Le Myélome Multiple (MM) est une hémopathie maligne caractérisée par la prolifération de plasmocytes tumoraux médullaires. MYC occupe un rôle central dans l'oncogenèse du MM car son activation est responsable de la progression du stade précurseur de MGUS en MM symptomatique. Dans ce travail, nous rapportons que l’expression de LIN28B est corrélée à celle de MYC et est associée à un mauvais pronostic dans le MM. Nous montrons que l'axe LIN28B/let-7 module l'expression de l’ARNm de MYC, lui-même cible de let-7. De plus, la perturbation de l'axe LIN28B/let-7 induit une régulation la prolifération des lignées cellulaires de MM in vitro et in vivo. L'analyse par séquençage d’ARN de modèles de KO par utilisation de la technologie CRISPR a montré que l'axe LIN28B/let-7 régule les voies de signalisation de MYC et du cycle cellulaire dans MM. Nous avons de plus établi une preuve de principe thérapeutique de la possibilité de cibler MYC par l’emploi de LNA-GapmeR contenant une séquence analogue à let-7b. Dans un modèle de xénogreffe murin, nous montrons que des niveaux élevés d'expression de let-7, par administration de LNA-GapmeR let-7b, répriment la croissance tumorale en régulant l’expression de MYC. Ces résultats révèlent un nouveau mécanisme de ciblage thérapeutique de MYC via l'axe LIN28B/let-7 dans MM. Nous nous sommes ensuite intéressés à évaluer de nouvelles formes de biomarqueurs moléculaires dans le MM par étude des miARN contenus dans les exosomes circulants. Nous avons examiné le rôle pronostique des miARN exosomaux dans une cohorte de 156 échantillons de patients uniformément traités pour un MM au diagnostic. Après analyse du profil de miARN exosomaux par séquençage de nouvelle génération, nous avons utilisé technique de qRT-PCR pour étudier la corrélation entre le niveau d’expression de 22 miARN et la survie sans progression (SSP) et la survie globale (SG). Deux miARN, à savoir let-7b et miR-18a, étaient significativement associés à la SSP et SG en analyse univariée, et étaient statistiquement significatifs après ajustement pour le système international de stratification du risque (ISS) et les marqueurs cytogénétique en analyse multivariée. Nos résultats confirment le niveau d’expression des miARN let-7b et miR-18a au sein des exosomes circulants permettent d’améliorer la stratification du risque chez les patients atteints de MM. Enfin, pour mieux comprendre le programme oncogénique piloté par MYC, nous avons étudié l’efficacité thérapeutique d’une librairie de petites sur des lignées cellulaires avec une forte expression de MYC, dans le MM. Les résultats ont permis d’identifier les rocaglates, une famille de composés inhibant l’initiation de la traduction, comme étant les plus actifs. L’étude du profil transcriptionnel par séquençage de l’ARN de lignées cellulaires de MM traitées par CMLD010509 ou DMSO a révélé l’activation d’un programme de transcription et l’inhibition d’un programme traductionnel, caractéristique de l’inactivation de HSF1 secondaire à l’inhibition de la traduction. Le profile traductionnel était étudié par spectrométrie de masse quantitative, permettant d’identifier un ensemble de protéines, tels que MYC, MDM2, CCND1, MAF et MCL-1, spécifiquement affectées par l’inhibition de la traduction liée au composé CMLD010509 dans le MM. Nous avons confirmé l’efficacité thérapeutique des rocaglates dans plusieurs modèles murins de MM. Ces résultats démontrent la possibilité de cibler le programme de traduction oncogénique lié à MYC dans MM. / MYC is a major oncogenic driver of Multiple Myeloma (MM) and yet almost no therapeutic agents exist that target MYC in MM. Here we report that the let-7 biogenesis inhibitor LIN28B correlates with MYC expression in MM and is associated with adverse outcome. We also demonstrate that the LIN28B/let-7 axis modulates the expression of MYC, itself a let-7 target. Further, perturbation of the axis regulates the proliferation of MM cells in vivo in a xenograft tumor model. RNA-sequencing and gene set enrichment analyses of CRISPR-engineered cells suggested that the LIN28/let-7 axis regulates MYC and cell cycle pathways in MM. We provide proof of principle for therapeutic regulation of MYC through let-7 with an LNA-GapmeR (locked nucleic acid-GapmeR) containing a let-7b mimic in vivo, demonstrating that high levels of let-7 expression repress tumor growth by regulating MYC expression. These findings reveal a novel mechanism of therapeutic targeting of MYC through the LIN28B/let-7 axis in MM. We next sought to establish new biomarkers in MM, enable to capture the molecular alterations of the disease. For this purpose, we examined the prognostic significance of circulating exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) in a cohort of 156 patients with newly diagnosed MM, uniformly treated and followed. Circulating exosomal miRNAs were isolated and used to perform small RNA sequencing analysis on 10 samples and a qRT-PCR array on 156 samples. We studied the relationship between miRNA levels and patient outcomes including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). We identified miRNAs as the most predominant small RNAs present in exosomes isolated from the serum of MM patients and healthy controls by small RNA sequencing of circulating exosomes and used a qRT-PCR assay to measure the expression of 22 exosomal miRNAs. Two of them, namely let-7b and miR-18a, were significantly associated with both PFS and OS in the univariate analysis, and were still statistically significant after adjusting for the International Staging System (ISS), and adverse cytogenetics in the multivariate analysis. Our findings support the use of circulating exosomal let-7b and miR-18a improves the identification of patients with newly diagnosed MM with poor outcomes. Finally, to better understand the oncogenic program driven by MYC and investigate its potential as a therapeutic target, we screened a chemically diverse small molecule library for anti-MM activity in cell lines with high expression of MYC. The most potent hits identified were rocaglate-scaffold inhibitors of translation initiation. Expression profiling of MM cells revealed reversion of the oncogenic MYC-driven transcriptional program by CMLD010509, the most promising rocaglate. Proteome-wide, reversion correlated with selective depletion of short-lived proteins that are key to MM growth and survival, most notably MYC, MDM2, CCND1, MAF, and MCL-1. The efficacy of CMLD010509 in several mouse models of MM confirmed the therapeutic relevance of these findings in vivo and supports the feasibility of targeting the oncogenic MYC-driven translation program in MM with rocaglates.

Bile acid-based cation sensors involving through space photo-induced electron transfer (PET) processes have been synthesized. In this approach, appropriate known fluorophores and aza crown ether receptor units were attached on a suitable bile acid scaffold. A through space photo induced electron transfer from N-atom of the aza 18-crown-6 to the excited pyrene was responsible for quenching of the pyrene fluorescence. A fluorescence enhancement was observed with the addition of K+ due to the inhibition of fluorescence quenching by PET mechanism. In order check the relationship between the sensitivity and the molecular structure of the sensors, four different molecules with different geometries were synthesized. The changes in the fluorescence spectra for different sensors were recorded in MeOH. The binding constants calculated by curve fitting showed that while the binding constants did not significantly vary, the sensitivities were different depending on the structure of the sensors. The modular nature of the sensor design was verified by changing the receptor module from aza-18-crown-6 to aza-15-crown-5, keeping other parts of the sensor same, to prepare a sodium selective sensor using the same principle. Fluorescence titration in MeOH confirmed the Na+ selective sensing in the presence of K+. The modular design concept was further extended by replacing the fluorophore pyrene to a coumarin derivative. Coumarin sensors showed a behavior similar to that of the pyrene sensors. In order to check the possibility of sensing metal ions in water, non ionic surfactant, Triton X-100 was chosen to dissolve the sensor in water. Fluorescence titration of the sensors showed a desired selective fluorescence enhancement with the particular metal ions. Merrifield resin and water swellable Tentagel® was used to immobilize the sensor to fabricate reusable sensor beads for detecting the metal ions in non polar solvent and water respectively. Fluorescence enhancements of the sensor beads with the metal ions confirmed the process in the immobilized solid state. K+ and Na+ selective sensor beads successfully demonstrated the fluorescence enhancement with the respective cations. This general strategy can be extended to fabricate other sensors for practical uses.

The design and selection of a biomaterial will depend on its specific application and the required properties for that application, both mechanical physicochemical properties. Biomaterials can be extremely helpful in order to treat and help the human body to heal and repair faster any kind of fracture produced in bones. Calcium phosphate scaffolds produced by sol-gel procedures have been used for this purpose with a great success regarding mechanical properties and biocompatibility. This is the reason why new techniques needs to be developed to be able to produce scaffolds in a faster way and to reach a personalized treatment to each patient. By using 3D printing techniques, a new and promising scope is open for bone tissue engineering due to the possibility of printing scaffolds with any shape and complexity through CAD design and modelling. In this project 3D printed scaffolds with a matrix combination of polymers and calcium phosphate will be produced and studied for bone tissue regeneration. Self-setting alpha tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) based cement inks combined with polycaprolactone (PCL) were optimized, and 3D printed structure scaffolds were successfully generated by direct ink writing. Afterwards, the scaffolds were subjected to different hardening processes in order to obtain different hydroxyapatite microstructure morphologies and were characterised by different methodologies. It was demonstrated the important effect of obtaining a complete transformation from the α-TCP into hydroxyapatite in the mechanical properties. An improvement in the mechanical properties at compression was achieved with the addition of PCL within the scaffold ́s structure and a different fracture mode of the scaffolds was observed.

To investigate and assess bone regeneration in sheep in combination with new implant materials classical histological staining methods as well as immunohistochemistry may provide additional information to standard radiographs or computer tomography. Available published data of bone defect regenerations in sheep often present none or sparely labeled histological images. Repeatedly, the exact location of the sample remains unclear, detail enlargements are missing and the labeling of different tissues or cells is absent. The aim of this article is to present an overview of sample preparation, staining methods and their benefits as well as a detailed histological description of bone regeneration in the sheep tibia. General histological staining methods like hematoxylin and eosin, Masson-Goldner trichrome, Movat’s pentachrome and alcian blue were used to define new bone formation within a sheep tibia critical size defect containing a polycaprolactone-co-lactide (PCL) scaffold implanted for 3 months (n = 4). Special attention was drawn to describe the bone healing patterns down to cell level. Additionally one histological quantification method and immunohistochemical staining methods are described.

Pre regeneráciu a rast poranených nervových vlákien bolo preskúmaných mnoho postupov, no výsledný rast axónov je často náhodný až dezorganizovaný a odráža sa na zložitejšom zotavovaní pacienta. V tejto práci boli vyrobené nové skafoldy s mikroštruktúrnymi a mechanickými vlastnosťami nervového skafoldu pomocou metódy freeze-casting. Konkrétne boli vyrobené biokeramické skafoldy na báze fosforečnanov vápenatých, oxidu titaničitého alebo oxidu zirkoničitého. Pomocou kontrolovaného rastu ľadu v jednom smere bola pripravená orientovaná mikroštruktúra. Pozorovanie pomocou skenovacej elektrónovej mikroskopie potvrdilo lineárne orientované póry (lamelárny systém), v ktorých priemerná veľkosť pórov klesala so zvyšujúcou sa rýchlosťou mrazenia. Skafoldy pripravené pomocou mrazenia v tekutom dusíku vykazovali vynikajúce mechanické vlastnosti, kde pevnosť v ohybe bola získaná v rozmedzí 10–17 MPa. Tie isté skafoldy mali vzdialenosť medzilamelamelárnych priestorov 10–30 µm, ktorých parametre sú vhodné pre nervové skafoldy. Biokompatibilita bola vyhodnotená pomocou Schwannových buniek in vitro, kde bola pozorovaná adhézia a rast v lamelárnom smere. Cytotoxické testy odhalili negatívny vplyv vyššej koncentrácie vápnika na prežitie Schwannových buniek. Pripravené skafoldy mali schopnosť tvorby apatitu na povrchu v podobe embryonálnych a nukleačných centier a apatitu samotného. Skafoldy na báze fosforečnanov vápenatých a oxidu titaničitého vykazovali sľubné regeneračné vlastnosti, konkrétne adhéziu a rast prostredníctvom pórovitej štruktúry a taktiež vynikajúce mechanické vlastnosti.

The preclinical imaging method micro-CT (microtomography) allows the visualization and quantification of the structure of samples at a resolution of micrometers. Its' importance is increasing globally. In addition to several advantages (non-destructive, the possibility of direct 3D analysis, time efficiency, etc.), micro-CT also has some significant limitations (problematic validation of results, image artifacts, significant influence of image modifications, etc.). This thesis focuses on the application of micro-CT in the field of research and development of metallic and non-metallic materials promoting bone healing with their possible clinical applications. The first part addresses the limitations of micro-CT through several studies. A comparison of pore sizes in biomaterials utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and micro-CT was performed, and the complications of pore size evaluation were presented. SEM image analysis leads to significantly higher values than micro-CT (approximately three times), which allows for comparison of the studies using only one of these methods. Validation of micro-CT 3D analysis results based on calibration phantoms with complex structure, to date, is not possible. We therefore developed software generating phantom datasets of 3D objects with well-defined...

Scaffolds are proteins with high conformational stability, allowing us to implement multiple mutations into specific parts of the protein. Even with these mutations, the structural integrity of the protein is maintained as well as its physical-chemical properties. These mutations give the specific scaffold new properties. In most cases it is the binding specificity towards previously chosen target. The biggest advantages of scaffolds are their small size, stability, low-cost manufacturing, and easiness of preparation. Scaffold utilized in this thesis is unique for having two binging surfaces designed on which it can be mutated. Each of those two surfaces can be separately mutated to develop a binging site for two different proteins. In our case these mutations led to binding two nonidentical receptors of a human cytokine. Mutations are made with a use of yeast display, one of the methods of directed evolution. The main focus of this thesis is changing an expression system of the binding proteins from the yeast system to a bacterial one, their production and purification followed by characterization of those binding proteins using biophysical methods. These methods were used to evaluate structural and thermal stability, and binding affinity to both receptors of the beforementioned binding proteins....

This thesis describes a highly interdisciplinary approach to discern the differing impact of scaffold dimensionality and physical space restrictions on the behavior of single cells. Rolled-up nanotechnology is employed to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) SiO/SiO2 microtube geometries of varied diameter, that after a biofunctionalization step are shown to support the growth of U2OS and six different types of stem cells. Cell confinement quantifiable through the given microtube diameter is tolerated by U2OS cells through a remarkable elongation of the cell body and nucleus down to a certain threshold, while the integrity of the DNA is maintained. This confinement for NSPCs also leads to the approaching of the in vivo morphology, underlining the space-restrictive property of live tissue. The dimensionality of the cell culture scaffold however is identified as the major determiner of NSPC migration characteristics and leads to a morphologically distinct mesenchymal to amoeboid migration mode transition. The 3D microtube migration is characterized by exclusively filopodia protrusion formation, a higher dependence on actin polymerization and adopts aspects of in vivo-reported saltatory movement. The reported findings contribute to the determination of biomaterial scaffold design principles and advance our current understanding of how physical properties of the extracellular environment affect cell migration characteristics.

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The aim of the thesis was development of an innovative treatment of bone defects. Human multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) play a crucial role in bone healing. Clinical applications of MSC require large amount of cells, which could be obtained by autologous expansion of MSC harvested from bone marrow. As a first step, the standard protocol of MSC expansion based on αMEM medium and fetal bovine serum (FBS) was used. Experiments replacing FBS by pooled human serum (HS) in the culture medium concluded in patenting of a new MSC cultivation protocol (EU 1999250, CR 301141). This one-step cultivation protocol and xenogeneic protein-free cultivation medium is based on CellGro® for Hematopoietic Cells' Medium, HS, human recombinant growth factors, dexamethasone, insulin and ascorbic acid. The preclinical in vitro and in vivo experiments with MSC from both expansion protocols were carried out. Fibrillar polylactic scaffolds were seeded with MSC, cultured, differentiated and implanted in immunodeficient mice (NOD/LtSz-Rag1-). Bone-like mineralized tissue containing vessels was observed. The MSC cultured according to patented method were classified as Advanced-therapy Medicinal Product and has to fulfil the European Medicines Agency regulations to enter the clinical trials. Nevertheless the use of MSC seems...