Resumo: Transição epithelial-mesenquimal (EMT) é a conversão de células epiteliais polarizadas para células migratórias com fenótipo fibroblasto-símile. A EMT está envolvida na progressão e metástase em diversos cânceres nos seres humanos, porém permanece a ser mais bem explorada na literatura veterinária. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a imunoexpressão de proteínas relacionadas à EMT nos carcinomas mamários de cadelas (CMCs). Seis proteínas foram avaliadas por meio de imunoistoquímica em 94 amostras de CMCs. Tecidos mamários não neoplásicos de 17 cadelas e amostras de 9 tumores mamários benignos de cadelas foram avaliados de modo a determinar o perfil de imunoexpressão de Snai-1. Características anatomopatológicas foram comparadas com a imunoexpressão de proteínas relacionadas à EMT nos CMCs. A perda de proteínas epiteliais e/ou a aquisição de proteínas mesenquimais foi observada principalmente em neoplasias com evidência de invasão estromal; entretanto, somente foi observada significância estatística quando comparado S100A4 e invasão vascular. Snai-1 foi observado em células luminais de neoplasias simples malignas e em células mioepiteliais de tumores benignos ou malignos de caráter complexo, sendo também significativamente relacionado à baixa de expressão de Caderina-E. Conclui-se que a perda de proteínas epiteliais e/ou a aquisição de proteínas mesenquimais está associada com EMT e pode possuir importante papel na avaliação de CMCs. O padrão único de imunoexpressão de Snai-1 pode ajudar a distinção entre um adenoma e um carcinoma não metastático e aparenta estar relacionado à conversão de células mioepiteliais a um fenótipo mesenquimal completo. A perda de Caderina-E e citoqueratina e a mudança no padrão de imunoexpressão de Snai-1, Caderina-N, S100A4 e MMP-2 indica a ocorrência de EMT em carcinomas mamários de cadelas... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is defined as switching of polarized epithelial cells to a migratory fibroblastoid phenotype. EMT is known to be involved in the progression and metastasis of various cancers in humans, but this specific process is still little explored in the veterinary literature. The aim of this research was to evaluate the expression of EMT-related proteins in canine mammary carcinomas (CMCs). The expression of six EMT-related proteins in CMC of 94 female dogs was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, mammary tissues from 17 female dogs with no history of mammary tumor development and from 9 bitches with benign tumors were evaluated in order to determine Snai-1 immunoexpression patterns. Anatomopathological characteristics were compared with the expression of EMTrelated proteins in CMCs. Loss of epithelial protein and/or acquisition of the expression of mesenchymal proteins were observed, particularly in tumors with evidence of stromal invasion; however, significance was only observed between the S100A4 and vascular invasion. Snai-1 was only expressed in luminal cells of histologically malignant tumors and in myoepithelial cells of benign and malignant complex tumors and was significantly related to E-cadherin loss. In conclusion, loss of epithelial proteins and/or the acquisition of mesenchymal proteins are associated with EMT and may have an important role in the evaluation of CMC patients. The unique immunoexpression pattern of Snai-1 could help to distinguish between an adenoma and a non-metastatic carcinoma and seems to be related to conversion of myoepithelial cells to a complete mesenchymal-like phenotype. Loss of E-cadherin and cytokeratin and change of immunoexpression pattern of Snai-1, N-cadherin, S100A4 and MMP-2 indicate the occurrence of EMT in canine mammary carcinomas and should result in an en bloc resection or a close follow-up. / Orientador: Noeme Souza Rocha / Coorientador: Rafael Malagoli Rocha / Banca: Deilson Elgui de Oliveira / Banca: Geovanni Dantas Cassali / Mestre

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cause of cancer related deaths in the UK with the prognosis dependent on the degree of tumour invasion and presence of metastasis at diagnosis. An important step in the invasion and metastasis of solid tumours is the loss of cell-cell junctions and the acquirement of a more motile mesenchymal phenotype which is facilitated by the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The presence of EMT is linked with a more aggressive, invasive tumour and subsequent poor prognosis. In addition to roles in motility and invasion, EMT can induce a cancer stem cell phenotype in a subset of tumour cells. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cells capable of self-renewal and maintaining a cellular population whilst displaying increased therapeutic resistance. Induction of EMT and CSCs can be regulated by common signalling pathways with expression of EMT transcription factors inducing CSCs expression. Understanding the signalling pathways regulating EMT and CSC formation in cancer is important for preventing of metastasis and combating therapeutic resistance. Aspirin’s role in cancer prevention has been established for a number of years with aspirin treatment reducing the incidence of CRC. Recently, evidence has emerged suggesting aspirin treatment may have post-diagnosis benefits and increase survival rates of CRC patients. A potential mechanism for the post-diagnosis benefit of aspirin is the inhibition of EMT and CSC formation which both facilitate tumour progression and metastasis. Aspirin has been demonstrated to suppress the migratory and invasive capacity of lung cancer cell lines by inhibiting EMT. Whilst aspirin has been shown to inhibit platelet-induced EMT in CRC, the direct effects of aspirin on EMT in CRC cell lines has not been established. I hypothesis that aspirin inhibits cell migration, invasion and EMT in CRC which results in a reduction in the CSC population and contributes to the clinical benefit of post-diagnosis aspirin. Using CRC cell lines, I have demonstrated that aspirin treatment inhibits cell migration, invasion, motility and promotes an epithelial phenotype. These results have been confirmed in human organoids and mouse intestinal adenoma in vivo models. Aspirin also promotes a budding phenotype in Apc deficient organoids and reduces expression of stem cell markers in both mouse and human tissue. Aspirin inhibits the mTOR and Wnt signalling pathways in vivo which have the ability to regulate EMT and CSCs although signalling dependency has not been determined. Regardless, aspirin is decreasing the cancer stem cell population and promoting a non-invasive epithelial phenotype which may explain some of the previously described post-diagnosis benefits.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-02-28Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:57:18Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 salgado_bs_me_botfm.pdf: 482776 bytes, checksum: 23c491910cd4c7da0d422455a7e9b2df (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Transição epithelial-mesenquimal (EMT) é a conversão de células epiteliais polarizadas para células migratórias com fenótipo fibroblasto-símile. A EMT está envolvida na progressão e metástase em diversos cânceres nos seres humanos, porém permanece a ser mais bem explorada na literatura veterinária. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a imunoexpressão de proteínas relacionadas à EMT nos carcinomas mamários de cadelas (CMCs). Seis proteínas foram avaliadas por meio de imunoistoquímica em 94 amostras de CMCs. Tecidos mamários não neoplásicos de 17 cadelas e amostras de 9 tumores mamários benignos de cadelas foram avaliados de modo a determinar o perfil de imunoexpressão de Snai-1. Características anatomopatológicas foram comparadas com a imunoexpressão de proteínas relacionadas à EMT nos CMCs. A perda de proteínas epiteliais e/ou a aquisição de proteínas mesenquimais foi observada principalmente em neoplasias com evidência de invasão estromal; entretanto, somente foi observada significância estatística quando comparado S100A4 e invasão vascular. Snai-1 foi observado em células luminais de neoplasias simples malignas e em células mioepiteliais de tumores benignos ou malignos de caráter complexo, sendo também significativamente relacionado à baixa de expressão de Caderina-E. Conclui-se que a perda de proteínas epiteliais e/ou a aquisição de proteínas mesenquimais está associada com EMT e pode possuir importante papel na avaliação de CMCs. O padrão único de imunoexpressão de Snai-1 pode ajudar a distinção entre um adenoma e um carcinoma não metastático e aparenta estar relacionado à conversão de células mioepiteliais a um fenótipo mesenquimal completo. A perda de Caderina-E e citoqueratina e a mudança no padrão de imunoexpressão de Snai-1, Caderina-N, S100A4 e MMP-2 indica a ocorrência de EMT em carcinomas mamários de cadelas... / Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is defined as switching of polarized epithelial cells to a migratory fibroblastoid phenotype. EMT is known to be involved in the progression and metastasis of various cancers in humans, but this specific process is still little explored in the veterinary literature. The aim of this research was to evaluate the expression of EMT-related proteins in canine mammary carcinomas (CMCs). The expression of six EMT-related proteins in CMC of 94 female dogs was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, mammary tissues from 17 female dogs with no history of mammary tumor development and from 9 bitches with benign tumors were evaluated in order to determine Snai-1 immunoexpression patterns. Anatomopathological characteristics were compared with the expression of EMTrelated proteins in CMCs. Loss of epithelial protein and/or acquisition of the expression of mesenchymal proteins were observed, particularly in tumors with evidence of stromal invasion; however, significance was only observed between the S100A4 and vascular invasion. Snai-1 was only expressed in luminal cells of histologically malignant tumors and in myoepithelial cells of benign and malignant complex tumors and was significantly related to E-cadherin loss. In conclusion, loss of epithelial proteins and/or the acquisition of mesenchymal proteins are associated with EMT and may have an important role in the evaluation of CMC patients. The unique immunoexpression pattern of Snai-1 could help to distinguish between an adenoma and a non-metastatic carcinoma and seems to be related to conversion of myoepithelial cells to a complete mesenchymal-like phenotype. Loss of E-cadherin and cytokeratin and change of immunoexpression pattern of Snai-1, N-cadherin, S100A4 and MMP-2 indicate the occurrence of EMT in canine mammary carcinomas and should result in an en bloc resection or a close follow-up.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第24879号 / 医博第5013号 / 新制||医||1068(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 後藤 慎平, 教授 渡邊 直樹, 教授 平井 豊博 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

L’ensemble des tissus et des organismes vivants sont constitués de cellules dans lesquelles un certain nombre de décisions phénotypiques sont prises : division, différentiation, apoptose ou encore transformation. La biologie cellulaire s’est principalement concentrée sur la compréhension des déterminants moléculaires internes de ces décisions, mais il est important de considérer aussi l’existence de déterminants externes provenant des interactions intercellulaires qui sont essentielles à l’émergence de systèmes multicellulaires coordonnés. La compétition entre les déterminants internes et les déterminants externes est un aspect fondamental de la sociologie des communautés cellulaire menant à de possibles situations hautement individualisées ou, au contraire, à un effet collectif dominant. Ce travail de thèse a eu pour but de mettre en place une méthode permettant de mesurer la contribution relative de ces deux types de déterminants en les mettant en opposition. Pour cela, la stabilité collective d’un épithélium in vitro a été mise à l’épreuve grâce à l’induction hétérogène de la transition épithelio-mesenchymateuse (EMT) par le biais de la photoactivation du facteur de transcription Snail1. Les résultats principaux montrent que la réponse transcriptionelle de cellules induites à l’EMT dépend de la présence, ou non, de cellules avoisinantes non-induites. De la même manière, les cellules non-induites répondent de façon transcriptionelle à la présence de cellules induites. Ces effets de control mutuels introduisent la notion que la géométrie de la distribution d’une cause moléculaire donnée peut influencer la conséquence de cette même cause. Notre travail ouvre de nouvelle possibilités pour l’étude de la sociologie de communautés cellulaires hétérogènes, et une meilleure compréhension de phénomènes importants tel la suppression phénotypique ou encore les premiers instants de la carcinogenèse. / Tissues and organisms are built from cells in which important phenotype decisions are made: division, differentiation, apoptosis, and transformation. Cell biology has strongly focused on deciphering the internal molecular determinants of these decisions, but external information originating from intercellular interactions are key elements to coordinate multicellular physiology. The extent to which internal determinants dominate over external determinants or vice versa, is an essential feature of the sociology of cell communities, with possibly strong individualistic situations, or dominant collective effect. The present work was designed to set-up a method for assessing the relative contribution of internal vs. external determinant, by opposing these two classes of inputs. This is achieved by challenging the collective stability of an in vitro epithelium using the heterogeneous induction of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via the photoactivation of Snail1. The key results show that the transcriptional response of EMT-induced cells depends on the presence of non-induced cells in the culture. Conversely non-induced cells respond to the presence of induced cells. These mutual control effects lead to the notion that the geometry underlying the distribution of a given molecular cause strongly influences its consequence. Our work opens new perspectives for studying the sociology of heterogeneous cell communities, and better understand important phenomena such as phenotype suppression and or the onset of carcinogenesis.

La voie de signalisation du récepteur des androgènes (RA) est la principale cible thérapeutique des cancers de la prostate métastatiques. Toutefois, l'émergence de variants constitutivement actifs du RA dépourvus de leur partie C-terminale conduit à une résistance au traitement. Pendant ma thèse, j'ai montré que les variants du RA induisent une transition épithélio-mésenchymateuse (EMT) partielle, un phénomène observé lors de la progression tumorale. J'ai ensuite étudié les mécanismes conduisant à cette expression différentielle de marqueurs de l’EMT en me focalisant sur la N-cadhérine (CDH2). Le RA entier (AR-FL) et les variants du RA interagissent tous les deux au niveau des éléments de réponse aux androgènes dans l'intron1 de CDH2. Cependant, une augmentation du niveau d’acétylation des histones est observée uniquement avec les variants du RA. Mes données nous mène à un modèle où l'AR-FL réprimerait l'expression de CDH2 alors que les variants du RA induiraient son expression. / Androgen receptor (AR) pathway is the main therapeutic target for metastatic prostate cancer (Pca).However, the expression of AR variants lacking the carboxy-terminal end lowers therapy efficacy. During myphD, I showed that AR variants induce a partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a phenomenon observed during tumor progression. To understand the mode of action of AR variants, I explored the mechanisms leading to this differential expression of EMT markers focusing my research on N-cadherin(CDH2). While both the full length AR (AR-FL) and AR variants could interact with androgen response elements present in intron 1 of CDH2, I highlighted that they had opposite effects concerning histone modifications. Indeed, increased histone acetylation in this genomic region was observed only in the presence of AR variants. My data lead us to propose a model in which AR-FL represses CDH2 gene, while AR variants favor its expression.

Les cellules cancéreuses ayant des propriétés souches, appelées cellules souches cancéreuses (CSCs), sont au sommet de l'organisation hiérarchique des tumeurs et sont soupçonnées d'être responsable des rechutes et de la formation de métastases. Cependant, nous nous sommes demandé comment ces cellules sont-elles capables de supporter le stress métabolique lié à l'oncogène et de croitre dans un environnement nutritif défavorable distinct de celui d'une tumeur établie ? Nous avons mis en évidence dans ce travail le rôle de la réponse aux glucocorticoïdes dans le contrôle de la plasticité mammaire et l'induction d'une plasticité métabolique nécessaire au maintien du potentiel tumorigène des CSCs. Nous avons montré qu'en régulant la reprogrammation cellulaire via l'induction du gène MAFB, les glucocorticoïdes contrôlent le caractère souche des cellules épithéliales malignes en activant la voie de biosynthèse des hexosamines. L'efficacité anabolique de ces cellules est alors augmentée, favorisant le développement de la tumeur et des métastases. Ensemble, nos résultats suggèrent que l'inhibition de l'activité métabolique des glucocorticoïdes pourrait être une stratégie pour éliminer les CSCs et traiter les tumeurs mammaires / Cancer cells with stemness properties - generally designated cancer stem cells (CSCs) - are at the apex of the hierarchical organisation of tumours and are believed to drive tumour recurrence and metastasis formation. However, how they perform these neoplastic activities in a nutritive environment that is distinct from the one in an established tumour is unknown. Here, we unveil the prominent role of glucocorticoid activity in the control of mammary cancer cell plasticity and the induction of metabolic pliancy necessary for the tumorigenic potential of CSCs. By regulating MAFB-dependent cell reprogramming, glucocorticoids control stemness traits in malignant epithelial cells. As an integral part of this regulation, glucocorticoids activate the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway and rewire the metabolism of CSCs. The anabolic efficiency of these cells increases then, fostering tumour and metastasis development. Together, our findings suggest that inhibition of glucocorticoid metabolic activity could be an original strategy for CSC eradication and tumour treatment

No description available.

Les immunothérapies de type immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) ont révolutionné les approches thérapeutiques en oncologie médicale et ont largement contribué au fait que l’immunothérapie est maintenant considérée comme le quatrième pilier des traitements anticancer, aux côtés d’approches traditionnelles telles que la chirurgie, la radiothérapie et la chimiothérapie. Malgré les résultats encourageants des études cliniques évaluant ce type d’immunothérapie, la majorité des patients décèderont des suites de leur maladie. Conséquemment, le domaine de recherche visant à comprendre les mécanismes de résistance aux immunothérapies est en expansion constante. Plusieurs stratégies visant à améliorer les issues cliniques ont été proposées, parmi lesquelles figurent: 1) la recherche de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques dans le microenvironnement immun tumoral et; 2) les études de combinaisons thérapeutiques où une immunothérapie est jumelée à d’autres types de modalités thérapeutiques potentiellement synergiques. Chacune des études présentées dans cette thèse de recherche s’apparente à l’une ou l’autre de ces stratégies. Dans le cadre de notre première étude, nous démontrons que la protéine WISP1 représente une cible prometteuse à l’intérieur du microenvironnement de plusieurs types de tumeurs solides étant donné son association avec différentes variables pronostiques et proinflammatoires, ainsi qu’avec un programme épigénétique complexe, la transition épithélialemésenchymateuse (Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; EMT). De plus, nous démontrons que les niveaux d’expression de WISP1 sont significativement plus élevés au sein des tumeurs démontrant une résistance primaire aux immunothérapies de type ICB, particulièrement lorsque qu’une signature reliée à l’EMT peut être retrouvée de façon concomitante. Pour notre deuxième étude, nous avons utilisé des modèles murins in vivo de cancer pulmonaire non à petites cellules KRAS-mutés afin de tester différentes combinaisons thérapeutiques jumelant une thérapie dite ciblée (i.e., un inhibiteur de MEK) a différentes immunothérapies de type ICB. Nos résultats démontrent que l’ajout d’une immunothérapie anti-CTLA-4 à l’inhibiteur de MEK AZD6244 (selumetinib) et une immunothérapie anti-PD-L1 augmente significativement la survie, et que ces bénéfices sont associés à une diminution de marqueurs reliés à l’EMT. Il existe donc un lien commun entre ces deux études qui repose sur l’importance de l’EMT comme facteur favorisant la résistance thérapeutique aux immunothérapies. De plus, nous démontrons pour la première fois que les bénéfices associés à la triple combinaison thérapeutique susmentionnée peuvent être corrélés à une diminution d’expression de marqueurs liés à l’EMT. Par conséquent, nos résultats sont discutés en tant que base potentielle pour de futures études visant à réduire la résistance thérapeutique reliée à l’EMT. Nous discutons également de la valeur translationnelle de nos résultats à travers le développement d’une étude clinique. / Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized therapeutic approaches in the field of medical oncology and has largely contributed to the fact that immunotherapy is now being regarded as the fourth pillar of cancer treatment alongside surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite encouraging results from clinical trials using ICB, most patients ultimately relapse or succumb to their disease. Therefore, the field of immunotherapeutic resistance research is rapidly expanding. Many strategies to improve ICB responses have been undertaken, including: 1) the search for novel, actionable targets in the immune tumor microenvironment (TME) and; 2) therapeutic combination studies where an ICB backbone is combined with different, synergistic treatment modalities. Each of the studies presented in this research thesis embraces one of these strategies. In our first study, we show that WISP1 represents a promising TME target in multiple solid tumor types by demonstrating its association with prognostic and pro-inflammatory variables, as well as to a complex epigenetic program termed Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). Furthermore, we show that increased WISP1 expression is associated to primary resistance to ICB, particularly when EMT-related signatures are found concomitantly. In our second study, we used in vivo mouse models of KRAS-mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) to test different therapeutic combinations of targeted therapies (i.e., MEK inhibitor) and ICB. We found that the addition of anti-CTLA-4 ICB to MEK inhibitor AZD6244 (selumetinib) and anti-PD-L1 ICB increases survival, and that these benefits are associated with the downregulation of EMT-related markers. Therefore, there exists a common link between these studies, which relies on the significance of EMT as a detrimental factor within the TME and its association with ICB resistance. Moreover, we show for the first time that the benefits of ICB combination therapy can be associated to the downregulation of EMT markers in vivo. Consequently, we discuss how our results may constitute the basis for future work aiming at reducing EMT-mediated therapeutic resistance, as well as the translational relevance of our pre-clinical results through the development of a clinical trial.