L’anémie de Blackfan-Diamond (ABD) est une maladie hématologique rare qui touche 4 à 7 individus/ million de naissances. Cette maladie se manifeste par une érythroblastopénie congénitale sévère (≤ 5% de précurseurs érythroïdes dans la moelle osseuse). L’anémie est arégénérative et souvent macrocytaire et associée à des malformations osseuses dans 40% des cas. 70% des patients sont porteurs d’une mutation hétérozygote pour un gène de protéine ribosomique impliquée dans la traduction cellulaire. Les gènes les plus fréquemment mutés sont les gènes RPS19 (25%), RPL11 (5%) et RPL5 (7%). La maladie est hétérogène et évolutive. Les liens entre la traduction cellulaire et l’érythropoïèse ne sont pas bien élucidés. Les objectifs de cette thèse ont été d’étudier les métabolismes de l’hème et du fer ainsi que l’expression des globines dans des cellules de patients atteints d'ABD et dans un modèle shARN ciblant l'expression de ces trois gènes afin de comprendre les causes du tropisme érythroïde de la maladie. Ce travail de recherche a permis de mettre en évidence un défaut majeur de synthèse des globines ayant pour conséquence une augmentation de la quantité d’hème libre et une production de formes réactives de l'oxygène toxiques dans les cellules des patients qui pourraient expliquer en partie l’apoptose cellulaire et le déficit de globules rouges. Alors que le métabolisme du fer ne semblait pas altéré dans l'ABD, l’étude de l’expression de différentes protéines importantes pour l’érythropoïèse au cours de la différenciation érythroïde in vitro dans des conditions contrôles et chez des patients a permis de confirmer et de caractériser le retard de différenciation cellulaire en cas de mutation des gènes RPL5 et RPL11. Ce travail montre que le retard de différenciation et le défaut d'hémoglobinisation mis en évidence s'expliquent par un déficit du facteur de transcription GATA-1 qui est primordial au cours de l'érythropoïèse. Ce déficit de GATA-1 dans des cellules déficitaires en RPL11 est dû à une dégradation de sa protéine chaperonne HSP70. La restauration de HSP70, permet d'augmenter l'expression de GATA-1 et d'améliorer la différenciation érythroïde et l'hémoglobinisation cellulaire pour le gène RPL11. Ces résultats permettent de mieux comprendre le tropisme érythroïde de l'ABD et de proposer HSP70 comme une cible thérapeutique prometteuse dans son traitement. / Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a rare hematologic disease that affects 4 to 7 individuals / million births. This disease is characterized by a severe congenital erythroblastopenia (less than 5% erythroid precursors in the bone marrow). Anemia is agerenative, often macrocytic and associated with bone malformations in 40% of cases. 70% of patients carry a heterozygous mutation for a ribosomal protein gene involved in cell translation. The most frequently mutated genes are RPS19 (25%), RPL11 (5%) and RPL5 (7%) genes. The disease is heterogeneous and can evolve. The link between cell translation and erythropoiesis is not well understood. The objectives of this thesis were to study haem and iron metabolisms as well as the expression of globins in DBA patients cells and CD34+ cells transduced with shRNA targeting the expression of these three genes in order to understand the causes of the erythroid tropism of the disease. This research has highlighted a major defect of globin synthesis resulting in an increase in the amount of free heme and a production of toxic ROS in patients' cells that could explain in part cell apoptosis and red blood cell deficiency. While iron metabolism did not appear to be altered in DBA, the study of the expression of various important proteins for erythropoiesis in normal CD34+ or DBA cells during erythroid differentiation in vitro confirmed a strong cell differentiation delay for RPL5 and RPL11 mutations. This work shows that the delay of differentiation and the lack of hemoglobinization can be explained by a deficiency of the transcription factor GATA-1, which is essential during erythropoiesis. This deficiency of GATA-1 in shRPL11 cells is due to a degradation of its chaperone protein HSP70. The restoration of HSP70 increases the expression of GATA-1 and improves erythroid differentiation and cellular hemoglobinization for the shRPL11 condition. These results provide a better understanding of the erythroid tropism of ABD and suggest a role for HSP70 as a promising therapeutic target in its treatment.

<p>The four-electron reduction of dioxygen to water is the most exothermic non-photochemical reaction available to biology. A detailed molecular description of this reaction is needed to understand oxygen-based redox processes. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is a haem-containing redox enzyme capable of catalysing the reduction of dioxygen to water. We developed instrumentation and experimental methodology to capture and characterise by X-ray crystallography transient reaction intermediates in this reaction. </p><p>An instrument was designed (“the vapour stream system”) to facilitate reaction initiation, monitoring and intermediate trapping. In combination with single crystal microspectrophotometry, it was used to obtain conditions for capturing a reactive dioxygen complex in HRP. X-ray studies on oxidised intermediates can be difficult for various reasons. Electrons re-distributed in the sample through the photoelectric effect during X-ray exposure can react with high-valency intermediates. In order to control such side reactions during data collection, we developed a new method based on an angle-resolved spreading of the X-ray dose over many identical crystals. Composite data sets built up from small chunks of data represent crystal structures which received different X-ray doses. As the number of electrons liberated in the crystal is dose dependent, this method allows us to observe and drive redox reactions electron-by-electron in the crystal, using X-rays.</p><p>The methods developed here were used to obtain a three-dimensional movie on the X-ray-driven reduction of dioxygen to water in HRP. Separate experiments established high resolution crystal structures for all intermediates, showing such structures with confirmed redox states for the first time. </p><p>Activity of HRP is influenced by small molecule ligands, and we also determined the structures of HRP in complex with formate, acetate and carbon monoxide.</p><p>Other studies established conditions for successfully trapping the M-intermediate in crystals of mutant bacteriorhodopsin, but the poor diffraction quality of these crystals prevented high-resolution structural studies.</p>

The four-electron reduction of dioxygen to water is the most exothermic non-photochemical reaction available to biology. A detailed molecular description of this reaction is needed to understand oxygen-based redox processes. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is a haem-containing redox enzyme capable of catalysing the reduction of dioxygen to water. We developed instrumentation and experimental methodology to capture and characterise by X-ray crystallography transient reaction intermediates in this reaction. An instrument was designed (“the vapour stream system”) to facilitate reaction initiation, monitoring and intermediate trapping. In combination with single crystal microspectrophotometry, it was used to obtain conditions for capturing a reactive dioxygen complex in HRP. X-ray studies on oxidised intermediates can be difficult for various reasons. Electrons re-distributed in the sample through the photoelectric effect during X-ray exposure can react with high-valency intermediates. In order to control such side reactions during data collection, we developed a new method based on an angle-resolved spreading of the X-ray dose over many identical crystals. Composite data sets built up from small chunks of data represent crystal structures which received different X-ray doses. As the number of electrons liberated in the crystal is dose dependent, this method allows us to observe and drive redox reactions electron-by-electron in the crystal, using X-rays. The methods developed here were used to obtain a three-dimensional movie on the X-ray-driven reduction of dioxygen to water in HRP. Separate experiments established high resolution crystal structures for all intermediates, showing such structures with confirmed redox states for the first time. Activity of HRP is influenced by small molecule ligands, and we also determined the structures of HRP in complex with formate, acetate and carbon monoxide. Other studies established conditions for successfully trapping the M-intermediate in crystals of mutant bacteriorhodopsin, but the poor diffraction quality of these crystals prevented high-resolution structural studies.

Present work has been focused on the importance of the products of the heme catabolic pathway, in particular under conditions of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemias (neonatal jaundice and Crigler-Najjar syndrome (CNS)). The second part of the project was focused on the improvement of some pharmacological approaches used in the treatment of these diseases, as well as on studies of bilirubin products that are formed during the treatment by phototherapy (PT). Neonatal jaundice is one of the most common complications in neonates. Currently, there is no efficient pharmacotherapy and the treatment with blue light is used as a gold standard for severe neonatal jaundice. However, the absolute safety of PT has still not been confirmed. In this context, it is important to note that some neonatologists start the PT before serum bilirubin levels reach the recommended values and that patients with CNS type I (CNSI) are forced to be on life-long PT (unless undergoing liver transplantation). The focus of the present project was to study biological effects of bilirubin photoisomers (PI) in an in vitro model of the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells that are used for studies of the neuronal metabolism. In further studies performed on animal model of hyperbilirubinemic rats and mice, we investigated a suitable gene...

Les déficits héréditaires de la synthèse de l’hème sont à l’origine de pathologies métaboliques appelées porphyries. La plus sévère est une porphyrie hépatique, la porphyrie aiguë intermittente (PAI). Des liens métaboliques étroits existent entre la synthèse de l’hème et la mitochondrie. L’objectif de ce travail était d’étudier l’impact de la crise aiguë de PAI sur le fonctionnement énergétique mitochondrial. Nous avons montré, dans un modèle murin déficitaire en hydroxymethylbilane synthase (HMBS) mimant biologiquement la crise de PAI, un dysfonctionnement énergétique mitochondrial. L’activité des complexes de la chaîne respiratoire, la respiration mitochondriale et l’activité des enzymes du cycle de Krebs se sont en effet révélées altérées dans ce modèle, tant à l’état basal qu'après induction par le phénobarbital, et ceci dans le foie, le muscle squelettique et le cerveau. Afin d'évaluer les effets d'un excès de précurseurs métaboliques de l'hème, nous analysons, dans un modèle cellulaire, l'effet de l’administration d’acide delta-aminolévulinique (ALA). Cela provoque une altération, dose-dépendante, de la fonction énergétique mitochondriale et une surproduction des espèces réactives de l’oxygène (ROS). Nos résultats suggèrent un impact profond de la crise de PAI sur la fonction mitochondriale in vivo et in vitro, ce qui pourrait expliquer certaines anomalies métaboliques et cliniques de la maladie. / Hereditary porphyrias are a group of metabolic disorders of the haem biosynthesis pathway, the most severe and important porphyria is the Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP). Several metabolic links exist between haem biosynthesis and mitochondria, which is an organelle specialized in energy production. The aim of this work was to examine the impact of the acute attack of AIP on the mitochondrial energetic function. We have shown in a mice model of AIP, with deficiency in the hydroxymethylbilane synthase (HMBS), a mitochondrial metabolic dyfunction, an important alteration in the mitochondrial respiratory complexes activity, and those of Krebs cycle. This deficiency concerned the mice at basal state and after induction by phenobarbital in different tissus (liver, skeletal muscle and brain). In vitro, the administration of delta-aminolevulinic acid, a precursor of haem accumulating in AIP caused a dose-dependent impairment of mitochondrial function with an overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Our results suggest that acute attack of AIP alters the mitochondrial function in vivo and in vitro. This new data allows to better understand the pathophysiology and the clinical expression of this disease.

Present work has been focused on the importance of the products of the heme catabolic pathway, in particular under conditions of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemias (neonatal jaundice and Crigler-Najjar syndrome (CNS)). The second part of the project was focused on the improvement of some pharmacological approaches used in the treatment of these diseases, as well as on studies of bilirubin products that are formed during the treatment by phototherapy (PT). Neonatal jaundice is one of the most common complications in neonates. Currently, there is no efficient pharmacotherapy and the treatment with blue light is used as a gold standard for severe neonatal jaundice. However, the absolute safety of PT has still not been confirmed. In this context, it is important to note that some neonatologists start the PT before serum bilirubin levels reach the recommended values and that patients with CNS type I (CNSI) are forced to be on life-long PT (unless undergoing liver transplantation). The focus of the present project was to study biological effects of bilirubin photoisomers (PI) in an in vitro model of the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells that are used for studies of the neuronal metabolism. In further studies performed on animal model of hyperbilirubinemic rats and mice, we investigated a suitable gene...

As depicted in Chapter I, 2-oxoglutarate- (2OG) dependent oxygenases are ubiquitous in living systems and display a wide range of cellular functions, spanning metabolism, transcription, and translation. Although functionally diverse, the 2OG oxygenases share a high degree of structural similarities between their catalytic sites. From a medicinal chemistry point of view, the combination of biological diversity and structural similarity presents a rather challenging task for the development of selective small molecules for functional studies in vivo. The non-selective metal chelator 8-hydroxyquinoline (8HQ) was used as a template for the generation of tool compound <b>I</b> for the KDM4 subfamily of histone demethylases via application of the Betti reaction. Structural analogue <b>II</b> was used as the corresponding negative control (Figure A). These compounds were characterised in vitro against a range of 2OG oxygenases and subsequently used for studies in cells. <b>I</b> displays selectivity for KDM4 and increases the level of the H3K9me3 histone mark in cells. It has an effect on the post-translational modification pattern of histone H3, but not other histones, and reduces the viability of lung cancer cells, but not normal lung cells, derived from the same patient. <b>I</b> also stabilises hypoxia-inducable factor HIF in cells via a mechanism which seems to be independent from prolyl hydroxylase inhibition. This work is described in Chapters II and III. The chemical biology research in epigenetics is complemented by qualitative analysis conducted in the social sciences at Said Business School. With a global view on how innovation occurs and may actively be fostered, Chapter IV focuses on the potential of epigenetics in drug discovery and how this process may actively be promoted within the framework of open innovation. Areas of focus include considerations of incremental and disruptive technology; how to claim, demarcate, and control the market; how knowledge brokering occurs; and insights about process, management, organisation, and culture of open innovation. In contrast to the open-skies approach adopted for the development of a tool compound in Chapters II and III, a focused-library approach was taken for the generation of a tool compound for the OGFOD1 ribosomal prolyl hydroxylase. The development of a suitable in vitro activity assay for OGFOD1 in Chapter V enabled the development of lead compound <b>III</b> in Chapter VI. <b>III</b> is selective for OGFOD1 against the structurally closely related prolyl hydroxylase PHD2.