There is increasing evidence to suggest that fetal events can predetermine reproductive health and general wellbeing in adulthood, a process termed 'fetal programming'. This refers to the association between altered fetal growth/development and health disorders in adulthood e.g. the metabolic syndrome, which is linked to low male testosterone levels. Studies from both Europe and the USA have shown that adult male testosterone levels have been declining, independent of age. As low testosterone levels in aging men are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, this highlights the importance of investigating how testosterone levels are determined or potentially ‘programmed’ during fetal development. Evidence from human and rodent studies have shown that reduced fetal androgen exposure results in lower adult testosterone levels, although the mechanism(s) is unknown, to date. One way to explain how a fetal insult (e.g. androgen deficiency) could affect (testosterone producing) adult Leydig cells in adulthood, is if their progenitor cells were present during fetal life and were thus affected by such an insult. This hypothesis has been unexplored to date, due to the lack of a unifying/defining marker for adult Leydig progenitor cells. An earlier study promoted the hypothesis for the studies in this thesis, namely that chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor-II (COUP-TFII) might constitute such a marker, as inducible knockout of COUP-TFII in pre-pubertal male mice results in failure of adult Leydig cells to develop. Therefore, the hypothesis which was explored in this thesis was that 'fetal programming' of COUP-TFII+ adult Leydig progenitor cells prior to their differentiation into adult Leydig cells, would explain how fetal events could predetermine adult testosterone levels. To investigate whether adult Leydig cells (ALC) develop from COUP-TFII+ interstitial cells, firstly an adult Leydig cell ablation/regeneration model was used, which involved a single injection of ethane dimethane sulphonate (EDS). This identified that in rats, ALC derive from COUP-TFII+ interstitial cells which do not express any other phenotypical adult Leydig or interstitial cell markers prior to differentiation. Secondly, COUP-TFII+ adult Leydig progenitor cells are abundant in the fetal testis and conserved across species, including man. Thirdly, fetal interstitial cells which differentiated into ALC, as evident from an ALC lineage tracer model, also expressed COUP-TFII. Overall, these findings suggest that the COUP-TFII+ interstitial cells which differentiate into ALC are 'adult Leydig progenitor cells'. The findings from this thesis also show that the identified adult Leydig progenitor cells express the androgen receptor (AR) in fetal life. Furthermore, experimental reduction of androgen action in fetal life in transgenic mice (AR knockout) or chemical manipulations to reduce fetal testosterone levels (di(n-butyl) phthalate; DBP exposure) resulted in a similar reduction (~40%) in progenitor cell numbers from birth through to adulthood. A parallel reduction of adult Leydig cell numbers across postnatal development was found in mice, but not rats, but as a result of altered fetal androgen action, both models showed evidence for compensated adult Leydig cell failure. This is defined as normal/low testosterone and elevated luteinising hormone (LH) levels. Cell-selective knockout of AR in peritubular myoid (PTM) cells (PTM-ARKO) or Sertoli cells (SC-ARKO) did not affect the numerical development of adult Leydig progenitor cells. To manipulate testicular testosterone action in postnatal life, rats were exposed to a potent AR antagonist, flutamide, which reduced the number of adult Leydig progenitor cells but did not affect ALC number/function. However, the combination of fetal DBP+postnatal flutamide exposure reduced adult Leydig progenitor cells and resulted in compensated ALC failure. Overall, these studies highlight the importance of fetal androgens for the normal development of adult Leydig progenitor cells and for the subsequent development of normally functioning adult Leydig cells. As fetal deficits in androgen exposure resulted in adult Leydig cell dysfunction, this thesis also investigated three separate models to determine whether increased fetal androgen exposure could increase/enhance adult Leydig progenitor cell development, resulting in a 'gain of adult Leydig cell function'. In the first model to increase fetal androgen exposure, pregnant dams injected with testosterone propionate (TP; 20mg/kg/day e14-21.5) were discarded, due to confounding factors including fetal growth restriction and aromatisation of TP. The second model utilised dihydrotestosterone (DHT; 10mg/kg/day), administered to pregnant dams, but there were no effects found in adulthood to male offspring. It was concluded that the administered dose was not sufficient to increase intratesticular testosterone levels in the fetus. The third model utilised an inducible nitric oxide synthase knockout (iNOS-/-) mouse model, for which previous evidence showed increased testis weight, Leydig and Sertoli cell number (~50%), and normal testosterone but low LH levels in adulthood. Stereological quantification showed an increase in the number of adult Leydig progenitor cells in postnatal, but not fetal life, which resulted in the conclusion that the observed changes were a consequence of postnatal effects. Finally, a potential mechanism to explain how DBP-induced androgen deficiency in fetal life, could result in adult Leydig cell dysfunction in adulthood was investigated. Analysis of testicular genes in adulthood, involved in the steroidogenic pathway, showed a reduction in 3b-hsd and StAR. The reduced StAR expression was associated with increased repressive histone methylation (H3K27me3) in its proximal promoter region, as demonstrated by a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay, qPCR, and densitometrical analysis. Accordingly, adult Leydig cells were shown to express increased H3K27me3 by immunohistochemistry, a change also evident in adult Leydig progenitor cells in the fetal testis. This would provide a potential mechanism to explain how fetal events can 'programme' adult Leydig cell testosterone production, namely via an epigenetic change to adult Leydig progenitor cells. In summary, the results in this thesis show how fetal events, including androgen action on progenitor cells, can potentially programme adult Leydig cell function and thus determine testosterone levels. As testosterone is crucial to man, the findings reported in this thesis may have important implications for the general health and longevity of man.

Physical or psychological chronic stress can suppress the immune system. However, the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. We investigated the effect of hematopoietic stem-progenitor cells (HSPCs) on chronic stress-induced the alterations of immune responses. We demonstrate that HSPCs prevents stress-induced lymphocyte apoptosis. Moreover, we also demonstrate that the protective effect of HSPCs on stress-induced lymphocyte reduction exerts by steroid hormones. Furthermore, we reveal that chronic stress-induced T cell-mediated immune responses contributes to the protective effect of HSPCs. These results indicate that HPSCs might offer a novel therapeutic strategy against the deleterious effects of chronic stress on the immune system.

BACKGROUND:The oncogenic roles contributed by the Akt/PKB kinase family remain controversial and presumably depend on cell context, but are perceived to be modulated by an interplay and net balance between various isoforms. This study is intended to decipher whether distinct Akt kinase isoforms exert either redundant or unique functions in regulating neoplastic features of breast cancer cells, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell motility, and stem/progenitor cell expansion.RESULTS:We demonstrate that overactivation of Akt signaling in nonmalignant MCF10A cells and in primary cultures of normal human mammary epithelial tissue results in previously unreported inhibitory effects on EMT, cell motility and stem/progenitor cell expansion. Importantly, this effect is largely redundant and independent of Akt isoform types. However, using a series of isogenic cell lines derived from MCF-10A cells but exhibiting varying stages of progressive tumorigenesis, we observe that this inhibition of neoplastic behavior can be reversed in epithelial cells that have advanced to a highly malignant state. In contrast to the tumor suppressive properties of Akt, activated Akt signaling in MCF10A cells can rescue cell viability upon treatment with cytotoxic agents. This feature is regarded as tumor-promoting.CONCLUSION:We demonstrate that Akt signaling conveys novel dichotomy effects in which its oncogenic properties contributes mainly to sustaining cell viability, as opposed to the its tumor suppressing effects, which are mediated by repressing EMT, cell motility, and stem/progenitor cell expansion. While the former exerts a tumor-enhancing effect, the latter merely acts as a safeguard by restraining epithelial cells at the primary sites until metastatic spread can be moved forward, a process that is presumably dictated by the permissive tumor microenvironment or additional oncogenic insults.

Haemorrhage within the germinal matrix with extension into the ventricle is commonly seen in very low birth weight babies. Outcome following severe haemorrhage, in particular when associated with post haemorrhagic hydrocephalus and congestive venous infarction is poor, whilst outcome following moderate degrees of haemorrhage remains variable. The Neural Stem Progenitor Cells (NSPC) within the GM have been shown to be exquisitely sensitive to micro-environmental cues, as such, haemorrhage within the GM is postulated to impact on neurological outcome through aberration of normal NSPC behaviour. Here we have developed a stereotactic model of autologous blood injection which recapitulates key features of Papile grade II/III Germinal Matrix Haemorrhage / Intraventricular Haemorrhage (GMH/IVH). This model demonstrates that GMH/IVH causes an activation of the NSPC within the wall of the lateral ventricle and increases the number of transient amplifying cells within the transcallosal pathway. Further to this RNA extraction from the NSPC (selected using a CD133 MACS protocol) revealed that GMH/IVH causes a significant down regulation of the transmembrane receptor Notch, a finding that was validated using Hes5 in situ hybridisation (ISH). Using a battery of behavioural tests including assessment of developmental landmarks, neuromotor and reflex development we found that GMH/IVH causes subtle but significant impacts on early neonatal development. GMH/IVH in transgenic mice overexpressing the polycomb group gene Bmi1 in NSC (Nestin+ve) revealed increased self-renewal and resistance to oxidative stress (properties of Bmi1 overexpression) reduced the impact of GMH on the oligodendrocyte population, it also revealed a unique behavioural phenotype. We propose that GMH/IVH down regulates Notch in the NSPC causing a burst of precocious proliferation and depleting the NSPC pool, which impacts on neurological outcome due to altered cortical architecture. Further we suggest that modulation of NSPC properties may play role in determining outcome and should be further explored for its therapeutic potential.

Transplantation of adult human hepatic stem/progenitor cells (hHSPCs) has been considered as an alternative therapy, replacing donor liver transplantation to treat liver cirrhosis. This study assessed the antifibrotic effects of hHSPCs in mice with fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and examined the actions of hHSPCs on the fibrogenic activity of human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in a coculture system. Isolated hHSPCs expressed stem/progenitor cell phenotypic markers. Mice were given CCl4 (twice weekly for 7 weeks) and hHSPC transplantation weekly. CCl4 induced advanced fibrosis (bridging fibrosis and cirrhosis) in mice, which was prevented by hHSPC transplantation. The liver of hHSPC-transplanted mice showed only occasional short septa and focal parenchymal fibrosis, and a 50% reduction in hepatic collagen, assessed by Sirius red stain histomorphometry. Moreover, the proteins for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen I were decreased. While α-SMA, collagen α1(I), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproproteinase-1 mRNAs were decreased, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 mRNA was increased, consistent with decreased fibrogenesis. MMP-2 and transforming growth factor-Β were not affected. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were lower, suggesting improvement of liver function/damage. In coculture, hHSPCs elicited changes of α-SMA and fibrogenic molecules in HSCs similar to those observed in vivo, providing evidence for a functional link between hHSPCs and HSCs. A decreased HSC proliferation was noted. Thus, transplantation of hHSPCs prevents histogenesis of advanced liver fibrosis caused by CCl4. hHSPCs mediate downregulation of HSC activation coincident with modulation of fibrogenic molecule expression, leading to suppression of fibrogenesis both in vivo and in vitro.

No description available.

<p> Cell therapy for Parkinson's disease will greatly benefit from progress in methods aimed at visualizing the dopamine system and cell replacement techniques. Currently, cell therapy has been met with varied success, in part due to differences in cell sources, transplantation procedures, and our lack of understanding of cell fate post-transplantation. The standardization of transplantation procedures will enhance our ability to draw comparisons between studies and improve cell therapy outcomes. We developed a method to label neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) with technetium-99m and then visualize the cells with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) subsequent to grafting in the brain. This labeling method permitted a high uptake of the tracer into the cells without causing damage to the DNA or altering cell viability. The labeling caused a significant decrease (75%) in the proliferative capacity of the SPCs and caused a trend towards an increase in neuronal differentiation. Using this technique paves the way to standardize the location of the transplant and quantify the number transplanted cells while increasing the production of neurons.</p> <p> Experiments were performed to visualize the dopamine system with [(123)I]altropane at pre-and post-transplant time points in the 6-0HDA rat model of Parkinson's disease. [(123)I]altropane binding correlated with the content of dopamine in the stria tum. However, [(123)I]altropane binding was not correlated with dopamine content in the substantia nigra and did not show a correlation with the amphetamine rotations. However, there was a significant correlation with the cylinder test and the postural instability test. When the data was assessed using linear regression, the r^2 value of the linear relationship was low indicating that [(123)I]altropane SPECT is not a good predictor of behavioural outcome due to a weak linear relationship. Our data indicates that [(123)I]altropane predicts the integrity of the striatal dopamine nerve terminals, but does not predict the integrity of the nigrostriatal system. The results are discussed in relation to the use of [(123)I]altropane in comparison to other dopamine SPECT and PET agents. </p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The engraftment of haemopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) from umbilical cord blood (UCB) into adult recipients, although advantageous in terms of sourcing units, the decreased need to match donor and recipient and reduced risk of graft versus host disease (GvHD), is delayed compared to grafts using HSPCs from mobilised peripheral blood (MPB) or bone marrow (BM). One reason for this is the limited number of HSPCs (CD34+/CD133+ cells) in a unit of UCB compared to MPB or BM. The CXCR4-CXCL12 axis is widely recognised as a key player in the bone marrow homing, retention, and engraftment of HSPCs. The aim of this thesis was to investigate whether the engraftment of HSPCs from UCB into the bone marrow could be improved. Firstly, a novel in vitro 3D time-lapse chemotaxis assay to assess the homing capacity of human UCB CD133+ HSPCs, towards the chemokine CXCL12 was developed. One advantage of this assay was that it distinguished cell chemotaxis from chemokinesis and allowed these parameters to be quantified. Human UCB CD133+ HSPC chemotaxis towards CXCL12 was inhibited by the CXCR4 antagonist, AMD3100. Importantly, the presence of CXCL12 or AMD3100 had no affect on cell chemokinesis. To complement the in vitro chemotaxis assay, a short term in vivo homing assay in NSG mice was successfully established. The effect of siRNA silencing of the CXCR4 co-receptor, CD164, which is also expressed on CD133+ HSPCs, on cell migratory and homing ability was investigated. CD164 knock-down using siRNA in human UCB CD133+ HSPCs did not demonstrate an effect on homing to NSG bone marrow in vivo or chemotaxis to CXCL12 in vitro. However, homing to NSG mouse spleen was significantly reduced in cells silenced for CD164. Following this, an 8 day HSPC expansion system using nanofibre scaffolds (Nanex) and differing cytokines was investigated. These serum and feeder free conditions yielded a significant expansion of cells that retained CD133+CD34+ expression and their in vitro chemotactic ability to CXCL12. Time constraints did not permit the engrafting ability of these cells to be analysed in an in vivo HSC reconstitution assay that was initiated. However these studies will provide the basis to support future related research in this laboratory.

La destruction des cellules ciliées de la cochlée entraine des surdités sensorielles. Chez les mammifères ces cellules ne se régénèrent pas et les déficits auditifs occasionnés sont définitifs. Aucune thérapie visant à remplacer les cellules ciliées détruites n'est actuellement proposée.L'objectif de cette thèse est de contribuer au développement d'une thérapie cellulaire basée sur la greffe de cellules souches / progénitrices cochléaires et destinée à promouvoir la régénération des cellules ciliées.Au cours de nos travaux, nous avons isolé une population de cellules souches cochléaires chez des souris néonatales appartenant à la « side population » (Savary et al. 2007). Nous avons également montré, par des expériences de perte et de gain de fonction in vitro, que la voie de signalisation Notch est nécessaire pour l'auto-renouvellement et la différenciation de ces cellules (Savary et al., 2008). Des lignées de souris transgéniques exprimant la GFP sous le promoteur de la GFAP et de la Nestine nous ont permis de suivre l'expression de ces marqueurs de cellules souches dans des cochlées de souris P3 et adultes. En étudiant l'expression combinée d'autres marqueurs comme Sox2 et Abcg2, nous avons montré que les cellules progénitrices cochléaires sont réparties différemment chez les souris néonatales et les souris adultes (Smeti, Savary et al 2010).Nos expériences préliminaires de transplantation in vitro dans un modèle murin de surdité génétique humaine de type DFNA15 démontrent que les cellules souches / progénitrices greffées sont capables d'intégrer l'épithélium sensoriel lésé et de se différencier en cellules exprimant un marqueur de cellules ciliées. / The destruction of cochlear hair cells causes sensory deafness. In Mammals these cells do not regenerate and damages are irreversible. Currently, there is no proposed therapy to replace the destroyed hair cells.The focus of this thesis is to develop a novel cell therapy based on transplantation of cochlear progenitor cells in order to promote regeneration of hair cells.We first isolated a population of cochlear stem cells from neonatal mice by using the side population analysis technique (Savary et al. 2007). Then, we showed, by in vitro loss and gain of function experiments, that the Notch signaling pathway is necessary for cellular self-renewal and differentiation (Savary et al., 2008).Transgenic mice strains expressing GFP under the control of GFAP and Nestin promotors allowed us to monitor the expression of these markers of stem cells in the P3 and adult mice cochleae. By studying the combined expression of other stem cells markers such as Sox2 and ABCG2, we showed that the niches of cochlear progenitor cells are differently distributed in neonatal and adult mice (Smati, Savary et al 2010).Our preliminary in vitro transplantation experiments in a mouse model that mimics human genetic deafness DFNA15 show that the transplanted stem / progenitor cells are able to migrate to the lesion site, to integrate the damaged sensory epithelium and to differentiate into cells expressing a marker of hair cells.

La documentation scientifique fait état de la présence, chez l’adulte, de cellules souches et progénitrices neurales (CSPN) endogènes dans les zones sous-ventriculaire et sous-granulaire du cerveau ainsi que dans le gyrus denté de l’hippocampe. De plus, un postulat selon lequel il serait également possible de retrouver ce type de cellules dans la moelle épinière et le néocortex des mammifères adultes a été énoncé. L’encéphalopathie de Wernicke, un trouble neurologique grave toutefois réversible qui entraîne un dysfonctionnement, voire une défaillance du cerveau, est causée principalement par une carence importante en thiamine (CT). Des observations récentes laissent envisager que les facteurs en cause dans la prolifération et la différenciation des CSPN pourraient également jouer un rôle important lors d’un épisode de CT. L’hypothèse, selon laquelle l’identification de nouveaux métabolites entrant dans le mécanisme ou la séquence de réactions se soldant en une CT pourraient en faciliter la compréhension, a été émise au moyen d'une démarche en cours permettant d’établir le profil des modifications métaboliques qui surviennent en de telles situations. Cette approche a été utilisée pour constater les changements métaboliques survenus au niveau du foyer cérébral dans un modèle de rats déficients en thiamine (rats DT), particulièrement au niveau du thalamus et du colliculus inférieur (CI). La greffe de CSPN a quant à elle été envisagée afin d’apporter de nouvelles informations sur la participation des CSPN lors d’un épisode de CT et de déterminer les bénéfices thérapeutiques potentiels offerts par cette intervention. Les sujets de l’étude étaient répartis en quatre groupes expérimentaux : un premier groupe constitué de rats dont la CT était induite par la pyrithiamine (rats DTiP), un deuxième groupe constitué de rats-contrôles nourris ensemble (« pair-fed control rats » ou rats PFC) ainsi que deux groupes de rats ayant subi une greffe de CSPN, soit un groupe de rats DTiP greffés et un dernier groupe constitué de rats-contrôles (rats PFC) greffés. Les échantillons de foyers cérébraux (thalamus et CI) des quatre groupes de rats ont été prélevés et soumis à des analyses métabolomiques non ciblées ainsi qu’à une analyse visuelle par microscopie à balayage électronique (SEM). Une variété de métabolites-clés a été observée chez les groupes de rats déficients en thiamine (rats DTiP) en plus de plusieurs métabolites dont la documentation ne faisait pas mention. On a notamment constaté la présence d’acides biliaires, d’acide cynurénique et d’acide 1,9— diméthylurique dans le thalamus, alors que la présence de taurine et de carnosine a été observée dans le colliculus inférieur. L’étude a de plus démontré une possible implication des CSPN endogènes dans les foyers cérébraux du thalamus et du colliculus inférieur en identifiant les métabolites-clés ciblant les CSPN. Enfin, les analyses par SEM ont montré une amélioration notable des tissus à la suite de la greffe de CSPN. Ces constatations suggèrent que l’utilisation de CSPN pourrait s’avérer une avenue thérapeutique intéressante pour soulager la dégénérescence symptomatique liée à une grave carence en thiamine chez l’humain. / Endogenous neural-stem progenitor cells (NSPC) have been documented to be found in the subventricular and subgranular zones, the dentate gyrus, and suggestions of the possibility of these cells being found in the spinal cord and neocortex in adult mammalian brain have been postulated. Thiamine deficiency (TD) is the major cause of Wernicke's Encephalopathy, a reversible neurological disorder that results in cerebral dysfunction and impairment. Recent evidence suggests factors involved in neural NSPC proliferation and differentiation are involved during TD. By means of a current approach for profiling metabolic changes occurring in focal areas of the TD rat brain, specifically the thalamus and the inferior colliculus (IC), it was hypothesized that new metabolites that might offer a better understanding into the sequel and/or mechanism of TD could be identified. It was also considered that the use of NSPC transplantation could offer new information into the involvement of NSPC and potential therapeutic benefit in TD. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis, fluorescences microscopy, and scanning election microscopy (SEM) analysis visualization was performed on samples of the focal areas (thalamus and IC) of pyrithiamine induced TD rats (PTD), pair-fed controls (PFC) rats, and NSPC transplanted TD and PFC rats. Various key metabolites were identified in rats with TD, including previous undocumented metabolites such as bile acids, kynurenic acid, and 1,9-dimethyluric acid in the thalamus and taurine and carnosine in the IC. The study also demonstrated a possible involvement of endogenous NSPC in focal areas of the thalamus and IC identifying key metabolites targeting NSPC and showed tissue amelioration (observed through SEM) following NSPC transplantation. The findings suggested that NSPC could offer a therapeutic alternative to alleviate some of symptomatic degeneration of TD.