Stress can induce prolonged deleterious effects on many characteristics in chickens (Gallus gallus). Particular interest has been paid to early life stress. Social isolation as an early life stressor results in increased plasma corticosterone levels. Moreover, it induces behavioural and physiological changes as well as gene expression modifications in the hypothalamus. In the first part of my study, I aim to inquire into social isolation impacts on the short and long-term. Short and long-term effects were assessed by immune system, behaviour and weight. 82 male chickens were assigned to three groups (stress, control and enrichment). The stress group was exposed to social isolation, the enrichment group was provided with enrichment substrates while the control group was left untreated. According to my knowledge, this is the first study that investigates the effects of social isolation on the interuleikn-6 levels as an indicator of immune system response. My findings suggest that social isolation induces short and long-term effects on immune response as well as on body weight. In the second part of my study, I aim to develop a method investigating effects of early stress on DNA methylation in blood and sperm. For this purpose, two methods GBS (Genotyping by sequencing) and MeDIP (Methylated DNA immuneprecipitation) were f using pooled DNA from all individuals for the first time. Moreover, I developed a protocol for extracting sperm DNA from frozen testis. Combining both methods has many advantages, such as cost effectiveness and the ability to evaluate epigenetic signatures in large number of individuals

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L'analyse des profils de méthylation présente un grand intérêt car des altérations du méthylome sont impliquées dans de nombreuses pathologies. Le MeDIP (Methylated DNA ImmunoPrecipitation) immunoprécipite les séquences méthylées sur le génome entier, la plupart étant localisées dans les séquences répétées. De telles séquences sont difficiles à aligner après séquençage (MeDIP-Seq) et bon nombre d'entre elles ne peuvent donc être utilisées pour la suite des analyses. Nous présentons une méthode innovante appelée MeDIP-dep-Seq permettant de supprimer une quantité significative de plusieurs familles de ces éléments répétés (diminution d'un facteur de 300 au maximum) tandis que les séquences uniques d'intérêt ne sont pas affectées. Après séquençage sur un séquenceur de seconde génération (GAIIx, Illumina), le taux d'alignement est amélioré de façon conséquente permettant ainsi d'augmenter la quantité de séquences analysables. Nous avons également développé une plateforme d'analyse des données issues du MeDIP-Seq. De potentielles régions candidates identifiées par cette technique sur le génome entier peuvent ensuite être validées en utilisant des sélectors, sondes permettant la capture de régions génomiques d'intérêt. Nous avons introduit un traitement au bisulphite dans le protocole de sélection afin de développer un nouvel outil pour une analyse multiplexe. 98 loci ont été enrichis dans 6 échantillons puis séquencés en parallèle sur un séquenceur de paillasse (GS Junior, Roche). La combinaison de ces technologies permettra d'établir des cartes du méthylome et d'identifier des nouveaux biomarqueurs épigénétiques pour diagnostiquer et pronostiquer les cancers et maladies complexes.

New Zealand has the second highest incidence of melanoma skin cancer in the world. Chemotherapy is the standard treatment for melanoma derived tumours which have undergone metastasis and current therapies have limited benefit. There is a great need for new therapies and to increase the efficacy of current therapies. Temozolomide (TMZ) is a chemotherapy agent effective in the treatment of both metastatic melanoma and glioblastoma (brain cancer), although TMZ resistance has been observed in many tumours. The activity of the DNA repair enzyme O6 methyl-guanine methyltransferase (MGMT) is thought to be largely responsible for TMZ resistance. MGMT protects the cell from the effects of TMZ by removing cytotoxic lesions placed on the DNA. Mechanisms of regulation of MGMT expression remain unclear in melanoma. DNA methylation at the MGMT promoter has been linked to MGMT silencing in some cancers and has been associated with specific chromatin modifications. The present study was aimed at investigating the promoter methylation status of MGMT in primary melanoma cell lines using a new technique named methyl DNA immuno-precipitation (MeDIP). Next, the chromatin immuno-precipitation (ChIP) method was used to examine post translational modifications on the surrounding chromatin. The data obtained was correlated with both MGMT transcription levels and TMZ sensitivity. The promoter methylation status of MGMT has been used to predict the clinical responsiveness of glioblastoma patients to TMZ. Establishing the regulatory mechanisms of MGMT expression in melanoma patients would validate a means to predict clinical responsiveness to TMZ. Furthermore, establishing mechanisms of MGMT silencing may provide the basis for future clinical trials of novel therapies for melanoma and glioblastoma.