A Terapia Fotodinâmica (TFD) é um tratamento alternativo de câncer que vem tendo grandes avanços ao longo dos anos e consiste na interação entre luz e uma substância fotossensibilizadora, levando à transformação do oxigênio molecular em oxigênio singleto, altamente reativo e tóxico para a célula. Nesse contexto, o uso do modelo de Membrana Corioalantóica (CAM, do inglês Chorioallantoic Membrane) fornece acesso direto aos vasos sanguíneos, possibilitando o estudo dos efeitos vasculares envolvidos nessa terapia. O desenvolvimento de um tumor nesse ambiente previamente vascularizado permite o estudo e o entendimento dos mecanismos que envolvem o crescimento e destruição do tumor, levando ao aperfeiçoamento de diferentes modalidades terapêuticas. As células tumorais empregadas para o desenvolvimento do tumor podem ser de diversas linhagens e formas de aplicação, desde culturas celulares a biópsias tumorais. O objetivo principal foi investigar a terapia fotodinâmica nos vasos e nas células neoplásicas em um modelo de tumor em CAM. Com esse modelo estudado para células tumorais de melanoma e Ehrlich, foi escolhido trabalhar com tumor de Erlich pela facilidade de manuseio laboratorial. Por meio da microscopia confocal de fluorescência, foi observada a interação entre os vasos sanguíneos e as células tumorais. Com imagens por fluorescência, foi possível entender e quantificar o efeito individualizado dos fotossensibilizadores, incluindo a farmacodinâmica do Photogem® e da formação da protoporfirina IX a partir do ALA, tanto com aplicação tópica como intravenosa. A partir disso, o tumor foi irradiado e os efeitos da terapia fotodinâmica foram analisados tanto no tumor quanto nos vasos sanguíneos que o alimentam. Usando ainda a curcumina, um fotossensibilizador derivado do açafrão, que sozinho possui um efeito vascular, foi aplicada a Terapia Fotodinâmica para análise na membrana corioalantóica e efeito nos vasos sanguíneos. O entendimento desse efeito da curcumina permite a ampliação de seu uso como fotossensibilizador no tratamento de câncer e doenças vasculares. Portanto, com o modelo estabelecido foi possível acompanhar os fotossensibilizadores estudados tanto nos vasos sanguíneos e sua ação, como a diferente atuação no ambiente tumoral, causando dano às células do tumor e aos vasos sanguíneos do mesmo ambiente. / Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a cancer treatment that has had great advances over the years and consists in the interaction between light and a photosensitizer compound, transforming the molecular oxygen in singlet oxygen, highly reactive and toxic to the cell. In this context, the use of Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) enables direct access to blood vessels, making possible to study the vascular effects involved in this therapy. The development of a tumor in this environment previously vascularized allows the study and the understanding of mechanisms that involves the growing and the destruction of tumor, improving different therapeutic modalities. The tumor cells used to develop the tumor in this model can be from several lines and ways of application, since cell culture to biopsy of some tumor. The main objective was investigating PDT in blood vessels and neoplasic cells in the tumor model in CAM. With this model studied for melanoma cells and Ehrlich, it was chosen to work with Ehrlich tumor because its facility of laboratory manipulation. After the observation the interaction between blood vessels and tumor cells, with confocal microscopy analysis, it was possible to understand and quantify the individualized effect of photosensitizers, including the pharmacodynamic of Photogem® and the Protoporphyrin IX from Aminolevulinic acid, both topic and intravenous application. From this, the tumor was illuminated and the Photdynamic Therapy effects was analyzed both tumor and blood vessels that feeds it. Still using the curcumin, photosensitizer derivated of saffron which has alone a vascular effect, was applied PDT to analysis on the Chorioallantoic Membrane and the blood vessels effect. The understanding of this effect of curcumin enables the extension of its useful as photosensitizer in the cancer treatment and vascular diseases. Therefore, with the model established, it was possible to follow all PS studying both their action in blood vessels and in the tumor region, causing damage.

Augmenter l’activité cytotoxique d’un principe actif, tout en diminuant les effets secondaires pendant le traitement anticancéreux est l’un des plus grands sujets médicaux d’aujourd’hui. Dans ce travail, deux principes actifs, la tanshinone IIA et l’α-mangostine, qui possèdent une forte activité anticancéreuse, ont été extrait à partir de produit naturels. Afin d’améliorer leur solubilité dans les milieux biologiques, nous avons réalisé une série de synthèses pour élaborer un nouveau système de vectorisation. Ce système consiste à utiliser les nanoparticules d’or comme véhicule et qui vont se concentrer spécifiquement dans le tissu tumoral par l’effet EPR. Ce ciblage passif évite de toucher les cellules saines par le principe actif, et diminue ainsi les effets secondaires. Ces complexes synthétisés sont constitués d’un cœur d’or recouvert de PEI sur laquelle sont fixées des cyclodextrines capable d’encapsuler les principes actifs. Ils ont été caractérisés par IR, UV-Visible, ATG, MET, DLS et Potentiel zêta. Des évaluations biologiques « in vitro » sont réalisées sur deux lignées de cancer prostatique PC-3, DU-145 et deux lignées de cancer colorectal HT29, HCT116. Les résultats montrent une augmentation de la cytotoxicité lorsque les produits sont fixés sur les nanoparticules. Le même système est utilisé pour vectoriser un photosensibilisateur issu de chlorophylle a. La chlorine ainsi obtenue a été fixée sur la PEI1200 à la surface des nanoparticules d’or sphériques (ou triangulaires). Les caractérisations par IR, UV-Visible, MET, DLS et potentiel zêta sont réalisés sur ce complexe. Les tests biologiques pour l’application en PDT réalisés sur les cellules HT29, montrent une amélioration de l’effet photocytotoxique lorsque les nanoparticules sont utilisées comme vecteur. / Today, in the anti-cancerous treatment, the increase of the cytotoxic activity of natural active compounds and the decrease of side-effects during the treatment remain one of the greatest medical problems. In this work, two natural active compounds, which have great interest in anticancer-applications, are extracted from plants. To increase their water-solubility, a new drug delivery nanovector based on gold nanoparticles has been synthesized with several steps. The nano-drug-delivery-vector, between 30 and 200 nm, can be concentrated to the tumor tissue only, by EPR effect. The nanovector is built on a core of gold nanoparticles covered by PEI, bearing anchored cyclodextrin, in which the drug is encapsulated. Accidental killing of healthy cells by the drug is avoided by this way. The system is characterized by IR, UV-Visible, GTA, TEM, DLS and zeta potential. “in vitro” tests are realized on two prostate cancer cell-lines PC-3, DU-145 and two colon cancer lines HT29, HCT116. The results show an improvement of the activity of the natural compound by using gold nanovector. The same system is used to deliver a photosensitizer. A chlorin obtained from chlorophyll a is fixed onto the surface of spherical or triangular nanoparticles. The same characterizations are used as the former delivery nanosystem. Their photocytotoxic effet is tested on HT29 cancer line. An improvement of the activity by using nanoparticles is also observed.

No presente trabalho são apresentadas a síntese e a caracterização estrutural, fotofísica, fotoquímica e fotobiológica de nanopartículas contendo os fotossensibilizadores (FS) Azul de Metileno (AM) e Tionina. AM e Tionina foram incorporados nas nanopartículas sil-AM e sil-Tio pelo processo sol-gel. Nas nanopartículas Cab-Tio, Tionina foi ligada à superfície de sílica CabOsil® através de ligação covalente com reagentes bifuncionais. Todas as nanopartículas mostraram-se esféricas e com de diâmetro médio na faixa de 30 a 60nm. A imobilização dos FS induziu a agregação destes em extensões diferentes para cada tipo de nanopartícula. Foi observado que a maior presença de dímeros de FS leva à menor eficiência de geração de 1O2. Constatou-se que as nanopartículas sofrem pouca influência do meio, uma vez que os FS a elas ligadas não sofreram redução química por NADPH, nem supressão do estado tripleto por íons ascorbato e a supressão de fluorescência por íon brometo foi diminuída. Foi testado também o efeito do recobrimento destas nanopartículas com lipídios dioleilfosfatidil colina (DOPC) e fosfatidilglicerol (PG) e com Polietileno glicol (PEG). A adsorção das nanopartículas sobre membranas miméticas foi reduzida após os recobrimentos, resultado que foi explicado pelas interações de carga superficial (potencial zeta) e pela força de hidratação. As nanopartículas sil-AM e Cab-Tio apresentaram fototoxicidades in vitro, 38% e 20% maiores que os respectivos FS livres. A modificação das nanopartículas de sil-AM com lipídios e com PEG diminuiu a fototoxicidade das mesmas e no caso do recobrimento com lipídios levou ao aumento da toxicidade no escuro. Imagens de microscopia confocal mostraram que as nanopartículas com e sem recobrimento de lipídios entram em células B16. No caso das nanopartículas recobertas, observou-se um perfil de distribuição difuso por todo o citoplasma e no caso de nanopartículas sem recobrimento, estas encontraram-se em poucas regiões vacuolares do citoplasma. O perfil de distribuição homogênea por todo o citoplasma no caso de nanopartículas recobertas com lipídios pode ser o responsável pelo aumento de toxicidade no escuro. Concluiu-se que a ligação dos FS em nanopartículas com diferentes graus de agregação pode ser uma estratégia para obtenção de sistemas com capacidade modulada de geração de 1O2 e com reduzida susceptibilidade às composições do meio. As atividades fototóxicas das nanopartículas contra células B16 mostraram que estas podem ser úteis em Terapia Fotodinâmica de Câncer / In this work we present the synthesis and the characterization (structural, photophysical, photochemical and photobiological) of nanoparticles with incorporated photosensitizers (PS) Methylene Blue (MB) and Thionin. MB and Thionin were incorporated in sil-MB and sil-Th nanoparticles through sol-gel process. In the case of Cab-Th nanoparticles Thionin was linked to the surface of CabOsil® nanoparticles through cross-linking reactions. All nanoparticles were spherical and presented average diameter in the range of 30 to 60nm. Different extension of PS aggregation was observed in each nanoparticle. It was characterized that the higher the proportion of dimers to monomers the smaller the efficiency of singlet oxygen (1O2) generation. It was shown that nanoparticles can protect PS from external interferences, since NADPH did not reduce them, neither were their triplet state quenched by ascorbate ions. Besides, fluorescence quenching by bromide ions was reduced compared to free PS. The effect of covering the nanoparticles with lipids, i.e., di-oleil phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and with Polyethylene glycol was also tested. The nanoparticle adsorption over membrane mimics was reduced, which was explained by the interaction among surface charges (zeta potential) and by hydration forces. Sil-MB and Cab-Th nanoparticles presented in vitro phototoxicity 38% and 20% higher than the respective free PS. It was observed that the nanoparticle coating with lipids and with PEG reduced their photoxicity. Nanoparticles coated with lipids showed higher toxicity in the dark. Confocal fluorescence images of B16 cells showed that nanoparticles with or without lipid coating enter the cells. In the case of lipid-coated nanoparticles a diffuse distribution profile was observed and in the case of nanoparticles without coating, they concentrated in specific vacuolar regions of the cytoplasm. The homogeneous cytoplasmic distribution profile of lipid-coated nanoparticles can explain the increased toxicity in the dark. It has been concluded that immobilization of PS with different aggregation degrees is a strategy to obtain systems in which the modulated efficiency of 1O2 generation is not affected by the external medium. Finally, based on the observed in vitro phototoxicity activity against B16 cells, these systems can be useful in Photodynamic Therapy of Cancer

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has shown to be a promising technique to treat various forms of malignant neoplasia. The photodynamic eradication of the tumor cells is achieved by applying a photosensitizer either locally or systemically and following local activation through irradiation of the tumor mass with light of a specific wavelength after a certain time of incubation. Due to preferential accumulation of the photosensitizer in tumor cells, this procedure allows a selective inactivation of the malignant tumor while sparing the surrounding tissue to the greatest extent. These features and requirements make the PDT an attractive therapeutic option for the treatment of retinoblastoma, especially when surgical enucleation is a curative option. This extreme solution is still in use in case of tumours that are resistant to conventional chemotherapy or handled too late due to poor access to medical care in less advanced country. In this study we initially conducted in-vitro investigations of the new cationic water-soluble photo sensitizer tetrahydroporphyrin-tetratosylat (THPTS) regarding its photodynamic effect on human Rb-1 and Y79 retinoblastoma cells. We were able to show, that neither the incubation with THPTS without following illumination, nor the sole illumination showed a considerable effect on the proliferation of the retinoblastoma cells, whereas the incubation with THPTS combined with following illumination led to a maximal cytotoxic effect on the tumor cells. Moreover the phototoxicity was lower in normal primary cells from retinal pigmented epithelium demonstrating a higher phototoxic effect of THPTS in cancer cells than in this normal retinal cell type. The results at hand form an encouraging foundation for further in-vivo studies on the therapeutic potential of this promising photosensitizer for the eyeball and vision preserving as well as potentially curative therapy of retinoblastoma.

Streptococcus pneumoniae é causa de doenças como pneumonia, otite, meningite e sepse. As vacinas hoje disponíveis têm cobertura limitada porque são baseadas no polissacarídeo capsular, que varia com os mais de 90 sorotipos da bactéria, além de levarem à substituição de sorotipos na população por outros não presentes nas formulações. Visando reduzir o custo e aumentar a cobertura, têm-se estudado vacinas baseadas em proteínas que ofereceriam proteção independente de sorotipo. Este trabalho teve por objetivo a obtenção, avaliação da estabilidade e da resposta imune em camundongos de híbridos de duas proteínas de S. pneumoniae: a proteína de superfície do pneumococo (PspA) e a pneumolisina geneticamente detoxificada (PdT), sem ou com espaçadores moleculares, rígido ou flexível, entre as moléculas. Os genes dos híbridos com espaçadores foram clonados através da técnica de overlap extension PCR. O gene das proteínas foi expresso em E. coli e as proteínas obtidas foram reconhecidas por anticorpos produzidos contra a célula inteira de pneumococo através de Western Blot. A purificação dos híbridos foi feita utilizando homogeneizador de alta pressão, precipitação de impurezas com detergente catiônico CTAB e diferentes etapas cromatográficas. A estabilidade foi analisada periodicamente através de SDS-PAGE e Western Blot. O híbrido sem espaçador mostrou-se instável, por isso a presença de atividade proteolítica foi investigada através de diversos ensaios para detecção dessas enzimas, mostrando que a instabilidade não decorreu de hidrólise por proteases. Os fragmentos resultantes da quebra tiveram a porção N-terminal sequenciada para identificar o sítio de clivagem, que estava localizado na junção das duas proteínas. Esse sítio foi retirado das construções seguintes e espaçadores moleculares foram incluídos entre os dois antígenos. A molécula com espaçador flexível foi obtida na forma solúvel durante o cultivo, porém durante a purificação ocorreu precipitação irreversível. O clone para produção do híbrido com espaçador rígido permitiu a obtenção da proteína, que foi purificada e teve a estabilidade avaliada periodicamente à 4° C e -20° C por Western Blot empregando anticorpos contra célula inteira de pneumococo, indicando que a introdução do espaçador rígido aumentou a estabilidade do híbrido em relação à molécula sem espaçador. Além disso, diferentes concentrações de estabilizantes foram avaliadas, mostrando que em presença de trealose 1M ou glicerol 50% o híbrido com linker rígido permaneceu estável por pelo menos 4 meses a 4° C. A molécula com espaçador rígido produziu níveis de anticorpos em camundongos comparáveis aos níveis obtidos com a molécula sem espaçador, que foram capazes de proteger 100% dos animais em ensaio de desafio letal intranasal e inibir a atividade hemolítica da pneumolisina. O aumento de estabilidade do híbrido alcançado com a inserção do linker rígido juntamente com a retirada do sítio de clivagem e com a presença de estabilizantes permitem que esta molécula seja utilizada numa vacina pneumocócica proteica. Como estudos vêm demonstrando que seria necessário mais de uma proteína para formular esta nova vacina, a produção deste híbrido traz a grande vantagem de obtenção de dois antígenos em um único processo de produção, o que pode resultar em uma diminuição do custo da dose. / Streptococcus pneumoniae is cause of diseases like pneumonia, otitis, menngitis and sepsis. The vaccines available nowadays has limited coverage because they are based on the capsular polysaccharyde, which varies among the more than 90 bacteria serotypes and they lead to serotype substitution on the population for others not present on the vaccine formulations. In order to reduce the cost and increase the coverage, vaccines based on pneumococcal proteins that would offer serotype independent protection have been studied. The objective of this thesis was the obtainment, stability evaluation and immune response evaluation in mice of hybrids composed of two proteins of S. pneumoniae: pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) and genetically detoxified pneumolysin (PdT), with or without molecular linkers, rigid and flexible, between the molecules. The genes with molecular linkers were cloned using the overlap extension PCR technique. The genes were expressed in E. coli and the proteins were recognized by anti pneumococcal whole cell in Western Blot. The hybrids were purified using high pressure homogeneizer, precipitation of impurities using cationic detergent CTAB and different chromatography steps. The stability was periodically analyzed through SDS-PAGE and Western Blot. The hybrid without linker was unstable and the presence of proteolytic activity was investigated through several methods for protease activity detection, showing that instability was not due to protease hydrolysis. The N-terminal portion of the degraded protein fragments was sequenced in order to identify the cleavage site, which was localized exactly between the two proteins. This site was removed from the other hybrids and molecular linkers were included between the two antigens. The molecule with flexible linker was obtained on the soluble form during expression, but during purification it precipitated irreversibly. The molecule with rigid linker were expressed, purified and had its stability analyzed periodically at 4° C and -20° C by Western Blot using anti pneumococcal whole cell, indicating that the insertion of the rigid linker increased the hybrid stability when compared with the hybrid without linker. Besides that, different stabilizers in different concentrations were evaluated and it was found that the presence of trehalose 1 M or 50% glycerol stabilized the hybrid with rigid linker for at least 4 months at 4 ° C. The molecule with rigid linker produced levels of antibodies in mice comparable to the hybrid without linker. These antibodies were able to protect 100% of animals from lethal intranasal challenge and inhibit the haemolytic activity of pneumolysin. The stability increase due to the rigid linker together with the removal of the cleavage site and the stabilizers presence allow this hybrid molecule to be used on a novel pneumococcal vaccine. Since studies have shown that it would be necessary more than one protein to formulate this new vaccine, the production of this hybrid brings the great advantage of producing two antigens in one single process, which can decrease the dosage cost.

L’objectif de cette thèse a été de synthétiser, caractériser et évaluer l’efficacité de photosensibilisateurs (PS) activables par excitation mono- et bi-photonique pour la thérapie photodynamique (PDT). Les PSs sont des dérivés de porphyrines qui ont été associés à différents composés incluants des sondes d’imagerie, des vecteurs, ou des nanoparticules, dans le but d’améliorer l’efficacité du traitement. Un PS a ainsi été relié à deux complexes de Gd(III) pour former un agent moléculaire théranostique afin de pouvoir suivre l’évolution de la PDT par imagerie par résonance magnétique (IRM). Cet agent théranostique conserve les bonnes propriétés photophysiques du PS et sa relaxivité remarquable permet l’imagerie à des concentrations plus faibles que les agents de contraste commerciaux. L’association d’un PS avec un vecteur, l’acide folique ou la biotine, a permis d’augmenter la sélectivité envers les cellules cancéreuses. L’augmentation de la phototoxicité envers des cellules HeLa pour ces deux PSs par rapport au PS non vectorisé montre le potentiel de ces deux PSs vectorisés pour la PDT par excitation mono et bi-photonique. Enfin, plusieurs PS ont été liés ou incorporés dans des cubosomes pour améliorer leur biodistribution et leurs phototoxicités ont été étudiées. Ces études montrent pour la première fois la possibilité d’utiliser des cubosomes comme formulation pour les PSs. / The aim of this thesis was to synthesize, characterize and evaluate the efficiency of new photosensitizers (PS) for Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) activated by a one- or two-photon absorption. Theses PSs are composed of π-extended porphyrins linked to imaging probes, targeting moieties or nanoparticles to improve the treatment efficiency. A PS was linked to two Gd(III) complexes to form a molecular theranostic agent allowing the monitoring of the PDT outcome by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). This molecular theranostic agent retains the good photophysical properties of the PS and its high relaxivity allows the imaging at a lower concentration than the commercial contrast agents. In order to increase the selectivity towards cancer cells a PS was linked to folic acid or biotin, two targeting compounds. The increase of the phototoxicity towards HeLa cells of these two targeted PSs compared to a non-targeted PS reveals the potential for one- and two-photon PDT. Finally, several PSs have been linked to cubosomes to increase the biodistribution and their phototoxicity has been investigated. This study shows for the first time that cubosomes can be used as a formulation for PSs.

Diversas proteínas pneumocócicas têm sido estudadas como candidatos vacinais. Entre elas, PspA e Ply induzem anticorpos essenciais para a proteção contra sepse, enquanto, SP 0148 e SP 2108 induzem IL-17 e protegem camundongos contra a colonização. Esse trabalho teve como objetivo principal desenvolver vacinas pneumocócicas baseadas em proteínas. Primeiramente, foi selecionada uma molécula de PspA com ampla reatividade cruzada. Em seguida, esta PspA foi fusionada com PdT, um pneumolisóide derivado da Ply. Essa proteína de fusão mostrou-se capaz de induzir resposta imunológica humoral e celular e protegeu camundongos contra desafio letal. Vacinas baseadas em BCG, que possui diversas propriedades adjuvantes, foram desenvolvidas expressando as proteínas pneumocócicas rPspA-PdT, SP 0148 e SP 2108. A imunização com o rBCG 0148/rSP 0148 induziu IL-17 e levou a proteção contra colonização. A combinação das três vacinas de rBCG mostrou-se mais eficiente na proteção contra desafio de colonização. Esses resultados sugerem um uso promissor do rBCG como vacina pneumocócica. / Several pneumococcal proteins have been proposed as vaccine candidates. PspA and Ply induce protective antibodies against sepse, while SP 0148 and SP 2108, induce IL-17 and protect mice against pneumococcal colonization. The major aim of this study was to produce pneumococcal vaccines based on proteins. First, we selected one PspA molecule able to induce broad-ranging cross-reactivity. Second, we constructed a hybrid protein containing a PspA fused to PdT, a detoxified form of Ply. The hybrid protein was able to induce humoral and cellular responses and protected mice against lethal challenge. Finally, due the adjuvant properties of BCG, we constructed recombinant BCG strains expressing PspA-PdT, SP 0148 and SP 2108. The immunization with rBCG-0148/rSP 0148 induced IL-17 and IFN-, and pneumococcal colonization in mice. Interestingly, the combination of all rBCG vaccines was more efficient in protecting mice against pneumococcal colonization. These results suggesting a promising use of rBCG as pneumococcal vaccine.

La gestion de l'infection endodontique est la clé de la réussite de tout traitement endodontique. La reproduction in vitro du biofilm endocanalaire sauvage, qui se compose d'environ 500 espèces bactériennes différentes est à ce jour impossible. Cependant, tester un protocole de désinfection dans des conditions de laboratoire et ce avant toute application clinique reste indispensable. Il ressort que le développement d'un modèle qui ressemblerait structurellement à son type homologue sauvage se montre crucial. Dans le laboratoire MICORALIS (EA 7354) nous nous sommes intéressés à la conception et à la réalisation d'un biofilm polybactérien artificiel. La recherche bibliographique a permis de sélectionner S. salivarius, E. faecalis, F. nucleatum et P. gingivalis qui sont des représentants de différents groupes colonisateurs de l’espace endodontique et qui coexistent. Après une série d'analyse au MEB puis des examens à l'aide de la technique FISH-confocale (sondes ARNr 16S), nous avons pu démontrer que ces bactéries sont présentes dans la composition d’un biofilm mature après 21 jours sur la dentine péricanalaire. Ces investigations nous ont permis de géo-localiser des bactéries dans les tubuli dentinaires jusqu’à 500µm et parmi elles, P. gingivalis était statistiquement prédominante. Afin de répondre aux exigences des objectifs de notre étude, six groupes de 12 échantillons contaminés par le biofilm expérimental ont servi à tester 6 techniques de décontamination endodontique / Management of infection is the key to a successful root canal treatment and development of a study model of endodontic biofilm which resemble structurally to its wild type counterpart seems crucial before any clinical application of different protocols. However, the in vitro reproduction of the root canal biofilm which consists of about 500 different bacterial species is very difficult. In laboratory MICORALIS (EA 7354) we were interested in conception of an artificial polybacterial. The bibliographical research allowed to choose S. salivarius, E. faecalis, F. nucleatum and P. gingivalis which are representatives of different groups of root canal biofilm colonizers. Following a series of periodic Scanning Electron Microscopies of samples and furthermore by help of FISH-Confocal imaging of 16S rRNA, we could prove the presence of these bacteria inside the biofilm structure and illustrate their distribution over the root canal system. In addition, it was possible also to confirm the maturation time needed to obtain the biofilm model, which is resistant enough to be used in vitro for endodontic disinfection investigation. After being characterized, we treated the model biofilm with different endodontic decontamination protocols

Ce travail de thèse s’inscrit dans le domaine émergent du « théranostique » qui associe le diagnostic par l’imagerie à la thérapie au sein d’un même système. De nouveaux photosensibilisateurs (PS) pour la thérapie photodynamique (PDT) activables par un processus d’excitation biphotonique ont été synthétisés. Ils sont composés de porphyrines reliées à des unités dicétopyrrolopyrroles. Ces systèmes présentent d’importantes valeurs de sections efficaces d’absorption biphotonique dans le proche infra-rouge ainsi que de bons rendements quantiques de formation d’oxygène singulet. Deux PS ont ensuite été reliés à des complexes de Gd(III) permettant d’apporter la fonction d’imagerie par résonance magnétique (IRM). En plus de conserver de bonnes propriétés d’absorption biphotonique, ces systèmes présentent également de remarquables valeurs de relaxivité. Enfin, des études de phototoxicité in cellulo ont démontré l’activité d’un des agents théranostiques sous irradiation biphotonique. Ces résultats permettent de valider pour la première fois le concept d’un agent moléculaire unique pour la PDT par absorption biphotonique et pour l’IRM. / The work presented in this thesis belongs to the emerging field of « theranostic » whose aim is to combine a diagnostic and a therapeutic agent within the same system. New photosensitizers (PS) activated by a two-photon absorption process for Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) have been synthesised. These systems consist of porphyrins conjuguated to diketopyrrolopyrrole units. These compounds have significant high two-photon absorption cross-sections in the near infrared and good singlet oxygen quantum yields. Two PS have been linked to Gd(III) complexes in order to bring the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) function. These systems still have good two-photon absorption properties and also show remarkable high relaxivity values. Finally, in cellulo phototoxicity studies have been performed for one of the theranostic agent and the two-photon PDT activity has been retained. These results validate, for the first time, a proof of concept of a single molecular agent for two-photon PDT and for MRI.

No description available.