Resveratrol-Induced Xenophagy Promotes Intracellular Bacteria Clearance in Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Macrophages

Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation process that contributes to host immunity by eliminating invasive pathogens and the modulating inflammatory response. Several infectious and immune disorders are associated with autophagy defects, suggesting that stimulation of autophagy in these diseases should be beneficial. Here, we show that resveratrol is able to boost xenophagy, a selective form of autophagy that target invasive bacteria. We demonstrated that resveratrol promotes in vitro autophagy-dependent clearance of intracellular bacteria in intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages. These results were validated in vivo using infection in a transgenic GFP-LC3 zebrafish model. We also compared the ability of resveratrol derivatives, designed to improve the bioavailability of the parent molecule, to stimulate autophagy and to induce intracellular bacteria clearance. Together, our data demonstrate the ability of resveratrol to stimulate xenophagy, and thereby enhance the clearance of two invasive bacteria involved life-threatening diseases, Salmonella Typhimurium and Crohn's disease-associated Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli. These findings encourage the further development of pro-autophagic nutrients to strengthen intestinal homeostasis in basal and infectious states

Both Monoclonal and Polyclonal Immunoglobulin Contingents Mediate Complement Activation in Monoclonal Gammopathy Associated-C3 Glomerulopathy

C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) results from acquired or genetic abnormalities in the complement alternative pathway (AP). C3G with monoclonal immunoglobulin (MIg-C3G) was recently included in the spectrum of “monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance.” However, mechanisms of complement dysregulation in MIg-C3G are not described and the pathogenic effect of the monoclonal immunoglobulin is not understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of complement dysregulation in a cohort of 41 patients with MIg-C3G. Low C3 level and elevated sC5b-9, both biomarkers of C3 and C5 convertase activation, were present in 44 and 78% of patients, respectively. Rare pathogenic variants were identified in 2/28 (7%) tested patients suggesting that the disease is acquired in a large majority of patients. Anti-complement auto-antibodies were found in 20/41 (49%) patients, including anti-FH (17%), anti-CR1 (27%), anti-FI (5%) auto-antibodies, and C3 Nephritic Factor (7%) and were polyclonal in 77% of patients. Using cofactor assay, the regulation of the AP was altered in presence of purified IgG from 3/9 and 4/7 patients with anti-FH or anti-CR1 antibodies respectively. By using fluid and solid phase AP activation, we showed that total purified IgG of 22/34 (65%) MIg-C3G patients were able to enhance C3 convertase activity. In five documented cases, we showed that the C3 convertase enhancement was mostly due to the monoclonal immunoglobulin, thus paving the way for a new mechanism of complement dysregulation in C3G. All together the results highlight the contribution of both polyclonal and monoclonal Ig in MIg-C3G. They provide direct insights to treatment approaches and opened up a potential way to a personalized therapeutic strategy based on chemotherapy adapted to the B cell clone or immunosuppressive therapy

Analysis of the real EADGENE data set: Comparison of methods and guidelines for data normalisation and selection of differentially expressed genes (Open Access publication)

A large variety of methods has been proposed in the literature for microarray data analysis. The aim of this paper was to present techniques used by the EADGENE (European Animal Disease Genomics Network of Excellence) WP1.4 participants for data quality control, normalisation and statistical methods for the detection of differentially expressed genes in order to provide some more general data analysis guidelines. All the workshop participants were given a real data set obtained in an EADGENE funded microarray study looking at the gene expression changes following artificial infection with two different mastitis causing bacteria: Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. It was reassuring to see that most of the teams found the same main biological results. In fact, most of the differentially expressed genes were found for infection by E. coli between uninfected and 24 h challenged udder quarters. Very little transcriptional variation was observed for the bacteria S. aureus. Lists of differentially expressed genes found by the different research teams were, however, quite dependent on the method used, especially concerning the data quality control step. These analyses also emphasised a biological problem of cross-talk between infected and uninfected quarters which will have to be dealt with for further microarray studies

Ligand Binding Study of Human PEBP1/RKIP: Interaction with Nucleotides and Raf-1 Peptides Evidenced by NMR and Mass Spectrometry

Background Human Phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein 1 (hPEBP1) also known as Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP), affects various cellular processes, and is implicated in metastasis formation and Alzheimer's disease. Human PEBP1 has also been shown to inhibit the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. Numerous reports concern various mammalian PEBP1 binding ligands. However, since PEBP1 proteins from many different species were investigated, drawing general conclusions regarding human PEBP1 binding properties is rather difficult. Moreover, the binding site of Raf-1 on hPEBP1 is still unknown. Methods/Findings In the present study, we investigated human PEBP1 by NMR to determine the binding site of four different ligands: GTP, FMN, and one Raf-1 peptide in tri-phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated forms. The study was carried out by NMR in near physiological conditions, allowing for the identification of the binding site and the determination of the affinity constants KD for different ligands. Native mass spectrometry was used as an alternative method for measuring KD values. Conclusions/Significance Our study demonstrates and/or confirms the binding of hPEBP1 to the four studied ligands. All of them bind to the same region centered on the conserved ligand-binding pocket of hPEBP1. Although the affinities for GTP and FMN decrease as pH, salt concentration and temperature increase from pH 6.5/NaCl 0 mM/20°C to pH 7.5/NaCl 100 mM/30°C, both ligands clearly do bind under conditions similar to what is found in cells regarding pH, salt concentration and temperature. In addition, our work confirms that residues in the vicinity of the pocket rather than those within the pocket seem to be required for interaction with Raf-1.METASU

Ligation chimique sur support solide (vers la préparation d analogues de la glycoprotéine MUC1)

Le travail effectué au cours de cette thèse se situe dans le cadre d'une approche anti-tumorale par immunothérapie. Le cœur de ce projet a consisté à développer une méthodologie permettant de synthétiser des mimes de la forme tumorale de la glycoprotéine MUC1 par multiligation chimique sur support solide. La stratégie de synthèse repose sur une approche convergente basée sur la condensation par liaison oxime entre un peptide aminooxy (Aoa) et un peptide aldéhyde. Le développement d une approche utilisant la déprotection sélective du groupe Aoa sur le fragment médian a permis de coupler plusieurs motifs MUC1 par ligation chimique sur support solide et d obtenir deux longs peptides comportant deux unités et demi de répétition de la protéine MUC1 pour l un et un épitope T-auxiliaire supplémentaire pour l autre composé. Ce travail ouvre la voie à la synthèse de chimères de MUC1 qui seront glycosylées par voie chimioenzymatique. Ces petites glycoprotéines synthétiques, bien que calquées sur des glycoprotéines naturelles, seront élaborées dans le but d'étudier différentes présentations des antigènes pour optimiser leur immunogénicité.ORLEANS-BU Sciences (452342104) / SudocSudocFranceF

Synthèse et étude physicochimique de peptides ayant une activité immunologique potentielle

ORLEANS-BU Sciences (452342104) / SudocSudocFranceF

La multi-ligation triazole (développement de nouveaux outils pour la synthèse de mimes de protéines par cycloadditions successives)

Ce travail est consacré au développement d une nouvelle méthode de synthèse d analogues bioactifs de protéinesen utilisant des réactions successives de cycloaddition entre les alcynes terminaux et les azotures (CuAAC).Pour pouvoir effectuer des cycloadditions itératives, nous avons étudié la stabilité et les conditions de coupure dedifférents groupements masquants des alcynes terminaux. Cette étude a été valorisée par le développement d unestratégie originale pour réaliser un triple cycloaddition successive une même molécule basée sur la protectiontemporaire de la fonction alcyne.La méthode a été appliquée à la synthèse d'un analogue de la stéfine A humaine, un inhibiteur naturel deprotéases à cystéine d intérêt thérapeutique. Pour cela, nous avons mis au point des conditions de CuAACsuccessive compatibles avec des peptides déprotégés de façon beaucoup à obtenir in fine un analogue bis-triazolede la stéfine A. Les études par dichroïsme circulaire et d inhibition de diverses protéases à cystéines confirmentque notre analogue synthétique conserve la structure et l activité biologique de la protéine native.La stratégie de ligation triazole successive a été étendue par la mise au point de conditions pour réaliser desligations sur phase solide. La méthodologie développée permet la synthèse de protéines de façon plus rapide etplus simple que par des procédés classiques de ligation successive en solution. Dans l optique de la synthèse destructures glycopeptidiques capables d induire une réponse immunitaire contre MUC1 tumorale, nous avons réaliséla synthèse d analogues peptidiques de MUC1 par ligation successive sur phase solide de 160 acides aminés.The aim of this work was the development of a novel method for the synthesis of triazolo-proteins by multiplesuccessive copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloadditions (CuAAC).In order to achieve several successive cycloadditions, we have studied the stability and cleavage conditions ofseveral alkyne protective groups. This study leaded us to the development of an original strategy in order toachieve three successive cycloadditions on a same scaffold by temporal protection of alkyne functionalities.The method has been applied to the synthesis of an analogue of human stefin A, a natural inhibitor of severaltherapeutically relevant cysteine proteases. Therefore, we have developed CuAAC conditions compatible withunprotected peptide ligation. The strategy allowed us to obtain a bis-triazolo analogue of human stefin A. Circulardichroism and enzymology assays on several cysteine cathepsins revealed that the synthetic analogue hasretained the folding and full biological activity of the native protein.In order to expand the possibilities of this strategy, we have developed reaction conditions allowing us to performsuccessive triazole ligation on solid phase. This methodology avoids the need for a time-consuming and laborintensivepurification step before and after each ligation. With the aim of exploring the use of analogues of thetumor-associated form of the glycoprotein MUC1 to induce a specific immune response, we have synthesized atriazolo-analogue of MUC1 of 160 aminoacids using solid phase peptide ligation.ORLEANS-SCD-Bib. electronique (452349901) / SudocSudocFranceF

Fragmentation dans une source à électronébulisation de biomolécules de synthèse (peptides thioester, acétal, aldéhyde et oligonucléotides bromés)

La thèse a porté sur l'étude de peptides et d'oligonucléotides par fragmentation dans la source électrospray d'un Quattro II (Micromass). L'instrument a d'abord été évalué en mode positif avec des peptides thioester modèles puis en mode négatif avec des oligodésoxynucléotides bromés dont la fragmentation de la base modifiée permet sa localisation dans la séquence.La fragmentation de peptides acétal et diol (aldéhyde hydraté) conduit à un même ion final cyclique. L'hydratation de peptides aldéhyde a été étudiée en solution par RMN et en phase gazeuse par fragmentation dans la source. Les informations issues de ce travail ont permis une meilleure compréhension du mécanisme de la réaction d'oximation.ORLEANS-BU Sciences (452342104) / SudocSudocFranceF

Optimization of an optical system used for laser beam transformation

The principle of a specific optical device which was designed to homogenize the power density distribution of a CO2 laser beam is described in the paper. The detailed formulas to express the relation between power density distribution of converted beam and optical parameters of device are given. Based on this relation, a scheme to optimize the device is presented. The power density distributions simulated by computer before and after optimization are given. A tentative criterion to estimate the uniformity of a beam spot in which there are interference fringes, is put forward