Ce travail concerne l’étude de la nanostructuration de membranes polymère/métal, réalisées par génération in situ. Nous avons précisé les paramètres chimiques et physicochimiques influant sur la nanostructure de films à matrice alcool polyvinylique et polyétherimide nanostructurés par des nanoparticules d’argent et de palladium, à partir de différents précurseurs et différents solvants de préparation. Nous avons dégagé l’influence des voies de réduction (thermique, radiolytique et chimique) sur la morphologie et sur les propriétés fonctionnelles des films nanocomposites. Globalement, les conditions de nanostructuration employées ont eu un fort impact à la fois sur les tailles des nanoparticules générées et sur leur répartition au sein du film. L’impact de la morphologie a été évalué à son tour sur les propriétés fonctionnelles, c'est-à-dire dans notre cas sur les propriétés mécaniques et sur les propriétés de transport de gaz. L’analyse fine de ces deux types de propriétés nous a permis de préciser les effets de dispersion et le rôle des interfaces nanoparticules/polymère. Nous avons également montré que le transport dans les films nanocomposites polymère/palladium pouvait être analysé et interprété en termes de transport actif. / This work deals with the study of the nanostructuration of polymer/metal membranes, realised by in situ generation. We specified the chemical and physico-chemical parameters influencing the nanostructure of polyvinyl alcohol and polyetherimide matrix films nanostructured by silver and palladium nanoparticles, thanks to different precursors and different preparation solvents. We showed the influence of the nanostructuration processes (thermal, under irradiation and chemical) on the morphology and on the functional properties of the nanocomposite films. On the whole, the nanostructuration conditions had a high impact both on the generated nanoparticles sizes and their organisation in the film thickness. The morphology’s impact was then evaluated on the functional properties, i.e. in our case on the mechanical properties and on the gas transport properties. The analysis of these two types of properties allowed us to specify the dispersion effects and the role of the nanoparticles/polymer interfaces. We also showed that the transport in the polymer/palladium nanocomposite films could be analysed and construed as active transport.

The hTREX complex mediates cellular bulk mRNA nuclear export by recruiting the nuclear export factor, TAP, via a direct interaction with the export adaptor, Aly. Intriguingly however, depletion of Aly only leads to a modest reduction in cellular mRNA nuclear export, suggesting the existence of additional mRNA nuclear export adaptor proteins. In order to efficiently export Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) intronless mRNAs from the nucleus, the KSHV ORF57 protein recruits hTREX onto viral intronless mRNAs allowing access to the TAP-mediated export pathway. Similarly however, depletion of Aly only leads to a modest reduction in the nuclear export of KSHV intronless mRNAs. Herein, we identify a novel interaction between ORF57 and the cellular protein, UIF. We provide the first evidence that the ORF57-UIF interaction enables the recruitment of hTREX and TAP to KSHV intronless mRNAs in Aly-depleted cells. Strikingly, depletion of both Aly and UIF inhibits the formation of an ORF57-mediated nuclear export competent ribonucleoprotein particle and consequently prevents ORF57-mediated mRNA nuclear export and KSHV protein production. Importantly, these findings highlight that redundancy exists in the eukaryotic system for certain hTREX components involved in the mRNA nuclear export of intronless KSHV mRNAs.

<p>Transport into and across the cells of the human body is a prerequisite for the pharmacological action of drugs. Passive membrane permeability and active transport mechanisms are major determinants of the intestinal absorption of drugs, as well as of the distribution to target tissues and the subsequent metabolism and excretion from the body. In this thesis, the role of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and passive permeability on drug absorption and disposition was investigated. Particular emphasis was placed on defining the molecular properties important for these transport mechanisms. </p><p>The influence of different transport pathways on predictions of intestinal drug absorption was investigated using experimental models of different complexity. Experimental models that include the paracellular pathway gave improved predictions of intestinal drug absorption, especially for incompletely absorbed drugs. Further, the inhibition of the ABC transporters breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) and multidrug-resistance associated protein 2 (MRP2/ABCC2) was experimentally investigated using structurally diverse datasets that were representative of orally administered drugs. A large number of previously unknown inhibitors were identified among registered drugs, but their clinical relevance for drug-drug interactions and drug-induced toxicity remains to be determined. The majority of the inhibitors affected all three major ABC transporters BCRP, MRP2 and P-glycoprotein (P gp/ABCB1), and these multi-specific inhibitors were found to be enriched in highly lipophilic weak bases. </p><p>To summarize, the present work has led to an increased knowledge of the molecular features of importance for ABC transporter inhibition and passive membrane permeability. Previously unknown ABC transporter inhibitors were identified and predictive computational models were developed for the different drug transport mechanisms. These could be valuable tools to assist in the prioritization of experimental efforts in early drug discovery.</p>

Transport into and across the cells of the human body is a prerequisite for the pharmacological action of drugs. Passive membrane permeability and active transport mechanisms are major determinants of the intestinal absorption of drugs, as well as of the distribution to target tissues and the subsequent metabolism and excretion from the body. In this thesis, the role of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and passive permeability on drug absorption and disposition was investigated. Particular emphasis was placed on defining the molecular properties important for these transport mechanisms. The influence of different transport pathways on predictions of intestinal drug absorption was investigated using experimental models of different complexity. Experimental models that include the paracellular pathway gave improved predictions of intestinal drug absorption, especially for incompletely absorbed drugs. Further, the inhibition of the ABC transporters breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) and multidrug-resistance associated protein 2 (MRP2/ABCC2) was experimentally investigated using structurally diverse datasets that were representative of orally administered drugs. A large number of previously unknown inhibitors were identified among registered drugs, but their clinical relevance for drug-drug interactions and drug-induced toxicity remains to be determined. The majority of the inhibitors affected all three major ABC transporters BCRP, MRP2 and P-glycoprotein (P gp/ABCB1), and these multi-specific inhibitors were found to be enriched in highly lipophilic weak bases. To summarize, the present work has led to an increased knowledge of the molecular features of importance for ABC transporter inhibition and passive membrane permeability. Previously unknown ABC transporter inhibitors were identified and predictive computational models were developed for the different drug transport mechanisms. These could be valuable tools to assist in the prioritization of experimental efforts in early drug discovery.

Drug transport across cells and cell membranes in the human body is crucial for the pharmacological effect of drugs. Active transport governed by transport proteins plays an important role in this process. A vast number of transport proteins with a wide tissue distribution have been identified during the last 15 years. Several important examples of their role in drug disposition and drug-drug interactions have been described to date. Investigation of drug-drug interactions at the transport protein level are therefore of increasing interest to the academic, industrial and regulatory research communities. The gene expression of transport proteins involved in drug transport was investigated in the jejunum, liver, kidney and colon to better understand their influence on the ADMET properties of drugs. In addition, the gene and protein expression of transport proteins in cell lines, widely used for predictions of drug transport and metabolism, was examined. The substrate and inhibitor heterogeneity of many transport proteins makes it difficult to foresee whether the transport proteins will cause drug-drug interactions. Therefore, in vitro assays for OCT1 and OATP1B1, among the highest expressed transport proteins in human liver, were developed to allow investigation of the inhibitory patterns of these proteins. These assays were used to investigate two data sets, consisting of 191 and 135 registered drugs and drug-like molecules for the inhibition of OCT1 and OATP1B1, respectively. Numerous new inhibitors of the transport proteins were identified in the data sets and the properties governing inhibition were determined. Further, antidepressant drugs and statins displayed strong inhibition of OCT1 and OATP1B1, respectively. The inhibition data was used to develop predictive in silico models for each of the two transport proteins. The highly polymorphic nature of some transport proteins has been shown to affect drug response and may lead to an increased risk of drug-drug interactions, and therefore, the OCT1 in vitro assay was used to study the effect of common genetic variants of OCT1 on drug inhibition and drug-drug interactions. The results indicated that OCT1 variants with reduced function were more susceptible to inhibition. Further, a drug-drug interaction of potential clinical significance in the genetic OCT1 variant M420del was proposed. In summary, gene expression of transport proteins was investigated in human tissues and cell lines. In vitro assays for two of the highest expressed liver transport proteins were used to identify previously unknown SLC transport protein inhibitors and to develop predictive in silico models, which may detect previously known drug-drug interactions and enable new ones to be identified at the transport protein level. In addition, the effect of genetic variation on inhibition of the OCT1 was investigated.

The elimination of drugs from the body is in many cases performed by the liver. Much could be gained if an accurate prediction of this process could be made early in the development of new drugs. However, for the elimination to occur, the drug molecule needs first to get inside the liver cell. Disposition is the expression used to encapsulate both elimination and distribution. This thesis presents novel approaches and models based on simple in vitro systems for the investigation of processes involved in the hepatic drug disposition. An approach to the estimation of enzyme kinetics based on substrate depletion data from cell fractions was thoroughly evaluated through experiments and simulations. The results that it provided were confirmed to be accurate and robust. In addition, a new experimental setup suitable for a screening environment, i.e., for a reduced number of samples, was generated through optimal experimental design. The optimization suggested that sampling at late time points over a wide range of concentration was the most advantageous. A model, based on data from primary hepatocytes in suspension, for the investigation of cellular disposition of metabolized drugs was developed. Information on the relative importance of metabolism and membrane protein related distribution was obtained by analysis of changes in the kinetics by specific inhibition of the various processes. The model was evaluated by comparing the results to those obtained from an in vivo study analyzed with an especially constructed mechanistic PBPK model. These investigations showed that the suggested model produced good predictions of the relative importance of metabolism and carrier mediated membrane transport for hepatic disposition. In conclusion, new approaches for the investigation of processes involved in hepatic disposition were developed. These methods were shown to be robust and increased the output of information from already commonly implemented in vitro systems.

Introduction : Une majorité de Canadiens adopte un mode de vie sédentaire qui est un facteur de risque important pour différents problèmes de santé. Dernièrement, des interventions en santé publique ciblent le transport actif pour augmenter la pratique d’activité physique. Objectif : L’objectif de cette étude est de quantifier la direction et la taille de l’association entre l’état de santé rapporté par des adultes montréalais et leur utilisation de la marche et du vélo utilitaires. Méthode : L’échantillon comprend 4503 résidents de l’Île de Montréal, âgés de 18 ans et plus, ayant répondu à un sondage téléphonique sur la pratique de l’activité physique et du transport actif. Des analyses de régression logistique multiples ont été appliquées pour examiner l’association entre l’état de santé auto-rapporté et la pratique du vélo (N=4386) et entre l’état de santé auto-rapporté et la pratique de la marche utilitaire (N=4350). Résultats : Les gens ayant une santé perçue comme bonne et moyenne/mauvaise ont une probabilité plus faible de pratiquer la marche utilitaire (OR = 0,740; p < 0,05 et OR = 0,552; p < 0,01) que ceux rapportant une excellente santé, alors que cette association n’est pas significative pour la pratique du vélo utilitaire dans notre étude. Conclusion : Bien que les résultats obtenus ne soient pas tous statistiquement significatifs, la probabilité d’utiliser le transport actif semble plus faible chez les adultes indiquant un moins bon état de santé par rapport aux adultes indiquant que leur état de santé est excellent. / Background: A majority of Canadians are physically inactive and have a sedentary lifestyle, which is an important risk factor for a variety of diseases. Recently, public health interventions have focused on active transport as means of increasing the level of activity in the population. Objective: This study’s aim is to quantify the direction and size of the association between self-rated health and active transport practices, i.e. utilitarian cycling and walking, among adult Montrealers. Methods: Data on physical activity and utilitarian practices were collected from 4503 adult residents of the Island of Montreal (≥ 18 years old), from one of two telephone surveys conducted in the spring and in the fall of 2009. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between self-rated health and utilitarian cycling (N=4386) and walking (N=4350). Results: Reporting a good and a fair/bad self-rated health was associated with a lower likelihood of practicing utilitarian walking (OR = 0,740; p < 0,05 and OR = 0,552; p < 0,01) than reporting an excellent health, but no significant association was found between self-rated health and utilitarian cycling in our study. Conclusions: Even though all results were not statistically significant, active transport practices appear to be less likely among persons reporting a poorer health in comparison to those reporting excellent health.

Hur samverkar de nationella folkhälsomålen med fysisk planering, och på vilket sätt kan folkhälsomålen beaktas för att förbättra förutsättningarna för ökad fysisk aktivitet hos barn? Denna studie är en fallstudie i Hjo kommun. Studien tar utgångspunkt i kommunens folkhälsoproblematik som visar att det finns en hög förekomst av övervikt hos barn. Intentionen är att undersöka vilka organisatoriska processer som kan underbygga det kommunala arbetet med folkhälsomålen, liksom att ta reda på vilka faktorer i den fysiska miljön som skapar förutsättningar för barns fysiska aktivitet. Avsikten med studien har varit att skapa ett underlag för Hjo kommuns översiktliga planering. Resultatet av studien tydliggör vilka strukturella processer som påverkar arbetet med folkhälsa, men även hur utformningen av folkhälsomålen kan påverka den fysiska planeringens beaktande av folkhälsan. Resultatet åskådliggör även faktorer i den fysiska miljön som påverkar barns förutsättningar till fysisk aktivitet, liksom vikten av beaktandet av barnkonventionen. ABSTRACT How does national public health objectives cooperate with spatial planning, and in which way can public health objectives be considered in order to improve the conditions for increasing physical activity in children? This study is a case study in the municipality of Hjo. The starting point of the study is the municipal public health problem which indicates that there is a high prevalence of obesity in children. The intention is to examine the organizational processes that can underpin the municipal work of public health objectives, as well as to find out which factors in the built environment that can establish the conditions for children&apos;s physical activity. The purpose of this study was to provide a basis for the conceptual planning for the municipality of Hjo. Results of the study illustrates the structural processes that affect the work of public health, but also how the design of public health objectives may influence on the physical planning considerations of public health. The result also illustrates factors in the built environment that affect children&apos;s opportunities for physical activity, but also the importance of taking into account of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

Introduction : Une majorité de Canadiens adopte un mode de vie sédentaire qui est un facteur de risque important pour différents problèmes de santé. Dernièrement, des interventions en santé publique ciblent le transport actif pour augmenter la pratique d’activité physique. Objectif : L’objectif de cette étude est de quantifier la direction et la taille de l’association entre l’état de santé rapporté par des adultes montréalais et leur utilisation de la marche et du vélo utilitaires. Méthode : L’échantillon comprend 4503 résidents de l’Île de Montréal, âgés de 18 ans et plus, ayant répondu à un sondage téléphonique sur la pratique de l’activité physique et du transport actif. Des analyses de régression logistique multiples ont été appliquées pour examiner l’association entre l’état de santé auto-rapporté et la pratique du vélo (N=4386) et entre l’état de santé auto-rapporté et la pratique de la marche utilitaire (N=4350). Résultats : Les gens ayant une santé perçue comme bonne et moyenne/mauvaise ont une probabilité plus faible de pratiquer la marche utilitaire (OR = 0,740; p < 0,05 et OR = 0,552; p < 0,01) que ceux rapportant une excellente santé, alors que cette association n’est pas significative pour la pratique du vélo utilitaire dans notre étude. Conclusion : Bien que les résultats obtenus ne soient pas tous statistiquement significatifs, la probabilité d’utiliser le transport actif semble plus faible chez les adultes indiquant un moins bon état de santé par rapport aux adultes indiquant que leur état de santé est excellent. / Background: A majority of Canadians are physically inactive and have a sedentary lifestyle, which is an important risk factor for a variety of diseases. Recently, public health interventions have focused on active transport as means of increasing the level of activity in the population. Objective: This study’s aim is to quantify the direction and size of the association between self-rated health and active transport practices, i.e. utilitarian cycling and walking, among adult Montrealers. Methods: Data on physical activity and utilitarian practices were collected from 4503 adult residents of the Island of Montreal (≥ 18 years old), from one of two telephone surveys conducted in the spring and in the fall of 2009. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between self-rated health and utilitarian cycling (N=4386) and walking (N=4350). Results: Reporting a good and a fair/bad self-rated health was associated with a lower likelihood of practicing utilitarian walking (OR = 0,740; p < 0,05 and OR = 0,552; p < 0,01) than reporting an excellent health, but no significant association was found between self-rated health and utilitarian cycling in our study. Conclusions: Even though all results were not statistically significant, active transport practices appear to be less likely among persons reporting a poorer health in comparison to those reporting excellent health.

Signal transduction by transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) cytokines is mediated by an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that depends on the Smad proteins to transduce an extracellular stimulus into the nucleus. In the unstimulated state, Smads spontaneously shuttle across the nuclear envelope and distribute throughout the cell. Upon TGF-β or bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) stimulation, the receptor-activated Smads are phosphorylated, assemble into complexes with Smad4, and become mostly localized in the nucleus. Such signal-induced nuclear translocation of activated Smads is essential for TGF-β–dependent gene regulation that is critical for embryonic development and homeostasis. The molecular machinery responsible for this process, especially how the activated Smads are imported as complexes, is not entirely clear. Thus, I became interested in investigating the molecular requirements for nuclear targeting of Smads upon stimulation. Recently, whole-genome RNAi screening offers a complementary cell-based approach to functionally identify molecules that mediate nuclear accumulation of Smads in response to TGF-β. In the first part of this dissertation, I performed a genome-wide RNAi screen that uncovered the importin moleskin (Msk) required in nuclear import of Dpp-activated MAD. Both genetic and biochemical studies further confirmed this finding. I also investigated Smad interactions with the Msk mammalian orthologues, Importin7 and 8 and validated that Smads are bona fide cargos of Imp7/8. Besides the importin Msk, the screen also uncovered a subset of nucleoporins as required factors in signal-induced nuclear accumulation of MAD. Thus in the second part of this thesis, I focused on how the NPC mediates this Msk-dependent nuclear import of activated MAD. Most of these nucleoporins, including Sec13, Nup75, Nup93 and Nup205, were thought to be structural nucleoporins without known cargo-specific functions. We, however, demonstrated that this subset of nucleoporins was specifically used in the Msk-dependent nuclear import of activated MAD but not the constitutive import of cargos containing a classic nuclear localization signal (cNLS). I also uncovered novel pathway-specific functions of Sec13 and Nup93. Regulation of TGF-β signaling can be achieved not only by modulating Smad nuclear translocation but also by modifying Smad phosphorylation status. Previously we identified a kinase, Misshapen (Msn), that caused the linker phosphorylation of MAD, resulting in negative regulation of Dpp signaling (Drosophila BMP). In the third part of this thesis, I investigated the biological relevance of Msn kinase to Dpp signaling in Drosophila wings. Both over-expression and RNAi studies suggest that Msn is a negative regulator of the Dpp/MAD pathway in vivo. As a whole, my findings delineated two critical requirements for MAD nuclear import: the importin Msk and a unique subset of nucleoporins. For the first time, structural Nups are implicated in the direct involvement of cargo import, providing a unique trans-NPC mechanism.