Exossomos (Exo) originados de células dendríticas (DCs) carregam moléculas associadas à apresentação antigênica. Neste trabalho procurou-se estabelecer se Exo de DCs seriam capazes de conferir imunogenicidade às células tumorais. Os Exo isolados de culturas de DCs expressavam as moléculas HLA-ABC, HLA-DR, CD86, CD11c, CD81, CD54 e CD18. Estes foram então adicionados às células da linhagem humana de adenocarcinoma mamário, SK-BR-3, as quais passaram a expressar as moléculas HLA-DR, CD86 e CD11c. As células tumorais modificadas pelos Exo induziram a produção de IL-6 e IL-10, detectados no sobrenadante das co-culturas destas com linfócitos T. Estas células tumorais também induziram aumento do número de linfócitos produtores de IFN-<font face=\"Symbol\">g, pré-sensibilizados contra antígenos tumorais, e aumento da expressão de SOCS3 nestes. Em conclusão, nossos resultados mostram que, Exo de DCs alteram o fenótipo de células tumorais, modificando sua interação com linfócitos T, sem induzir nas mesmas capacidade de ativar respostas proliferativas ou citotóxicas de linfócitos T in vitro. / Exosomes (Exo) originated from dendritic cells (DCs) contain molecules involved in antigen presentation. The present work sought to determine if Exo from DCs would be able to transfer immunogenicity to tumor cells. Exo isolated from DCs cultures carried HLA-ABC, HLA-DR, CD86, CD11c, CD81, CD54 and CD18. These Exo were added to cultures of the human breast adenocarcinoma cell line, SK-BR-3, which gained expression of HLA-DR, CD86 and CD11c. Tumor cells modified by Exo induced IL-6 and IL-10 production, detected in the supernatant of their co-cultures with T lymphocytes. These tumor cells also induced an increase in the frequency of IFN-<font face=\"Symbol\">g-producing T lymphocytes, pre-sensitized against tumor antigens, and an increased expression of SOCS3. In conclusion, our results show that, Exo from DCs affect the phenotype of tumor cells, modifying their interaction with T lymphocytes, without inducing the ability to activate cytotoxic or T cell proliferative responses in vitro.

A relação evolutiva entre mamíferos e Plasmodium compreende infecções com reflexos adaptativos de ambos os lados. A evasão imune pelo parasita e a aquisição imune do hospedeiro contra antígenos importantes são extremos de um longo processo. Genes e antígenos variantes do parasita funcionam nesse processo desempenhando papel evasivo, de citoaderência e manutenção do processo infeccioso. Hospedeiros podem adquirir imunidade efetiva por vacinas contra antígenos variantes e antígenos de caráter reinvasivo. Testamos aqui três desenhos experimentais visando: 1- Definir se antigenos variantes BIR estão associados a citoadesão em infecção murina e se sua localização é em eritrócitos infectados. 2- O papel de um transgene controlado por um promotor de genes variantes no processo adaptativo infeccioso, frente a hospedeiros que diferem em apenas um único gene. 3- Criação de um modelo vacinal aplicável a qualquer antígeno relevante em infecções pelo gênero Plasmodium. Como resultados obtivemos que: 1- Antigenos BIR não parecem estar relacionados na cito adesão em modelo murino. Identificamos um outro grupo de antígenos com domínio LCCL que talvez desempenhe um papel de ligante. 2- promotores bir podem sofrer modulação em uma única infecção que difiere em somente um gene em hospedeiros. Os efeitos desencadeados foram maior parasitemia, anergia e tolerância imune sem afetar a morbidade da infecção de maneira nociva ao hospedeiro. Esse efeito parece ser mediado por subpopulações parasitarias usando exossomos entre parasita e hospedeiro. 3- Produzimos um sistema funcional de produção de proteínas recombinantes fusionadas a GPI que permite integração em lipossomos para usos vacinais. A prova de princípio foi o uso de antígenos PfRH5-GPI recombinantes em teste vacinal que conseguiram gerar anticorpos com alta atividade inibitória em cultivos de P. falciparum. Tomados em conjunto mostramos que o hospedeiro é capaz influenciar a expressão de transgenes controlados por promotores bir e que proteolipossomos contendo antígenos relevantes, como PfRH5, possuem potencial protetor quando vacinados contra malaria. / The relation between mammals and Plasmodium comprise infections with adaptive reflections for both sides. The immune evasion by parasites and immune acquisition by the host against important antigens are end points of a long process. Variant genes and proteins of the parasite can exert a role in this process by enbling immune evasion, cytoadherence resulting in the maintainence of the infective process. We tested three experimental approaches focusing on the following points:1-Show if variant BIR antigens are associated with cytoadherence during murine infections 2- The role of a transgene under the control of a variant gene promoter in adaptation to infection in hosts which express or not the transgene 3- Creation of a vaccine model applicable to any relevant antigen in infections with Plasmodium. As results we showed that: 1-BIR antigenes are likely not related to cito adhesion in the murine model. Cytoadherence in this model is probably related to exported parasite proteins with LCCL domains 2-bir promoters can be modulated during infection in hosts which which differ in one unique gene.The effects observed in this case was an increase in parasitemia, anergy and immune tolerance without affecting the morbidity of infection in the host. These effects are apparently mediated by parasite subpopulations producing exosomes that signal from the parasite to the host.3- We generated a system for recombinant protein production where antigens are fused to GPI and then integrated onto liposomes for vaccine usage. The proof of principle was the use of recombinant PfRH5-GPI as vaccine which elicited antibodies with strong blocking activity in P. falciparum cultures. Together we have shown that the host environment is capable of modulating the activity of variant bir gene promoters and that proteoliposomes loaded with relevant malarial antigens such as PfRH5, are potentially protective when used as malaria vaccine.

INTRODUÇÃO: A maioria dos pacientes com CECP é diagnosticada em estágios avançados da doença, apresentando taxas de sobrevida insatisfatórias. Em carcinomas localmente avançados e irressecáveis, o tratamento padrão na rotina do ICESP é a QRT a base de cisplatina. Entretanto, cerca de dois terços desses pacientes apresentam recidiva local, à distância ou óbito em cinco anos. Entender os mecanismos de resistência a QRT e descobrir marcadores que possam indicar resposta ao tratamento continuam sendo um desafio. Os microRNAs possuem papel chave nos mecanismos de resistência a QRT, sendo possível quantificá-los em saliva. Neste estudo avaliamos a expressão de microRNAs na saliva de pacientes com CEC de cavidade oral e orofaringe e se esses microRNAs estão contidos dentro de microvesículas. MÉTODOS: Por meio de revisão da literatura e análises in sílico, selecionamos 8 microRNAs para serem avaliados: miR-15a-5p, 21-5p, 23a-3p, 125b-5p, 142-3p, 200b-3p, 296-5p e 503-5p. A expressão dos microRNAs foi determinada por PCR quantitativo na saliva livre de células de 70 pacientes portadores de CEC de cavidade oral e orofaringe localmente avançado e irressecável, em diferentes estágios da progressão da doença: antes de iniciar tratamento (G1), com falha do tratamento (G2) e livre da doença há 2 anos (G3) e em 28 voluntários sadios (G0). Microvesículas foram isolados por ultracentrifugação ou exoQuick, analisados por Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão (MET), Nanosight e para determinação da expressão do miR-21-5p. RESULTADOS: Os miRs-296-5p e 503-5p foram indetectáveis na maioria das amostras testadas. Quando comparamos os grupos em diferentes situações clínicas, encontramos diferença significativa na expressão do miR-21-5p (p=0.005), miR-23a-3p (p=0,026), miR-125-5p (p=0,013), miR-142-3p (p=0,033) e miR-200b-3p (p=0,031). Observou-se aumento na expressão dos miRs 21-5p (p=0,001), 23a-3p (p=0,004), 125b-5p (p=0,026) e 142-3p (p=0,005) na saliva dos pacientes em G1 em relação ao voluntários sadios (G0). O grupo G3 também apresentou maior expressão do mir-21-5p (p=0,018), 125b-5p (p=0,002) e 200b-3p (p=0,014) comparado ao G0, assim como o grupo G2 teve maior expressão do mir-15a-5p (p=0,023) e 23a-3p (p=0,017) comparado ao grupo G0. O grupo G2 apresentou menor expressão do miR-200b-3p (p= 0,019) e maior expressão do miR-15a-5p (p=0,057) em relação ao grupo G3. Além disso, os pacientes tabagistas e/ou etilistas apresentaram maior expressão relativa do miR-21-5p (p=0,001 e p=0,046, respectivamente) e os etilistas também tiveram maior expressão do miR-200b-3p (p=0,013). Com relação à resposta inicial do paciente ao tratamento avaliada pelo médico bem como, com a resposta a longo prazo (recidiva, status global e prognóstico), a expressão dos miR-15a-5p, miR-125b-5p, miR-23a-3p e miR-142-3p apresentaram associação com sobrevida livre de progressão e sobrevida global, porém não atingiram significância estatística. Microvesículas foram detectadas na saliva tanto na MET como na contagem no nanosight. A expressão do miR-21-5p foi predominantemente detectada dentro de microveículas em relação ao sobrenadante livre de vesículas. CONCLUSÕES: Alguns dos microRNAs analisados foram diferencialmente expressos entre os diferentes grupos estudados, a expressão do miR-21 foi associada ao tabagismo e etilismo e a do miR-200b com etilismo e a expressão de alguns microRNAs podem estar associadas à resposta ao tratamento e ao prognóstico dos pacientes / BACKGROUND: Most patients with HNSCC are diagnosed in advanced stages of the disease, with unsatisfactory survival rates. In locally advanced and unresectable carcinoma, the standard treatment in ICESP is cisplatin based QRT. However, about two-thirds of these patients have local recurrence, distance or death within five years. Understanding the QRT resistance mechanisms and discovery of markers that may indicate benefit of treatment is a great challenge. MicroRNAs have key role in the mechanisms of QRT resistance and are detectable in saliva. In the present study we analyzed the expression of microRNAs in the saliva from oral cavity/oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients and whether these microRNAs are contained within exosomes. METHODS: Through a review of studies in the literature and by in silico analysis, we choose 8 microRNAs to be evaluated: miR-15a-5p, 21-5p, 23a-3p, 125b-5p, 142-3p, 200b-3p, 296-5p and 503-5p. The expression of microRNAs was determined by quantitative PCR in the cell-free saliva from 70 locally advanced and unresectable OSCC patients at different stages of disease progression: treatment naive (G1), after treatment failure (G2) and disease free for at least 2 years (G3) and 28 healthy volunteers (G0). Exosomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation or exoQuick, analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (MET), Nanosight quantification and by determination of the miR-21-5p expression. RESULTS: The miRs-296-5p and 503-5p were undetectable in almost all saliva samples. Significant differences was observed in the expression of miR-21-5p (p=0.005), miR-23a-3p (p=0.026), miR-125-5p (p=0.013) miR-142-3p (p=0.033) and miR-200b-3p (p=0.031) among the groups analyzed. The expression of miRs 21-5p (p=0.001), 23a-3p (p=0.004), 125b-5p (p=0.026) and 142-3p (p=0.005) were high in saliva of G1 patients as compared to heath volunteers (G0). The G3 group also showed higher expression of mir-21-5p (p=0.018), 125b-5p (p=0.002) and 200b-3p (p=0.014) and G2 presented higher expression of miR-15a-5p (p=0.023) and 23a-3p (p=0.017) as both compared to the G0. The group G2 presented lower expression of the miR-200b-3p (p=0.019) and higher expression of the miR-15a-5p (p=0.057) as compared to the G3 group. In addition, saliva from the smokers and/or drinkers patients showed high relative expression of the miR-21-5p (p=0.001 e p=0.046; respectively) compared to former drinker/smokers and drinkers also showed high expression of the miR-200b-3p (p=0.013). In relation to the initial response to treatment assessed by the physician, as well the long-term response (relapse, global status and prognosis), the expression of the miR-15a-5p, miR-125b-5p, miR-23a-3p e miR-142-3p showed association with progression-free survival and overall survival, however did not reach statistical significance. Microvesicles were detected in saliva by both MET as the count in nanosight. The expression of the miR-21-5p was predominantly detected in microvesicles in relation to the supernatant. CONCLUSIONS: Some of the microRNAs analyzed were differentially expressed between the different groups, the expression of the miR-21 was associated with smoking and drinking habits and of the miR-200b with drinking habits and the expression of some microRNAs may be associated with the treatment response and prognosis of the patients

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disease caused by reduced levels of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. SMA results in degeneration of motor neurons, progressive muscle atrophy, and death in severe forms of the disease. Currently, there is a lack of inexpensive, readily accessible, accurate biomarkers to study the disease. Furthermore, the current FDA approved therapeutic is neither 100 % effective nor accessible for all patients, thus more research is required. Tiny cell derived vesicles known as exosomes have been evaluated in an attempt to identify novel biomarkers for many disease states and have also shown therapeutic promise through their ability to deliver protein and nucleic acid to recipient cells. The research presented herein investigates whether (1) the level of SMN protein in exosomes isolated from the medium of cells, and serum from animal models and patients of SMA is indicative of disease, to serve as a biomarker for monitoring disease progression and therapeutic efficacy; (2) SMN-protein loaded exosomes can be utilized to deliver SMN protein to SMN-deficient cells; (3) adenoviral vectors are effective at creating SMN protein-loaded exosomes in situ for body wide distribution of SMN protein. This research has shown SMN protein is naturally released in extracellular vesicles, and the level of exosomal SMN protein is reflective of the disease state. Exosomes can also be modified to hold enhanced levels of SMN protein and deliver them to both the cytoplasm and nucleus of SMN-deficient cells. Furthermore, adenoviral vectors expressing luciferase-tagged SMN1 cDNA, targeted to the liver, results in SMN protein-loaded exosomes and detectable luciferase activity, body-wide. Thus, exosomes present as an effective biomarker and potentially a novel approach to treat SMA.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a fatal primary malignancy that is formed in the bile ducts. Cancer-associated myofibroblasts play a crucial role in CCA proliferation and invasion. Furthermore, there is a growing interest in the role of the exosome in the interaction between the cancer-associated myofibroblasts and cholangiocarcinoma which lead to CCA growth. However how cholangiocarcinoma-derived exosome affect the cancer-associated myofibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment remain unknown. In this study, we examined whether exosome produced by cholangiocarcinoma could involve in the prompt of CCA cells growth by regulation of myofibroblast. We found that cholangiocarcinoma-derived exosome could prompt elevated α-smooth muscle actin and stromal cell-derived factor one expression that induces myofibroblast proliferation. We then demonstrated that cholangiocarcinoma-derived exosome upregulated periostin expression that plays an important role in cancer metastasis. In 3D organotypic rat CCA coculture model, TCA and S1P considerably increase the growth of CCA cell. Conclusion: cholangiocarcinoma-derived exosome trigger cancer-associated myofibroblasts proliferation in the tumor microenvironment that leads to prompt CCA growth.

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles of endosomal origin. It was thought, that exosomes are used by cells only as carriers for cellular waste, but it was found out, that exosomes serve in the cellular communication and have a role in viral infections. Exosomes are exploited by viruses for example for the transport of viral protein or viral RNA/DNA. One of the viruses, where the mechanism of exploitation is unknown (if any exists) is murine polyomavirus. Murine polyomavirus belongs to the family Polyomaviridae, to which other human viruses belong for example, JC virus or virus of Merkel cell carcinoma. Murine polyomavirus codes for small, large and middle T antigen and three capsid proteins. Middle T antigen is known to bind to cellular membranes. Exosomes are membrane derived structures, so we investigated a possible transfer of middle T antigen. To this goal the successful isolation of exosomes and their characterization was necessary. Exosomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation and further purified by the density gradient OptiPrep. Exosomes were characterized by electron microscopy, NanoSight and by protein exosomal markers. These markers are for example Alix and flotillin-1. The cells were transfected in order to produce middle T antigen. It was shown, that exosomes isolated from these cells...

Mon travail de doctorat a consisté en l'étude de deux gènes, TSAP6 et TCTP, qui sont régulés de manière différentielle dans la réversion tumorale. Les protéines encodées par ces deux gènes interagissent et forment un complexe tant in vitro que in vivo. Mon objectif était de mieux comprendre la fonction biologique de ces deux gènes. Différentes approches ont été employées, notamment la cristallographie (TCTP), souris knockout (TSAP6 et TCTP) et études par mutagénèse dirigée (TSAP6 et TCTP). <br />Les souris knockout pour le gène tsap6 présentent une anémie microcytaire. Nous démontrons que cette anémie est due à un retard de maturation des réticulocytes ainsi qu'à une sécrétion défectueuse du récepteur à la Transferrine par les exosomes. Étant donné que le gène TSAP6 est une cible transcriptionnelle directe de la p53, nous avons voulu analyser la sécrétion des exosomes suite à une stimulation de p53 (par rayon X ou Actinomicine D). Nous montrons qu'en l'absence de TSAP6, on ne parvient pas à stimuler une sécrétion des exosomes. De manière plus générale ces expériences ont démontré que le gène TSAP6 avait in vivo un rôle prédominant dans la sécrétion des exosomes, y compris suite à l'activation de la p53. <br />Nous avons surtout étudié le rôle que joue TCTP dans l'apoptose. La délétion du gène tctp dans les souris knockout est létale en provoquant une augmentation de l'apoptose au cours de l'embryogenèse. Cette mort embryonnaire se produit entre les 6,5ème et 9,5ème jours du développement. La détermination de la structure de la protéine TCTP par cristallographie avec une résolution de 2A montre que la protéine humaine est très homologue à celle de s.pombe. De plus, nous avons observé suite à une analyse informatique une homologie de structure entre les hélices H2 et H3 de TCTP et les hélices H5 et H6 de BAX, une protéine pro-apoptotique impliquée dans la perméabilité de la membrane mitochondriale. On a démontré que grâce à ces deux hélices, TCTP effectue son action anti-apoptotique et inhibe la dimérisation de BAX à la membrane des mitochondries, empêchant ainsi l'apoptose.<br />Nous montrons également que la Sertraline et la Thioridazine, qui induisent la mort des cellules tumorales et une baisse concomitante de TCTP, se lient directement à TCTP et empêchent ainsi la formation du complexe TSAP6-TCTP.

En pathologie tumorale, l'étude du micro-environnement tumoral doit prendre en compte différents modes de communication cellulaire : contacts directs entre membranes plasmiques, émission et réception de cytokines et enfin émission et internalisation d'objets biologiques plus complexes comme les microvésicules et les exosomes qui peuvent être assimilés à de véritables organites extra-cellulaires. Le virus d'Epstein-Barr (EBV) participe à l'oncogenèse de plusieurs affections malignes humaines d'origine épithéliale (carcinomes nasopharyngés ou NPC) ou lymphocytaire (lymphomes post-transplantation). Dans ces tumeurs, les cellules malignes qui sont infectées de façon latente par EBV libèrent des exosomes et des microvésicules qui contiennent des protéines et des acides nucléiques d'origine virale. L'étude de ces éléments doit permettre de mieux comprendre les interactions hôte-tumeur et de mettre en évidence de nouveaux biomarqueurs utiles pour le diagnostic précoce et la surveillance de la maladie sous traitement. Le premier objectif de ma thèse consistait à étudier la sécrétion par les cellules malignes d'une famille de microARN viraux appelés miR-BART et leur diffusion dans le sang périphérique chez les sujets porteurs de tumeurs associées à EBV. Pour la première fois j'ai mis en évidence une sécrétion d'exosomes porteurs de miR-BART par les cellules de NPC en culture in vitro. J'ai également montré que les miR-BART, particulièrement miR-BART7, sont détectables dans le plasma de sujets porteurs de NPC. Contrairement à ce qui se passe in vitro les miR-BART plasmatiques ne sont pas transportés par des exosomes. Des données obtenues chez la souris montrent qu'ils peuvent être transportés par des complexes extra-cellulaires que l'on peut précipiter au moyen d'anticorps anti-ago2. Nous cherchons à confirmer ces données sur des échantillons de plasma provenant de patients porteurs de NPC. Ces données pourront guider à l'avenir l'utilisation des miR-BART circulants comme source de biomarqueurs.Le deuxième volet de ma thèse avait pour but d'étudier les modifications du protéome des exosomes induites par une oncoprotéine du virus d'Epstein-Barr appelée LMP1 (latent membrane protein 1). J'ai montré que la LMP1, lorsqu'elle est exprimée dans les cellules lymphocytaires ou épithéliales, infectées ou non par EBV, induit la libération de la protéine PARP1 dans le milieu extra-cellulaire. Cette PARP1 extra-cellulaire n'est pas associée aux exosomes ni aux microvésicules mais à des nano-objets non-vésiculaires contenant notamment des histones et de l'ADN. Nous avons désignés ces objets sous le terme de complexes ADN-protéines extra-cellulaires. Nous ne savons presque rien de la biogenèse de ces complexes ; nous pensons qu'ils ne proviennent pas uniquement de cellules en apoptose. En revanche, des expériences préliminaires suggèrent que la présence de PARP1 dans ces complexes coïncide avec une activation permanente de la PARP1 induite dans les cellules productrices par l'expression de l'oncoprotéine LMP1. Cette hypothèse est en cours de vérification grâce à des expériences menées sur des lignées cellulaires exprimant différentes formes sauvages ou mutées de la LMP1. Ces données sur l'activation de la PARP1 et sur sa sécrétion induite par la LMP1 auront des retombées intéressantes pour notre compréhension des mécanismes d'oncogenèse et d'auto-immunité liés à l'infection par le virus d'Epstein-Barr.

Background. Myocardial hypertrophy is a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Independent of underlying disease, the cardiac muscle strives in different ways to compensate for an increased workload. This remodelling of the heart includes changes in the extracellular matrix which will affect systolic and diastolic cardiac function. Furthermore, signal transduction, molecular diffusion and microcirculation will be affected in the hypertrophic process. One important extracellular component is the glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan. It has been shown to play a major role in other conditions that feature cellular growth and proliferation, such as wound healing and malignancies. The aim of this thesis was to investigate hyaluronan and its role in both an experimental rat model of cardiac hypertrophy as well as in cultured mouse cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. Methods. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced in rats by aortic ligation. Hyaluronan concentration was measured and expression of genes coding for hyaluronan synthases were quantified after 1, 6 and 42 days after operation, in cardiac tissue from the left ventricular wall. Localization of hyaluronan and its receptor CD44 was studied histochemically. Hyaluronan synthesis was correlated to gene transcription using microarray gene expression analysis. Cultures of cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts were stimulated with growth factors. Hyaluronan concentration was measured and expression of genes coding for hyaluronan synthases were detected. Hyaluronan size was measured and crosstalk between cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts was investigated. Results. Increased concentration of hyaluronan in hypertrophied cardiac tissue was observed together with an up-regulation of two hyaluronan synthase genes. Hyaluronan was detected in the myocardium and in the adventitia of cardiac arteries whereas CD44 staining was mainly found in and around the adventitia. Hyaluronan synthesis correlated to the expression of genes, regulated by transcription factors known to initiate cardiac hypertrophy. Stimulation of cardiomyocytes by PDGF-BB induced synthesis of hyaluronan. Cardiomyocytes also secreted a factor into culture media that after transfer to fibroblasts initiated an increased synthesis of hyaluronan. When stimulated with hyaluronan of different sizes, a change in cardiomyocyte gene expression was observed. Different growth factors induced production of different sizes of hyaluronan in fibroblasts. The main synthase detected was hyaluronan synthase-2. Cardiomyocytes were also shown to secrete microvesicles containing both DNA and RNA. Isolated microvesicles incubated with fibroblasts were observed by confocal microscopy to be internalized into fibroblasts. Altered gene expression was observed in microvesicle stimulated fibroblasts. Conclusion. This study shows that increased hyaluronan synthesis in cardiac tissue during hypertrophic development is a part of the extracellular matrix remodelling. Cell cultures revealed the ability of cardiomyocytes to both synthesize hyaluronan and to convey signals to fibroblasts, causing them to increase hyaluronan synthesis. Cardiomyocytes are likely to express receptors for hyaluronan, which mediate intracellular signalling causing the observed altered gene expression in cardiomyocytes stimulated with hyaluronan. This demonstrates the extensive involvement of hyaluronan in cardiac hypertrophy.

Les exosomes sont de petites vésicules membranaires secrétées dans le milieu extracellulaire principalement par les cellules hématopoïétiques. Le mécanisme menant à leur biogenèse commence à être élucidé, mettant en jeu la machinerie endosomale et la formation d'un endosome multivésiculaire (EMV). La fusion de cet EMV avec la membrane plasmique conduit à la libération des vésicules internes dans le milieu extracellulaire. Différentes études ont permis d'attribuer un rôle physiologique dans la présentation du peptide antigénique aux exosomes libérés par les cellules présentatrices d'antigène. <br />Ce travail montre que la sécrétion d'exosomes au cours de la maturation du réticulocyte est un processus issu d'un programme cellulaire permettant un remodelage membranaire en éliminant spécifiquement certaines protéines devenues inutiles voire dangereuses pour la cellule en fin de différenciation. Nos résultats suggèrent qu'une fois libérés dans la circulation sanguine, les exosomes de réticulocyte sont éliminés par un mécanisme similaire à celui impliqué dans la clairance des corps apoptotiques. L'action d'une iPLA2 d'origine endosomale et activable à la fois par les espèces réactives de l'oxygène libérées lors de la mitoptose et par la caspase-3 présente dans les vésicules permet la formation de lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) à la surface des exosomes. Cette LPC est alors reconnue par les IgMs naturelles présentes dans la circulation, activant à leur tour la voie du complément. De la même façon, ApoH interagit avec les exosomes de réticulocyte et pourrait contribuer à leur élimination via la reconnaissance de phosphatidylsérine. La liaison de ces différentes opsonines en surface des exosomes pourrait en effet permettre leur ingestion par les phagocytes.