Abstract Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) is the most common cancer of the oral cavity. The 5-year mortality of OTSCC remains at about 50%. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is now recognized as an important factor in cancer progression and metastasis, as well as a tool for prognostication. The aim of this study was to elucidate the roles of TME hypoxia and soluble factors on cancer cell migration and invasion, and the prognostic value of two extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules: tenascin-C (TNC) and fibronectin (FN). Hypoxia was studied using oral squamous cell carcinoma cells in migration and invasion assays. Invasion assays were carried out using a 3D-myoma invasion method. Similarly, the effect of soluble factors as well as ECM alterations were studied using the myoma model: the effect of soluble factors was studied by rinsing the myoma discs prior to experiments, and ECM alterations by lyophilizing and rehydrating. ECM was further studied by analyzing the prognostic value of TNC and FN from OTSCC samples. The effect of hypoxia was shown to be OTSCC cell line dependent: the effect of hypoxia on migration and invasion was increased in aggressive cell lines. Additionally, the response to hypoxia was altered in rinsed tissue. Tissue rinsing media were analyzed and factors affecting cell motility were found. The TME was found to be pivotal for cancer invasion: invasion was impaired in non-neoplastic tissue. Furthermore, changes in the ECM by lyophilization and rehydration led to a change in the invasion mechanism. High expression of stromal TNC and FN were excellent prognosticators in early-stage OTSCC. In conclusion, the present study highlighted the role of various TME components in cancer cell invasion as well as prognostication in OTSCC. Additionally, this study provided feasible tools for more precise diagnosis of early-stage OTSCC. / Tiivistelmä Liikkuvan kielen levyepiteelikarsinooma (OTSCC) on suuontelon yleisin syöpä. Viiden vuoden kuolleisuus OTSCC:an on edelleen noin 50 %. Kasvaimen mikroympäristön (TME) tiedetään nykyään olevan tärkeässä roolissa syövän kehityksessä ja etäpesäkkeiden muodostuksessa, sekä tarjoavan työkaluja ennusteiden laadintaan. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää TME:n hypoksian ja liukoisten tekijöiden vaikutusta syöpäsolujen liikkumiseen ja invaasioon ympäröivään kudokseen, sekä tutkia kahden solunulkoisen matriksin (ECM) proteiinin, tenaskiini-C:n (TNC) ja fibronektiinin (FN), vaikutusta OTSCC:n ennusteeseen. Hypoksian vaikutusta tutkittiin käyttäen suun levyepiteelikarsinoomasoluja liikkuvuus- ja invaasiokokeissa. Invaasiokokeissa hyödynnettiin kolmiulotteista ihmisen myoomaan perustuvaa invaasiomallia. Myös liukoisten tekijöiden ja ECM:n muutosten vaikutusten tutkimisessa käytettiin myoomamallia: liukoisten tekijöiden vaikutusta tutkittiin huuhtomalla myoomakiekot ennen niiden käyttämistä, ja ECM:n muutosten vaikutusta kylmäkuivaamalla ja uudelleen nesteyttämällä myoomakiekot. ECM:ia tutkittiin myös analysoimalla TNC:n ja FN:n värjäytyvyyden merkitystä OTSCC:n ennusteessa. Hypoksian vaikutus osoittautui solulinjariippuvaiseksi: hypoksia lisäsi kielisyöpäsolujen liikkuvuutta ja invaasiota eniten aggressiivisimmilla solulinjoilla. Lisäksi solujen vaste hypoksialle oli erilainen huuhdotussa kudoksessa. Huuhteluliuos analysoitiin ja siitä löydettiin solujen liikkumiseen vaikuttavia tekijöitä. TME:n havaittiin olevan ratkaisevassa roolissa syöpäsolujen invaasiossa: syöpäsolut eivät kyenneet invasoitumaan lainkaan ei-neoplastiseen kudokseen. Lisäksi muutosten ECM:ssä havaittiin johtavan muutoksiin solujen käyttämässä invaasion mekanismissa. Strooman TNC:n ja FN:n värjäytyvyyden todettiin olevan erinomaisia ennustekijöitä aikaisen vaiheen OTSCC:ssa. Tiivistettynä voidaan todeta, että tämä tutkimus alleviivasi useiden TME:n komponenttien vaikutusta syövän invaasiolle ja ennusteelle OTSCC:ssä. Lisäksi se tarjoaa käyttökelpoiset työkalut (TNC ja FN) tarkemmalle diagnostiikalle aikaisen vaiheen OTSCC:ssä.

Le glioblastome multiforme (GBM) est la tumeur cérébrale primaire la plus fréquente. Une dérégulation des voies de signalisation de l’EGFR et un fort potentiel invasif sont les caractéristiques principales du GBM. Malheureusement, les essais cliniques impliquant des thérapies anti-EGFR dans le traitement des GBM demeurent inefficaces. Nous avons précédemment montré que le récepteur de la fibronectine, l’intégrine α5β1, est associé avec un mauvais pronostic et une résistance des patients au temodal. Les intégrines peuvent coopérer avec les récepteurs aux facteurs de croissance et ainsi amplifier leur potentiel oncogénique. Ici, nous avons cherché à déterminer le rôle de l’intégrine α5 dans la résistance aux thérapies anti-EGFR. Utilisant la lignée U87 de GBM, on a dans un premier temps confirmé que l’activation de l’intégrine sous l’influence de la fibronectine, potentialisait la signalisation de l’EGFR. La perte d’expression d’α5 sensibilise les cellules U87 aux anti-EGFR (cetuximab, gefitinib) dans des essais de clonogénicité en soft agar. L’expression d’ α5 favorise la résistance aux 2 drogues lors de la migration cellulaire. Pour aller plus loin, nous avons développé un nouveau test basé sur la quantification de l’évasion cellulaire à partir d’une sphère tumorale. La perte d’ α5 augmente la sensibilité des cellules U87 à 2 TKI réversibles spécifiques de l’EGFR, gefitinib et erlotinib, mais n’a pas d’effet sur l’efficacité du lapatinib, un TKI irréversible ciblant EGFR, ErbB2, ErbB3 et ErbB4. Grâce à la microscopie confocale, nous avons montré l’effet important du gefitinib sur l’endocytose de l’intégrine et de l’EGFR. Ces résultats suggèrent que l’expression d’ α5 favorise la résistance aux TKI par l’activation des voies de signalisation des récepteurs ErbB ou en contrôlant le trafic membranaire de l’EGFR. On a aussi montré que pour favoriser l’adhésion cellulaire, l’intégrine α5 stimulait la fibrillogénèse. Dans les cellules migrant à distance de la sphère, l’intégrine α5 est strictement engagée dans des adhésions cellule-substrat contenant la protéine FAK activée. Nos résultats soulignent le rôle central du couple fibronectine/ intégrine α5 dans l’invasivité du GBM et la résistance aux thérapies anti-EGFR. / Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor. Alteration of the EGFR pathway and high invasive potential are hallmarks of GBM. Unfortunately, trials using anti-EGFR therapies for the treatment of GBM reveal limited efficacy. We previously showed that overexpression of the fibronectin receptor, α5β1 integrin, is associated with a poor prognosis for patients and is responsible for chemoresistance to temodal. Integrins can cross-talk with growth factor receptors and amplified their oncogenic activity. Here, we sought to determine the potential role of α5 integrin in resistance to anti-EGFR therapy. Using U87 GBM cell line, we first confirmed that fibronectin-mediated integrin activation potentiated EGFR signaling. Loss of α5 integrin expression sensitized U87 cells to anti-EGFR drugs (cetuximab, gefitinib) in soft agar clonogenic assay. α5 expression can trigger resistance to both drugs on cell migration. To go further, we developed a new assay based on the quantification of cell evasion from tumor spheroids. α5 depletion increased U87 cell sensitivity to gefitinib and erlotinib, 2 EGFR-selective reversible TKI, but had not effect on lapatinib efficacy, an irreversible TKI that target EGFR, ErbB2, ErbB3 and ErbB4. Confocal microscopy revealed a strong impact of gefitinib on EGFR and integrin endocytosis. These results suggested that α5 expression may trigger resistance to TKI either by activating ErbB pathways or by controlling EGFR membrane trafficking. We also showed that to promote cell adhesion, α5 integrin stimulated fibronectin fibrillogenesis. As cells moved away from the spheroids, α5 became strictly engaged in cell-substratum adhesion sites where it recruited activated FAK. Our work highlights the pivotal role of fibronectin/α5β1 integrin in invasivity of GBM and resistance to anti-EGFR drugs.

Abstract Venous malformations (VMs) are localized defects in vascular morphogenesis which can seriously impede or even threaten the patient’s life. VMs are characterized by enlarged, torturous vein-like channels lined by unevenly distributed smooth muscle cells. A large number of mutations in the endothelial TIE2 receptor tyrosine kinase have been found from more than half of the lesions screened, thus providing a common genetic cause. TIE2 has a crucial role in vascular development, remodeling and quiescence. However, the molecular and cellular abnormalities caused by TIE2-mutations in endothelial cells and how they relate to VM formation have been unknown. The aim of this study was to examine how VM-specific mutations affect the molecular characteristics of TIE2-receptor downstream signaling and cellular functions. Because no effective treatment has been available for VMs, a better understanding of the molecular basis of their pathology should enable the development of more potent and non-invasive treatments as well as provide a better understanding of vascular morphogenesis in general. The results demonstrate that the TIE2-VM forms have both common and specific effects on TIE2 and the endothelial cells (ECs) expressing them. Mutation-induced TIE2 autoactivation leading to loss of normal EC monolayer organization due to extracellular matrix (ECM) fibronectin deficiency was found to be a common change. This was shown to occur through chronic activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which also caused activation of the proteolytic plasminogen system. Also, most mutations altered TIE2 trafficking and angiopoietin ligand regulated TIE2 functions, albeit through different mechanisms. Using RNA-screening we showed that the most common sporadic TIE2-VM mutation dysregulates genes affecting vascular development, cell migration and ECM remodeling. PDGFB, a major attractant of vascular mural cells, was found to be strongly attenuated due to chronic activation of Akt, which also increases EC survival, by the TIE2 mutant receptors. To conclude, the results in this thesis reveal genetic, molecular and cellular alterations which may potentiate VM formation. This data provides new information on the pathological mechanisms behind abnormal vascular morphogenesis and should assist the development of new molecular treatment strategies for VM patients. / Tiivistelmä Laskimoepämuodostumat ovat paikallisia verisuoniston kehityksen häiriöitä. Riippuen niiden koosta ja anatomisesta sijainnista ne voivat aiheuttaa merkittävää haittaa. Epämuodostumat koostuvat laajentuneista, laskimonkaltaisista verisuonista, joissa sileiden lihassolujen kerros on puutteellisesti järjestäytynyt. Yli puolessa tutkituista laskimoepämuodostumista havaitaan mutaatioita verisuonten sisäpinnan endoteelisoluissa ilmenevässä TIE2 reseptorityrosiinikinaasissa, joka säätelee verisuonten kehitystä, muokkausta ja fysiologista toimintaa. TIE2-mutaatioiden aiheuttamia molekyyli- ja solutason muutoksia tai niiden yhteyttä epämuodostumien syntyyn ei ole aikaisemmin tunnettu. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää, miten laskimoepämuodostumista löydetyt mutaatiot vaikuttavat TIE2-reseptorin toimintaan molekyyli- ja solutasolla sekä TIE2-reseptorista alkavaan solunsisäiseen viestintään. Koska pysyvää hoitomuotoa laskimoepämuodostumille ei tunneta, voisi tieto niiden taustalla olevista patologisista mekanismeista edesauttaa parempien, ei-kajoavien hoitomuotojen kehittämisessä ja antaa myös yleisesti uutta tietoa verisuoniston kehityksestä. Väitöskirjan tulokset osoittavat, että mutaatiot vaikuttavat TIE2-reseptoriin ja sitä ilmentäviin endoteelisoluihin mutaatioille yhteisillä sekä mutaatiokohtaisilla tavoilla. Mutaatioille tyypillinen TIE2-reseptorin ligandista riippumaton aktivaatio aiheutti aktivaation nousun myös TIE2:sta alavirtaan olevissa viestinvälittäjissä. Tämä puolestaan johti fibronektiini-proteiinin häviämiseen soluväliaineesta, sileitä lihassoluja säätelevän PDGFB-kasvutekijän ilmenemisen laskuun ja solujen ohjelmoidun solukuoleman vähenemiseen. Useimmat tutkitut mutaatiot muuttivat myös TIE2-reseptorin sijaintia soluissa häiriten TIE2:n angiopoietiini-ligandien säätelemiä toimintoja usean eri mekanismin kautta. Transkriptomin laajuiset RNA-tutkimukset osoittivat monien verisuonten kehitykseen, solujen liikkumiseen ja soluväliaineen muokkaukseen liittyvien geenien ilmentymisen muuttuneen. Lopputuloksena tutkimus paljasti geeni-, molekyyli-, ja solutason muutoksia, jotka saattavat vaikuttaa laskimoepämuodostumien syntyyn. Tulokset antavat lisätietoa sairautta aiheuttavista mekanismeista verisuoniston kehityksen häiriöiden taustalla ja ovat hyödyksi kehitettäessä uusia lääkkeitä laskimoepämuodostumien molekulaarisia hoitoja varten.

Ce travail s’inscrit dans le cadre général du développement de biomatériaux ostéoinducteurs pour la réparation de grands défauts osseux. L’étude est une contribution à la compréhension des interactions physiques et chimiques entre des céramiques phosphocalciques et deux protéines d’intérêt : la fibronectine, protéine d’adhésion cellulaire, et le VEGF (pour Vascular Endothelial Growth factor) qui est impliqué dans la vascularisation et l’amélioration de la formation osseuse.Les interactions physiques fibronectine/biocéramique ont été étudiées par spectroscopie de force afin d’évaluer l’influence de la topographie et de la composition chimique de céramiques phosphocalciques en hydroxyapatite (HA), hydroxyapatite silicatée (SiHA) et hydroxyapatite carbonatée (CHA) sur l’adhésion de la fibronectine. Les résultats obtenus par cartographie de forces mettent en évidence une absence d’incidence de la chimie des céramiques polies sur la répartition en surface et l’intensité des forces d’adhésion. En revanche ces dernières sont plus fortes au niveau des joints de grains des céramiques non polies mettant en avant une influence de la topographie de surface des matériaux modulée par la chimie.Le protocole de fonctionnalisation par le VEGF consiste en trois étapes : silanisation, addition du SM(PEG)6 et immobilisation du VEGF. Les interactions chimiques VEGF/biocéramique ont été étudiées principalement par imagerie Raman pour suivre ces étapes successives de la fonctionnalisation par le VEGF de céramiques polies en hydroxyapatite (HA) et hydroxyapatite carbonatée (CHA). Cette approche a permis de cartographier l’évolution chimique de la surface des matériaux et de mettre en évidence la distribution spatiale ainsi que les réactions préférentielles entre les molécules intermédiaires et le VEGF en fonction de la nature du substrat. / This work is ascribed within the framework of the development of osteoinductive biomaterials for the repair large bone defects. It is a contribution to the understanding of the physical and chemical interactions between phosphocalcic ceramics and two proteins of interest: fibronectin (Fn), a cell adhesion protein, and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) which is involved in vascularisation and improvement of bone formation.Fibronectin/bioceramic physical interactions were studied by force spectroscopy to evaluate the influence of the topography and the chemical composition of phosphocalcic ceramics made of hydroxyapatite (HA), silicated hydroxyapatite (SiHA) and carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) on fibronectin adhesion. The results obtained in terms of force cartography do not indicate any impact of the polished ceramics chemistry on the surface distribution and intensity of adhesion forces. However, these forces are more intense at the level of the grain boundaries of unpolished ceramics, highlighting an influence of the topography modulated by the chemical composition.The protocol for functionalisation by VEGF consists of three steps: silanisation, addition of SM(PEG)6 and immobilisation of VEGF. VEGF/bioceramic chemical interactions were studied mainly by Raman imaging in order to follow the successive steps of the functionalisation by VEGF of the polished surface of ceramics made of hydroxyapatite (HA) and carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA). This approach allowed to map the surface chemical changes and to point out the spatial distribution as well as the preferential reactions between the intermediate molecules and VEGF depending of the substrate.

No description available.

No description available.

Retinoic acid (RA) is a well-known neurodevelopmental signaling molecule. It is reported to induce effects on neurite formation in differentiating neurons and to interfere with the actin cytoskeleton. Therefore, this project aimed to investigate the mechanisms behind effects of RA on the actin cytoskeleton of developing neurons using the C17.2 neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in vitro model. The goal was to evaluate the morphological effects the growth cone had upon exposure to RA agonist and antagonist, and to analyze the expression of three genes: Coronin actin-binding protein 1C(Coro1c), Cdc42 effector protein 4 gene (Cdc42), and Fibronectin (Fn1). These genes were selected because of their relation to actin dynamics and/or their regulation by the Wnt pathway, which regulates/affects actin reorganization. Since the Wnt pathway was also shown to be affected by RA, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between RA and actin through the Wnt pathway. Cdc42 and Fn1 are related to both the Wnt pathway and actin dynamics, whereas Coro1cis a known actin-related protein. The expressions showed significant increase with Coro1c, while Cdc42 and Fn1 had a similar overall trend increase with the RA agonist. The RA antagonist showed no significant effect, except a trend decrease in all the genetic expressions. All genetic expression effects subside with the increase of RA agonist and antagonist concentrations. The results suggest the changes in actin filaments are related to a low dose effect of RA. The findings indicate a possibility of a regulation mechanism that controls actin-related gene expression in response to RA. This mechanism is possibly not restricted to the Wnt pathway seeing that a non-Wnt related gene was affected as well.

Fibronectin is an extracellular multidomain glycoprotein that directs and regulates a variety of cell processes such as proliferation, development, haemostasis, embryogenesis, and wound healing. As a major component of blood, fibronectin exists as a soluble disulphide linked dimer, but it can also be incorporated into an insoluble cross-linked fibrillar network to form a major component of the extracellular matrix. Fibronectin is composed of an extended chain of module repeats termed Fn1, Fn2, and Fn3 that bind to a wide range of transmembrane receptors and extracellular matrix components, including collagen. The gelatin binding domain of fibronectin was first isolated as a 45kDa proteolytic fragment and has since been found to be composed of six modules: 6Fn1-1Fn2-2Fn2-7Fn1-8Fn1-9Fn1 (in this notation nFX represents the nth type X module in the native protein). This domain has been reported to bind to both collagen and denatured collagen (gelatin), but with 10-100 times higher affinity to the latter; it can be purified to homogeneity on a gelatin affinity column. In the work presented here, fragments of the gelatin binding domain are expressed in P. pastoris, purified to homogeneity, and investigated at the molecular level. Through a dissection approach, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is used to characterise the recombinantly produced protein, to accumulate more information about the function of the full domain. NMR is used to assess the folding of the protein fragments at atomic resolution. In particular, the secondary structure of 8Fn1-9Fn1 is mapped using inter-strand NOEs, which suggests that the construct takes the fold of a pair of typical Fn1 modules. Gelatin affinity chromatography is used to confirm that both Fn1 and Fn2 modules contribute to gelatin binding, possibly in two clusters (1Fn2-2Fn2 and 8Fn1-9Fn1). The 7Fn1 module may perform a structural role in linking together these two interaction sites, in the same way as suggested for 6Fn1, which is thought to act in a structural manner to enhance the binding of 1Fn2-2Fn2 to gelatin. Three carbohydrate moieties are found on this domain, one on 2Fn2 and two on 8Fn1. Here, by means of expressing different protein length fragments, and by site directed mutagenesis, the role of each sugar chain is investigated independently. The sugar chain on 2Fn2 does not appear to promote binding to collagen, nor does the first sugar chain on 8Fn1 (N-linked to N497), implying another role for these sugars such as protection from proteolysis. However, the presence of at least a single GlcNAc sugar residue on the second sugar chain site on 8Fn1 (N- linked to N511) is essential for full affinity binding to collagen. Direct binding of the 8Fn1-9Fn1 module pair to collagen is assessed with a short collagen peptide and the binding is monitored by NMR. The peptide appears to bind, predominantly to the final strand of 8Fn1, the first β- strand of 9Fn1, and the linker between the two modules, with μM affinity. A model for bound peptide is proposed. The highly conserved amino acid motif Ile-Gly-Asp (IGD) is found on four of the nine N-terminal Fn1 modules of fibronectin. Tetrapeptides containing the IGD were demonstrated to promote the migration of fibroblast cells into a native collagen matrix. Two of these “bioactive” IGD motifs are found within the gelatin binding domain, one on 7Fn1 and one on 9Fn1. In this study, the motif in the 8Fn1-9Fn1 module pair is shown to be located in a tightly constrained loop within 9Fn1. By site directed mutagenesis, the IGD motifs of 7Fn1 and 9Fn1 are subjected to single amino acid substitutions, and their ability to stimulate cell migration assessed in our assay. By NMR, the fold of the IGD mutant proteins is found to be unaffected by the mutation with respect to the wild type, with the exception of small perturbations around the substitution site. While the wild type module is able to stimulate fibroblast migration, the mutant proteins show reduced or negligible bioactivity. The larger fragments show far more potency in stimulating fibroblast migration, with 8Fn1-9Fn1 (one IGD motif) 104 times more potent than the IGD peptide, and the full gelatin binding domain (two IGD motifs) 106 times more potent than the 8Fn1-9Fn1. Potential mechanisms for this enormous enhancement of the IGD potency in different contexts are discussed.