<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; line-height:150%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} p.Standardmedluft, li.Standardmedluft, div.Standardmedluft {mso-style-name:"Standard med luft"; margin-top:14.0pt; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:0cm; margin-left:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:justify; line-height:150%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 2.0cm 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> <!--[if gte mso 10]><mce:style><! /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:#0400;mso-fareast-language:#0400;mso-bidi-language:#0400;} --><!--[endif]--> Transvection is a widespread phenomenon affecting chromosomal and gene function. There are many examples of epigenetic machineries controlling gene regulation. Nuclear Lamin proteins could have this function. This project shows zeste dependent transvection in loss-of-function lamin mutants in Drosophila melanogaster. The zeste locus encodes a regulatory gene product affecting the expression of other loci, e.g. white. No transvection effect in loss-of-function lamin mutants has so far been shown. The effect of homozygosity versus heterozygosity of lamin on zeste-dependent transvection at paired white loci was analysed by crossing fruit flies to get homozygous z1; lamD395 individuals. Whether or not the zeste (z1) transvection effect on white was affected by lam D395 loss-of-function mutation was determined by comparing the eye colour phenotypes of double mutant z1; lamD395 females to that of z1/Y; lamD395 males, which were used as an internal negative control since they are hemizygous for zeste that is located on the X chromosome. Females homozygous for z1 and lamD395 displayed the z1-characteristic yellow eye colour. The conclusion is that zeste-dependent transvection effect at white also occurs in lamin mutants. Future research on transvection is needed in order to understand the exact mechanisms of gene regulation. Even gene therapies for some human diseases can take advantage of trans-acting sequences to correct gene expression.

Thesis (M.Sc.). / Written for the Division of Experimental Medicine. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2009/06/18). Includes bibliographical references.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) with conduction disease and Atrial Fibrillation (AF) are the two cardiac-specific diseases associated with lamin A/C gene (LMNA) mutations. Protein Kinase C Alpha, (PKCα) functions as a nodal integrator of cardiac contractility by “sensing” intracellular calcium and signal transduction. PKCα has been implicated in heart failure and cardiac hypertrophy. Moreover, abnormal PKCα function results in irregular atrial potassium channel activity associated with chronic AF PKCα is a lamin A/C binding partner. Thus, the deregulation of PKCα signaling can contribute to the development of DCM and AF. Our hypothesis is that the AF (Thr528Met), DCM-associated (Arg541Cys) and (Arg541Gly) and DCM/AF-associated (Tyr481Stop) LMNA variants will disrupt the cellular distribution of PKCα therefore resulting in impaired PKCα function. The first objective was to phenotypically characterise Arg541Cys LMNA variant in murine skeletal myoblasts cell line (C2C12) in comparison to cellular phenotypes induced by LMNA variants associated with AF, DCM and DCM with AF. Arg541Cys lamin A and C variants formed circular and sickle-shaped lamin A/C in the nucleus of C2C12 cells. The second objective was to determine the effect of these lamin variants on cellular distribution of PKCα in C2C12 cells. PKCα mislocalized into the nucleus of C2C12 cells transfected with AF and DCM-associated variants (Thr528Met and Arg541Cys). Colocalization analysis showed significant increase in PKCα in the nucleus of AF (Thr528Met) and DCM (Arg541Cys) variants when lamin A and C, were co-transfected compared to wild-type, DCM (Arg541Gly) and DCM/AF (Tyr481Stop) variants. Densitometry analysis showed statistically significant increase in phosphorylated PKCα, the active form of PKCα, in nuclear and cytoplasmic extracts of C2C12 cells expressing Arg541Cys variant. Densitometry analysis also showed statistically significant increase in non-phosphorylated PKCα in the nuclear extract of Thr528Met variant expressing cells. The third objective was to determine the effect of AF and DCM-associated variants on the activity of PKCα. PKCα activity is quantified by measuring the phosphorylation of a known phosphorylated PKCα substrate. Alpha-6-tubulin phospho (Ser165) is phosphorylated by PKCα. Hence, this was used to quantify PKCα activity. No statistical significance was observed in the level of phosphorylated alpha-6-tubulin at (Ser165) in the C2C12 cells that were transfected with lamin A and C variants compared to wild type. Furthermore, PKCα phosphorylation state is cyclic in nature and this could have had an impact on the phosphorylation state of the chosen substrate in this study. The functional consequence of nuclear translocation of PKCα with respect to laminopathies is unknown. Abnormal activation of the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) which are branches of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling cascade in hearts of mice, and humans prior to the onset of cardiomyopathy. These findings have been associated to cardiac disease-causing lamin A/C alteration to signal transduction pathways implicated in heart function and cardiomyopathy. Human LMNA cardiomyopathy, could lead to abnormal activation of MAPK signalling pathways via abnormal PKCα activation in cardiomyocytes.

Plusieurs publications, parues lors de ma thèse, ont révélé que les protéines de la membrane nucléaireinterne (INM) et plus particulièrement l’émerine, la lamine A, SUN1, l’actine et BAF, jouaient un rôleessentiel dans les propriétés mécaniques du noyau et de la cellule. L’assemblage de l’enveloppenucléaire et les interactions de ces protéines entre-elles sont régulées par des évènements dephosphorylation et d’oligomérisation. Mon objectif était de décrire les évènements moléculairesessentiels à l’assemblage de l’enveloppe nucléaire interne, afin de pouvoir par la suite comprendrecomment l’enveloppe nucléaire répond à un stress mécanique.J’ai dans un premier temps caractérisé les évènements d’oligomérisation et de phosphorylation de laprotéine émerine. J’ai montré que cette protéine était capable de former, in vitro et en cellules, de grosoligomères indispensables à son interaction avec la lamine A. J’ai également observé que desmutations dans l’émerine, aboutissant à la dystrophie musculaire d’Emery-Dreifuss, affectaient lespropriétés d’auto-association de cette protéine.En parallèle, j’ai étudié les interactions entre émerine, lamine, SUN1, actine et BAF in vitro. J’ai pumontrer des interactions directes entre le domaine C-terminal de la lamine A et les protéines émerine,actine et SUN1. Ces trois protéines lient la lamine A sur des surfaces différentes suggérant l’existencede complexes à 3 ou 4 protéines dans la cellule. L’analyse des modes de régulation des interactionsentre ces protéines doit être poursuivie afin de comprendre quels sont les évènements moléculairesessentiels au maintien de l'intégrité nucléaire et à la transmission d’un signal mécanique entre lecytosquelette et le nucléosquelette. / During my PhD, several papers revealed that the inner nuclear membrane (INM) proteins, andespecially emerin, lamin A, SUN1, actin and BAF, played an essential role in the mechanicalproperties of the nucleus and the cell. The nuclear envelope assembly and the interactions betweenthese proteins are regulated by phosphorylation and oligomerization events. My aim was to describemolecular events essential for inner nuclear envelope assembly as a first step to understand how thenuclear envelope responds to a mechanical stress.I first characterized the oligomerization and phosphorylation states of the protein emerin. I showedthat this protein is capable of forming, in vitro and in cells, large oligomers essential to its interactionwith lamin A. I also observed that several emerin mutations leading to Emery-Dreifuss musculardystrophy impaired the self-association properties of this protein.In parallel, I studied the interactions between emerin, lamin, SUN1, actin and BAF in vitro. I was ableto demonstrate direct interactions between the C-terminal domain of lamin A and the proteins emerin,actin and SUN1. These three proteins bind lamin A on different surfaces suggesting the existence ofcomplexes of 3 or 4 proteins in the cell. Analysis of the mechanisms regulating interactions betweenthese proteins should be pursued in order to understand what are the molecular events responsible forthe maintenance of nuclear integrity and the transmission of a mechanical signal between thecytoskeleton and the nucleoskeleton.

The nuclear lamins form a karyoskeleton providing structural rigidity to the nucleus. One member of the lamin family, lamin A, is first synthesized as a 74 kDa precursor, prelamin A. After the endopeptidase and methylation reactions which occur after farnesylation of the CAAX-box cysteine, there is a second endoproteolysis that occurs 15 amino acids upstream from the C-terminal farnesylated cysteine residue. Studies with knockout mice have implicated the enzyme Zmpste24 (Face-1) as a suitable candidate to perform one or both of these proteolytic reactions. Evidence has been presented elsewhere establishing that Zmpste24 possesses a zinc-dependent CAAX endopeptidase activity. In the present study, we confirm this CAAX endopeptidase activity with recombinant, membrane-reconstituted Zmpste24 and show that it can accept a prelamin A farnesylated tetrapeptide as substrate. To monitor the second upstream endoproteolytic cleavage of prelamin A, we expressed a 33 kDa prelamin A C-terminal tail in insect cells. We demonstrate that this purified substrate possesses a C-terminal farnesylated and carboxyl-methylated cysteine and, therefore, constitutes a valid substrate for assaying the second endoproteolytic step in lamin A maturation. With this substrate, we demonstrate that insect cell membranes bearing recombinant Zmpste24 can also catalyse the second upstream endoproteolytic cleavage.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disorder that is caused by a point mutation in the LMNA gene, resulting in production of a truncated farnesylated-prelamin A protein (progerin).We previously reported that XPAmislocalized to the progerin-inducedDNAdouble-strand break (DSB) sites, blocking DSB repair, which led to DSB accumulation,DNA damage responses, and early replication arrest inHGPS. In this study, the XPA mislocalization to DSBs occurred at stalled or collapsed replication forks, concurrent with a significant loss of PCNA at the forks, whereas PCNA efficiently bound to progerin. This PCNA sequestration likely exposed ds-ssDNA junctions at replication forks for XPA binding. Depletion of XPA or progerin each significantly restored PCNAat replication forks.Our results suggest that although PCNAismuchmore competitive than XPAin binding replication forks, PCNA sequestration by progerin may shift the equilibrium to favor XPA binding. Furthermore, we demonstrated that progerin-induced apoptosis could be rescued by XPA, suggesting that XPAreplication fork binding may prevent apoptosis in HGPS cells. Our results propose a mechanism for progerininduced genome instability and accelerated replicative senescence in HGPS. - Hilton, B. A., Liu, J., Cartwright, B.M.,Liu,Y.,Breitman,M.,Wang,Y., Jones,R.,Tang, H.,Rusinol,A.,Musich,P.R.,Zou,Y.Progerin sequestrationof PCNApromotes replication fork collapse andmislocalization ofXPAin laminopathy-related progeroid syndromes.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease that happens mostly in aged people, and recently studies have showed many similarities between Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) cells and aging cells, implicating dysfunctions of lamin A/C in aging process and atherosclerosis, as HGPS is caused by a mutated form of lamin A/C. Blood flow in arteries is generating shear stress that is mostly applied on endothelial cells that align along inner blood vessel wall. At the same time, endothelial cells are also under stretch by periodic arterial pulses. Considering the fact that atherosclerosis is prone to developing at arterial branches with disturbed shear and increased stretch, it is highly possible that laminar flow and proper stretch force are regulating endothelium to function appropriately. In this thesis, the investigation of what effects laminar flow or cyclic stretch can bring to endothelial cells was conducted, and examination of lamin A/C expression under mechanical forces were elaborated and incorporated with cell senescence. Results showed that laminar shear stress and stretch force can regulate lamin A/C expression in different patterns, which were impaired in senescent cells.

La migration cellulaire possède deux volets antagonistes ; nécessaire à plusieurs processus physiologiques tels que la réponse immunitaire, elle peut également induire la mort d’un organisme en permettant les cellules cancéreuses d’envahir des organes sains. In vivo, la migration s’effectue dans des milieux complexes et confinés qui imposent une forte déformabilité aux cellules migratoires. Récemment, divers études ont montré que le noyau impose la limite de la déformabilité cellulaire lors de la migration en 3D (Wolf et al. JCB, 2013; Harada et al. JCB, 2013). Il a, en effet, été montré que la migration cellulaire peut être augmentée en diminuant la rigidité nucléaire (Wolf et al. JCB, 2013). Cependant, il existe une limite de rigidité nucléaire en dessous de laquelle la migration cellulaire peut être inhibée via l’inhibition de la survie cellulaire (Harada et al. JCB, 2013). Les cellules cancéreuses qui migrent à des vitesses relativement faibles (µm/heure) et ont des noyaux rigides surmontent la limite imposée par la déformation nucléaire en dégradant et élargissant le milieu extracellulaire. Les cellules immunitaires telles que les neutrophiles qui migrent rapidement (10 µm/mn) et ont des noyaux mous sont connus pour mourir aux sites d’infections. Les cellules dendritiques, de la famille des cellules immunitaires, ont une fonction de présentation d’antigènes qui requiert à la fois une grande capacité migratoire et de survie. Elles représentent donc un modèle cellulaire intéressant pour l’étude de la déformation nucléaire chez les cellules qui migrent rapidement et survivent longtemps. Durant mon doctorat, j’ai étudié le mécanisme grâce auquel les cellules dendritiques déforment leurs noyaux afin de migrer de manière efficace en milieux confinés tout en préservant un haut taux de survie. J’ai utilisé un système expérimental nouveau et original consistant en des microcannaux avec des constrictions (Heuzé et al. MMB, 2011). Ces canaux, combinés à des manipulations génétiques et de la video microscopie nous ont permis de montré que les cellules dendritiques possèdent un mécanisme spécifique, indépendant de celui utilisé pour leur migration, leur permettant de déformer leurs noyaux tout en migrant dans des milieux hautement confinés. Ce mécanisme est basé sur la génération d’un réseau d’actin, autour du noyau, nucléé par Arp2/3 et indépendant du moteur Myosin II. Ce réseau d’actine co-localise avec des sites de rupture de la Lamin A/C. De plus, réduire la quantité de Lamin A/C dans les cellules dendritiques inhibe la formation de ce réseau d’actin perinucléaire. Basés sur ces résultats, nous avons proposé un nouveau mécanisme de déformation du noyau lors de la migration en milieux confinés basé sur Arp2/3 qui, en nucléant un réseau d’actine autour du noyau permet de casser la lamin A/C diminuant ainsi la tension de surface nucléaire et permettant le passage noyau. / Cell migration has two opposite faces; necessary for many physiological processes such as immune response, it can also lead to the organism death by allowing metastatic cells to invade new organs. In vivo migration often occurs in complex 3D environments which impose high cellular deformability. Recently, cellular deformability during 3D migration has been shown to be limited by the nucleus (Wolf et al. JCB, 2013). For instance, cell migration can be increased by decreasing nuclear stiffness. However, below a given nuclear stiffness 3D cell migration can be reduced as a result of impaired cell survival (Harada et al. JCB, 2014). Cancer cells which display slow migration and have rather stiff nuclei have been shown to overcome the physical limits of 3D migration through adhesion combined to matrix degradation or high actomyosin contraction (Wolf et al. JCB, 2013). Immune cells such as neutrophils which are fast moving cells with soft nuclei have been reported to die at sites of infection. Interestingly, dendritic cells function as antigen presenting cells requires high migratory ability as well as high survival. They thus constitute an interesting model for studying nuclear deformation in fast moving and long lived cells. During my PhD, I studied the mechanism by which dendritic cells deform their nuclei to achieve proper migration in highly confining space while preserving a high survival rate. I used an original micro fabricated experimental set up (Heuzé et al. MMB, 2011) consisting of microchannels with constrictions to mimic cellular transmigration. Those channels combined with genetic manipulation and live cell imaging followed by image processing were used to assess the mechanism dendritic cells use to deform their nucleus, which we found to be specific and not required for cell motility per se. I showed that dendritic cells overcome the physical limitation imposed by nuclear deformation through small gaps by nucleating an Arp2/3 based actin network around the nucleus. Surprisingly, the formation of this actin network is independent of myosin II based contraction. This actin accumulation around the nucleus co-localized with sites of nuclear Lamin A/C breakage. Moreover, Lamin A/C depletion in dendritic cells leads to the disappearance of this actin ring and the release of the need for Arp2/3 for nuclear deformation. We thus propose a new mechanism of nuclear squeezing through narrow gaps based on an Arp2/3 nucleated actin meshwork which, by transiently breaking the Lamin A/C network, releases the nuclear surface tension and allows nuclear thus cell passage through micrometric constrictions. Lamin A/C repolymerization around the nucleus at the exit of constrictions would then restore nuclear stiffness, allowing cell survival. Interestingly, this actin accumulation around the nucleus was also observed in vivo in migrating macrophages but not in HL-60 derived neutrophils. Taken together, our data suggest that the Arp2/3 based nuclear squeezing mechanism would be a general feature of highly migratory cells which need to survive long enough to accomplish their functions.

Abstract A non-ischemic etiology of sudden cardiac death (SCD), mostly due to various cardiomyopathies (CMP), accounts for about 20% of all SCDs. Most of the major studies of risk factors for SCD have focused on coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of the present study was to clarify the characteristics of non-ischemic SCD in Northern Finland. In this study, consecutive victims of SCD (n=2661) were prospectively collected, and among whom post-mortem examinations were performed between 1998 and 2007. Information about the SCD victims was obtained from a combination of available medical records, postmortem examination reports, medication used at the time of SCD, and standardized questionnaire filled out by the closest family members of the victims of SCD. We also screened the candidate genes from a Finnish family in which fatal arrhythmias was first manifestation of a cardiac disease. The collagen content of the myocardium from histological samples in victims of SCD due to idiopathic myocardial fibrosis (IMF) was also evaluated. CAD was the most common cause of death (2082 victims, 78.2%). The prevalence of non-ischemic SCDs was 21.8% of all the SCDs. After sub-grouping the non-ischemic SCDs into various categories, the most common cause of death was CMP related to obesity (23.7%), followed by alcoholic CMP (19.0%), hypertensive CMP (15.5%) and IMF (13.6%). The association of SCD with IMF is notably frequent among victims &#60;40 years old (28.3%). The prevalence of family history of SCD was significantly higher in the victims of ischemic (34.2%) than non-ischemic SCD (13.4%, P&#60;0.001) or controls (17.6%, P&#60;0.001). Lamin A/C gene mutation R541C was found from Finnish SCD family, in which the IMF was predominant pathologic-anatomic finding. Myocardial type I collagen synthesis was increased in victims of SCD due to IMF. In conclusion, the characteristics of non-ischemic SCD in Finland differ from those reported previously. Higher prevalences of CMP-associated SCDs related to obesity, IMF and alcoholic CMP were observed as clinical and/or pathologic bases for non-ischemic SCD. The family history of SCD is not significantly increased in victims of non-ischemic SCD, suggesting a larger role of sporadic occurrence than inherited traits as the cause of non-ischemic SCD. Replacement of cardiac myocytes by fibrosis can be responsible for fatal cardiac arrhythmias in subjects with the lamin A/C gene mutation. The victims of SCD due to IMF have increased myocardial type I collagen synthesis. / Tiivistelmä Ei-iskeeminen sydänperäinen äkkikuolema aiheuttaa noin 20&#160;% kaikista sydänperäisistä äkkikuolemista. Suurin osa ei-iskeemisistä sydänperäisistä äkkikuolemista johtuu erilaisista sydänlihassairauksista, kardiomyopatioista. Useimmat sydänperäisen äkkikuoleman riskitekijöitä kartoittavista tutkimuksista ovat keskittyneet sepelvaltimotautiin. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää ei-iskeemisen sydänperäisen äkkikuoleman tunnuspiirteitä pohjoissuomalaisessa väestössä. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin potilasaineistona sydänperäiseen äkkikuolemaan menehtyneitä vainajia (n=2661), joille on tehty oikeuslääketieteellinen ruumiinavaus. Tiedot vainajista saatiin saatavilla olevista potilaskertomuksista, ruumiinavauspöytäkirjoista, äkkikuoleman aikaisesta lääkityksestä ja lähiomaisille lähetetystä standardisoidusta kyselylomakkeesta. Kandidaattigeenit tutkittiin pohjoissuomalaisesta perheestä, jossa ensimmäinen oire sydänsairaudesta oli hengenvaarallinen rytmihäiriö. Lisäksi sydänlihaksen kollageenikoostumus analysoitiin histologisista näytteistä potilailta, joiden sydänperäinen äkillinen kuolema johtui idiopaattisesta sydänlihaksen sidekudoskasvusta. Sepelvaltimotauti oli yleisin sydänperäisen äkkikuoleman aiheuttaja (n=2082, 78,2&#160;%). Ei-iskeemisten sydänperäisten äkkikuolemien osuus oli 21,8&#160;% (n=579) kaikista sydänperäisistä äkkikuolemista. Ei-iskeemiset sydänperäiset äkkikuolemat jaettiin alaryhmiin, joista yleisimmät olivat lihavuuteen assosioituva kardiomyopatia (23,7&#160;%), alkoholikardiomyopatia (19,0&#160;%), korkeaan verenpaineeseen assosioituva kardiomyopatia (15,5&#160;%) sekä idiopaattinen sydänlihaksen sidekudoskasvu (13,6 %), joka myös oli yleisin ei-iskeemiseen sydänperäiseen äkkikuolemaan johtava syy alle 40-vuotiailla (28,3&#160;%). Positiivinen sydänperäisen äkkikuoleman sukuhistoria oli tilastollisesti merkitsevästi yleisempää iskeemisillä (34,2&#160;%) kuin ei-iskeemisillä (13,4&#160;%) sydänperäisen äkkikuoleman uhreilla. Lamin A/C – geenin mutaatio löydettiin pohjoissuomalaisesta äkkikuolemaperheestä, jossa idiopaattinen sydänlihaksen sidekudoskasvu todettiin pääasialliseksi patologiseksi löydökseksi. Tyypin I kollageenin synteesi todettiin kohonneeksi idiopaattiseen sydänlihaksen sidekudoskasvuun menehtyneillä vainajilla. Yhteenvetona voidaan todeta, pohjoissuomalaisen väestön ei-iskeemisen sydänperäisen äkkikuoleman tunnuspiirteet eroavat aiemmin raportoiduista; lihavuuteen assosioituva kardiomyopatia, alkoholikardiomyopatia, sekä idiopaattinen sydänlihaksen sidekudoskasvu olivat aiempaa yleisempiä ei-iskeemisen äkkikuoleman aiheuttajia. Positiivinen sydänperäisen äkkikuoleman sukuhistoria ei ollut tilastollisesti merkitsevästi kohonnut ei-iskeemisen sydänperäiseen äkkikuolemaan menehtyneillä. Tämä tarkoittaa, että perinnöllinen syy ei-iskeemisen sydänperäisen äkkikuoleman aiheuttajana on luultua harvinaisempi. Lamin A/C – geenimutaation kantajilla sydänlihassolujen korvautuminen sidekudoksella todettiin hengenvaarallisen rytmihäiriön aiheuttajaksi. Lisäksi, tyypin I kollageenin synteesi todettiin kohonneeksi idiopaattiseen sydänlihaksen sidekudoskasvuun menehtyneillä vainajilla.

The eukaryotic interphase nucleus is well organised and the genome positioned non-randomly. Nuclear structure is an important regulator of genome behaviour and function. Genome organisation and nuclear structure are compromised in diseases such as cancer and laminopathies. This study was to find out and to determine if there is any functional relationship between nuclear structure and genome mis-organisation in cancer cells. I have assessed the presence and distribution of specific nuclear structural proteins (A-type, B-type lamins and its receptor LBR, many of their binding proteins such as MAN1, LAP2α, LAP2, and Emerin and other nuclear proteins (PML, Nucleolin, and Ki67) using indirect immunofluorescence. From this study, it is found that the nuclear structure of breast cancer cells is often altered. The most severely affected proteins are the nuclear lamins B1 and B2 and they found as large foci within the nucleoplasm with little LBR expression to localise the lamin B. I also assessed the chromosome positioning (HSA 7, 10, 11, 14 and 17) and gene positioning (AKT1, CCND1, HSP90AA1, EGFR, ERRBB2/HER2 and PTEN) in breast cancer cell lines (T-47D, GI-101, Sk-Br-3 and BT-474) and in normal breast cell lines (MCF-10A) using 2D-FISH technique. I also assessed the position of the genes in nuclei and correlated with gene expression using qRT-PCR. Breast cell lines have treated with a drug named lovastatin and it was found that the cells have restored LBR expression and localisation of lamin B, leading to altered gene positioning and changed expression of breast cancer genes. Since the drug (lovastatin, 12 μM/48 hours) affects the prenylation as a post-translation modification process and lamins B biosythensis, it is found that B-type lamins and its receptor expression and distribution were improved and increased in expression by 2-fold in expression levels in the most affected cells (T-47D, and BT-474) compared to the normal cells (MCF-10A) and these cells also showed abnormal nuclei and dead cells. When analysing the nuclear positioning of the genes (AKT1, HSP90AA1 and ERRBB2/HER2), it is found that AKT1 was positioned periphery in BT-474 and T-47D cells and interiorly in the normal cells (MCF-10A) before treatment whereas the same gene was positioned periphery in T-47D and MCF-10A cells and interiorly in BT-474 after treatment with lovastatin. It is also found that HSP90AA1 was positioned periphery in MCF-10A and T-47D cells and interiorly in BT-474 cells before and after treatment (no change). Moreover, ERRBB2/HER2 gene was positioned periphery in T-47D and BT-474 cells and interiorly in MCF-10A cells before treatment whereas the same gene was positioned periphery in MCF-10A and T-47D cells and interiorly in BT-474 after treatment with the same drug. Regarding LMNB1, LMNB2, and LBR genes, the study focussed only on their expression levels and no work has done on their chromosome positioning as well as gene position before and after treatment. These three genes were over expressed when assessed by measuring the relative and fold changes in expression. Therefore, it is suggestive that 2D-FISH experiment to assess their localisation and their specific chromosome territories is required. The results shown in this thesis demonstrate the importance and roles of nuclear architecture specifically nuclear lamins and the integral nuclear membrane proteins (B-type lamins and LBR) in mediating correct genome organisation and function. The breast normal (immortalised cells) and cancerous cell lines showed different nuclear structures as lamin B affect the position of specific target chromosomes and genes. These results will strength the finding that the nuclear lamina is a significant nuclear structure which associates, organises, and regulates numerous vital nuclear processes and the stability of the genome.