A fecundação resulta no aumento intracelular de cálcio que é necessário para a transição do oócito até o estádio de zigoto. Os eventos que ocorrem durante esta transição são caracterizados como ativação, sendo estes dependentes de cálcio. Entretanto, os eventos bioquímicos que ocorrem durante a ativação ainda não estão completamente elucidados. A proteína quinase C (PKC) e a proteína quinase dependente de cálcio/calmodulina (CaMKII), por apresentarem atividade durante a fecundação e por serem ativadas por cálcio são implicadas na regulação dos eventos da ativação. Entretanto, existem muitas dúvidas sobre o real papel destas proteínas na ativação do oócito. Deste modo, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar o papel da PKC e da CaMKII na ativação de oócitos bovinos. Para tal, oócitos bovinos maturados in vitro foram ativados partenogeneticamente (AP) com cálcio ionóforo A23187 (5μM) por 5 minutos, sendo a retomada da meiose, a organização do citoesqueleto e do retículo endoplasmático (RE) avaliada 1 hora após a ativação. No experimento 1 foi avaliado o papel da CaMKII nestes eventos. Os oócitos foram AP na presença ou ausência de 100M do inibidor de CaMKII (Autocamtide-2 Related Inhibitory Peptide, Myristoylated). A inibição da CaMKII não afetou a retomada da meiose e nem a distribuição dos RE, após a AP. Entretanto, não ocorreu a rotação do fuso meiótico no estádio de telófase II quando a CaMKII foi inibidada. Estes resultados demonstram que embora a CaMKII não tenha efeito na retomada da meiose, esta proteína participa na progressão do ciclo celular de oócitos bovinos, após a AP. No experimento 2 foi avaliado o papel da PKC em oócitos bovinos AP. Os oócitos foram ativados partenogeneticamente na presença ou ausência de 10μM do inibidor de PKC (Bisindolymaleimide I). A inibição da PKC não afetou a retomada da meiose e nem a progressão pelo ciclo celular até o estádio de telófase II. Entretanto, a organização do RE foi afetada pela inibição da PKC. Resultado semelhante foi obtido quando os oócitos foram ativados na presença de citocalasina C, um despolimerizador de filamentos de actina. O presente experimento demonstra a participação da via PKC-actina na organização do RE na ativação de oócitos bovinos. / The intracellular calcium increase resulting from fertilization is necessary for oocyte transition to zygote. The events that occur during this transition are characterized as activation, which are dependent on calcium. However the biochemical events that occur during this activation are still not fully elucidated. The protein kinase C (PKC) and the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), are involved in regulating the events of activation, since these proteins have activity during fertilization and are activated by calcium. However there are many doubts about the real role of these proteins in the oocyte activation. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the role of PKC and CaMKII in bovine oocyte activation. For this purpose, in vitro matured bovines oocytes were parthenogenetically activated (PA) by using calcium ionophore A23187 (5μM) for five minutes, and the resumption of meiosis, the cytoskeleton organization and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) organization were evaluated 1 hour post-activation. In experiment 1, were evaluated the role of CaMKII in these events. The oocytes were PA in the presence or absence of 100M of CaMKII inhibitor (Autocamtide-2 Related Inhibitory Peptide, Myristoylated). The inhibition of CaMKII did not affect the meiosis resumption and the ER after the PA. However, there was no spindle rotation at telophase II stage when the CaMKII was inhibited. These results showed that although the CamKII has no effect on resumption of meiosis, it participates in the regulation of cell cycle progression after PA of bovine oocytes. In experiment 2, was evaluated the role of PKC on PA bovine oocytes. The oocytes were parthenogenetically activated in the presence or absence of 10μM of PKC inhibitor (Bisindolymaleimide I). The PKC inhibition did not affected the resumption of meiosis and the progression through the cell cycle until the stage of telophase II. However, the ER organization was affected by PKC inhibition. A similar result was obtained when the oocytes were activated in the presence of cytochalasin C, which promotes the depolymerization of the actin filaments. The current experiment showed the participation of the PKC-actin pathway at the ER organization in the bovine oocytes activation.

A qualidade do oócito é um fator limitante na fertilidade das fêmeas e reflete seu intrínseco potencial ao desenvolvimento embrionário subsequente. As alterações moleculares e bioquímicas no processo de maturação dos oócitos são necessárias para permitir a fecundação destes. Sob influência das gonadotrofinas, uma cascata de eventos é desencadeada, alterando a expressão gênica e a estrutura dos folículos. A maturação ocorre pelo intercâmbio entre o oócito e as células do cumulus que irão fornecer fatores para o desenvolvimento do oócito e criar o microambiente necessário para garantir o sucesso na maturação. A ação do FSH sobre a retomada da meiose ocorre, possivelmente, por ativação da proteína quinase C (PKC). A via de sinalização desta proteína parece estar envolvida na ativação da quinase ativada por mitógeno (MAPK) em oócitos e células do cumulus, na maturação induzida por FSH e LH, além de regular a síntese do Fator de Crescimento Epidermal (EGF). Deste modo, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a ação da PKC na maturação de oócitos bovinos e se esta ativação envolve o EGF. Para tal foram realizados dois experimentos. Em ambos, a progressão do ciclo celular foi avaliada utilizando a sonda fluorescente Hoechst 33342. A expansão das células do cumulus foi avaliada utilizando-se o software Image Pro Plus 5.1 para análise das imagens dos oócitos geradas em microscópio Olympus IX81. O maior diâmetro de cada complexo cumulus oócito foi adotado como parâmetro de mensuração da expansão. A dosagem de progesterona do meio de cultivo foi realizada pela técnica de RIA. A ativação da PKC e da MAPK foi avaliada pela técnica de Western blot. Os dados foram avaliados pelo software SigmaPlot versão 12.2 e submetidos ao teste de normalidade (Shapiro-Wilk). Quando necessário, os dados foram transformados. Para comparação entre dois tratamentos, utilizou-se o teste t-student. Para mais de dois tratamentos foi realizada análise de variância e teste de comparação de médias (TUKEY), considerando-se 0,05 para rejeitar a hipótese de nulidade. No experimento 1 foi avaliado se a ativação da PKC foi estimulada por gonadotrofinas. Os oócitos foram maturados in vitro tratados com gonadotrofinas, na presença ou ausência do inibidor de PKC. A presença do inibidor de PKC diminuiu as taxas de quebra de vesícula germinativa e a expansão das células do cumulus, sem alterar a esteroidogênese. Estes resultados demonstram que a PKC participa da via de sinalização da retomada da meiose. No experimento 2 foi avaliado se o EGF está envolvido na via regulada pela PKC. Os oócitos foram maturados in vitro, na presença ou ausência de LH e FSH, do inibidor de PKC e do EGF. O EGF foi capaz de reverter os efeitos do inibidor de PKC, aumentando as taxas de quebra de vesícula germinativa e a expansão de células do cumulus. Não foi possível detectar, nas condições deste experimento, a ativação das proteínas PKC e MAPK através do Western Blot. Este trabalho permite concluir que a via de sinalização da maturação de oócitos bovinos envolve a PKC e sugere a participação do EGF nesta via. / Oocyte quality is a limiting factor in female fertility and reflects its potential to the subsequent embryonic development. Molecular and biochemical alterations during the oocyte maturation process are needed to allow fecundation. Under gonadotropin influence, cascade of events occurs changing gene expression and follicle structure. Maturation depends on the interaction between oocyte and cumulus cells interaction, which provides factors for oocyte development and create the ideal microenvironment for the success of the maturation process. The FSH stimulation of meiosis resumption probably occurs through PKC activation. The signaling pathway of PKC might be involved by the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) in oocytes and cumulus cells during FSH-LH induced maturation. Furthermore, MAPK regulates the epidermal growth factor (EGF) synthesis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate PKC function during bovine oocyte maturation and if its activity involves EGF. Two experiments were performed. In both experiments, the cell cycle progression was analyzed by Hoechst 33342 fluorescent dye. The cumulus cells expansion was performed using software Image Pro Plus 5.1 by the analysis of oocyte images taken in Olympus IX81 microscope. The highest diameter of each cumulus oocyte complex was recorded as the expansion value. The RIA and Western Blot techniques were used to measure progesterone concentration in the culture media and the PKC and MAPK activity, respectively. Data was analyzed by SigmaPlot software, version 12.2. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess for normality and, when needed, the data was transformed. Student t tests were carried out to compare two treatments. Differences between more than two means were assessed by analysis of variance followed by Tukey test, considering P-value lower than 0.05 as statistically significant. Experiment 1 studied whether PKC function was stimulated by gonadotropins. FSH and LH were used for oocyte maturation in vitro, with or without PKC inhibitor. The presence of PKC inhibitor decreased germinal vesicle breakdown and the cumulus cells expansion, but did not alter the steroidogenesis. These results show that PKC participates in the signaling pathway of meiosis resumption. The Experiment 2 evaluated whether EGF influences PKC signaling pathway. The oocytes were matured in vitro, in the presence or absence of LH and FSH, PKC inhibitor and EGF. Epidermal Growth Factor was able to reverse PKC inhibitor effects, increasing germinal vesicle breakdown rates and cumulus cells expansion. The Western Blot technique was not able to detect PKC and MAPK activity, considering the conditions of this study. In conclusion, PKC is involved in the signaling pathway of bovine oocytes maturation and its pathway is mediated by EGF.

A fecundação resulta no aumento intracelular de cálcio que é necessário para a transição do oócito até o estádio de zigoto. Os eventos que ocorrem durante esta transição são caracterizados como ativação, sendo estes dependentes de cálcio. Entretanto, os eventos bioquímicos que ocorrem durante a ativação ainda não estão completamente elucidados. A proteína quinase C (PKC) e a proteína quinase dependente de cálcio/calmodulina (CaMKII), por apresentarem atividade durante a fecundação e por serem ativadas por cálcio são implicadas na regulação dos eventos da ativação. Entretanto, existem muitas dúvidas sobre o real papel destas proteínas na ativação do oócito. Deste modo, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar o papel da PKC e da CaMKII na ativação de oócitos bovinos. Para tal, oócitos bovinos maturados in vitro foram ativados partenogeneticamente (AP) com cálcio ionóforo A23187 (5μM) por 5 minutos, sendo a retomada da meiose, a organização do citoesqueleto e do retículo endoplasmático (RE) avaliada 1 hora após a ativação. No experimento 1 foi avaliado o papel da CaMKII nestes eventos. Os oócitos foram AP na presença ou ausência de 100M do inibidor de CaMKII (Autocamtide-2 Related Inhibitory Peptide, Myristoylated). A inibição da CaMKII não afetou a retomada da meiose e nem a distribuição dos RE, após a AP. Entretanto, não ocorreu a rotação do fuso meiótico no estádio de telófase II quando a CaMKII foi inibidada. Estes resultados demonstram que embora a CaMKII não tenha efeito na retomada da meiose, esta proteína participa na progressão do ciclo celular de oócitos bovinos, após a AP. No experimento 2 foi avaliado o papel da PKC em oócitos bovinos AP. Os oócitos foram ativados partenogeneticamente na presença ou ausência de 10μM do inibidor de PKC (Bisindolymaleimide I). A inibição da PKC não afetou a retomada da meiose e nem a progressão pelo ciclo celular até o estádio de telófase II. Entretanto, a organização do RE foi afetada pela inibição da PKC. Resultado semelhante foi obtido quando os oócitos foram ativados na presença de citocalasina C, um despolimerizador de filamentos de actina. O presente experimento demonstra a participação da via PKC-actina na organização do RE na ativação de oócitos bovinos. / The intracellular calcium increase resulting from fertilization is necessary for oocyte transition to zygote. The events that occur during this transition are characterized as activation, which are dependent on calcium. However the biochemical events that occur during this activation are still not fully elucidated. The protein kinase C (PKC) and the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), are involved in regulating the events of activation, since these proteins have activity during fertilization and are activated by calcium. However there are many doubts about the real role of these proteins in the oocyte activation. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the role of PKC and CaMKII in bovine oocyte activation. For this purpose, in vitro matured bovines oocytes were parthenogenetically activated (PA) by using calcium ionophore A23187 (5μM) for five minutes, and the resumption of meiosis, the cytoskeleton organization and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) organization were evaluated 1 hour post-activation. In experiment 1, were evaluated the role of CaMKII in these events. The oocytes were PA in the presence or absence of 100M of CaMKII inhibitor (Autocamtide-2 Related Inhibitory Peptide, Myristoylated). The inhibition of CaMKII did not affect the meiosis resumption and the ER after the PA. However, there was no spindle rotation at telophase II stage when the CaMKII was inhibited. These results showed that although the CamKII has no effect on resumption of meiosis, it participates in the regulation of cell cycle progression after PA of bovine oocytes. In experiment 2, was evaluated the role of PKC on PA bovine oocytes. The oocytes were parthenogenetically activated in the presence or absence of 10μM of PKC inhibitor (Bisindolymaleimide I). The PKC inhibition did not affected the resumption of meiosis and the progression through the cell cycle until the stage of telophase II. However, the ER organization was affected by PKC inhibition. A similar result was obtained when the oocytes were activated in the presence of cytochalasin C, which promotes the depolymerization of the actin filaments. The current experiment showed the participation of the PKC-actin pathway at the ER organization in the bovine oocytes activation.

Entre 15 et 20% des cancers du sein diagnostiqués sont des cancers du sein triple-négatifs (CSTN). Ce sous-type de cancer du sein est caractérisé par l'absence ou le faible niveau d'expression du récepteur au facteur de croissance épidermique de type 2 (HER2) et des récepteurs hormonaux à l'œstrogène et à la progestérone. Par définition, les patientes atteintes de CSTN ne peuvent bénéficier des traitements antihormonaux ou des thérapies ciblées anti-HER2 qui ont nettement amélioré la prise en charge thérapeutique des autres sous-types de cancers du sein. En marge de ces progrès, les CSTN sont ainsi principalement traités par chimiothérapies cytotoxiques, des thérapies ne parvenant pas toujours à empêcher leur dissémination métastatique. Par conséquent, les CSTN sont aujourd'hui associés à des pronostics relativement mauvais et l'identification de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques constitue un enjeu majeur de la recherche sur le cancer du sein. C'est dans ce contexte qu'une cible thérapeutique potentielle contre les CSTN a récemment été identifiée: la sérine-thréonine kinase PKC thêta. Cette PKC nouvelle est fortement exprimée dans les CSTN alors qu'elle ne l'est pas, ou très faiblement, dans des cancers du sein exprimant le récepteur aux œstrogènes et dans les tissus mammaires non transformés. L'objectif de ma thèse a été d'étudier la fonction de PKC thêta dans le contrôle de l'invasion de cellules tumorales mammaires, une étape clé de la formation de métastases. Nos travaux montrent qu'une inhibition de PKC thêta aboutit à une nette diminution des capacités invasives de lignées de cellules CSTN in vitro. De même, in vivo cette inhibition limite fortement la formation de métastases chez la souris. Nous identifions le mécanisme moléculaire par lequel PKC thêta contrôle l'invasion: PKC thêta est capable d'activer la voie des adhérences focales en phosphorylant directement la kinase des adhérences focales (FAK) sur des sites de phosphorylations encore jamais identifiés, les sérines 892 et 893. Ces phosphorylations sont essentielles aux effets positifs de PKC thêta sur l'invasion et la FAK phosphorylée de la sorte est retrouvée spécifiquement au front de cellules CSTN en migration. De façon intéressante, ces phosphorylations de FAK par PKC thêta permettent une modification de la dynamique de formation des adhérences cellule/matrice ainsi que celle des protrusions. Le contrôle de ces protrusions passe très certainement par une altération de la dynamique d'activité des RhoGTPases induite par PKC thêta De surcroît, l'utilisation d'une PKC thêta activable par la rapamycine nous permet de finement étudier la temporalité des effets de PKC thêta sur la génération des protrusions et des adhérences cellule/matrice. Enfin, concernant le contrôle de l'activité de PKC thêta en amont, nous constatons que son activation de même que ses effets sur la voie FAK et l'invasion dépendent entièrement de CDCP1 (Cub Domain-Containing Protein 1), un récepteur transmembranaire associé à l'agressivité de plusieurs cancers, dont les CSTN. Mes travaux mettent ainsi en évidence un mécanisme inédit de contrôle de la voie FAK permettant l'invasion de cellules tumorales mammaires. De plus, ils valident PKC thêta en tant que cible thérapeutique potentielle dont l'inhibition pourrait permettre de limiter la dissémination métastatique des CSTN et ce sans effets secondaires majeurs, la fonction physiologique de PKCthêta étant non essentielle. / Triple-negative breast cancer is a subtype of breast cancer that primarily affects women under the age of 40. TNBCs account for 15 to 20% of all diagnosed breast cancers and are defined by tumour cells lacking or weakly expressing the oestrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). By definition, these cancers cannot benefit from hormonal therapies or targeted therapies against the HER2 that have both proved to be very efficient in other breast cancer subtypes. Hence, therapies against TNBC are based essentially on classical cytotoxic chemotherapies that are not always able to block metastatic dissemination of those cancers. As a consequence, TNBCs are associated with poor prognosis and thus, finding new therapeutic targets for TNBC constitutes a major challenge for breast cancer research. In that context, a new potential TNBC therepeutical target has recently been identified: the serine threonine PKC theta. This novel PKC is highly expressed in TNBC whereas it is not expressed in breast cancer expressing the oestrogen receptor or non-transformed mammary tissues. The aim of my PhD was to study the function of PKC theta in the control of breast cancer cells invasion, a key step to metastasis formation that can be defined as the ability of cells to migrate through an extracellular matrix. We have shown that PKC theta inhibition leads to strong diminution of the invasive abilities of TNBC cell lines in vitro. Accordingly, we show in vivo that PKC theta inhibition strongly impairs metastasis formation in mice. We have identified the molecular mechanisms through which PKC theta controls invasion: PKC theta is able to activate focal adhesion signalling by directly phosphorylating FAK (Focal Adhesion Kinase) at newly identified phosphorylation sites, serines 892 and 893. We observe that this phosphorylated FAK localizes to nascent adhesions at the leading edge of migrating breast cancer cells and that those phosphorylations are essential to PKC theta control of invasion. PKC theta phosphorylations of FAK also modify the dynamic of cell/matrix adhesions and protrusion formation. The effects on protrusion formation are most certainly linked to PKC theta alteration of Rho GTPases activity dynamic. Furthermore, the use of an activatable PKC theta enables us to precisely study the temporality of PKC theta effects on both protrusions and adhesions. Protrusions and adhesions being essential to cell migration, those results explain PKC theta positive effects on invasion. Finally, regarding the upstream control of PKC theta we observe that PKC theta activation, together with its effect on FAK and invasion, depend on CDCP1, a transmembrane receptor that has been linked to the aggressiveness of several cancers, including TNBC. Altogether, my work reveals a new mechanism of FAK pathway activation leading to breast cancer cell invasion. Moreover, it further defines PKC theta as an interesting therepeutical target, whose inhibition could limit metastatic dissemination of TNBC without major secondary effects, as PKC theta has a non-essential physiological function.

Aspergillus fumigatus é um fungo patogênico oportunista capaz de infectar pacientes imunocomprometidos causando eventualmente infecções disseminadas difíceis de serem controladas e com alta taxa de mortalidade dos indivíduos infectados.. Para um melhor entendimento de como esse fungo age no hospedeiro é importante saber como as vias de sinalização que regulam esses fatores de virulência são orquestradas. Proteínas fosfatases são centrais em uma grande variedade de vias de transdução de sinal. Neste trabalho, nós caracterizamos a proteína fosfatase 2A SitA, a proteína homóloga de Sit4 em Saccharomyces serevisiae. O gene sitA não é essencial e por isso fomos capazes de construir um mutante nulo em A. fumigatus. A cepa ?sitA apresenta aumento na fosforilação da MpkA, é mais sensível à agentes que causam dano na parede celular, tem um aumento na quantidade de ?-1,3 glicano e quitina, e também tem problemas na adesão e formação de biofilme. O mutante ?sitA é mais sensível a vários metais e íons, como MnCl2, CaCl2, LiCl, entretanto é mais resistente à ZnSO4. O mutante ?sitA é avirulento em modelo de aspergilose pulmonar invasiva em camundongos. Esses resultados revelam que a fosfatase SitA está envolvida na via de integridade da parede celular de A. fumigatus possivelmente modulando a atividade de PkcA/MpkA / Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic pathogenic fungus able to infect immunocompromised patients causing eventually disseminated infections that are difficult to be controlled, and lead to high mortality rates. It is important to understand how are orchestrated the signalling pathways that regulate these factors involved in virulence. Protein phosphatases are central to numerous signal transduction pathways. Here we characterize A. fumigatus protein phosphatase 2A SitA, the S. cerevisiae Sit4p homologue. The sitA gene is not an essential gene and we were able to construct an A. fumigatus null mutant. The ?sitA strain had increased MpkA phosphorylation, was more sensitive to cell wall damaging agents, had increased ??1,3?glican and chitin, and was impaired in biofilm formation. The ?sitA strain is more sensitive to several metals and ions such as MnCl2, CaCl2, and LiCl, however, it is more resistant to ZnSO4. The ?sitA strain was avirulent in a murine model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. These results stress the importance of A. fumigatus SitA as a possible modulator of PkcA/MpkA activity and its involvement in the cell wall integrity pathway

Aspergillus fumigatus é um fungo patogênico oportunista capaz de infectar pacientes imunocomprometidos causando eventualmente infecções disseminadas difíceis de serem controladas e com alta taxa de mortalidade dos indivíduos infectados.. Para um melhor entendimento de como esse fungo age no hospedeiro é importante saber como as vias de sinalização que regulam esses fatores de virulência são orquestradas. Proteínas fosfatases são centrais em uma grande variedade de vias de transdução de sinal. Neste trabalho, nós caracterizamos a proteína fosfatase 2A SitA, a proteína homóloga de Sit4 em Saccharomyces serevisiae. O gene sitA não é essencial e por isso fomos capazes de construir um mutante nulo em A. fumigatus. A cepa ?sitA apresenta aumento na fosforilação da MpkA, é mais sensível à agentes que causam dano na parede celular, tem um aumento na quantidade de ?-1,3 glicano e quitina, e também tem problemas na adesão e formação de biofilme. O mutante ?sitA é mais sensível a vários metais e íons, como MnCl2, CaCl2, LiCl, entretanto é mais resistente à ZnSO4. O mutante ?sitA é avirulento em modelo de aspergilose pulmonar invasiva em camundongos. Esses resultados revelam que a fosfatase SitA está envolvida na via de integridade da parede celular de A. fumigatus possivelmente modulando a atividade de PkcA/MpkA / Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic pathogenic fungus able to infect immunocompromised patients causing eventually disseminated infections that are difficult to be controlled, and lead to high mortality rates. It is important to understand how are orchestrated the signalling pathways that regulate these factors involved in virulence. Protein phosphatases are central to numerous signal transduction pathways. Here we characterize A. fumigatus protein phosphatase 2A SitA, the S. cerevisiae Sit4p homologue. The sitA gene is not an essential gene and we were able to construct an A. fumigatus null mutant. The ?sitA strain had increased MpkA phosphorylation, was more sensitive to cell wall damaging agents, had increased ??1,3?glican and chitin, and was impaired in biofilm formation. The ?sitA strain is more sensitive to several metals and ions such as MnCl2, CaCl2, and LiCl, however, it is more resistant to ZnSO4. The ?sitA strain was avirulent in a murine model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. These results stress the importance of A. fumigatus SitA as a possible modulator of PkcA/MpkA activity and its involvement in the cell wall integrity pathway

La grande famille des facteurs de transcription Ets est caractérisée par un domaine de liaison à l’ADN, le domaine ETS, qui présente une structure de type hélice-tour-hélice ailé et qui reconnaît la séquence nucléotidique GGAA/T. Ces facteurs sont des protéines modulaires, dont les domaines sont structurellement conservés, régulent la transcription de leurs gènes cibles. L’action régulatrice de ces facteurs de transcription, ainsi que leur spécificité, dépendent de leurs sites d’expression, du taux auquel ils sont exprimés ainsi que des modifications post-traductionnelles qui les touchent. Au sein de la famille Ets, les trois membres du groupe PEA3 - Erm, Pea3 et Er81 - sont impliqués dans divers processus tant physiologiques tels que le développement des neurones sensitifs et moteurs que pathologiques tels que la croissance et l’invasion tumorale ou l’apparition de métastases, au niveau mammaire notamment. Notre travail a eu pour ambition de mieux comprendre les relations structure/fonction des membres du groupe PEA3, et plus particulièrement de Erm. Pour réaliser l’étude structurelle des trois membres du groupe PEA3, nous les avons produits, via le système d’expression baculoviral, et purifiés. Dans ces conditions, nous avons obtenu plusieurs mg de la protéine Erm purifiée à plus de 95%. Nous avons dès lors réalisé des études par dichroïsme circulaire et spectrométrie infrarouge qui ont mis en évidence une faible structuration de la protéine. Ces résultats corrèlent avec les prédictions bioinformatiques pour la structuration en hélice alpha. Néanmoins, certaines divergences sont apparues en ce qui concerne la détermination de la structuration en feuillets beta, ces derniers étant probablement surévalués dans les études expérimentales suite à une forte propension à l’agrégation protéique. En parallèle, nous avons pris part à la démonstration du fait que la protéine Erm est modifiée par ubiquitinylation. Cette modification post-traductionnelle a pour conséquence de diriger Erm vers la voie de dégradation par le protéasome et donc de rendre ce facteur de transcription très labile. C’est ainsi qu’à l’heure actuelle, les tentatives de cristallisation de la protéine sont restées sans succès. Afin de mettre en évidence les gènes régulés par les membres du groupe PEA3 dans le cancer mammaire métastatique, nous avons effectué des études par micro-array dans la lignée humaine MDA-MB-231. Lors d’expériences où l’expression de erm et de er81 a été diminuée par la technique des shRNA, nous n’avons malheureusement pas pu identifier de gènes dont l’expression était modulée de façon reproductible. Enfin, dans le but de mieux cerner les mécanismes qui conduisent à la surexpression des facteurs de transcription du groupe PEA3, nous nous sommes intéressés à la régulation de leur expression. Aussi, suite au travail initié préalablement au laboratoire sur le gène erm humain, nous avons déterminé une région de 24 nucléotides au sein du promoteur sensible à l’activation par la voie des PKCs conventionnelles (cPKCs). Cette région contient des sites putatifs de liaison pour plusieurs facteurs de transcription. Les expériences de mutagenèse dirigée et de retard sur gel indiquent que la régulation positive de erm par la voie des cPKCs semble être le résultat de la modification de l'activité d'un ou plusieurs facteur(s) transcriptionnel(s) qui reste(nt) à identifier.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Learning and memory has been a topic that has captured the attention of the scientific and public communities since the dawn of scientific discovery. Without the faculty of memory, mammals cannot experience nor function in the world; among homosapiens specifically, language, relationships, and personal identity cannot be developed (Eysenck, 2012). After all, some philosophers such as John Locke argued we are nothing but a collection of past memories in which we have developed and improved upon (Nimbalkar, 2011). Understanding the cellular mechanisms behind learning, and the subsequent formation of memory, has been a topic that has garnered scientific interest for many decades. One particular kinase that has been at the center of attention in the last decade is the serine/threonine kinase PKM-ζ, an N-terminal truncated form of PKC-ζ that renders it constitutively active (Hernandez et al., 2003). PKM-ζ has long been implicated in a cellular correlate of learning, long-term potentiation (LTP). Inhibition of PKM-ζ with Zeta-inhibitory peptide (ZIP) has been shown in many brain structures to disrupt maintenance of AMPA receptors, irreversibly disrupting numerous forms of learning and memory that have been maintained for weeks. The voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.2 is a critical modulator of neuronal physiology, including dendritic excitability, action potential propagation, and neurotransmitter release. While expressed in various mammalian tissues, Kv1.2 is most prevalent in the cerebellum where it modulates both dendritic excitability of Purkinje cells (PCs) and basket cell (BC) inhibitory input to PCs. Because PCs are the main computational unit of the cerebellar cortex and provide its sole output (Napper et al., 1988; Harvey et al., 1991), regulation of synaptic Kv1.2 is predicted to have a major role in cerebellar function. Pharmacological inhibition of Kv1.2 in cerebellar PC dendrites increases excitability (Khavandgar et al., 2005), while its inhibition in BC axon terminals increases inhibition to PCs (Southan & Robertson, 1998). Interestingly, two prior studies have demonstrated that PKC-ζ, an atypical Protein Kinase C, is able to phosphorylate and bind cerebellar Kvβ2, a Kv1.2 auxiliary subunit. (Gong et al., 1999; Croci et al., 2003). Delay eyeblink conditioning (EBC) is an established model for the assessment of cerebellar learning. Despite being highly expressed in the cerebellum, no studies have examined how regulation of cerebellar PKM-ζ may affect cerebellar-dependent learning and memory nor have they examined the possible effect PKM-ζ may have on Kv1.2. The goal of this dissertation was to determine whether PKM-ζ could modulate EBC in a Kv1.2 dependent manner. Through the use of microscopy techniques we have shown that PKM-ζ is highly expressed in the cerebellar cortex, primarily in the PC, and by the use of pharmacological manipulations, it was found that PKM-ζ has an important role in regulating the acquisition of EBC. Through the use of biotinylation, flow cytometry, and behavioral manipulations, it was determined that PKM-ζ regulates Kv1.2 during eyeblink conditioning. These studies provided the first evidence that PKM-ζ has a role for learning and memory in the cerebellum, and the first evidence of PKM-ζ regulating a voltage-gated ion channel rather than a ligand-gated ion channel such as AMPA receptors.

Inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels are critically important for regulating resting membrane potential in excitable cells, a job underscored by the severe pathophysiology associated with channel dysfunction. While all Kir channels require the activating lipid PIP2, many of these channels have diverse modulatory factors that couple to PIP2-dependent gating. Channels in the Kir3 (GIRK) family, in particular, have several co-activating elements, including G-protein betagamma subunits, ethanol, and sodium. During stimulation of Gq-coupled receptors, downstream activation of Protein Kinase C can phosphorylate and inhibit Kir3 channels, yet the mechanism of inhibition and phosphorylation sites are incompletely understood. We took a combined experimental and computational approach using neuronal Kir3.2 to investigate how phosphorylation at a putative PKC site identified in Kir3.1/3.4 could lead to channel inhibition. Kir3.2 inhibition was found to depend on the phosphorylation state of Ser-196, although mutagenesis data suggest it functions as an allosteric regulator of PKC inhibition. MD simulations identified a molecular switch whereby phosphorylation of Ser-196 recruits a critical gating residue, Arg-201, away from the sodium coordination site Asp-228. Neutralization of Ser-196 or Arg-201 resulted in less active channels which exhibited increased sensitivity to PKC inhibition. Additionally the interplay of PIP2 and PKC inhibition was examined in depth using homomeric Kir3.2, revealing that increases in channel-PIP2 interactions limit sensitivity to PKC inhibition, whereas low levels of PIP2 increase PKC sensitivity. Neutralization of Ser-196 uncoupled PKC inhibition from this PIP2 dependence. These studies suggest a model whereby PKC inhibition can occur along PIP2-dependent and PIP2-independent pathways, depending on the phosphorylation state of Ser-196.