L'acide lysophosphatique est un biolipide naturel actif capable de réguler diverses fonctions biologiques et d'agir en tant que facteur de croissance, via l'activation de six différents récepteurs de surfaces couplées aux protéines G (LPA1-6). Notre laboratoire a montré que le ciblage thérapeutique du récepteur LPA1 bloque de façon remarquable la dissémination métastatique des cellules de cancer du sein. Les mécanismes moléculaires et génétiques impliqués dans ce processus sont cependant encore inconnus. De plus, la plupart des cellules de mammifères co-expriment plusieurs formes de récepteurs du LPA. La réponse cellulaire est la résultante de l'activation de multiples voies de signalisation, parfois synergiques ou opposées, compromettant la validation chez le patient de l'efficacité des thérapies ciblant ces récepteurs. Au cours de cette thèse, nous avons dans un premier temps montré que HB-EGF est un marqueur spécifique de l'activité de LPA1. Le blocage pharmacologique de ce récepteur via des antagonistes des récepteurs LPA1-3 (Ki16425/Debio0719) ou l'invalidation de son expression par une technique d'ARN interférence entraine une inhibition de la surexpression en HB-EGF. Le ciblage thérapeutique de LPA1 via l'antagoniste Ki16425, dans notre modèle animal préclinique de xénogreffe de cancer de la prostate PC3, conduit également à une diminution de l'expression en ARNm de HB-EGF au niveau de la tumeur primaire et à une diminution des concentrations en HB-EGF humain circulants dans le sérum. Dans un deuxième temps, nous nous sommes intéressé au rôle des miRNAs, qui sont impliqués dans la régulation de l'expression de gènes. Grâce à l'analyse de 1488 patients atteins de cancers du sein référencés sur des bases de données publiques, nous avons pu établir une corrélation entre le gène LPA1 et le gène ZEB1. Nous avons également trouvé que le coefficient de corrélation entre ZEB1 et LPA1 était supérieur au niveau des tumeurs mammaires basales / Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a natural bioactive lipid with growth factor-like functions due to activation of a series of six G protein-coupled receptors (LPA1-6). It has been demonstrated that blocking LPA1 activity in vivo inhibits breast cancer cell metastasis, however, activated genes involved in LPA-induced metastasis have not been defined yet. In addition most mammalian cells co-express multiple LPA receptors, resulting in the co-activation of multiple intracellular signaling pathways with potential redundant or opposite effects impairing the validation of target inhibition in patients because of missing LPA receptor-specific biomarkers. In the first part of this thesis I found that HB-EGF is a specific biomarker of LPA1 activity. HB-EGF upregulation was inhibited by LPA1-3 antagonists (Ki16425, Debio0719) and by stably silencing LPA1. Using a human xenograft prostate tumors mouse model with PC3 cells, we found that a five-day treatment with Ki16425 significantly decreased both HB-EGF mRNA expression at the primary tumor site and circulating human HB-EGF concentrations in serum. In the second part of experimental work, we focused our attention on miRNAs that are master gene regulators. We carried out correlation studies in 1488 human primary breast tumors from publically available databases and found ZEB1 as the most correlated gene with LPAR1. The coefficient of correlation between ZEB1 and LPAR1 was higher in human basal tumors than in non basal tumors. In three different basal cell lines LPA up-regulated ZEB1 through an LPA1/Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase (Pi3K)/AKT-dependent pathway. Based on microarray and real-time PCR analyses we found that LPA up-regulated the oncomiR miR-21 through an LPA1/Pi3K/AKT/ZEB1-dependent mechanism. MirVana miR-21 inhibitor, silencing LPA1 or silencing ZEB1 totally blocked in vitro LPA-induced cell migration and invasion, and in vivo tumor cell bone colonization. In all cases, basal breast cancer cell functions were rescued with mirVana miR-21 mimic. All together our results identify HB-EGF as a new and relevant biomarker with potentially high value in quantifying LPA1 activation state in patients receiving anti-LPA1 therapies

A disfunção mitocondrial pode ser um mecanismo chave associado à ocorrência de doenças metabólicas como o diabetes. Neste contexto, é importante obeservar os mecanismos envolvidos nesse processo. MicroRNAs (miRs) são conhecidos por regular a expressão de genes em vários processos fisiológicos, incluindo o metabolismo de glicose e ácidos graxos, biogênese mitocondrial, proliferação, diferenciação e morte celular no músculo esquelético. Usando análise \"in silico\" (Sfold2.2) identificamos 219 microRNAs que, potencialmente, se ligam à região 3 \'UTR do PGC-1?, um gene envolvido na biogênese mitocondrial e no metabolismo de glicose. Dos 219 candidatos, encontramos um alto valor de energia livre de hibridização entre o microRNA miR-696 e PGC-1? (-29,8 kcal / mol), sugerindo que o miR-696 poderia estar envolvido na regulação negativa do PGC-1? resultando em disfunção mitocondrial. Consistente com esta hipótese, observamos que a expressão do miR-696 apresentou-se aumentada nos músculos esqueléticos de dois modelos de camundongos com diabetes: camundongos diabéticos induzidos por STZ e camundongos alimentados com dieta hiperlipídica. Para compreender se o miR-696 regula a disfunção mitocondrial utilizamos células musculares C2C12 expostas a uma alta dose de ácido palmítico (700 µM) durante 24 horas, o que causou uma redução na expressão de genes mitocondriais, bem como no consumo de oxigênio. Vale destacar que a inibição do miR-696 através da transfecção de oligonucleotídeos antisenso (ASO) preveniu, parcialmente, a perda da função mitocondrial de células C2C12 tratadas com ácido palmítico. Curiosamente, não houve nenhuma alteração nos níveis de miR-696 em modelos envolvidos com a proteína AMPK, tal como em células C2C12 incubadas com uma droga ativadora de AMPK (AICAR) e no músculo esquelético de camundongos transgênicos superexpressando AMPK?2 com o domínio quinase inativo ou AMPK?3 com mutação de ativação crônica (R70Q). Em contraste, a expressão alterada de uma quinase relacionadas com a AMPK, SNF1-AMPK-related kinase (SNARK), recentemente demonstrada por ter sua expressão aumentada em virtude do envelhecimento, exerceu efeitos significativos sobre a expressão do miR- 696, como por exemplo sua redução dependente do knockdown de SNARK em células C2C12. Consistente com estes resultados, a superexpressão de SNARK em células C2C12 resultou no aumento da expressão do miR-696 e redução na expressão do PGC-1?, bem como no consumo de oxigénio. Nossos resultados demonstram que o estresse metabólico aumenta a expressão do miR-696 no músculo esquelético, que por sua vez inibe a sinalização da PGC-1? e a função mitocondrial. Ainda, apesar da AMPK não se apresentar como mediadora da expressão do miR-696, SNARK pode desempenhar um papel neste processo através do mecanismo de sinalização SNARKmiR-696-PGC-1?. / Mitochondrial dysfunction may be a key underlying mechanism for occurrence of metabolic disease and diabetes; thus elucidating how this process occurs is of great value. MicroRNAs (miRs) are known to regulate gene expression in several physiological processes including metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, proliferation, differentiation and cell death in multiple tissues including adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Using \"in silico\" analysis (Sfold2.2) we identified 219 unique microRNAs that potentially bind to the 3\'UTR region of PGC-1?, a gene involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and glucose metabolism. Out of the 219 candidates, there was a high value of hybridization free energy between the microRNA miR-696 and PGC-1? (- 29.8 kcal/mol), suggesting that miR-696 could be involved in the downregulation of PGC-1?, which in turn could cause mitochondrial dysfunction. Consistent with this hypothesis we found that miR-696 expression was increased in the skeletal muscles of two mouse models of diabetes that have impaired mitochondrial function: STZ-induced diabetic mice and chronic high fat fed mice. To understand if miR-696 regulates mitochondrial dysfunction we used C2C12 muscle cells exposed to a high dose of palmitic acid (700 µM) for 24 hours, which caused a decrease in mitochondrial gene expression and in oxygen consumption. Importantly, inhibition of miR-696 using an antisense oligo approach rescued the mitochondrial function by restoration of mitochondrial-related genes and increased oxygen consumption in the palmitic acid-treated C2C12 cells. Interestingly, there was no change in miR-696 levels in models involved with AMPactivated protein kinase such as C2C12 cells incubated with AICAR, skeletal muscle from AMPK?2 dominant-negative transgenic mice, and transgenic mice overexpressing the activating R70Q AMPK mutation. In contrast, altered expression of the AMPK-related kinase, SNF1- AMPK-related kinase (SNARK), recently shown to increase with aging, had significant effects on miR-696 expression. Knockdown of SNARK in C2C12 cells significantly decreased miR-696. Consistent with these findings, SNARK overexpression in C2C12 cells increased miR-696 concomitant with a decrease in PGC-1? expression and decreased oxygen consumption. Our findings demonstrate that metabolic stress increases miR-696 expression in skeletal muscle which in turn inhibits PGC-1? signaling and mitochondrial function. While AMPK does not mediate miR-696 expression, SNARK may play a role in this process through a SNARK-miR- 696-PGC-1? signaling mechanism.

miR-17-92 cluster (Oncomir1) encodes seven microRNAs (miRNA, miR) regulating many biological processes including proliferation, differentiation or apoptosis. Overexpression of microRNAs encoded by miR-17-92 cluster is found in a number of tumors including acute and chronic myeloid leukemias (Dixon-McIver et al., 2008; Li et al., 2008; Venturini et al., 2007). Myeloid progenitors express miR-17-92 cluster at a high level, while macrophage differentiation associates with its downregulation. Our laboratory found, that miR-17-92 cluster is repressed by transcription factor Early growth response 2 (Egr2) upon differentiation of primary myeloid PUER progenitors, induced with transcription factor PU.1. Aim of this thesis is to further test the abovementioned data by preparing a reporter vectors set, carrying various fragments of miR-17-92 putative promoter, which enables us to study regulation of transcription of miR-17-92 cluster. This task complicated by presence of increased GC content of the miR-17-92 promoter was successfully accomplished resulting in amplification of eight fragments containing the various parts of miR-17-92 promoter including region -3.3 to 0 kb relative to the start of miR-17-5p sequence, that were inserted into pGL3 reporter vector. Transfection of pGL3 reporter vector carrying...

Progression of metazoans through different developmental programs requires temporal control that is achieved by molecules originating from endocrine tissues that diffuse throughout the whole body of the animal to coordinate program execution by activating cell specific gene expression patterns. These programs then define cascades of successive, distinct developmental stages or the choice between alternative fates for the same stage. A model for this developmental control is found in the nematode C. elegans, where environmental cues signal through insulin and TGF-beta cascades to regulate the daf-12/nuclear hormone receptor (NHR) ligand synthesis that then coordinates organism wide developmental timing and fate choice. For cell intrinsic aspects of C. elegans temporal control of development, microRNAs play an important role but their connection to organism wide endocrine control is unknown. This work shows how the DAF-12/NHR directly activates let-7 family microRNAs during the L3 stage to repress L2 stage activator hbl-1 to prevent L2 stage programs from reoccurring. The interaction of upstream transcription factors with the downstream cis-regulatory elements in promoters of the let-7 family microRNAs are further analyzed in detail and identify potential DAF-12 coregulators that might connect daf-12 endocrine signaling also to later stage developmental control. These observations are the first to integrate microRNAs into establishedendocrine signaling cascades. In addition they reveal specific details about how organism wide upstream, endocrine signaling pathways induce downstream cell intrinsic changes of gene expression and developmental progression. This work postulates a "molecular switch" that actively drives stage transitions, consisting of a NHR that directly activates microRNAs to actively repress mediators of old stages while directly activating translation of protein coding genes mediating the new stage.

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Dans cette thèse, nous avons combiné les approches des cultures single-cell, de cytométrie en flux,des analyses de métabolisme énergétique et de génétique moléculaire afin d’explorer les effets del’Acétate d’α-Tocopherol (α-TOA) sur les cellules stromales mésenchymateuses (MStroC) et leurs souspopulations fonctionnelles (cellules souches et progénitrices mésenchymateuses). L’autre but était de tester une molécule de miR-210 par rapport à son utilisation potentielle comme « hypoxia mimicking molecule ». Après avoir démontré l’hétérogénéité de la population MStroC et conclu que la population de premier passage est appropriée pour des expérimentations ultérieures, nous avons trouvé que l’α-TOA présentait un effet positif sur le maintien de la capacité proliférative élevée des cellules souches mésenchymateuses. Cet effet est accompagné d’une atténuation de l’activité de la chaîne de transport d’électrons (ETC) qui pourrait d’autre part expliquer l’accroissement modéré du niveau des Reactive Oxygen Species mitochondriales (mtROS) que nous avons détectées. L’augmentation du niveau de mtROS pourrait être associée à une dégradation de protéine HIF-1 dans la population MStroC exposée à l’α-TOA. Bien que nous n’ayons pas détecté d’augmentation compensatoire de la glycolyse, les phénomènes observés représentent en partie la réponse cellulaire complexe au faible niveau d’O2. Il a été établi que ce phénomène était relié au maintien de primitivité des cellules souches. Le mécanisme exact reste à clarifier ainsi que son potentiel translationnel. En outre, nous avons apporté la preuve que miR-210 fait partie intégrante de la réponse des MStroC à la faible concentration en O2. Dans cette étude, nous avons montré que l’augmentation de l’expression de miR-210 sur une période courte (jusqu’à 24 heures) et après une période étendue (jusqu’à 72 heures) d’exposition des MStroC à une faible concentration en O2. De plus, nous avons prouvé que ce micro ARN pouvait être régulé par les deux facteurs transcriptionnels HIF-1 et HIF-2, nous laissant penser que ceci faisait partie intégrante de la réponse des MStroC à une faible concentration en O2. Jusqu’à présent, nos données suggèrent que miR-210 est digne d’intérêt en tant que bonne molécule « hypoxia mimicking ». / In this thesis, we combined approaches of single-cell cultures, flow-cytometry, energetic metabolismanalysis and molecular genetics in order to get insight in the effects of α-Tocopherol-Acetate (α-TOA)on Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MStroC) and their functional subpopulations (mesenchymal stem and progenitor cells). The other aim was to test a miR-210 molecule with respect to its potential use as hypoxia mimicking molecule. After defining MStroC population heterogeneity and concluding that the first passage population is convenient for further experiments, we demonstrated that α-TOA exhibits a positive effect on the maintenance of high proliferative capacity of mesenchymal stem cells. This effect could be associated with an attenuation of electron transport chain (ETC) activity, which, on the other hand could explain moderate increase in the level of mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species (mtROS) we detected. The increase in mtROS level could be associated with a decreased HIF-1 alpha protein degradation in MStroC exposed to α-TOA. Although we did not detect a compensatory increase in glycolysis, the observed phenomena depict part of a complex cellular response to the low O2 that is demonstrated to be related with maintenance of stem cell primitiveness. The exact mechanism remains to be elucidated as well as its translational potential. In addition, we provided new evidences that miR-210 is integral part in MStroC response to low O2. In the study, we showed increased in miR-210 expression in a short-term (up to 24 hours) and after extended (up to 72 hours) MStroC exposed to low O2. Moreover, we demonstrated that this micro- RNA could be regulated by both HIF-1 and HIF-2 transcriptional factors, suggesting it as integral part of MStroC response to low O2. So far, our data suggest that miR-210 is worthy to be considered as good hypoxia mimicking molecule.

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