Graduation date: 1997

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that 30,000 children under the age of five die each day worldwide. Around a quarter of these die from diarrheal disease caused by microbial infection. In addition to this high mortality rate, there are data emerging on the morbidity effects of diarrheal disease, for example a few episodes of diarrhea in the first two years of life can remove 10 IQ points and lead to growth deficiency. Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the diarrheal disease cholera, is a serious problem in third world countries, where sanitary and hygiene infrastructure is very poor, and claims several thousand lives every year. In order to better understand the pathogenicity regulation in V. cholerae, structural and functional investigations of a hypothetical protein family present in pathogenicity islands and a transcriptional regulator protein for DNA-binding were investigated. Two adjacent genes, vc1804 and vc1805, encode hypothetical proteins within the Vibrio pathogenicity island-2 (VPI-2) of Vibrio cholerae, and are part of a cluster of genes only present in pathogenic strains of the bacterium. Paralogous adjacent genes, vc0508 and vc0509, are also present within a second pathogenicity island, the Vibrio seventh pandemic island-2 (VSP-2), of V. cholerae O1 El Tor and O139 serogroup isolates. Sequence similarity suggests that the VC0508, VC0509, VC1804 and VC1805 proteins will share a similar fold. The crystal structures of VC0508, VC0509 and VC1805 have been determined to a resolution of 1.9, 2.4 and 2.1 Å, respectively. Several recombinant constructs of vc1804 were made, but no soluble proteins were expressed. This hypothetical protein family reveals structural homology to human mitochondrial protein p32. Human p32 is a promiscuous protein known to bind to a variety of partners including the globular head component of C1q. We have shown that VC1805 binds to C1q. One possibility is that VC1805 is involved in adherence of the bacterium to membrane-bound C1q in the gut. To explore the roles of VC0508, VC0509, VC1804 and VC1805 in vivo, gene knockout and animal model studies of those proteins are underway. The ferric uptake regulator (Fur), a metal-dependent DNA-binding protein, acts as both a repressor and activator of numerous genes involved in maintaining iron homeostasis in bacteria. It has also been demonstrated in Vibrio cholerae that Fur plays an additional role in pathogenesis, and this opens up the potential of Fur as a drug target for cholera. The first crystal structure of a Fur protein, from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, revealed a dimeric molecule with each monomer containing a dimerization domain, a helical DNA-binding domain and two metal binding sites: Zn1 is proposed to be a regulatory Fe-binding site, and Zn2 is proposed to be a structural Zn-binding site. Here we present the crystal structure of V. cholerae Fur (VcFur) that reveals a very different orientation of the DNA-binding domains. Accompanying these structural changes are alterations in the amino acids coordinating the zinc at the Zn2 site, and this lends support to this being the site regulated by iron. There is no evidence of metal binding to the cysteines that are conserved in many Fur homologues, including the much-studied E. coli Fur. An analysis of the metal binding properties shows that like other Fur proteins, VcFur can be activated by a range of divalent metals. EPR spectroscopy measurements of the movements of the DNA-binding domain, in the presence of DNA and different metals, are underway.

acase@tulane.edu

No / Although Streptococcus agalactiae, the group B Streptococcus, is a leading cause of invasive neonatal disease worldwide the molecular basis of its virulence is still poorly understood. To investigate the role of lipoproteins in the physiology and interaction of this pathogen with host cells, we generated a mutant S. agalactiae strain (A909DeltaLgt) deficient in the Lgt enzyme and thus unable to lipidate lipoprotein precursors (pro-lipoproteins). The loss of pro-lipoprotein lipidation did not affect the viability of S. agalactiae or its growth in several different media, including cation-depleted media. The processing of two well-characterized lipoproteins, but not a non-lipoprotein, was clearly shown to be aberrant in A909DeltaLgt. The mutant strain was shown to be more sensitive to oxidative stress in vitro although the molecular basis of this increased sensitivity was not apparent. The inactivation of Lgt also resulted in changes to the bacterial cell envelope, as demonstrated by reduced retention of both the group B carbohydrate and the polysaccharide capsule and a statistically significant reduction (P=0.0079) in A909DeltaLgt adherence to human endothelial cells of fetal origin. These data confirm that failure to process lipoproteins correctly has pleiotropic effects that may be of significance to S. agalactiae colonization and pathogenesis.

La maladie de Crohn (Crohn’s disease; CD) et la colite ulcéreuse (Ulcerative colitis ;CU) représentent deux formes distinctes de maladies inflammatoires chroniques de l’intestin (MICI), qui sont associées à une réponse immunitaire aberrante des tissus intestinaux à la flore intestinale. Les phagocytes mononucléés (MNPs) qui dialoguent, via les cytokines qu'ils produisent, avec les cellules immunitaires innées et adaptatives sont impliqués dans l’induction, la perpétuation et le maintien de la réponse inflammatoire des MICI. Chez la souris, les MNPs sont stratifiées en cellules dendritiques conventionnelles (cDCs), macrophages (M) et cellules dérivées de monocytes, une entité qui regroupe dans le tissu des cellules dendritiques dérivées de monocytes (Mo-DC), des M dérivés de monocytes et des « monocyte-like ». Toutefois, la diversité phénotypique, moléculaire et fonctionnelle des monocytes et des MNPs ainsi que la plasticité des monocytes restent à élucider dans les MICI. Les anticorps bloquant les cytokines IL12 et IL23 contrôlent la pathogénicité et la plasticité des cellules Th17, réduisant l'inflammation intestinale chez les patients atteints de MII. Cependant, il n’existe à ce jour aucun traitement curatif. L’étude approfondie de la plasticité des cellules T et du site tissulaire où elle pourrait se produire ne sont toujours pas clarifiés. Dans le premier chapitre, nous avons révélé l’existence de deux sous-populations distinctes de CD14+MNPs dans le colon de patients atteints de CU. Les cellules de type « inflammatory monocyte-like » CD14+CD163-CD64+ (P3) à l’opposé des CD14+CD163+CD64+ M (P4) s'accumulent dans le côlon inflammatoire. Nos résultats ont de plus établi un lien entre les P3 MNPs, l’IL12, l’IL1β et la détection de cellules Th17 mémoires produisant de l'IFN et de l'IL8, qui contribueraient collectivement à la pathogenèse de la CU. De plus, deux sous-populations CD14+ MNPs similaires sur le plan fonctionnel et moléculaire a ceux trouvés en CU, ont été détectées dans le côlon de patients atteints de CD. En revanche, dans le deuxième chapitre, nous fournissons des évidences que la sous-population monocytaire Slan+ pourrait contribuer à l’immunopathogenèse de la CD, mais pas à celle de la CU. La fréquence, le phénotype et la fonction des cellules Slan+ ont été examinés dans le sang, les ganglions mésentériques (MLN) et le côlon de patients atteints de MICI. Nous proposons que les cellules pro-inflammatoires CD14hiCD172α+Slan+ discriminent les tissus de CD et CU. En effet, elles ne s'accumulent que dans les MLNs et la muqueuse colique des patients atteints de CD. Dans le troisième chapitre, nous avons montré que les MLNs de CD et de CU, qui sont des tissus difficiles d'accès pour leur étude fonctionnelle en recherche, peuvent également être distingués par la distribution et le profil moléculaire des cellules T mémoire effectrices CXCR3-CCR6+ (Th17TEM). Nos données suggèrent également que la plasticité de Th17 se produit dans les MLNs avant leur migration vers l'intestin. Cette étude pourrait avoir des implications pour améliorer notre compréhension de la maladie. Enfin, il a été démontré qu’à l’homéostasie chez la souris, les monocytes sont continuellement recrutés dans la muqueuse intestinale où ils se différencient progressivement en M anti-inflammatoires. Ce processus de maturation est interrompu dans le contexte d'une inflammation. Les signaux environnementaux qui régulent la « cascade » de maturation d’un monocyte classique tissulaire demeurent inconnus chez l'homme. Dans le quatrième chapitre, nous avons récapitulé in vitro la cascade de différenciation des monocytes humains de «CD163- P3-like» en «CD163+P4-like» et avons montré leurs similitudes moléculaires avec les CD14+ MNP tissulaires. La manipulation de cette voie de différentiation pourrait ouvrir des pistes thérapeutiques pour restaurer l'homéostasie intestinale dans les MICI. En conclusion, une meilleure compréhension des sous-populations de MNPs, leurs fonction et plasticité dans la pathogenèse des MICI aidera à identifier des nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques et contribuera à augmenter les connaissances pour la mise au point de traitements personnalisés. / Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), the two forms of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), are associated with dysregulated immune response in the intestinal tissue. It is mediated by mononuclear phagocytes (MNPs) that dialogue via the cytokine they produce with innate and adaptive immune cells. In mice, MNPs are stratified into conventional dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages (M) and monocyte-derived cells that regroup tissue monocyte-derived DCs, monocyte-derived M and monocytes-like cells. However, the phenotypic, molecular and functional diversity of MNPs and their plasticity remain to be elucidated in IBD patients. Therapies in IBD employ antibodies that block IL12 and IL23, thus control Th17 pathogenicity and plasticity and decrease intestinal inflammation. However, no cure exist nowadays for the treatment of IBD. In-depth study of T cell plasticity and the tissue where it occurs remain to be investigated. In the first chapter, we revealed the existence of two distinct CD14+ MNP subsets in colon of UC patients. Only, CD163-CD64+ inflammatory monocyte-like cells (P3) but not anti-inflammatory CD163+CD64+ M (P4) accumulate in inflamed UC colon. Our findings further established a link between monocyte-like CD14hiCD172α+ CD163- MNPs, IL12, IL1β and the detection of colonic memory Th17 cells that produce IFN and IL8, which might all contribute to UC pathogenesis. Two CD14+ MNP subsets, resembling their counterparts in UC mucosa at the functional and molecular level, were also detected in CD colon. In contrast, in the second chapter, we provide evidence that Slan+ monocyte subset may contribute to CD but not UC immunopathogenesis. Frequency, phenotype, and function of Slan+ cells were examined in blood, colon, and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) of patients with IBD. We showed that pro-inflammatory CD14hiCD172α+Slan+ cells are a distinguishing feature between CD and UC, as they only accumulate in MLNs and colonic mucosa of CD patients. In the third chapter, we showed that MLNs of CD and UC, tissues that were hard to access for research use, can also be distinguished by frequencies of CXCR3−CCR6+ Th17 effector memory T cells (TEM) and their molecular profile. Our data further suggested that Th17 plasticity is taking place in MLN, before T cell homing to gut tissues. This investigation has clear implications in furthering our understanding of the disease. Finally, it has been demonstrated that monocytes are continuously recruited into murine gut mucosa and progressively differentiate into macrophages under homeostatic conditions, a maturation process interrupted in the context of inflammation. However, the environmental cues that regulate tissue inflammatory monocyte “waterfall” remain to be investigated in humans. In the fourth chapter we recapitulated in vitro human monocyte differentiation cascade, from CD163- inflammatory monocyte-like cells (P3) towards anti-inflammatory CD163+ macrophages (P4) and showed their molecular similarities to tissue CD14+ MNPs. Manipulating this pathway might open therapeutic avenues to restore tissue homeostasis. In conclusion, a better understanding of MNP subsets, function and plasticity in IBD pathogenesis would help identify novel therapeutic targets and shed light for the development of personalized treatments.

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