Si les différentes composantes du syndrome métabolique (SM) sont susceptibles d’affecter le métabolisme protéique et des acides aminés (AA), les données disponibles sont peu nombreuses et souvent contradictoires, du fait de l’hétérogénéité de présentation de ce syndrome et des limites des approches classiques d’investigation du métabolisme azoté. Ce travail de thèse met à profit une nouvelle approche isotopomique, s’appuyant sur la mesure de l’abondance naturelle des isotopes stables de l’azote (δ15N) et du carbone (δ13C) dans les protéines et AA tissulaires pour identifier les altérations du métabolisme protéique survenant lors de l’induction nutritionnelle d’un SM chez le rat. Nos résultats permettent dans un premier temps de valider expérimentalement les prédictions d’un modèle multi-compartimental développé dans le laboratoire et montrant que les δ15N reflètent l’orientation différentielle des AA entre les voies anaboliques (protéosynthèse) et cataboliques (oxydation). Nous avons également montré que sous certaines conditions, les δ13C permettent d’estimer la part des carbones des AA et protéines tissulaires provenant respectivement des protéines, glucides et lipides alimentaires, renseignant ainsi sur la flexibilité métabolique des individus. Les mesures de δ15N et δ13C dans les protéines et AA, seules ou combinées à la mesure des taux de synthèse protéique après administration d’eau deutérée, nous ont ensuite permis de mettre en évidence les modifications du métabolisme protéique et des AA survenant lors de l’exposition périnatale et post-sevrage à un régime gras et sucré, ainsi que celles associées à des différences de sensibilité individuelles à l’induction d’un syndrome métabolique par ce même type de régime. Ces altérations sont tissu-spécifiques et diffèrent selon qu’elles proviennent uniquement de différences de sensibilité individuelle au régime ou qu’elles sont également attribuables à des différences d’équilibre glucido-lipidique dans l’alimentation. L’ensemble de nos résultats montrent que l’apparition d’un SM est associée à des réorientations du métabolisme des AA entre les voies anaboliques et d’oxydation, affectant de façon différente le foie, le muscle, l’intestin et le tissu adipeux, et à une altération de la flexibilité métabolique dans le muscle. Ces travaux ouvrent la voie à des études chez l’Homme, s’appuyant sur les mesures de δ15N et δ13C dans des pools accessibles. / Although the different components of the metabolic syndrome (MS) are likely to affect protein and amino acid (AA) metabolism, the available data are few and often contradictory, due to the heterogeneity of presentation of this syndrome and the limitations of classical approaches to investigate nitrogen metabolism. The present thesis work uses a novel isotopomic approach, based on the measurement of the natural abundance of stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) in tissue proteins and AA to identify alterations in protein metabolism occurring during the nutritional induction of MS in rats. Our results allow to validate experimentally the predictions of a multi-compartimental model developed in the laboratory and showing that the δ15N reflects the differential orientation of AA between anabolic (proteosynthesis) and catabolic (oxidation) pathways. We have also shown that under certain conditions, the δ13C can allow to estimate the proportion of carbons in AA and tissue proteins issuing from dietary proteins, carbohydrates and lipids respectively, thus providing information on the metabolic flexibility of individuals. The measurements of δ15N and δ13C in proteins and AA, alone or combined with the measurement of protein synthesis rates after administration of deuterated water, then allowed us to highlight the changes in protein and AA metabolism occurring during perinatal and post-weaning exposure to a high-fat high-sugar diet, as well as those associated with individual differences in sensitivity to the induction of a MS by the same kind of diet. These alterations are tissuespecific and differ according to whether they result solely from differences in individual sensitivity to diet or whether they are also attributable to differences in the carbohydrate/lipid balance of the diet. Altogether, our results show that the development of MS is associated with changes in AA metabolic partitioning between the anabolic and oxidative pathways, differently affecting the liver, muscle, intestine and adipose tissue, and with an altered metabolic flexibility in muscle. This work opens the way to human studies, based on the measurements of δ15N and δ 13C in accessible pools.

Objectives: To assess the expression of the symptoms of jaw muscle pain and its association with alterations in biochemistry, other symptoms and the carriage of staphylococci. Methods: Three different study populations were assessed. The first was selected and examined by the author and consisted of 43 pain and 41 age and sex matched controls. The second was a study of CFS patients who were blinded to the author and the author subsequently examined the associations between jaw muscle symptom reporting and the standardised biochemistry measures. The third study was also blinded to the author but included an investigation of staphylococci and certain cytokine and biochemistry measures. Results: The three studies clearly establish an association between the carriage of toxicogenic coagulase negative staphylococci and the expression of jaw muscle pain in both males and females. These associations were homogeneous and were found whether the patients were selected on the basis of having jaw muscle pain or selected from within a population of patients selected on the basis of having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The studies associated the changes with variations in biochemistry and these were in turn associated with symptom expression within the jaw muscle pain patients. These biochemical alterations included the dysregulation of immune cell counts, cytokines, electrolyte and protein metabolism. These symptoms and biochemical changes were associated with pain severity and illness duration and staphylococcal toxin production. From the data a model was developed which shows the mechanisms involved in the development of chronic pain in the jaw muscles. Conclusions: The carriage of toxicogenic coagulase-negative staphylococci were found to be associated with the expression of jaw muscle pain and the alterations in biochemistry associated with these symptoms.

Objectives: To assess the expression of the symptoms of jaw muscle pain and its association with alterations in biochemistry, other symptoms and the carriage of staphylococci. Methods: Three different study populations were assessed. The first was selected and examined by the author and consisted of 43 pain and 41 age and sex matched controls. The second was a study of CFS patients who were blinded to the author and the author subsequently examined the associations between jaw muscle symptom reporting and the standardised biochemistry measures. The third study was also blinded to the author but included an investigation of staphylococci and certain cytokine and biochemistry measures. Results: The three studies clearly establish an association between the carriage of toxicogenic coagulase negative staphylococci and the expression of jaw muscle pain in both males and females. These associations were homogeneous and were found whether the patients were selected on the basis of having jaw muscle pain or selected from within a population of patients selected on the basis of having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The studies associated the changes with variations in biochemistry and these were in turn associated with symptom expression within the jaw muscle pain patients. These biochemical alterations included the dysregulation of immune cell counts, cytokines, electrolyte and protein metabolism. These symptoms and biochemical changes were associated with pain severity and illness duration and staphylococcal toxin production. From the data a model was developed which shows the mechanisms involved in the development of chronic pain in the jaw muscles. Conclusions: The carriage of toxicogenic coagulase-negative staphylococci were found to be associated with the expression of jaw muscle pain and the alterations in biochemistry associated with these symptoms.