The concept of immunosurveillance suggests that the innate and adaptative immune system eliminate developing tumors. However, tumor development is associated with important modifications of the stroma which, by multiple mechanisms, restrain the immune response notably by affecting dendritic cells (DC) recruitment and functions. My thesis project aims at deciphering how the tumor environment alters the mechanisms and pathways of DC recruitment and impairs their functions. First, we determine if the site of tumor transplantation affects tumor immunogenicity. We show that tumors transplanted in the dermis (i.d.), an environment containing multiple DC subsets, induce a protective anti-tumoral immune response and tumor rejection. By contrast, the same tumor implanted in the subcutaneous tissue (s.c), mainly containing monocytes, is not rejected. Rejection of i.d. tumor is associated with a rapid (within 2 days) recruitment of DC within the tumor and rapid migration of DC towards tumor draining lymph nodes (dLN) where they present the tumor antigens (TAA) to CD4 and CD8 T lymphocyte. These events also occur for s.c. tumors but with a delayed kinetic. Thus the kinetic of DC mobilisation is decisive for tumor immunogenicity. Analysis of the DC subpopulations (TIDC) infiltrating the i.d. or s.c. tumors at 4 days (D4) and 8 days (D8) post-tumor transplantation, revealed that the different DC subpopulations are present at similar frequencies. Based on these findings, we proposed that i.d. tumor are rapidly infiltrated by dermal DC (DDC), whereas in s.c. tumor, the absence of inflammatory signals would limit DDC recruitment. In this latter case, DC would mainly come from local differentiation of blood-born precursors of DC (pre-cDC). Local differentiation of pre-cDC within the immunosuppressor tumor environment may affect their differentiation program and functions. We found that pre-cDC infiltrate i.d. and s.c. tumors starting at D4 and their frequency increases at D8. To determine the DC origin in tumors, we use CD11c-DTR-GFP mice in which CD11c+ cells express a fusion protein constituted by the diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) and GFP. To track DDC trafficking within tumors, we injected anti-MHCII antibody before tumor implantation and analysed MHCII+ CD11c+ DDC infiltration in tumor by biphotonic microscopy. At D3 post-tumor transplantation, the DDC infiltration was higher in i.d. than s.c. tumors. To analyse the impact of this early DDC recruitment on anti-tumor immunity, we inhibit early recruitment of DC by injection of pertussis toxin (PTX), a chemokine receptor protein G inhibitor, during the three first days of tumor development. For i.d. tumors, PTX treatment induced 60% reduction of DC recruitment starting at D4. In s.c. tumor, while this effect was observable at D3 (60% reduction) and increased to 80% at D4. These results suggest that early recruitment of DDC to i.d. tumors may be be chemokine independent. PTX treatment, which inhibits DDC migration from tumors to dLN inhibits the early TAA presentation to CD4 and CD8 T cells but did not impaired i.d. tumor rejection. Collectively, these results suggest that a first wave of DDC may infiltrate i.d. tumor. The initial wave of DDC may rapidly activate the adaptive immune system and induce protective anti-tumoral immune response. For s.c. tumor, this first wave in delayed or limited. Tumor neoangioenesis would permit an input of pre-cDC which would differentiate locally into cDC1 and cDC2. To consolidate this model we are developing new protocols to efficiently inhibit early recruitment of DDC in i.d. tumor. Moreover, to determine the DC origin and pathways of DC recruitment in tumors, we exploit several experimental approaches to directly analyse DDC migration toward i.d. and s.c. tumor. / Le concept d’immunosurveillance postule que le système immunitaire inné et adaptatif élimine les tumeurs naissantes. Cependant, le développement de tumeurs est associé à des modifications importantes du stroma qui, par des mécanismes multiples, inhibent la réponse immunitaire en affectant notamment le recrutement et la fonction des cellules dendritiques (DC). Mon projet de thèse vise à préciser comment l’environnement tumoral affecte les mécanismes et les voies de recrutement des DC dans les tumeurs et leurs fonctions. Tout d’abord, nous avons déterminé si la composition en DC du tissu d’implantation affecte l’immunogénicité tumorale. Nous avons montré que les tumeurs implantées dans le derme (i.d.), un environnement riche en DC dermales (DDC), induisent une réponse anti-tumorale protectrice. En revanche, une même tumeur transplantée dans le tissu sous-cutané (s.c.), contenant principalement des monocytes, n’est pas rejetée. Le rejet des tumeurs i.d. est associé à un recrutement précoce et rapide des DC dans la tumeur (dès 2 jours post-injection) et une migration, dans les ganglions drainants (dLN), de DC qui présentent les antigènes tumoraux (TAA) aux lymphocytes T (LT) CD4+ et CD8+. Dans les tumeurs s.c. ces événements sont présents mais retardés. Ceci indique que la cinétique de mobilisation des DC est déterminante pour l’immunogénicité tumorale.

Allergic asthma is an immunological disease, mediated by CD4+ Th2 cells, and its prevalence has increased over recent decades. Features of allergic asthma include airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), airway eosinophilia, excessive airway mucus production, and increased IgE and Th2 cytokine levels. Airway remodeling with pulmonary fibrosis is noted in the progress of asthma. In this thesis, a murine model of allergic asthma was used to investigate the effect of cyclophosphamide (CY) on asthma and the involvement of regulatory T cells (Treg), and the role of Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating-factor (GM-CSF) in allergic asthma by using GM-CSF knockout mice. CY is a cytotoxic agent, which paradoxically augments several immune responses. The first part of this thesis was aimed to study the effects of CY in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation. BALB/c mice were immunized with ovalbumin (OVA) on days 0 and 14, and challenged with aerosolized OVA from days 21 to 27. Some mice additionally received CY on days -2 and 12. In the CY-treated animals, pronounced worsening of inflammatory features was noted, including increases in eosinophil infiltration, epithelial thickness, mucus occlusion and eosinophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Increased total and OVA-specific serum IgE were also noted in the CY-treated animals. In cell cultures from peritracheal lymph nodes, the Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-5 were elevated in animals treated with CY. It was hypothesized that the effects of CY could be caused by reduced immunosuppression mediated by Treg. mRNA expression of the immunosuppressive cytokines IL-10 and TGF-beta was reduced in the lungs of CY-treated mice. The expression of FoxP3, a marker of naturally occurring Treg, was significantly reduced in spleens, thymuses and peritracheal lymph nodes after the second injection of CY, and in the lung tissue after allergen challenge in CY-treated mice. Furthermore, lung IL-10-producing CD4+ T cells and CTLA-4+-bearing CD4+ T cells were reduced after allergen aerosol challenge in CY-treated mice. Thus CY worsened the features of allergic pulmonary inflammation in this model, in association with increased production of IgE and Th2 cytokines. The reduction in expression of FoxP3 and immunosuppressive cytokines by CY suggests that toxicity to Treg may contribute to the increased inflammation. GM-CSF plays a role in the growth, development, and maturation of bone marrow hemopoietic cells into mature blood cells, and has been proposed to be involved in potentiating the function of inflammatory cells in allergic inflammation. In the second part of this thesis, GM-CSF knockout (KO) mice were used to investigate the role of GM-CSF. In allergic KO mice, airway eosinophils were only shown in the perivascular, but not peribronchial areas in the lung, compared to the allergic wild-type (WT) mice in which eosinophil infiltration appeared in both areas. Eosinophil numbers were drastically reduced in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of KO mice. IL-5 production in the lung tissue and BALF in allergic KO mice was reduced; similar results were also found in peritracheal draining lymph nodes after in vitro stimulation assays. However, IL-4 and IL-13 production, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and serum IgE production were not affected in allergic KO mice. Surprisingly, lung IFN-gamma mRNA and BALF levels were increased in allergic KO mice. Lung mRNA levels of CCR3, a key chemokine receptor on eosinophils, were significantly reduced in allergic KO mice, whereas expression of the chemokines eotaxin and RANTES were at similar levels in allergic KO and WT mice. Lung mRNA levels of the IFN-gamma-inducible chemokines Mig (CXCL9) and IP-10 (CXCL10), which are antagonists of CCR3, and their receptor CXCR3 were increased in allergic KO mice, compared with allergic WT mice. Data obtained from flow cytometry showed more eosinophils survived in the lung of WT mice than KO mice. Another allergy model, a peritoneal allergy model was performed to investigate inflammation in a different model. Leukocyte subpopulations such as neutrophils, eosinophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes were reduced in the peritoneal lavage fluid of allergic KO mice. The findings revealed that GM-CSF is essential for IL-5 production, pulmonary airway eosinophilia and eosinophil survival. In the absence of GM-CSF, over-production of IFN-???? may induce chemokines, including Mig and IP-10, which are antagonists for CCR3 and may reduce airway eosinophil infiltration. In this thesis, a murine model of allergic asthma has been used to obtain novel findings on the regulation of allergic inflammation. The results with CY are relevant to the treatment of asthma patients with CY and other cytotoxic agents. The findings in the GM-CSF KO mice suggest that GM-CSF is a potential therapeutic target in asthma, and that in assessment of new therapeutic agents for asthma, effects on GM-CSF should be considered.

<p>Atherosclerosis is a progressive inflammatory disease that is characterized by the accumulation of lipids, infiltrated cells and fibrous elements in large arteries.</p><p>This thesis focuses on the molecular mechanisms behind foam cell formation and inflammation, two central processes in the development of atherosclerosis. More specific, we studied the effects of proinflammatory cytokines on CXCL16 expression and its role as scavenger receptor on macrophages and smooth muscle cells in atherogenesis. CXCL16 is defined as a chemokine and a scavenger receptor, regulating adhesion and chemoattraction of CXCR6 expressing cells and uptake of oxLDL. We show that the expression of CXCL16 and its receptor CXCR6 are more pronounced in human atherosclerotic lesions compared with non-atherosclerotic vessels. Increased expression of CXCL16 was also seen in atherosclerotic aortas of apoE-/- mice compared with aortas of non-atherosclerotic, age-matched C57BL/6 mice. In vitro, IFN gamma induced CXCL16 expression in primary human monocytes and smooth muscle cells which resulted in an increased uptake of oxLDL. Treatment of mice with IFN gamma also induced CXCL16 expression in atherosclerotic lesions. Thus, we have demonstrated a role for IFN gamma in foam cell formation through upregulation of CXCL16. The expression of CXCR6 was defined to the same regions as for CXCL16 in the lesion, indicating the presence of cells able to respond to CXCL16. Consequently, CXCL16 could serve as a molecular link between lipid metabolism and immune activity in atherosclerotic lesion.</p><p>CD137 belongs to the TNF family and mediates several important processes in inflammation. CD137 is involved in the activation of T cells, NK cells, B cells and monocytes and regulate cytokine production, proliferation and apoptosis in these cells. A limited number of studies have demonstrated CD137 expression on smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. Our results show that CD137 mRNA is higher expressed in human atherosclerotic lesions compared with unaffected vessels. We found that endothelial cells express CD137 in atherosclerotic lesions and that cultured endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells express CD137 and CD137 ligand in vitro. CD137 was regulated differentially by proinflammatory cytokines (i.e. IFN gamma, TNF alpha, IL-1 beta) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide depending on cell type. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of CD137 signalling, demonstrating that binding of the CD137 ligand to its receptor increases proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells.</p><p>In summary, this thesis has focused on the expression, regulation and role of CXCL16 and CD137, two genes that have not been described earlier in the concept of atherosclerosis. The findings demonstrate some of the molecular mechanisms involved in vascular inflammation and may increase our knowledge about the development of atherosclerosis.</p>

It has been shown that the amino terminus and second extracellular loop (EC2) of CXCR2 are crucial for ligand binding and receptor activation. The lack of an ionic lock motif in the third intracellular loop of CXCR2 focuses an investigation of the mechanism by which these two extracellular regions contribute to receptor recognition and activation. The first objective of this investigation was to predict the structure of CXCR2 based on known structures of crystallized GPCRs. Rhodopsin, β2-adrenergic receptor, CXCR4 were used for homology modeling of CXCR2 structure. Highly conserved motifs found in sequence alignments of the template GPCRs were helpful to generate CXCR2 models. We also studied solvent accessibility of residues in the EC2 of CXCR2 in the inactive state. Most of the residues in the EC2 were found to be solvent accessible in the inactive state, suggesting the residues might be involved in ligand recognition. Second, we studied the role of charged residues in the EC2 of CXCR2 in ligand binding and receptor activation using constitutively active mutants (CAM) of CXCR2, D9K and D9R. Combinatorial mutations consisting of the CAM in the amino terminus and single mutations of charged residues in the EC2 were generated to study two concepts including “attraction” and “repulsion” models. The mutant receptors were used to test their effects on cell surface expression, ligand binding, receptor activation through PLC-β3, and cellular transformation. All the mutations in the repulsion model result in CXCR2 receptors that are unable to bind ligand, suggesting that each of the Arg residues in the EC2 are important for ligand recognition. Interestingly, mutations in the attraction model partially inhibited receptor activation by the CAM D9K, suggesting that Glu198 and Asp199 residues in the EC2 are associated with receptor activation. Furthermore, a novel CAM, E198A/D199A, was identified in this study. These negatively charged residues are very close to a conserved disulfide bond linking the EC2 and the third transmembrane. In this sense, these current discoveries concerning the structural basis of CXCR2 and interdisciplinary approaches would provide new insights to investigate unknown mechanisms of interaction with its cognate ligands and receptor activation.

Les estrogènes sont impliqués dans plusieurs aspects de la physiologie humaine en particulier, le développement, la croissance, la différenciation des tissus reproducteurs, la reproduction, et la grossesse. Les effets cellulaires des estrogènes sont transmis via l'interaction avec les récepteurs des estrogènes ERα et ERβ. L’activation de ERα et ERβ contrôle directement la transcription des gènes cibles nécessaires pour médier les effets physiologiques des estrogènes. L’effet des estrogènes peut aussi être mitogénique et devient la cause de plusieurs pathologies surtout dans les tissus qui présentent une sensibilité accrue à l’hormone tel que les tissus mammaires, les ovaires et l’utérus. De ce fait, une surexposition de ces tissus à l’estrogène augmente le risque de développer le cancer. Dans une lignée cellulaire qui coexprime les deux récepteurs, nous avons identifié la chimiokine SDF-1 qui interagit avec le récepteur CXCR4 et qui décrit une boucle de régulation autocrine/paracrine entre la voie des chimiokines et celle des estrogènes. Cette régulation induit une augmentation de l’expression des gènes cibles prolifératifs du cancer du sein. Cependant, les mécanismes exacts de cette régulation restent inconnus. Afin d'identifier les cibles exactes de cette régulation au niveau génomique, nous avons développé un modèle cellulaire pour discriminer le rôle respectif de ERα et ERβ au niveau du contrôle transcriptionnel de cette boucle de régulation des chimiokines. En partant d’une lignée cellulaire ER-, nous avons généré un système cellulaire qui exprime l’un ou l’autre des isoformes en plus du mutant ERβ-S87A. Nous avons construit le promoteur CXCR4bLuc qu’on a testé dans les lignées cellulaires générées. En utilisant la construction du promoteur CXCR4bLuc, nous avons démontré une voie de régulation des récepteurs des chimiokines par les récepteurs des estrogènes. L’activation membranaire de CXCR4 par SDF-1 implique l’activation directe du récepteur de l’estrogène ERβ par phosphorylation de la sérine 87. Cette phosphorylation active ERβ et favorise l’expression du gène de CXCR4. La transcription de CXCR4 passe par la liaison de ERβ au niveau d’un élément de liaison ERE que nous avons identifié dans ce travail par la technique de ChIP. Ainsi, nous avons identifié une cible exacte de la régulation des récepteurs des chimiokines CXCR4 par le récepteur des estrogènes ERβ qui peut constituer une approche prometteuse pour contrer les pathologies associées au cancer du sein et ses métastases. / Estrogens are involved in development, growth, differentiation, reproduction, and pregnancy. The cellular effects of estrogens are mediated through its interaction with estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ. The ERα and ERβ activation controls directly the transcription of target genes required to mediate the physiological effects of estrogen. The effect of estrogen may be mitogenic and becomes the cause of many diseases especially in tissues that have greater sensitivity to the hormone such as breast tissue, ovaries and uterus. Therefore, overexposure of these tissues to estrogen increases the risk of developing cancer. In a cell line that co-expresses both receptors, we identified the chemokine SDF-1 that interacts with the CXCR4 receptor and describes an autocrine / paracrine loop pathway between chemokines and estrogen. This control leads to an increase of the expression of proliferatives target genes in breast cancer. However, the exact mechanisms of this regulation remain unknown. To identify the exact target of this regulation at the genomic level, we have developed a cellular model to discriminate the respective role of ERα and ERβ level of transcriptional control of the loop chemokines. Starting from an ER- cell line, we generated a cell system that expresses one or other of isoforms in addition to the mutant ERβ-S87A. We built the promoter CXCR4bLuc that we have tested in the generated cell lines. Using the CXCR4bLuc promoter construct, we have demonstrated a regulatory pathway of chemokine receptors by estrogen receptors. The membrane activation of CXCR4 by SDF-1 involves the direct activation of estrogen receptor ERβ by phosphorylation of serine 87. This phosphorylation leads to activate ERβ and promotes the expression of CXCR4 gene. The transcription of CXCR4 involves the binding of ERβ at an ERE binding element that we have identified in this work by the ChIP technical. Thus the identification of a precise ERE target regulation of chemokine receptors CXCR4 by estrogen receptor ERβ, is a promising approach to counter the pathologies associated with breast cancer and its metastases.

Allergic asthma is an immunological disease, mediated by CD4+ Th2 cells, and its prevalence has increased over recent decades. Features of allergic asthma include airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), airway eosinophilia, excessive airway mucus production, and increased IgE and Th2 cytokine levels. Airway remodeling with pulmonary fibrosis is noted in the progress of asthma. In this thesis, a murine model of allergic asthma was used to investigate the effect of cyclophosphamide (CY) on asthma and the involvement of regulatory T cells (Treg), and the role of Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating-factor (GM-CSF) in allergic asthma by using GM-CSF knockout mice. CY is a cytotoxic agent, which paradoxically augments several immune responses. The first part of this thesis was aimed to study the effects of CY in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation. BALB/c mice were immunized with ovalbumin (OVA) on days 0 and 14, and challenged with aerosolized OVA from days 21 to 27. Some mice additionally received CY on days -2 and 12. In the CY-treated animals, pronounced worsening of inflammatory features was noted, including increases in eosinophil infiltration, epithelial thickness, mucus occlusion and eosinophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Increased total and OVA-specific serum IgE were also noted in the CY-treated animals. In cell cultures from peritracheal lymph nodes, the Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-5 were elevated in animals treated with CY. It was hypothesized that the effects of CY could be caused by reduced immunosuppression mediated by Treg. mRNA expression of the immunosuppressive cytokines IL-10 and TGF-beta was reduced in the lungs of CY-treated mice. The expression of FoxP3, a marker of naturally occurring Treg, was significantly reduced in spleens, thymuses and peritracheal lymph nodes after the second injection of CY, and in the lung tissue after allergen challenge in CY-treated mice. Furthermore, lung IL-10-producing CD4+ T cells and CTLA-4+-bearing CD4+ T cells were reduced after allergen aerosol challenge in CY-treated mice. Thus CY worsened the features of allergic pulmonary inflammation in this model, in association with increased production of IgE and Th2 cytokines. The reduction in expression of FoxP3 and immunosuppressive cytokines by CY suggests that toxicity to Treg may contribute to the increased inflammation. GM-CSF plays a role in the growth, development, and maturation of bone marrow hemopoietic cells into mature blood cells, and has been proposed to be involved in potentiating the function of inflammatory cells in allergic inflammation. In the second part of this thesis, GM-CSF knockout (KO) mice were used to investigate the role of GM-CSF. In allergic KO mice, airway eosinophils were only shown in the perivascular, but not peribronchial areas in the lung, compared to the allergic wild-type (WT) mice in which eosinophil infiltration appeared in both areas. Eosinophil numbers were drastically reduced in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of KO mice. IL-5 production in the lung tissue and BALF in allergic KO mice was reduced; similar results were also found in peritracheal draining lymph nodes after in vitro stimulation assays. However, IL-4 and IL-13 production, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and serum IgE production were not affected in allergic KO mice. Surprisingly, lung IFN-gamma mRNA and BALF levels were increased in allergic KO mice. Lung mRNA levels of CCR3, a key chemokine receptor on eosinophils, were significantly reduced in allergic KO mice, whereas expression of the chemokines eotaxin and RANTES were at similar levels in allergic KO and WT mice. Lung mRNA levels of the IFN-gamma-inducible chemokines Mig (CXCL9) and IP-10 (CXCL10), which are antagonists of CCR3, and their receptor CXCR3 were increased in allergic KO mice, compared with allergic WT mice. Data obtained from flow cytometry showed more eosinophils survived in the lung of WT mice than KO mice. Another allergy model, a peritoneal allergy model was performed to investigate inflammation in a different model. Leukocyte subpopulations such as neutrophils, eosinophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes were reduced in the peritoneal lavage fluid of allergic KO mice. The findings revealed that GM-CSF is essential for IL-5 production, pulmonary airway eosinophilia and eosinophil survival. In the absence of GM-CSF, over-production of IFN-???? may induce chemokines, including Mig and IP-10, which are antagonists for CCR3 and may reduce airway eosinophil infiltration. In this thesis, a murine model of allergic asthma has been used to obtain novel findings on the regulation of allergic inflammation. The results with CY are relevant to the treatment of asthma patients with CY and other cytotoxic agents. The findings in the GM-CSF KO mice suggest that GM-CSF is a potential therapeutic target in asthma, and that in assessment of new therapeutic agents for asthma, effects on GM-CSF should be considered.

No description available.

L'adhésion contrôlée et la migration orientée des cellules est fondamentale pour plusieurs processus physiologiques et pathologiques. Une famille de polysaccharides linéaires, connus sous le nom de glycosaminoglycanes (GAG) est impliquée dans l'organisation et la présentation des protéines de signalisation, les chimiokines, à la surface des cellules et dans la matrice extracellulaire (ECM). Les travaux concernent le développement de surfaces biomimétiques bien définies aux niveaux moléculaires et supramoléculaires pour l‘étude des mécanismes d'intéractions protéines-GAG et l'analyse de la réponse cellulaire à des signaux biochimiques et biophysiques spécifiques. L'objectif de cette étude est de mieux comprendre les communications cellule-cellule et cellule-matrice induites par les GAGs.En utilisant la ligation oxime, les GAGs peuvent être fonctionnalisés de manière stable par la biotine à leur extrémité réductrice, ce mode de couplage s'est avéré déterminant pour préparer des surfaces fonctionnalisées par les GAGs de manière stable. Une monocouche de streptavidine est utilisée comme plateforme modulable pour assembler séquentiellement les molécules biotinylées, avec une orientation et des densités de surface contrôlées. Des GAGs (les héparane sulfate (HS), en particulier), des chimiokines et d'autres composants de l'ECM (par exemple un ligand d'adhésion cellulaire, RGD) ont été assemblés reconstituant certains aspects des surfaces in vivo (cellules ou de l'ECM). La microbalance à quartz (QCM-D) et l'ellipsométrie spectroscopique nous ont permis de caractériser et de contrôler la présentation supramoléculaire du HS et du RGD. Ces surfaces modèles ont été utilisées pour étudier les interactions supramoléculaires entre le HS et la chimiokine SDF-1α/CXCL12α facteur d'origine stromale et pour analyser les réponses cellulaires aux signaux extracellulaires. Nos données apportent la preuve que la chimiokine, CXCL12α rigidifie les assemblages de HS, et que cet effet est dû à la réticulation des chaînes de HS induite par la protéine. La cinétique des interactions HS-chimiokine a été quantifiée en utilisant la résonance plasmonique de surface (SPR). Nous avons également démontré que le mode de présentation de la chimiokine sur la surface, en particulier la présence des HS, influence le comportement des myoblastes. Nos données montrent que les récepteurs cellulaires CXCR4 (récepteur de la CXCL12α) et l'intégrine (récepteur du RGD) peuvent agir en synergie pour contrôler l'adhésion et la migration cellulaire. Ces surfaces modèles fournissent des indications précieuses qui pourront être appliquées au domaine de la glycobiologie, par exemple, pour étudier le rôle des GAGs dans la migration cellulaire induite par les chimiokines. / The oriented migration and controlled adhesion of cells is fundamental to many physiological and pathological processes. A family of linear polysaccharides, known as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), help organizing and presenting signaling proteins, so-called chemokines, on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix thus regulating cellular behavior. The objective of this PhD thesis was to develop biomimetic surfaces that are highly defined and tunable, for mechanistic studies of GAG-protein interactions on the molecular and supramolecular levels, and to probe cellular responses to defined biochemical and biophysical cues to better understand GAG-mediated cell-cell and cell-matrix communications.Applying oxime ligation, GAGs could be stably functionalized with biotin at the reducing end, and these features proved crucial for the reliable preparation of GAG-functionalized surfaces. A streptavidin monolayer served as a ‘molecular breadboard' to sequentially assemble biotinylated molecules with controlled orientation and surface densities. GAGs (heparan sulfate (HS) in particular), chemokines and other ECM components (e.g. integrin ligands promoting cell adhesion, RGD) were assembled into multifunctional surfaces that recapitulate selected aspects of the in vivo situation. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D) and spectroscopic ellipsometry permitted us to characterize and control the supramolecular presentation of HS and RGD. These model surfaces were used to study the supramolecular interactions between HS and the selected chemokine stromal derived factor SDF-1α/CXCL12α and to analyze cellular responses to extracellular cues. Our data provide evidence that CXCL12α binding rigidifies HS assemblies, and that this effect is due to protein-mediated cross-linking of HS chains. The kinetics of chemokine binding to HS was quantified using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). We also demonstrate that the way in which the chemokine is presented, and in particular the presence of HS, is important for regulating myoblast behavior. Our data shows that the cell surface receptors CXCR4 (the CXCL12α receptor) and integrins (the RGD receptor) can act synergistically in controlling cellular adhesion and migration. These surfaces can generate novel insights in the field of glycobiology, e.g. in dissecting the function of GAGs in chemokine-mediated cellular migration.

Mieloma Múltiplo é a segunda doença com maior prevalência nas doenças malignidades hematológica, incurável com média de sobrevivência de 3-5 anos. MM é uma malignidade das células do plasma caracterizada pela destruição e reabsorção óssea e supressão da formação do osso. A quimiocina SDF-1 (CXCL12) e seu receptor CXCR4 têm um importante papel direcional na migração, homing das células do plasma em mieloma múltiplo e mobilização das células de MM para fora da medula óssea. A talidomida tem sido usada com êxito no tratamento de pacientes com mieloma múltiplo. Neste estudo verificamos o efeito da talidomida na expressão da quimiocina SDF-1 e seu receptor CXCR4 em pacientes com mieloma múltiplo e em linhagem de células de mieloma múltiplo humano (RPMI-8226) tratados e sem tratamento de talidomida. Nossos resultamos mostraram uma expressão heterogênea na expressão da quimiocina SDF-1 e seu receptor CXCR4 nos pacientes com mieloma múltiplo estudado (n= 79). Entretanto, pacientes com mieloma múltiplo tratados com talidomida mostraram uma baixa expressão da quimiocina SDF-1 e seu receptor CXC4 quando comparados com pacientes recém diagnosticados para mieloma múltiplo e pacientes com mieloma múltiplo tratados com outros medicamentos. Nossos resultados sugerem que o tratamento com talidomida induz uma baixa regulação na expressão no ligante SDF-1 e seu receptor CXCR4 em pacientes com mieloma múltiplo / Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a second most prevalent hematological malignancy and remains incurable with a median survival of 3-5 years. MM is a plasma cell malignancy characterized by devastating bone destruction due to the enhanced bone resorption and suppressed bone formation. The chemokine stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its receptor CXCR4 play an important role in directional migration, homing of plasma cells in multiple myeloma (MM) and mobilization of MM cells out of the bone marrow. The drug thalidomide has been successfully used in the treatment of patients with MM. In this study, we assessed the effect of thalidomide on SDF-1 and CXCR4 expression in MM patients and human myeloma-derived cell line, RPMI 8226 treated with or without thalidomide. A heterogeneous expression pattern of chemokines SDF-1 and CXCR4 receptor were observed for all MM patients studied. However, patients treated with thalidomide showed a significantly decrease in expression of SDF-1 and CXCR4 as compared to newly diagnosed MM patients and MM patients treated with other drugs. RPMI 8226 cell line treated with 10, 20 and 100µM thalidomide also demonstrated decrease in SDF-1 and CXCR4 expression as compared with cell control (RPMI-8226 without thalidomide). Ours results indicate that thalidomide therapy induces down-regulation of CXCR4 and its ligand SDF-1 in multiple myeloma

Local invasion and lymph nodal spread impact in the outcome of Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients (pts). We determined CXCR1-5, CCR7 and CX3CR1 mRNA expression by means of RNAse protection assay in 98 HNSCC primary tumors and 91 adjacent mucosa and 26 metastatic lymph nodes, correlating this data with outcome. CXCL12 and CCL19/CCL21, ligands for CXCR4 and CCR7, were determined in 38 tumor fragments, 33 adjacent mucosas and 25 de metastatic lymph nodes, by means of Quantitative Real-Time PCR. Tumors presented higher CXCR1 (P=0.013), CXCR3 (P=0.008) and CXCR4 mRNA (P=0.025) expression as compared to mucosa. No correlations are observed neither lymph nodal status nor tumor size impacted on chemokine receptor expression. Metastatic lymph nodes expressed more CXCR4, CXCR5, CCR7 and CX3CR1 (P<0.0001) as compared to matched tumors. We found a longer overall survival (OS) (P=0.048) and a trend toward longer disease free survival (DFS) (P=0.074) in CX3CR1 negative (n=17) as compared to positive pts (n=21) only in oral subgroup. The same occurred for CCR7 negative oral SCC, in terms of OS (P=0.024) and DFS (P=0.049). We conclude that, of the chemokine receptors here studied, CCR7 and CX3CR1 mRNA expression seems to better reflect outcome in oral subsite only. In addition, CCL21, a CCR7 ligand mRNAs is more expressed in metastatic lymph nodes than tumors (P=0.059). Further studies are warranted to confirm these results. / Bone tissue alterations and vascular calcification (VC) are commonly found in patients with chronic renal failure (CKD). The importance of phosphorus (P) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) is not clear, yet. An in vitro study showed that inorganic phosphate was able to transform vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) into calcifying cells confirmed for up-expression of Runx2 in these cells. Besides, it has been demonstrated the in vivo expression of Runx2 in intimal and medial VSMC in calcified arteries of CKD patients. We evaluated the effect of phosphorus (P) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) on bone remodeling and on the expression of bone proteins (Runx2, Osteoprotegerin, type I Collagen, Osteocalcin, Osteopontin and NF?B) in aortic valve and heart in experimental uremia. Wistar rats were submitted to parathyroidectomy, nephrectomy (Nx) and continuous infusion of 1-34 rat PTH in physiologic or 5 times the normal values. The diet was identical, however the P content was low (LP: 0,2%) or high (HP: 1,2%). We performed biochemical, histomorphometric, imuno-histochemistry and RT-PCR analysis. Rats submitted to Nx developed renal failure. The P overload contributed to loss bone volume independent of uremia. Besides Nx animals that received high PTH doses bone loss was slight probably because of the anabolic effect of PTH, which was attenuated by the phosphorus overload toxic. VC was only observed in Nx animals that received high PTH doses independently of P overload. However, the P overload with physiologic PTH doses induced phenotypic changes in VSMC that was confirmed for the up-expression of Runx2 on aorta of these animals. The high concentrations of P and PTH promoted histological changes on expression of osteoprotegerin and type I Collagen in calcified arteries and heart. This study does not established ideal levels of PTH sufficient for the maintenance of the bone integrity and also to prevent VC when animal are submitted to different P overload.