The in vivo 3D extracellular matrix provides a temporal regulatory environment of chemical cues. Understanding this dynamic environment will be crucial for efficient drug screening, diseases mechanism elucidation, and tissue engineering. Therefore, in vitro 3D cell culture systems with reversible chemical environments are required. To this end, we developed a non-cytotoxic agarose-desthiobiotin hydrogel to sequester streptavidin biomolecule conjugates (KD 10-11 M), which can then be displaced by the addition of biotin (KD 10-15 M). Streptavidin biomolecule conjugates were simultaneously and sequentially immobilized by changing media components. The time required for biochemical environment exchange was minimized by increasing the surface area to volume ratios and pore size of the hydrogels. We temporally controlled the cell adhesive properties of hydrogels with RGD modified streptavidin to influence endothelial cell tube formation. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

The plasma membrane Ca2+-pump (PMCA) is a Ca2+-Mg2+- ATPase that expels Ca2+ from cells to help them maintain low concentrations of cytosolic Ca2+. Four genes (PMCAl to PMCA4) encode various isoforms ofthis pump. Caloxin is a novel peptide that was selected for binding to the second putative extracellular domain of PMCAl. Caloxin inhibits the Ca2+- Mg2+-ATPase in human erythrocyte leaky ghosts which primarily contain PMCA4. The objectives of this thesis are to delineate the mechanism of this inhibition and to determine its PMCA isoform selectivity. Caloxin inhibition of the PMCA pump in erythrocyte ghosts is non-competitive with respect to the substrates Ca2+ and ATP and the activator calmodulin. This was expected because the high affinity binding site for Ca2+ and sites for ATP and calmodulin are intracellular whereas caloxin is a peptide selected for binding to the second extracellular domain of the pump. In the reaction cycle, PMCA forms a 140 kDa acylphosphate enzyme intermediate from ATP (forward reaction) or orthophosphate (reverse reaction). Caloxin inhibits the acylphosphate formation in the forward but not in the reverse reaction. These results suggest that caloxin inhibits conformational changes required during the reaction cycle of the pump. In COS-M6 cells overexpressing PMCA4, caloxin inhibited the Ca2+ -Mg2+ATPase but with a marginally lower affinity than in the erythrocyte ghosts. Caloxin inhibition was also observed in insect cells overexpressing PMCA2. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to overexpress functional PMCAl. The work on isoform selectivity would require high level of expression of various PMCA isoforms and problems related to this requirement are discussed. Caloxin appears to inhibit the PMCA pumps by binding to the second putative extracellular domain and thus affecting the conformation of the protein. This is the first identified role of an extracellular domain of a PMCA pump. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

The overall objective of this project was to investigate the role of locally derived growth factors and extracellular matrix proteins in regulating prepubertal heifer mammary development. In the first experiment, short-term treatment of heifers with GH or E increased proliferation of mammary epithelial cells. Coinciding with increased epithelial cell proliferation, IGF-I protein increased and IGFBP-3 protein decreased within mammary tissues. Thus, proliferation was associated with an apparent net increase in the biological availability of IGF-I within the mammary gland. In the second experiment, decreased mammary development and epithelial cell proliferation in response to ovariectomy coincided with decreased mammary expression of IGF-I mRNA and decreased binding of IGF-I to mammary microsomes. Taken together, these results imply an important role for locally derived IGF-I in regulating heifer mammary development. However, in contrast to our hypothesis, IGF-I mRNA did not differ between cleared or intact mammary fat pad, suggesting that expression of IGF-I mRNA is not regulated by epithelial:stromal interactions. Neither ovariectomy or epithelial:stromal interactions influenced the mRNA expression of IGFBP-3 or IGFBP-5 within mammary tissues. Ovariectomy increased the proportion of ERa positive mammary epithelial cells. In contrast, GH administration to prepubertal heifers did not influence the proportion of ERa-positive epithelial cells. Interestingly, mammary development was more severely affected in heifers ovariectomized before six weeks of age than heifers ovariectomized at three months of age, implying a critical period of ovarian stimulation during the first six weeks of age. Localization of laminin, fibronectin, and collagen in mammary parenchyma suggested specific roles for extracellular matrix proteins in regulating mammary development and ductal morphogenesis. Laminin was decreased and fibronectin was increased by ovariectomy, suggesting a possible role for interactions between the ovary and extracellular matrix proteins within the heifer mammary gland. Finally, the mitogenic capacities of mammary tissue extracts from control and ovariectomized heifers did not differ in their ability to stimulate in vitro proliferation of MAC-T cells. In conclusion, the overall results support the hypothesis that locally derived IGF-I regulates prepubertal heifer mammary development. However, ERa expression and extracellular matrix proteins also appear to be important regulators of heifer mammary development. / Ph. D.

Radiation therapy has been most commonly used modality in the treatment of brain tumors. About 200,000 patients with brain tumors are treated with either partial large field or whole brain irradiation every year in the United States. The use of radiation therapy for treatment of brain tumor, however, can subsequently lead to devastating functional deficits several months to years after treatment. Unfortunately, there are no known successful treatments and effective strategies for mitigating radiation-induced brain injury. In addition, the specific mechanisms by which irradiation causes brain injury in normal tissues are not fully understood. A deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these phenomena could enable the development of more effective therapies to contribute to long-term disease suppression or even cure. Therefore,the primary goal of this research project was to determine the molecular mechanisms responsible for radiation-induced brain injury in normal tissues. In the first study, the effects of whole brain irradiation on pro-inflammatory pathways in the brain were examined. Results demonstrated that brain irradiation induces regionally specific alterations in pro-inflammatory environments through activation of pro-inflammatory transcription factors (e.g., activator protein-1 (AP-1),nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)) and overexpression of pro-inflammatory mediators (e.g., tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)) in brain. This study provides evidence for a differential induction of pro-inflammatory mediators in specific brain regions that have importance for the neurological/neuropathological consequences of irradiation. In the second study, a mathematical model describing radiation-induced mRNA and protein expression kinetics of TNF-α in hippocampus was reconstructed. This study demonstrated that the reaction kinetic model could predict protein expression levels of TNF-α in cortex, suggesting that this model could be used to predict protein expression levels of pro-inflammatory mediators in other parts of the brain. In the third study, the effects of aging on radiation-mediated impairment of immune responses in brain were examined. Results showed that radiation-induced acute inflammatory responses, such as overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6),adhesion molecules (e.g., intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin), chemokine MCP-1, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), are significantly impaired in aged brain. This study suggests that reduced production of pro-inflammatory mediators in response to irradiation compromises the normal host defense mechanisms in damaged brain tissue and subsequently leads to impaired repair/remodeling responses in old individuals. In the fourth study, the effects of irradiation on MMPs/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in brain were examined. Results demonstrated that whole brain irradiation induces an imbalance between MMPs and TIMPs expression, increases gelatinase activity, and degrades collagen type IV in the brain. This study suggests that a radiation-induced imbalance between MMP-2 and TIMP-2 expression may have an important role in the pathogenesis of brain injury by degrading ECM components of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) basement membrane. In the fifth study, the effects of irradiation on angiogenic factors and vessel rarefaction in brain were examined. Results demonstrated that whole brain irradiation decreases endothelial cell (EC) proliferation, increases EC apoptosis, and differentially regulates the expression of angiogenic factors such as angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), Ang-2, Tie-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in brain. This study suggests that radiation-induced differential regulation of angiogenic factors may be responsible for vessel rarefaction. In summary, the results from these studies demonstrated that whole brain irradiation induces brain injury by triggering pro-inflammatory pathways, degrading extracellular matrix, and altering physiologic angiogenesis. Therefore, this work may be beneficial in defining a new cellular and molecular basis responsible for radiation-induced brain injury. Furthermore, it may provide new opportunities for prevention and treatment of brain tumor patients who are undergoing radiotherapy. / Ph. D.

The limited transport of conventional chemotherapy within the tumor microenvironment (TME) is due to irregular vascularization, increased tumor interstitial pressure, and a dense extracellular matrix (ECM). The lack of selectivity of anticancer drugs often leads to systemic toxicity and damage to healthy tissues. Bacteria-based cancer therapy (BBCT) is a promising alternative, as tumor-targeting bacteria have been shown to preferentially colonize primary and metastatic tumors and induce anti-tumor effects. In this dissertation, we focus on several aspects of bacteria-nanoparticle conjugates, wherein BBCT is synergistically combined with nanomedicine to augment the efficacy of both treatment modalities. We explore biofabrication of our bacteria-nanoparticle conjugates called NanoBEADS (Nanoscale Bacteria Enabled Autonomous Drug Delivery Systems) and their interaction with the TME. Specifically, (1) we investigate the effects of two bacteria-NP conjugation chemistry and assembly process parameters of mixing method, volume, and duration, on NP attachment density and repeatability. We evaluate the influence of linkage chemistry and NP size on NP attachment density, viability, growth rate, and motility of NanoBEADS. (2) We investigate the effect of dense stroma and ECM production on the intratumoral penetration of bacteria with a mathematical model of bacterial intratumoral transport and growth. (3) We develop a microfluidic device with multicellular tumor spheroids to study the transport of tumor-targeting bacteria and support real-time imaging and long-term experiments. (4) We develop a new type of bacteria-based bio-hybrid drug delivery system using engineered cell surface display for enhancing the attachment of nanoparticles. / Doctor of Philosophy / Chemotherapy faces challenges in effectively reaching tumors due to factors like irregular blood vessel distribution, increased tumor pressure, and the presence of dense structures such as the extracellular matrix (ECM). This often results in collateral damage to healthy tissues. Bacteria-based cancer therapy (BBCT) offers a promising alternative, utilizing tumor-targeting bacteria to selectively attack tumors. This dissertation focuses on optimizing NanoBEADS (Nanoscale Bacteria Enabled Autonomous Drug Delivery Systems), which are chemotherapy encapsulating nanoparticle-bacteria assemblies to overcome these challenges and characterizing its behavior in tumors. Firstly, we investigated the optimization of bacteria-nanoparticle attachment, exploring various linkage chemistries and assembly processes to enhance attachment density, viability, and motility. Secondly, we examine how dense stroma and ECM affect bacterial penetration providing insights into intratumoral transport dynamics. Thirdly, we develop a microfluidic device integrated with multicellular tumor spheroids to enable real-time imaging and long-term experimentation on bacteria and drug transport. Lastly, we explore the potential of engineered cell surface display to enhance nanoparticle attachment in NanoBEADS, paving the way for self-propelled and highly targeted drug delivery systems. This dissertation strives to contribute to the transformation of current approaches to cancer treatment by refining drug delivery precision and efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity.

No / A PDMS stamp is used to transfer a synthetic peptide in a given pattern to any suitable surface. Using this method two-dimensional neuronal model networks could be formed on glass substrates as well as on electronic devices and adjusted to the given microelectronic structure. The present work focuses on the mechanism of neurite guidance under simplified in vitro conditions, using in vitro guidance cues and outline the incorporation of these interfacial methods into microelectronic sensor devices.

No / Extracellular matrix remodelling and accurate spatio-temporal coordination of growth factor expression are two factors that are believed to regulate mitoses and cell migration in developing and regenerating tissues. The present quantitative videomicroscopical study examined the influence of some of the principal components of extracellular matrix and several growth factors that are known to be expressed in dermal wounds on three important facets of human skin cell behaviour in culture. Keratinocytes, melanocytes and dermal fibroblasts (and myofibroblast controls) exhibited varying degrees of substrate adhesion, division and migration depending on the composition of the culture substrate. Substrates that are recognized components of transitional matrices generally accentuated cell adhesion and proliferation, and were motogenic, when compared with serum-treated control surfaces, whereas components of more stable structures such as basement membrane had less influence. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and ¿ fibroblastic growth factor (¿FGF) all promoted cell proliferation and were chemokinetic to dermal fibroblasts, but not keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) or transforming growth factor ß (TGFß). PDGF, EGF and KGF, but not TGFß or ¿FGF, all enhanced proliferation of dermal keratinocytes. The same growth factors, and in addition KGF, all stimulated motility in keratinocytes, but TGFß and ¿FGF again had no effect. Developing a better understanding of the interdependency of factors that control crucial cell behaviour may assist those who are interested in the regulation of histogenesis and also inform the development of rational therapeutic strategies for the management of chronic and poorly healed wounds.

High-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) is a non-thermal ablation technique that uses intense, short, bipolar electrical pulses to induce cell death in cancerous tissues. It's being studied for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in dogs. Previous in vitro research suggests H-FIRE may impact the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs). This study aims to explore how H-FIRE affects peripheral extracellular vesicle (EV) dynamics, potentially providing insights into its broader systemic effects and implications for biomarker development in canine liver cancer treatment. Dogs diagnosed with HCC were enrolled in a clinical trial. H-FIRE was applied to tumors, followed by surgical resection at three different time points. Peripheral blood samples were collected before and immediately after H-FIRE treatment. Plasma was isolated, aliquoted, and stored at -20°C. EVs were enriched from plasma via filtration and ultracentrifugation. Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) quantified EV concentration and size distribution. Ten patients provided pre- and post-treatment plasma samples. The median EV concentration in peripheral blood increased from 2.56 x 10^11 particles/ml pre-treatment to 2.68 x 10^11 particles/ml post-treatment (p = 0.0048). The mean EV size decreased from 99.32 nm pre-treatment to 87.82 nm post-treatment (p = 0.007). The mode of EV size decreased from 83 nm pre-treatment to 70.5 nm post-treatment (p = 0.0076). The results of this study raise intriguing questions on the significance of changes in extracellular vesicle size and concentration post-treatment, as well as the potential clinical implications of these changes. / Master of Science / High-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) is a new method to destroy cancer cells without using heat. It's being tested for treating liver cancer in dogs. Previous lab studies suggest H-FIRE might affect the release of small structures known as extracellular vesicles (EVs). This study aims to see how H-FIRE affects EVs in the blood of dogs with liver cancer. Understanding these changes could help develop new ways to diagnose and treat the disease in dogs and humans. Dogs with liver cancer were part of a study. They received H-FIRE treatment followed by surgery, and blood samples were taken before and right after treatment. The plasma was separated and stored. EVs were collected from plasma using special methods, including Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) to help measure the number and size of EVs.

Les cellules sont organisées en tissus dont les propriétés physiques comme la rigidité et l'élasticité sont variables. La matrice extracellulaire (MEC) est produite et remodelée par les cellules qui s'adaptent en retour aux conditions physico-chimiques de cet environnement extracellulaire. Cela nécessite une communication bidirectionnelle entre la cellule et la matrice. Les intégrines sont des protéines transmembranaires impliquées dans l'adhérence, liant la MEC au cytosquelette d'actine via une plateforme protéique appelée adhérence focale, lieu d'une double signalisation (inside-out et outside-in). Des variations de tension intracellulaire imposées par l'environnement modifient la distribution et la taille de ces adhérences. Leur dynamique est aussi contrôlée par certaines protéines cytoplasmiques comme la protéine ICAP-1, partenaire de l'intégrine b1. En cherchant à comprendre le lien entre la tension interne et l'activation des intégrines, j'ai montré qu'ICAP-1 contrôle l'étalement, la contractilité interne et la migration cellulaire en présence comme en absence de l'intégrine b1, révélant un rôle ICAP-1 indépendant de son interaction avec l'intégrine b1. Ce contrôle semble passer par l'interaction ICAP-1/ROCK et a révélé un contrôle de l'intégrine b3 par l'intégrine b1. / The physical properties of cell tissues are variable and cells adapt their behaviour to the physical and chemical extracellular environment such as rigidity and composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) which is produced and remodelled by cells. This implicates a bidirectionnal signalling between cells and the ECM. Integrins are transmembrane proteins involved in cell adhesion, linking the ECM to the actin cytoskeleton through adaptor proteins forming adhesion site called focal adhesion (FA) where take place an inside-out and an outside-in signallings. Intracellular tension can be controlled by extracellular cues, modifying the size and distribution of FA. FA dynamics is also regulated by cytoplasmic proteins such as ICAP-1 that interacts with b1 integrin. Looking for a better comprehension of the link between cell tension and integrin activation, I show that ICAP-1 controls cell spreading, cell contractility and cell migration both in presence or absence of b1 integrins meaning that ICAP-1 has an action without its interaction b1 integrin. This action seems to implicate the interaction between ICAP-1 and ROCK and revealed a control of b1 integrin on b3 integrin.

Mytilus edulis est un mollusque bivalve de grand intérêt économique et écotoxicologique. Cette espèce sentinelle est connue pour sa résistance aux contaminants chimiques et biologiques. Néanmoins, depuis quelques années la moule bleue est touchée par des mortalités dans les élevages des Pertuis Charentais ayant pour dénominateur commun la présence de bactéries virulentes de type Vibrio. Le premier axe de cette thèse décrit les interactions des isolats de V. Splendidus avec la moule bleue au niveau cellulaire et physiologique. Les infections expérimentales ont permis la sélection de deux isolats bactériens affiliés à V. splendidus/V. hemicentroti : une souche virulente codée 10/068 1T1 et une souche inoffensive codée 12/056 M24T1. Ces deux bactéries ont été marquées à la GFP et validées en tant que modèles authentiques d’exposition à travers leurs caractéristiques de croissance et de virulence. Par ailleurs, V. hemicentroti 10/068 1T1 est capable d’altérer différentes fonctions hémocytaires incluant la motilité, l’adhésion, l’internalisation, la production de ROS, la maturation du phagosome et la viabilité contrairement à la bactérie non virulente. Les produits extracellulaires bactériens semblent être toxiques et inhibent certaines réponses cellulaires (internalisation et production de ROS). Enfin, nous avons reproduis avec succès l’infection des animaux par le pathogène via un modèle expérimental de cohabitation. Le suivi de l’infection montre que V. hemicentroti 10/068 1T1 a pour cible principale les branchies. Le deuxième axe explore le fonctionnement du système MXR (MultiXenobiotic Resistance) chez la moule bleue. La séquence codante complète d’un nouveau transporteur ABCG2 a été établie et la protéine résultante a été identifiée. La caractérisation moléculaire montre la présence du transcrit dans les hémocytes ainsi que dans les branchies et son homologie avec les autres protéines appartenant à diverses espèces. L’utilisation des sondes fluorescentes bodipy prazosin et pheophorbide A, combinées avec des bloqueurs spécifiques, démontre l’activité d’efflux de ce transporteur et son hétérogénéité dans les tissus et cellules. Par ailleurs, il est également démontré que l’expression des trois transporteurs ABC (abcb, abcc, abcg2) identifiés chez la moule bleue est modulée par les contaminants chimiques. Les animaux exposés au BaP au laboratoire ou prélevés sur un terrain contaminé montrent une surexpression des transcrits abc dans les branchies et une sous expression dans les hémocytes. La saisonnalité, sur le terrain, a également un effet sur les niveaux des transcrits et interfère avec les réponses liées aux contaminants. Seul le transporteur abcb exprimé dans les branchies n’est pas affecté par des variations saisonnières et montre une surexpression dans le site contaminé tout au long de l’année. En conclusion, nos résultats démontrent la vulnérabilité de la moule bleue face un pathogène. L'impact immunotoxique des xénobiotiques et le rôle que peuvent jouer les transporteurs ABC dans le fonctionnement du système immunitaire des moules reste à explorer. / Mytilus edulis is a bivalve mollusc representing an economic and ecotoxicological interest. This sentinel species is known for its resistance to chemical and biological contaminants. However, for few years, abnormal mortality events have been reported for farmed blue mussels in France where different Vibrio strains were isolated. The first section of this thesis describes cellular and physiological interactions of V. Splendidus isolates with the blue mussel. Experimental infections allowed the selection of two isolates affiliated to V. splendidus/V. hemicentroti type strains: a virulent 10/068 1T1 and an innocuous 12/056 M24T1. These two strains were GFP-tagged and validated for their growth characteristics and virulence as genuine models for exposure. V. splendidus 10/068 1T1 is capable to alter different functions of hemocytes including motility, adhesion, internalization, ROS production, phagosome maturation and viability, unlike the avirulent strain. Furthermore, bacterial extracellular products appeared toxic and inhibit cellular responses (internalization and ROS production). Finally, we successfully reproduced experimental infection by water tank cohabitation assays with septic animals. Infection monitoring shows the targeting of gills by bacteria. The second section explores the MXR (MultiXenobiotic Resistance) system functioning in the blue mussel. For the first time, a complete ABCG2 amino acid sequence was established. Molecular characterization shows the presence of the abcg2 transcript in hemocytes and gills and its homology with other proteins from various species. The combination of the fluorescent probes bodipy prazosin and pheophorbide A with specific blockers demonstrate the transporter efflux activity and its heterogeneity in tissues and cells. Moreover, the expression of three ABC transporters (abcb, abcc, abcg2) identified in the blue mussel has been shown to be modulated by chemical contaminants. Mussels exposed to BaP in the laboratory or collected from contaminated mussel beds in the field show upregulated abc transcripts in gills whereas these mRNA undergone a downregulation in hemocytes. Season had also an effect on mRNA levels and interacted with site effects. Only the abcb gene displayed a more abundant mRNA level in gills dissected from animals collected in the more polluted area all over the diachronic study. In conclusion, our results demonstrate the vulnerability of the blue mussel towards a pathogen. The immunotoxic impact of environmental xenobiotics and the precise role of ABC efflux pumps in the immune system of the mussel has yet to be explored.