The present study adopted an integrative approach to conduct a population comparison of vulnerability to environmental stress in a commercially important species of ectotherm. Specifically, I investigated how differing environmental conditions in native habitats may drive intra-species divergence and alter performance when conditions shift. This study used northern prawn (Pandalus borealis Krøyer 1838) populations with known morphological differences from two spatially proximate fjord sites differing in oxygen regime as a model system. The genetic population structure was analysed and whole organism, physiological, and metabolomic performance under hypoxia and thermal stress were assessed. Genetic analyses displayed no significant dissimilarities between P. borealis from the normoxic and the seasonally hypoxic site. It was hypothesised that phenotypic plasticity may act as mechanism by which P. borealis may persist in the seasonally hypoxic fjord. Subsequently, a common garden experiment, in which individuals from the two fjords were exposed to hypoxia and the additional stress of elevated temperature, was carried out. The populations did not show significantly different physiological performance as determined by metabolic rates and stamina. However, the experiment did confirm the negative impacts of hypoxia on this species. Finally, P. borealis were exposed to hypoxia in the field in a translocation experiment. As the laboratory methods used would not have been possible to replicate, performance was assessed by survivorship and metabolite regulation. P. borealis from the two fjords showed significantly different levels of survivorship and the metabolomic profiles demonstrated that both populations possess different levels or forms of phenotypic plasticity, as they responded differently to translocation. This thesis presents the first use of the mtDNA control region of this species being used to determine its genetic variation and emphasises the need for multidisciplinary, holistic and multi-population approaches to assessing species vulnerability.

Common observations of reduced gonad size and spawning inhibition in wild and laboratory raised fish exposed to pulp mill effluents indicate that reproductive neuroendocrine signalling pathways may be upset. This thesis supported the neuroendocrine disruption of reproduction hypothesis by identifying potential disruptors and targets where these impacts may occur. A mechanistic study of the in vivo fathead minnow (FHM) spawning assay used by industry to assess effluent quality showed that ovulation, but not milt production, was impaired. This finding supported the hypothesis that the neuroendocrine cascade that triggers ovulation may be disrupted. I hypothesized that neuroactive constituents previously described in effluents were originating in wood feedstocks and neuroactive extracts of hardwood and conifer feedstocks were identified. Phytochemicals associated with effluents were neuroactive. Structurally similar phenolic phytochemicals showed monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibition, and resin acid diterpenes displayed glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) inhibition. Inhibitors of these enzymes may have impacts on the control of reproduction since MAO metabolizes dopamine, an inhibitor of the neuroendocrine reproductive axis, while GAD synthesizes -aminobutyric acid (GABA), a stimulator of this axis. Bioassay-guided fractionations of effluents and wood feedstocks identified that medium polar extracts of primary- and secondary-treated effluents and balsam fir feedstock contained high GAD inhibitory activity. This activity was associated with chemically complex fractions rather than single active principles. Advanced metabolomic comparison of medium polar extracts of feedstock and treated effluent identified 15 common plant metabolites, demonstrating that phytochemicals entering the mill in wood are surviving pulp production and effluent treatment processes and may be responsible for observed GAD inhibition. Discriminant metabolomics analysis identified 4-acetylpyridine, a novel compound to be described in effluents, as well as two other tentatively identified compounds, as chemical markers of GAD inhibitory effluent fractions. Five tentatively identified chemical markers and (+)-lariciresinol were found in inhibitory balsam fir feedstock fractions. Neuroendocrine pathways that control reproduction in fish, such as dopamine and GABA pathways, are also important drug targets for the treatment of neurological disorders in mammals; therefore these results also have implications for the development of natural health products from phytochemicals and tree extracts common to Canadian forests. By using an interdisciplinary approach (phytochemistry, neuroendocrinology, ecotoxicology), I was able to explore the various implications of my research on the fields of natural health products chemistry and aquatic toxicology.

Fluoxetine, a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) and the active ingredient in Prozac®, is found in the environment and disrupts feeding and metabolism in exposed fish. The objective of this research was to investigate the mechanisms involved in the feeding and metabolism disruption in the model goldfish (Carassius auratus). Two short-term waterborne fluoxetine exposures (7- and 14-days) were performed using two environmentally relevant doses of fluoxetine (0.5 and 1 μg/L) and metabolic effects at the level of the brain, liver, serum and bile in goldfish were investigated. Abundances of mRNA transcripts coding for six feeding neuropeptides were examined to determine which may be involved in the initial neural changes associated with decreased appetite in goldfish. The 7-day fluoxetine exposure at 1 μg/L caused corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) mRNA levels to increase by 2-fold in female hypothalamus and telencephalon, indicating that CRF may be one of the first of the feeding neuropeptides to be altered. Six hepatic miRNAs were also evaluated in the goldfish liver that were previously associated with fluoxetine exposure in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Following the 7-day exposure at 1 μg/L, miR-22b, miR-140, miR-210, miR-301a and miR-457b levels increased in the female goldfish liver by 4-6 fold. The 14-day fluoxetine exposure at 1 μg/L caused 2-fold increases in miR-210, miR-301a, miR-457b and let-7d in male goldfish liver. These miRNAs were associated with the down-regulation of anabolic metabolic pathways in zebrafish, indicating a conservation of miRNA and fluoxetine effect between fish species. Serum and bile metabolite profiles of fluoxetine exposed goldfish were evaluated using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry. Following the 14-day exposure at 1 μg/L, the bile metabolite profiles of male goldfish were significantly different from controls as detected by cluster analysis and fluoxetine was tentatively identified in the serum. No other discriminant metabolites were identified as of yet. The data presented suggest that fluoxetine causes metabolic disruption in goldfish at multiple organ levels. Because of the widespread detection of fluoxetine and other emerging SSRIs in the aquatic environment, future research is required to firmly establish this pharmaceutical class as a metabolic and endocrine disrupting chemical.

Metabolomics is a post genomic field of research concerned with the study of low molecular weight compounds within a biological system permitting the investigation of the metabolite differences between natural and perturbed systems (such as cells, organs and tissues). Rapid identification and discrimination of biological samples based upon metabolic differences and physiological status in microbiology, mammalian systems (particularly for disease diagnosis), plants and food science is highly desirable. Volatile organic compound (VOC) profiling is a novel area of research where the composition of the VOCs emitted by the biological samples can be correlated to its origin and physiological status. The aim of this project was to investigate the applicability of VOC profiling as a potential complementary tool within metabolomics.In this project the discrimination of bacteria using a novel gas phase separation method was investigated and the development of VOC-based profiling tools for the collections of VOCs emitted from biological samples was also studied. The optimisation and validation of a high throughput method for VOC analysis was achieved and this was used to assess wound healing.VOC metabolite profiling was further extended to the discrimination of S. typhimurium contaminated meat; the study was conducted in parallel with metabolite profiling analysis for the analysis of non-volatile small molecules. Finally, enhanced vibrational spectroscopic techniques were applied to the characterisation and screening of dye molecules in contaminated foodstuffs using Raman spectroscopy. This thesis clearly demonstrates that VOC metabolic profiling is a complementary tool within the metabolomics toolbox, one of its great attractions is that it permits the characterisation of biological samples in a rapid and non-invasive manner. The technique provides detailed chemical information regarding the VOC composition present above the headspace of the sample and can be used to understand its physiological status and biological origin. VOCs metabolite profiling will become a valuable tool for non-invasive analysis of many biological systems. Raman spectroscopy is a sensitive and non-destructive technique which can generate detailed chemical and structural information regarding the analyte under investigation with little or no sample preparation needed. The effect of the weak Raman signal can be significantly amplified by coupling the analyte molecule to surfaces of nanoparticles and demonstrated that it is ideal for analysing aqueous dye solutions in a quantitative manner.

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease is a common, complex relapsing disorder characterised by immune dysregulation, altered intestinal permeability and microbial insult. Limited knowledge is available regarding the metabolic changes observed during progression of the disease, and limited biomarkers of disease available that have been validated and shown to be of sound clinical value. Aim of Study: A two stage metabolomics approach was adopted to determine if metabolic signature profiles, could distinguish inflammatory bowel disease Crohn’s disease (CD) patients from ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and from healthy controls. Methods: A serum metabolomics approach was undertaken to define metabolic changes associated with UC and CD. Serum samples from a discovery study of 30 UC, 30 CD and 29 ethnically, age and gender matched controls were analysed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. A subsequent validation study was preformed using 28UC, 31CD, and 29 gender matched controls were also analysed using UPLC-MS.ResultsClasses of metabolites, identified as biologically interesting and at significantly different levels (p<0.05) in comparisons of control and CD and UC cohorts included: steroids and steroid derivatives, phosphocholine, Vitamin D metabolites, fatty acids and conjugates, glycerolipids, isoprenoids, amino acids, and phosphosphingolipids. There were fewer discriminatory metabolites differentiating the CD and UC cohorts. Conclusion: Serum Metabolomic profiling may represent a novel technology which could be used to distinguish individuals with CD from those with UC and healthy controls.

An approach to investigating cancer that has recently seen resurgence of interest is the “Warburg effect”. Otto Warburg originally described the altered metabolism of cancer cells and identified that they exhibit an increase in glucose uptake and lactate production. This up-regulation of glycolytic flux and glucose transport is now associated with 90% of cancers. In order to improve the overall understanding of the “Warburg effect” two forms of systems biology have been implemented - comparative in vitro analysis of kinetic activities and dynamic modelling. In this analysis, human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and T47D and a non transformed breast cell line MCF-10A were used to identify key similarities and differences in kinetic activities across the glycolytic pathway. Additionally, activities of key glycolytic enzymes hexokinase, pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase were compared under hypoxic conditions to further understand regulation of cancer cells. The most prominent feature that arose from comparing the kinetic activities of the three malignant and one non-malignant cell line is that each cell line has its own specific set of activities for glycolysis. This indicates that there are differences in regulation across the glycolytic pathway for each of these cell lines. This is of specific interest in the search for therapeutic targets. Further, we determined that despite the prominence of oncogenic HIF signalling activities of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase were further modulated by growth under hypoxic conditions. Despite the lack of obvious distinct kinetic differences between the non-cancerous and cancerous cells lines some discernible differences are apparent when modelled in silico.

Ce travail porte sur la valorisation de sarments de vigne comme source de polyphénols bioactifs. Après purification d’oligomères du resvératrol et hémi synthèse d’analogues du resvératrol, l’activité antifongique de ces molécules a été testée. Le 3,5-diméthoxyresvératrol a montré des activités intéressantes sur douze espèces du genre Candida. Pendant le stockage des sarments, une forte augmentation en E-resvératrol et E-picéatannol a lieu de façon thermo dépendante et l’expression des gènes PAL, C4H et STS participent à la biosynthèse de novo du E-resvératrol. Une infection par le mildiou au vignoble pendant la période de croissance modifie à la fois la composition et la répartition spatiale des stilbénoïdes dans les sarments. L’analyse métabolomique ciblée par UPLC-MS couplée à une analyse PLS-DA permet de discriminer les sarments selon leur génotype et de déterminer des métabotypes. La distance biochimique observée correspond à la distance génétique inter cépage. Ces résultats démontrent le potentiel antifongique des stilbènoïdes et permettent d’identifier quelques facteurs clés influençant la composition phytochimique des sarments de vigne. / This work aims at grape cane valorization as a source of bioactive polyphenols. After purifying E-resveratrol oligomers and obtaining E-resveratrol analogues through semi-synthesis, the antifungal activity of the compounds was evaluated. The 3,5-dimethoxyresveratrol exhibited interesting activity against twelves Candida species. During post-pruned grape cane storage, a strong and temperature dependent increase in E-resveratrol and E-piceatannol was observed and the expression of PAL, C4H, 4CL and STS genes contributed to a de novo biosynthesis of E-resveratrol. Downy mildew infection in vineyard during the growing season modified both the composition and the spatial distribution of stilbenoids in grape canes. UPLC-MS-based targeted metabolomics coupled to multivariate statistical analysis discriminates grape canes according to their genotypic origin and determines metabotypes. The observed biochemical distances between genotypes corresponded to genetic distances. Finally, results highlight the antifungal potential of stilbenoids and several key factors affecting the phytochemical composition of grape canes

O objetivo da presente Tese de Doutorado foi analisar o impacto do exercício realizado em ambiente poluído sobre parâmetros cardiorrespiratórios, inflamação e metaboloma. Para isso, foi dividida em dois estudos, com o objetivo de analisar: a influência da duração (estudo 1) e da intensidade (estudo 2) do exercício sobre parâmetros cardiovasculares, de inflamação e o metaboloma. Foram recrutados 10 indivíduos fisicamente ativos do sexo masculino, que foram submetidos aos seguintes testes: a) teste progressivo até a exaustão voluntária; b) dois testes de carga constante no &#916;25 da diferença entre o limiar ventilatório (LV) e o ponto de compensação respiratória (PCR), com duração de 90 minutos, sendo um no ambiente limpo e um no poluído (estudo 1) e; c) quatro testes de cargas constantes com 30 minutos de duração, sendo dois no &#916;25 e dois no &#916;75 da diferença entre o LV e o PCR, também em ambiente limpo e poluído. No estudo 1, foi observado um aumento na pressão arterial sistólica (4,0 ± 0,7 mmHg) e diastólica (6,1 ± 0,5 mmHg) após os 90 minutos de exercício em ambiente poluído, ao contrário do observado no ambiente limpo (-6,2 ± 0,8 mmHg e -1,3 ± 0,5 mmHg, respectivamente). Também após 90 minutos de exercício, foi observado aumento de IL-6 (+37%; p = 0,047) e VEGF (+257%; p = 0,026) e diminuição de IL-10 (-34%; p = 0,061) no ambiente poluído em relação ao limpo. Por sua vez, o metaboloma mostrou alterações que foram mantidas ao longo do tempo, assim como alterações tempo-dependentes, capazes de sugerir que a duração do exercício é um fator importante a ser considerado em ambientes com altos índices de poluição atmosférica. Não houve diferença nas demais variáveis analisadas. A intensidade de exercício não mostrou alteração significativa em nenhum dos parâmetros analisados. É possível que a menor duração de exercício seja responsável por essa ausência de respostas específicas ao exercício em ambiente poluído. Por sua vez, o metaboloma apontou vias diferentemente afetadas no ambiente poluído quando o exercício foi realizado em alta intensidade, sugerindo que a intensidade pode ser um fator importante, porém, em maiores durações de exercício do que a utilizada no presente trabalho. Em conclusão, nossos resultados sugerem que quando o exercício é realizado em ambiente poluído, maiores durações são capazes de produzir respostas mais exacerbadas à inalação de poluentes, como aumento da pressão arterial e da inflamação, assim como diferentes alterações no metaboloma. Por outro lado, a intensidade do exercício não pareceu influenciar significativamente as respostas biológicas ao ambiente poluído, ao menos nas condições testadas / The aim of the present Thesis was to analyze the impact of exercise in polluted ambient on cardiorespiratory parameters, inflammation and metabolome. For this, it was divided in two studies, aiming to analyze: the influence of exercise duration (study 1) and exercise intensity (study 2) on cardiovascular parameters, inflammation and the metabolome. 10 healthy physical active male performed the following tests: a) maximal incremental test; b) two constant load tests at the &#916;25 of the difference between ventilatory threshold (VT) and respiratory compensation point (RCP), with 90 minutes in duration, at clean and polluted conditions (study 1) and; c) four constant load tests with 30 minutes in duration, with two at &#916;25 and two at &#916;75 of the difference between VT and RCP, also at clean and polluted conditions. In the study 1, it was observed an increase in systolic (4.0 ± 0.7 mmHg) and diastolic (6.1 ± 0.5 mmHg) arterial pressure after 90 minutes of exercise at polluted condition, unlike the observed in clean condition (-6.2 ± 0.8 mmHg e -1.3 ± 0.5 mmHg, respectively). Also after 90 minutes of exercise, it were observed increases in IL-6 (+37%; p = 0.047) and VEGF (+257%; p = 0.026), and a decrease in IL-10 (-34%; p = 0.061) in the polluted related to clean condition. In turn, metabolome showed alterations which have been maintained over time, as well as time-dependent alterations, suggesting the exercise duration as an important factor to be considered in high polluted ambient. It were not observed significant alterations in any of the other analyzed variables. The exercise intensity did not show significant alterations in any of the analyzed parameters. It is possible that the lower exercise duration might be responsible for the absence of specif responses to exercise in polluted condition. In turn, metabolome pointed out different pathways affected by the polluted condition when the exercise was performed at higher intensity, suggesting that exercise intensity might be an important factor, but in longer exercise durations than the utilized in the present study. In conclusion, our results suggest that when exercise is performed at polluted ambient, longer exercise durations are able to induce more exacerbated responses to air pollutants inhalation, as increased arterial pressure and inflammation, as well as metabolome alterations. On the other hand, exercise intensity seems not significantly influence the biological responses to polluted ambient, at least in the tested conditions

O uso da metabolômica ambiental tem sido usada para avaliar a interação dos organismos com o ambiente. Apesar do alto impacto que os metais têm no ambiente, essa abordagem analítica ainda está em seu início, em especial para as macroalgas. Como membro do primeiro nível trófico da cadeia alimentar marinha, fornecendo nutrientes e microelementos para os níveis superiores, as macroalgas são um alvo apropriado tanto para o desenvolvimento de ensaios toxicológicos quanto como bioindicador de degradação do ambiente marinho. Também por causa da sua posição na cadeia alimentar, essas macrófitas são consideradas o principal vetor para a magnificação desses elementos tóxicos. Os efeitos tóxicos dos metais sobre o ambiente aquático são documentados e bem conhecidos, mas relacionam principalmente ao desbalanço do potencial redox intracelular e, assim, o estresse oxidativo em organismos vivos. Com o objetivo de compreender a relação das macroalgas com o metal essencial Cu2+ e o metal não essencial Cd2+, a macroalga vermelha Gracilaria domingensis foi selecionada. Após 48h de exposição aos metais em águas do mar sintética e natural, as amostras foram extraídas e analisadas em cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas. Em seguida, os dados foram pré-processados e pré-tratados para serem utilizados nas análises estatísticas multivariadas (AEM) de PCA e OPLS-DA. A G. domingensis exposta aos metais em água do mar sintética não foram significativamente influenciadas, como indicado pela MVA e pela análise de vias. Apesar disso, alterações significativas foram observadas na exposição aos metais em água do mar natural. Os principais resultados para o Cu2+ foram a interação do metabolismo de glicina, serina e treonina com o metabolismo de glioxilato e dicarboxilato. Foi sugerido que a macroalga poderia estar alterando o modo de adquirir carbono para uma via não fotossintetizante, uma vez que essa via está prejudicada na exposição ao metal. Também, o metabolismo de fenilalanina foi impactado por essa exposição, uma vez que é uma via fundamental para sintetizar compostos fenólicos antioxidantes. Por outro lado, apesar de oito vias terem sido identificadas como significativamente alteradas na exposição ao Cd2+, somente o metabolismo de arginina e prolina parece ter sido significativamente influenciado com o objetivo de produzir prolina, um aminoácido reconhecido por suas propriedades antioxidantes e protetoras em organismos estressados por metais. Em conclusão, os metais essenciais e não essenciais parecem ter mecanismos diferentes na tentativa de promover o combate aos danos gerados pela exposição aos metais. / The environmental metabolomics approach has been used to evaluate the interaction of organisms with their environment. Besides the high impact metals have on the environment, this method of analysis is still in its infancy, in special for macroalgae. As members of the first trophic level in the marine food chain, providing nutrients and microelements to upper levels, macroalgae are appropriate target organisms both for the development of toxicological assays and as a bioindicator of marine degradation. Also, because of their marine food chain position, these macrophytes are considered the main vectors to magnify these toxic elements. The toxic effects of metals on the aquatic environment are documented and well known, but regards mainly to the unbalance of intracellular redox potential and, therefore, oxidative stress in living organisms. In order to understand the relationship of macroalgae with the essential metal Cu2+ and the non-essential metal Cd2+, the red macroalga Gracilaria domingensis was chosen. After 48h of metal exposure in synthetic and natural seawater, the samples were extracted and analysed in gas chromatograph coupled to mass spectrometry. Afterward, the data were preprocessed and pretreated for the multivariative analysis (MVA) with PCA and OPLS-DA statistics. G. domingensis exposed to metals in synthetic seawater were not significantly affected, as indicated by MVA and pathway analysis. Though, significant changes were observed on exposure to metals in natural seawater. The main results for Cu2+ were the interlay of glycine, serine and threonine metabolism with glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism. It was suggested that the macroalga could be shifting the metabolism to acquire carbon from a non-photosynthetic pathway, since it is injured on metal exposure. Also, phenylalanine metabolism was impacted by this metal exposure, since it is a pivotal source of phenolic antioxidant compounds. On the other hand, besides eigth pathways were identified as significantly changed on Cd2+ exposure, only arginine and proline metabolism seemed to be significantly affected, in order to produce proline, known for its antioxidative and protective properties in metal stressed organims. In conclusion, essential and non essential metals seem to have distinct mechanism to mitigate the damaged caused by metal exposure.

La thyroïde est une glande endocrine importante pour le contrôle du métabolisme, le développement et la croissance des mammifères. Sa fonction est stimulée par la « Thyroid Stimulating Hormone » (TSH) mais inhibée par une forte élévation de l’iode plasmatique. Cette inhibition par l’iode a été décrite il y a plus de 70 ans, mais la compréhension des mécanismes sous-jacents reste partielle et controversée. La mise en place de l’effet inhibiteur de l’iode nécessite la génération de composants intermédiaires iodés dont la nature est inconnue. La première partie de cette thèse a eu pour objectif d’étudier si des protéines iodées pourraient avoir un rôle dans la régulation de la thyroïde par l’iode. En combinant le marquage radioactif, l’électrophorèse bidimensionnelle et la spectrométrie de masse, nous avons mis en évidence dans des cellules en culture une iodation spontanée de la Peroxyrédoxine 6 (PRDX6). Nous avons ensuite identifié les positions d’iodation sur la protéine PRDX6 et évalué leurs effets sur son activité enzymatique. De plus, nous avons montré qu’une diminution de l’expression de la PRDX6 par « Short hairpin RNA » amplifie la diminution de la capacité de captation d’iode induite par un excès d’iode. Sur la base de ces résultats, nous proposons que la PRDX6 exerce un rôle protecteur vis-à-vis d’une exposition aiguë à l’iode. Les résultats obtenus apportent des connaissances originales dans le mécanisme de la régulation thyroïdienne par l’iode et dévoilent un nouveau rôle potentiel de cette peroxydase dans la thyroïde. La deuxième partie de cette thèse a consisté à développer des approches en métabolomique pour les appliquer dans les études sur des dysfonctionnements ou des lésions de la thyroïde. Pour ce faire, nous avons utilisé la chromatographie en phase liquide couplée à la spectrométrie de masse pour mesurer la variation des métabolites dans les cellules ou les tissus. Grâce à l’exposition à des perturbateurs thyroïdiens d’une lignée de cellules thyroïdiennes de rat, nous avons identifié une liste de métabolites iodés comme étant de potentiels marqueurs d’exposition aux perturbateurs thyroïdiens. Par la suite, grâce aux prélèvements congelés de lésions thyroïdiennes dont le diagnostic de nature avait été réalisé en histologie, nous avons construit un modèle de classification supervisée (de type OPLS-DA) basé sur les données métabolomiques pour discriminer les lésions bénignes des malignes. Les variations des métabolites déterminants pour cette classification indiquent une altération au niveau du cycle de Krebs, du métabolisme du glutathion et du métabolisme des bases puriques. En outre, nous avons montré qu’une liste restreinte de métabolites suffit pour établir un modèle de discrimination statistiquement significatif. Ces résultats ouvrent la possibilité d’affiner le diagnostic sur les prélèvements de cytoponction en ciblant uniquement ces métabolites. Ces approches en métabolomique ont également été appliquées à l’étude d’autres types de tumeurs, notamment la classification des sous-types histologiques de carcinomes du rein. / Thyroid function is stimulated by the thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH while inhibited by iodide. The inhibition of thyroid function by an excess of circulating iodide was first reported more than 70 years ago but our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms remains unclear. The inhibitory effect of iodide is due to the presence of oxidized iodide in the thyrocytes and the subsequent generation of iodinated intracellular signaling molecules. The first part of this thesis aimed to study the potential role of iodinated proteins in thyroid regulation by iodide. By combining radioactive labeling, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, we showed that the cytosolic enzyme, peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6), is spontaneously iodinated in cultured cells in the presence of iodide. We identified the iodinated amino acids in the PRDX6 sequence and studied the effect of the iodination on the protein’s activity. In addition, decreased expression of PRDX6 by short hairpin RNA led to increased cell iodide uptake loss induced by excess iodide. Based on our findings, we propose that PRDX6 is involved in the cellular responses to excess iodide. This novel function for PRDX6 provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying acute regulation by iodide.The second part of this thesis aimed to develop metabolomics approach in the studies of thyroid disruptors and thyroid cancers. To this end, we analyzed metabolite variations in various samples using LC-MS (Liquid chromatography-Mass spectrometry). Firstly, in rat thyroid cell line exposed to different thyroid disruptors, we identified a list of iodinated metabolites, which could serve as potential biomarkers for thyroid disruptor screening. Secondly, we analyzed frozen specimens from thyroid nodules previously diagnosed by histology. Our data allowed us to build a multivariate classification for the discrimination of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. We also detected various metabolic dysregulations in malignant thyroid nodules, including the TCA cycle, the glutathione metabolism and the purine metabolism. Accurate classification was possible by using only a short list of metabolites, allowing for future LC-MS-based thyroid nodule diagnosis on fine-needle aspiration biopsies. Finally, we showed that metabolomics approach could also be helpful for the characterization of other tumors.