it could not be ruled out the hypothesis that this constitutive/recessive resistant trait is correlated with these mutations detected, which could impair, consequently, the in vivo interaction of eIF4E with the viral VPg.

No description available.

Le cancer de la prostate (CaP) est devenu un véritable problème de santé publique dans les pays industrialisés. L'hormonothérapie reste le traitement de première ligne le plus efficace dans les cancers avancés mais il n'empêche pas la progression vers un stade androgéno-indépendant (AI), pour lequel la chimiothérapie s'avère peu efficace. Une des stratégies pour améliorer les thérapies actuelles consiste à cibler des gènes de survie surexprimés dans les CaPs AI afin de restaurer la sensibilité aux traitements du CaPs. Hsp27, protéine surexprimée dans ces cancers, à un effet cytoprotecteur qui engendre une résistance aux traitements. Elle est maintenant reconnue comme une cible thérapeutique importante. Rocchi et al. ont développé un oligonucléotide antisense (ASO) de deuxième génération (OGX-427) qui cible l'ARNm d'Hsp27. OGX-427 est actuellement en essai clinique phase II chez des patients atteints de CaPs au Canada et aux Etats-Unis. Mon projet de thèse a porté sur l'étude des mécanismes d'action d'Hsp27 impliqués dans l'évolution AI du CaP. Cette étude a pour but d'améliorer la sureté pharmacologique d'OGX-427, mais aussi d'identifier de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques visant spécifiquement les cellules tumorales. Mes travaux de thèse ont montré que lors d'un stress cellulaire induit par hormonothérapie et/ou chimiothérapie, Hsp27 interagit avec le facteur eucaryotique d'initiation de la traduction eIF4E et le protège de sa dégradation par la voie ubiquitine/protéasome. Ceci maintient la synthèse protéique et engendre une survie cellulaire impliquée en partie dans l'effet cytoprotecteur médié par Hsp27. / Prostate cancer (PC) has become a real public health issue in industrialized countries, mainly due to patients' relapse by castration-resistant (CR) disease after androgen ablation. One strategy to improve current therapies in advanced PC involves targeting genes that are activated by androgen withdrawal, either to delay or prevent the emergence of the CR phenotype. Hsp27 is over-expressed in this cancer and has been shown to play a cytoprotective role leading to treatments resistance. This protein is now considered as promising therapeutic target. Rocchi, P. et al. developed and patented a second generation antisens oligonucleotides (ASO) targeting Hsp27 that has been licensed (OGX-427) and phase II clinical trials are currently in process in PC in Canada and USA. My PhD project focused on the study of Hsp27 action mechanisms involved in CRPC progression. The present study aims to improve pharmacological safety of OGX-427 and to identify new therapeutic targets specific of CRPC cells. The results of my PhD have shown that during cell stress induced by hormone- and/or chemotherapy, Hsp27 interacts with eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF4E and protects it from degradation by the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. This maintains protein synthesis and leads to cell survival, partly involved in the cytoprotection mediated by Hsp27. Our work therefore concerned the characterization of the interaction site between Hsp27 and eIF4E in order to identify potential inhibitors of this interaction that could delay CRPC progression.

Leucoencefalopatia com substância branca evanescente é uma doença geneticamente determinada, causada por mutação no gene do eIF2B. A idade varia do período pré-natal até idade adulta, as manifestações geralmente são desencadeadas por trauma ou infecção. Os sintomas são variáveis, incluem ataxia cerebelar, espasticidade e relativa preservação cognitiva. Os achados de ressonância magnética (RM) são típicos e caracterizam-se por extenso comprometimento da substância branca. Estudamos 10 pacientes, com evolução súbita ou progressiva dos primeiros sintomas, entre 1 a 12 anos de idade. Ataxia e espasticidade estavam presentes em todos os pacientes e funções cognitivas relativamente preservadas. A clínica associada à RM, que demonstrava comprometimento difuso da substância branca, permitiu o diagnóstico / Leukoencephalopathy with vanishing white matter is an inherited disorder caused by mutation in one of five subunits of eIF2B gene. Age of onset varies from prenatal to adulthood and manifestations are commonly triggered by trauma or infection. Symptoms are variable and include cerebellar ataxia and spasticity, with relative sparing of cognitive function. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings are typically characterized by widespread white matter abnormality. We studied 10 patients, with sudden or slowly progressive symptoms starting between 1-12 years of age. Ataxia and spasticity were present in all patients, and cognitive functions were relatively preserved. MRI studies demonstrated diffuse white matter abnormalities which, combined with clinical findings, allow diagnosis

Les microARN (miARN) sont de petits ARN non-codants qui contrôlent l’expression génique, en s’hybridant, le plus souvent, de manière imparfaite à des séquences spécifiques qui se trouvent généralement dans la région non traduite en 3' (3’UTR) de transcrits cibles. Les miARN guident sur l’ARN messager (ARNm) un complexe protéique appelé RNA-induced Silencing Complex (RISC), composé des protéines Argonaute et TNRC6, qui perturbe l’initiation de la traduction et provoque la déadénylation et la dégradation du transcrit. C'est l’interaction entre le RISC et le complexe de pré-initiation de la traduction 43S (composé de la petite sous-unité ribosomique 40S et des facteurs d’initiation associés) qui entraîne la répression traductionnelle de l’ARNm ciblé. Des résultats récents ont démontré que le RISC perturbe le balayage de la région non traduite en 5’ (5’UTR) par le ribosome, étape qui requiert la présence de 2 facteurs d’initiation qui sont eIF4F qui reconnaît et lie la coiffe ainsi que la protéine PABP, fixée le long de la queue poly(A). Toutefois, les miARN peuvent également induire la stimulation de la traduction des transcrits cibles dans les cellules quiescentes, dans un lysat d’embryons de drosophiles ou encore dans les ovocytes de Xénope. Le mécanisme moléculaire de stimulation de l’expression par les miARN est encore mal connu mais requiert l’absence de queue poly(A) en 3’ des ARN cible et de TNRC6 au sein du complexe RISC. Le Virus de l’Hépatite C (VHC) possède en 5’ de son ARNg un site d’entrée interne du ribosome (IRES) qui recrute la petite sous-unité ribosomique 40S, sans nécessiter la reconnaissance de la coiffe par eIF4F, ni la protéine PABP, ni le balayage de la 5’UTR par le ribosome. Ces caractéristiques singulières nous ont conduits à rechercher l'impact du complexe RISC fixé en 3’ de l’ARNm sur l’initiation de la traduction du VHC. Pour cela, nous avons utilisé des transcrits contenant l'IRES du VHC en 5' et des sites d’hybridation du miARN let-7 en 3’. Ces ARNm ont ensuite été transfectés dans des lignées cellulaires hépatocytaires, ou non. A notre grande surprise, nous avons observé que la fixation du miARN let-7 sur la région 3' du transcrit stimulait fortement l’expression dirigée par l’IRES de VHC. Toutefois, l’augmentation de l’expression n’est pas due à la stabilisation du transcrit mais bien à une hausse significative de la synthèse protéique indépendamment d’un quelconque effet de miR-122. En utilisant d’autres IRES dites 'HCV-like', nous avons pu confirmer ces résultats et démontrer que, l’ajout d’une queue poly(A) en 3’ du transcrit, capable de fixer la PABP, annule cet effet stimulateur suggérant que l’absence de cette protéine est nécessaire pour que le complexe RISC stimule la traduction du VHC. / MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non coding RNAs which control gene expression by recognizing and hybridizing to a specific sequence generally located in the 3’UTR of targeted messenger RNA (mRNA). miRNAs serve as a guide for the RNA-Induced Silencing Complex (RISC) that is composed by, at least, the Argonaute proteins and TNRC6. Recent studies have suggested that translation inhibition occurs first and is then followed by deadenylation and degradation of the targeted transcript. The miRNA-induced inhibition of protein synthesis occurs at the level of translation initiation during the ribosomal scanning step and it requires the presence of both the initiation factor eIF4G and the poly(A) Binding Protein (PABP). In this process, the RISC interacts with both PABP and 43S pre-initiation complex (composed by initiation factors and ribosome) and it results in the disruption of linear scanning of the ribosome along the 5’ Untranslated Region (5’UTR). In some specific cases, the binding of miRNAs to their target sequences can upregulate translation initiation. This has notably been demonstrated in G0 quiescent cells, drosophila embryos and Xenopus oocytes. Although the molecular mechanism by which upregulation occurs remains to be precisely determined, it appears that the absence of a poly(A) tail and the lack of availability of the TNRC6 proteins are amongst the major determinants. In the particular case of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), the genomic RNA is uncapped and non polyadenylated and harbors an Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) which directly binds to the ribosome with no need for cap-recognition, PABP binding and ribosome scanning. These peculiar features of the HCV IRES prompted us to investigate how viral translation can be regulated by the miRNA machinery. In order to do that, we have used a mRNA that contains the HCV IRES in 5’ and 4 let-7 binding sites in its 3’ extremity. To most of our surprise, we have observed a strong stimulation of the expression of the HCV IRES when the construct is bearing the let-7 sites. This effect is not due to any interference with the miR-122 binding sites although the magnitude of stimulation reached the same level. Our data show that it is the presence of the RISC on the 3' end of the transcript that can stimulate internal ribosome entry at the 5' end. By using other HCV-like IRESes, we could confirm these data and further showed that the absence of a poly(A) tail was an absolute requirement for the stimulation to occur. These effects are not due to an increase of mRNA stability and are rather exerted at the level of translation.