Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is generally considered to be a good prognostic marker because almost 70% of ERα-positive tumors respond to anti-hormone therapies. Unfortunately, during cancer progression, mammary tumors can escape from estrogen control, resulting in resistance to treatment. In this study, we demonstrate that activation of the actin/megakaryoblastic leukemia 1 (MKL1) signaling pathway promotes the hormonal escape of estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cell lines. The actin/MKL1 signaling pathway is silenced in differentiated ERα-positive breast cancer MCF-7 and T47D cell lines and active in ERα-negative HMT-3522 T4-2 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, which have undergone epithelial-mesenchymal transition. We showed that MKL1 activation in MCF-7 cells, either by modulating actin dynamics or using MKL1 mutants, down-regulates ERα expression and abolishes E2-dependent cell growth. Interestingly, the constitutively active form of MKL1 represses PR and HER2 expression in these cells and increases the expression of HB-EGF, TGFβ, and amphiregulin growth factors in an E2-independent manner. The resulting expression profile (ER-, PR-, HER2-) typically corresponds to the triple-negative breast cancer expression profile.
ISSN: 0303-7207

hal-01061363
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01061363
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01061363/document
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01061363/file/Activationsur the_MKL1actin_Kerdivel_et_al._text_Figures.pdf
DOI : 10.1016/j.mce.2014.03.009

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Springer Verlag
Résumé : International audience
Dentin matrix acidic phosphoprotein 1 (DMP1) is an acidic, highly phosphorylated, noncollagenous protein secreted during dentin and bone formation. Previous functional studies of DMP1 have revealed various motifs playing a role in either mineralization or cell differentiation. We performed an evolutionary analysis of DMP1 to identify residues and motifs that were conserved during 220 millions years (Ma) of mammalian evolution, and hence have an important function. In silico search provided us with 41 sequences that were aligned and analyzed using the Hyphy program. We showed that DMP1 contains 55 positions that were kept unchanged for 220 Ma. We also defined in a more precise manner some motifs that were already known (i.e., cleavage sites, RGD motif, ASARM peptide, glycosaminoglycan chain attachment site, nuclear localization signal sites, and dentin sialophosphoprotein-binding site), and we found five, highly conserved, new functional motifs. In the near future, functional studies could be performed to understand the role played by them.
ISSN: 0022-2844

hal-01545482
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01545482
DOI : 10.1007/s00239-013-9539-2

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen of humans and warm-blooded animals. It is foundin healthy carriage and can cause a wide range of infections in its hosts. The epithelial surface is theprincipal site of staphylococcal infection. The pathogens have evolved sophisticated mechanisms tohijack the main function of the host cells, thus promoting their invasion and colonization. Amongstthese effects are, alteration of host cell apoptosis, promotion of cell proliferation or conversely,inhibition of cell growth. Using human cervix cancer HeLa and mammary gland bovine MAC-Tepithelial cells, we studied the cytopathic effect of S. aureus and its ability to affect host cell cycle.Using microscopic examination, we found that S. aureus induced the cytopathic effect resulting in theenlargement of the host cells 72 hours post infection. Our experiments showed that the proliferationrate of the epithelial cells was slowed down in S. aureus-infected culture. Three different S. aureusstrains from human and animal origins were used and showed similar effect on both human and bovinecells. Microscopic analysis of DAPI-stained cells revealed huge decrease of mitotic indexes in infectedHeLa and Mac-T cells, synchronized by Double Thymidine Block. Using flow cytometry analysis, wefound that S. aureus induces G2/M phase delay in synchronous HeLa cells. By Western blot analysis,we showed that the G2/M phase delay was associated with accumulation of inactive phosphorylatedcyclin-dependent kinase Cdk1/cdc2, a key inducer of mitosis entry, and dephosphorylation of corehistone H3, an important component of the epigenetic landscape.These results suggest that the delay in G2/M phase transition of the infected epithelial cells may beone of the mechanisms employed by S. aureus to survive and to propagate inside the host. A fullcomprehension of the mechanisms associated to S. aureus-host cell interactions will undoubtedly helpto discover novel targets to treat staphylococcal infections.
EMBO
Villars sur Ollon, Switzerland

hal-01454214
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01454214
PRODINRA : 171657

Éditeur(s) : Academic Press Ltd- Elsevier Science Ltd
Résumé : Over the last decade, RNA interference pathways have emerged in eukaryotes as critical regulators of many diverse biological functions including, among others, transcriptional gene regulation, post-transcriptional gene silencing, heterochromatin remodelling, suppression of transposon activity, and antiviral defences. Although this gene silencing process has been reported to be relatively well conserved in species of different phyla, there are important discrepancies between plants, invertebrates and mammals. In penaeid shrimp, the existence of an intact and functional RNAi machinery is supported by a rapidly growing body of evidence. However, the extent to which this process participates to the host immune responses remains poorly defined in this non-model organism. This review summarizes our current knowledge of RNAi mechanisms in shrimp and focuses on their implication in antiviral activities and shrimp immune defences.
Fish & Shellfish Immunology (1050-4648) (Academic Press Ltd- Elsevier Science Ltd), 2013-04 , Vol. 34 , N. 4 , P. 1002-1010

Droits : 2012 Elsevier Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00119/23063/20899.pdf
DOI:10.1016/j.fsi.2012.06.008
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00119/23063/

Éditeur(s) : Oxford Univ Press Inc
Résumé : Since the transition from terrestrial to marine environments poses strong osmoregulatory and energetic challenges, temporal and spatial fluctuations in oceanic salinity might influence salt and water balance (and hence, body condition) in marine tetrapods. We assessed the effects of salinity on three species of sea snakes studied by mark-recapture in coral-reef habitats in the Neo-Caledonian Lagoon. These three species include one fully aquatic hydrophiine (Emydocephalus annulatus), one primarily aquatic laticaudine (Laticauda laticaudata), and one frequently terrestrial laticaudine (Laticauda saintgironsi). We explored how oceanic salinity affected the snakes' body condition across various temporal and spatial scales relevant to each species' ecology, using linear mixed models and multimodel inference. Mean annual salinity exerted a consistent and negative effect on the body condition of all three snake species. The most terrestrial taxon (L. saintgironsi) was sensitive to salinity over a short temporal scale, corresponding to the duration of a typical marine foraging trip for this species. In contrast, links between oceanic salinity and body condition in the fully aquatic E. annulatus and the highly aquatic L. laticaudata were strongest at a long-term (annual) scale. The sophisticated salt-excreting systems of sea snakes allow them to exploit marine environments, but do not completely overcome the osmoregulatory challenges posed by oceanic conditions. Future studies could usefully explore such effects in other secondarily marine taxa such as seabirds, turtles, and marine mammals.
Integrative And Comparative Biology (1540-7063) (Oxford Univ Press Inc), 2012-08 , Vol. 52 , N. 2 , P. 235-244

Droits : The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00089/20064/20739.pdf
DOI:10.1093/icb/ics081
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00089/20064/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Nature Publishing Group
Résumé : International audience
Genetic recombination occurs during meiosis, the key developmental programme of gametogenesis. Recombination in mammals has been recently linked to the activity of a histone H3 methyltransferase, PR domain containing 9 (PRDM9), the product of the only known speciation-associated gene in mammals. PRDM9 is thought to determine the preferred recombination sites--recombination hotspots--through sequence-specific binding of its highly polymorphic multi-Zn-finger domain. Nevertheless, Prdm9 knockout mice are proficient at initiating recombination. Here we map and analyse the genome-wide distribution of recombination initiation sites in Prdm9 knockout mice and in two mouse strains with different Prdm9 alleles and their F(1) hybrid. We show that PRDM9 determines the positions of practically all hotspots in the mouse genome, with the exception of the pseudo-autosomal region (PAR)--the only area of the genome that undergoes recombination in 100% of cells. Surprisingly, hotspots are still observed in Prdm9 knockout mice, and as in wild type, these hotspots are found at H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) trimethylation marks. However, in the absence of PRDM9, most recombination is initiated at promoters and at other sites of PRDM9-independent H3K4 trimethylation. Such sites are rarely targeted in wild-type mice, indicating an unexpected role of the PRDM9 protein in sequestering the recombination machinery away from gene-promoter regions and other functional genomic elements.
ISSN: 0028-0836

hal-00877666
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00877666
DOI : 10.1038/nature11089
PUBMED : 22660327

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Résumé : International audience
We investigated infection of rodents and shrews by Leptospira spp. in two localities of Cambodia (Veal Renh, Kaev Seima) and in four types of habitat (forests, non-flooded lands, lowland rain-fed paddy fields, houses) during the wet and the dry seasons. Habitat preference was common, and rodent and shrew species were found only in houses or in rain-fed paddy fields or in forests. Among 649 small mammals trapped belonging to 12 rodent species and 1 shrew species, 71 of 642 animals tested were carriers of Leptospira according to the 16S ribosomal RNA marker used. Rodent infection was higher in low-slope locations, corresponding to rain-fed paddy fields, especially in the rainy season and in Kaev Seima. Rodents (Rattus exulans) and shrews (Suncus murinus) inhabiting households showed significantly low levels of infections, whereas rodents living in and near to forests (shrubby wasteland, orchards) showed high levels of infection.
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

pasteur-00808144
https://hal-riip.archives-ouvertes.fr/pasteur-00808144
DOI : 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0349
PUBMED : 22665613

Résumé : The use of acoustical systems in various human activities in the ocean (industry, defence, science) raises the issue of their impact upon marine mammals populations. Several serious accidents linked to the use of naval sonars led the military, industrial and scientific communities to investigate the potential dangers of their own activity. This report aims at identifying the risks for the cetaceans linked to the use of acoustic and seismic systems currently used for oceanographic science. The analysis proposed here stays within the frame of bibliography synthesis and elementary modelling, and brings no new scientific elements on the topic. An overview of the status of cetacean populations is given first, with a summary of the possible acoustical threats. Risks are classified and described, insisting on the cases of massive stranding events. The present status of knowledge about auditory characteristics of cetaceans is summarised, and the definition of an objective threshold for acoustical risk is discussed ; the usually-admitted values are finally retained, despite of their evident limitations. The report presents also the emission characteristics of the various acoustic and seismic systems used in oceanographic, emphasising the ones operated by Ifremer; for the potentially harmful ones (according to the currently-used criteria) a model is proposed for the radiated acoustical intensity field, giving the extent of risk areas. This analysis concludes to the harmlessness of most systems, excepted heavy seismics and at a lesser degree low-frequency multibeam echosounders. Finally a variety of possible mitigation measures are presented and discussed; the regulations imposed by some countries are detailed. The report finally recommends both short-term measures aimed at limiting the potential risks, and longer-term actions for participating in the general effort of scientific and technological research in this field.
L'emploi des systèmes acoustiques dans les diverses activités humaines en milieu océanique (industrielles, de défense, scientifiques) pose le problème de leur impact sur les populations de mammifères marins. L'évidence de plusieurs événements graves liés à l'utilisation de sonars navals a amené les communautés militaires, industrielles et scientifiques à s'interroger sur les dangers potentiels de leurs propres activités. Le présent rapport tente de cerner les risques, pour les Cétacés, liés à l'emploi des systèmes acoustiques et sismiques couramment mis en oeuvre pour la recherche océanographique. L'analyse proposée ici reste à un niveau de synthèse bibliographique et de modélisation élémentaire, et n'offre pas d'éléments scientifiques nouveaux sur la question. On commence par donner un panorama de la situation des populations de cétacés et des agressions sonores qui les menacent. Les risques acoustiques sont répertoriés et décrits, en insistant sur les cas avérés d'échouages massifs. L'état actuel de connaissances sur les caractéristiques auditives des cétacés est résumé, et la définition d'un seuil objectif de risque acoustique est discutée ; on retient par défaut les valeurs de seuils généralement admises actuellement, en dépit de leurs limitations évidentes.

Droits : info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2007/rapport-2390.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/2390/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
Sea cows (manatees, dugongs) are the only living marine mammals to feed solely on aquatic plants. Unlike whales or dolphins (Cetacea), the earliest evolutionary history of sirenians is poorly documented, and limited to a few fossils including skulls and skeletons of two genera composing the stem family of Prorastomidae (Prorastomus and Pezosiren). Surprisingly, these fossils come from the Eocene of Jamaica, while stem Hyracoidea and Proboscidea - the putative sister-groups to Sirenia - are recorded in Africa as early as the Late Paleocene. So far, the historical biogeography of early Sirenia has remained obscure given this paradox between phylogeny and fossil record. Here we use X-ray microtomography to investigate a newly discovered sirenian petrosal from the Eocene of Tunisia. This fossil represents the oldest occurrence of sirenians in Africa. The morphology of this petrosal is more primitive than the Jamaican prorastomids' one, which emphasizes the basal position of this new African taxon within the Sirenia clade. This discovery testifies to the great antiquity of Sirenia in Africa, and therefore supports their African origin. While isotopic analyses previously suggested sirenians had adapted directly to the marine environment, new paleoenvironmental evidence suggests that basal-most sea cows were likely restricted to fresh waters.
ISSN: 1932-6203

hal-00807308
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00807308
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0054307

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Seventy percent of breast tumors express the estrogen receptor (ER), which is generally considered to predict a better outcome relative to ER-negative tumors, as they often respond to antiestrogen therapies. During cancer progression, mammary tumors can escape from estrogen control, resulting in the acquisition of invasive properties and resistance to treatment. ER expression is a dynamic phenomenon and is finely regulated at numerous levels, including the gene, mRNA, and protein levels. As a consequence, many molecular mechanisms have been implicated in modulating ER activity and estrogen signaling in mammary cancer. In fact, one-third of ER-positive breast cancer cells do not respond to first-line endocrine therapies, and a large subset of relapsing tumors retain ER expression. Increased knowledge of these mechanisms has led to the development of better prognostic methods and targeted therapies for patients; however, additional research is still needed to improve patient survival. In this chapter, we focus on the signaling pathways leading to changes in or loss of ER activity in breast cancer progression.
ISSN: 0083-6729

hal-00874313
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00874313
DOI : 10.1016/B978-0-12-416673-8.00004-6
PUBMED : 23810005

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family, has emerged as an active mediator in many essential functions in the central nervous system of mammals. BDNF plays significant roles in neurogenesis, neuronal maturation and/or synaptic plasticity and is involved in cognitive functions such as learning and memory. Despite the vast literature present in mammals, studies devoted to BDNF in the brain of other animal models are scarse. Zebrafish is a teleost fish widely known for developmental genetic studies and is emerging as model for translational neuroscience research. In addition, its brain shows many sites of adult neurogenesis allowing higher regenerative properties after traumatic injuries. To add further knowledge on neurotrophic factors in vertebrate brain models, we decided to determine the distribution of bdnf mRNAs in the larval and adult zebrafish brain and to characterize the phenotype of cells expressing bdnf mRNAs by means of double staining studies. Our results showed that bdnf mRNAs were widely expressed in the brain of 7 days old larvae and throughout the whole brain of mature female and male zebrafish. In adults, bdnf mRNAs were mainly observed in the dorsal telencephalon, preoptic area, dorsal thalamus, posterior tuberculum, hypothalamus, synencephalon, optic tectum and medulla oblongata. By combining immunohistochemistry with in situ hybridization, we showed that bdnf mRNAs were never expressed by radial glial cells or proliferating cells. By contrast, bdnf transcripts were expressed in cells with neuronal phenotype in all brain regions investigated. Our results provide the first demonstration that the brain of zebrafish expresses bdnf mRNAs in neurons and open new fields of research on the role of the BDNF factor in brain mechanisms in normal and brain repairs situations.
ISSN: 1932-6203

hal-01359562
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01359562
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0158057
PUBMED : 27336917

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD BioMed Central
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Homologous recombination is the key process that generates genetic diversity and drives evolution. SPO11 protein triggers recombination by introducing DNA double stranded breaks at discreet areas of the genome called recombination hotspots. The hotspot locations are largely determined by the DNA binding specificity of the PRDM9 protein in human, mice and most other mammals. In budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisae, which lacks a Prdm9 gene, meiotic breaks are formed opportunistically in the regions of accessible chromatin, primarily at gene promoters. The genome-wide distribution of hotspots in this organism can be altered by tethering Spo11 protein to Gal4 recognition sequences in the strain expressing Spo11 attached to the DNA binding domain of the Gal4 transcription factor. To establish whether similar re-targeting of meiotic breaks can be achieved in PRDM9-containing organisms we have generated a Gal4BD-Spo11 mouse that expresses SPO11 protein joined to the DNA binding domain of yeast Gal4. RESULTS: We have mapped the genome-wide distribution of the recombination initiation sites in the Gal4BD-Spo11 mice. More than two hundred of the hotspots in these mice were novel and were likely defined by Gal4BD, as the Gal4 consensus motif was clustered around the centers in these hotspots. Surprisingly, meiotic DNA breaks in the Gal4BD-Spo11 mice were significantly depleted near the ends of chromosomes. The effect is particularly striking at the pseudoautosomal region of the X and Y chromosomes -- normally the hottest region in the genome. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that specific, yet-unidentified factors influence the initiation of meiotic recombination at subtelomeric chromosomal regions.
ISSN: 1471-2164

inserm-00849779
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00849779
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00849779/document
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00849779/file/1471-2164-14-493.pdf
DOI : 10.1186/1471-2164-14-493

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD BioMed Central
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Environmental factors such as pesticides can cause phenotypic changes in various organisms, including mammals. We studied the effects of the widely used herbicide atrazine (ATZ) on meiosis, a key step of gametogenesis, in male mice. METHODS: Gene expression pattern was analysed by Gene-Chip array. Genome-wide mapping of H3K4me3 marks distribution was done by ChIP-sequencing of testis tissue using Illumina technologies. RT-qPCR was used to validate differentially expressed genes or differential peaks. RESULTS: We demonstrate that exposure to ATZ reduces testosterone levels and the number of spermatozoa in the epididymis and delays meiosis. Using Gene-Chip and ChIP-Seq analysis of H3K4me3 marks, we found that a broad range of cellular functions, including GTPase activity, mitochondrial function and steroid-hormone metabolism, are affected by ATZ. Furthermore, treated mice display enriched histone H3K4me3 marks in regions of strong recombination (double-strand break sites), within very large genes and reduced marks in the pseudoautosomal region of X chromosome. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that atrazine exposure interferes with normal meiosis, which affects spermatozoa production
ISSN: 1471-2164

hal-01225493
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01225493
DOI : 10.1186/s12864-015-2095-y
PUBMED : 26518232

Résumé : En Guyane comme dans l'ensemble de la région amazonienne, le risque de maladie de Chagas pour l'homme a longtemps été sous estimé du fait de l'absence de vecteur domestique et de l'existence d'un réservoir animal exclusivement sauvage. Le travail présenté répond aux besoins de compléter et d'actualiser les connaissances épidémiologiques disponibles sur la maladie de Chagas dans ce département , en précisant les modalités de circulation de Trypanosoma cruzi et les facteurs impliqués dans le cycle à l'origine des cas humains. Les données cumilées entre 2001 et 2023 représentent 971 spécimens de triatomes. Nous avons choisi de différencier les triatomes provenant des zones non habitées (forêts primaire ou secondaire) de ceux provenant de zones habitées, collectées dans les maisons à la faveur d'intrusion. Une espère, Panstrongylus geniculatus, s'est distinguée par son abondance (61,1%) et son omniprésence dans les différents types de milieux explorés. Au total, neuf espèces ont été retrouvées. En zone non habitée, avec une prédominance de P. geniculatus, P. lignarius, Rhodnius pictipes et R. robustus. L'infection des triatomes par T. cruzi a été étudiée, avec une mise en évidence d'un taux d'infection plus élevé chez les triatomes collectés à l'intérieur des habitations (53.9%) que chez ceux provenant des zones non habitées (46%). L'étude sur les mammifères sauvages a montré des taux d'infection élevés pour T. cruzi chez deux espèces : didelphis marsupialis (62.5%) et Philander opossum (35%). Cette étude a été complétée par l'analyse de la variabilité génétique de T. cruzi identifié par des techniques de génotypage réalisées sur du matériel obtenu à partir de triatomes, de mammifères sauvages et domestiques et des hommes. En zone non habitée trois groupes, TcI, TcII-TcV-TcVI et TcIII-TcIV, ont été caractérisés, avec une prédominance de TcI. Parmi les acteurs du cycle parasite, les chiens et P. geniculatus hébergent le groupe TcIII-TcIV à la différence du genre Rhodnius et des marsupiaux qui hébergent le groupe TcI. Nos résultats ont permis d'émettre un certain nombre d'hypothèses sur la circulation des génotypes de T. cruzi en Guyane
In French Guiana, as in the whole of Amazon region, the risk of Chagas disease to humans has long been underestimated due to the presence of non-domiciled triatomines and wild animal reservoir. Overall, this thesis aims at reactualizing and improving epidemiological knowledge about Chagas disease in French Guiana, by specific modalities of circulation of Trypanosoma cruzi and the factorsinvolved in the transmission cycle of the origin of human cases. Accumulated data, between 2001 and 2013, represent 971 triatomine specimens collected. We chose to differentiate triatomine collected in uninhabited areas (primary or secondary forests) and those frominhabited areas, collected in homes by intrusion. One species, Panstrongylus geniculatus, was distinguished by its abundance (61.1%) and its presence in different types of habitats investigated. A total of nine species were found in uninhabited area, with the predominance of four species: P. geniculatus, P. lignarius, Rhodnius pictipes and Eratyrus mucronatus. In inhabited area, five species of triatomine were collected, with the predominance of P. geniculatus, R. pictipes and R. robustus. The triatomine infection rate with T. cruzi has been studied, with a highlighting of higher rate of infection in triatomine collected inside houses (53.9%) than those from uninhabited area (46%). The study on wild mammals showed high T. cruzi infection rates for two species: Didelphis marsupialis (62.5%) and Philander opossum (35%).This study was completed by the analysis of the genetic variability of T. cruzi identified by genotyping techniques performed on material obtained from triatomine, wild and domestic mammals and humans. In uninhabited area, three groups$ TcI, TcII-TcV-TcVI and TcIII-TcIV have been characterized, with a predominance of TcIII-TcIV group. In inhabited area, only two groups were characterized (TcI andTcIII-TcIV), with a predominance of TcI. Among the actor’s transmission cycle of parasite, dogs and P. geniculatus were characterized by TcIII-TcIV group. Contrary to Rhodnius genus and marsupials were characterized by the TcI group. Our results have allowed issuing a number of assumptions about the circulation of T. cruzi genotypes in French Guiana

http://www.theses.fr/2013AGUY0734/document

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Semi Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs) are contaminants commonly found in dwellings as a result of their use as plasticizers, flame retardants, or pesticides in building materials and consumer products. Many SVOCs are suspected of being neurotoxic, based on mammal experimentation (impairment of locomotor activity, spatial learning/memory or behavioral changes), raising the question of cumulative risk assessment. The aim of this work is to estimate the relative toxicity of such SVOCs, based on neuronal death. METHOD: SVOCs fulfilling the following conditions were included: detection frequency >10% in dwellings, availability of data on effects or mechanism of action for neurotoxicity, and availability of dose-response relationships based on cell viability assays as a proxy of neuronal death. Benchmark concentration values (BMC) were estimated using a Hill model, and compared to assess relative toxicity. RESULTS: Of the 58 SVOCs selected, 28 were suspected of being neurotoxic in mammals, and 21 have been documented as inducing a decrease in cell viability in vitro. 13 have at least one dose-response relationship that can be used to derive a BMC based on a 10% fall in neuronal viability. Based on this in vitro endpoint, PCB-153 appeared to be the most toxic compound, having the lowest BMC10 (0.072μM) and diazinon the least toxic compound, having the highest BMC10 (94.35μM). We showed that experimental designs (in particular choice of cell lines) had a significant influence on BMC calculation. CONCLUSION: For the first time, the relative in vitro toxicity of 13 indoor contaminants belonging to different chemical families has been assessed on the basis of neuronal cell viability. Lack of comparable toxicity datasets limits the number of SVOCs that can be included. More standardized protocols in terms of cell lines, species and exposure duration should be developed with a view to cumulative risk assessment.
Toxicology Letters

hal-01579605
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01579605
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01579605/document
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01579605/file/Fournier%20et%20al.%20-%20Relative%20toxicity%20for%20indoor%20semi%20volatile%20organic.pdf
DOI : 10.1016/j.toxlet.2017.07.875

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Due to their geographic location and traditional diet, rich in seafood and marine mammals, the Inuit living in Arctic Quebec are exposed to high amounts of pollutants, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). While the adverse developmental effects of these pesticides on child cognitive functions are well known, the effects of developmental exposure to OP on sensory processes have not been investigated. The aim of this longitudinal study was to assess the effects of prenatal and childhood exposure to 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p'-DDT) and its major metabolite 1,1,-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (p,p'-DDE), on visual processing in Inuit children in Nunavik (Arctic Québec). p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE concentrations were determined from umbilical cord and 5- and 11-year plasma samples. Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were successfully recorded in 150 children at 4 contrast levels (95%, 30%, 12%, and 4%). Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted to determine the association between p,p'-DDT, or p,p'-DDE, exposure and VEPs while controlling for the effects of various confounders, including fish nutrients and other contaminants. p,p'-DDE measured in umbilical cord plasma was significantly related to the amplitude of the N150 response at the lowest contrast (4%). In addition, 5-year p,p'-DDE plasma concentration was significantly associated with decreased N75 amplitude. These findings indicate that p,p'-DDE exposure, both pre- and postnatally, during early childhood is associated with visual processing impairment later in life.
ISSN: 0161-813X

hal-01061309
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01061309
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01061309/document
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01061309/file/Prenatal_and_5-year-NEUTOX-D-13-00192R2_v4.pdf
DOI : 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.04.009

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent genomic effects of environmental polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been shown to be modulated by non-genomic protein kinase C (PKC)-related pathways. The present study was designed to determine whether PKC activation may also impair estrogenic genomic response triggered by PAHs. Treatment by the PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) was found to markedly and differentially impair the up-regulation of estrogenic markers triggered by the estrogenic PAH benzanthracene (BZA) in cultured human mammary cells; BZA-mediated mRNA up-regulation of pS2 and amphiregulin was thus increased, whereas that of progesterone receptor and CXCL12 was repressed. BZA/PMA cotreatment however failed to alter BZA-mediated increase of activity of a luciferase gene reporter construct driven by an estrogen response element, thus discarding any global effect of PMA toward BZA-triggered estrogen receptor activation. Various chemicals inhibiting PKCs or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) as well as the knock-down of PKCδ expression counteracted the PMA-mediated increase of pS2 mRNA up-regulation triggered by BZA, demonstrating that it was dependent on PKCs, including PKCδ isoform, and ERKs. This non-genomic modulation of estrogenic effects of PAHs by PKC activation may have to be considered when considering the deleterious effects of these environmental contaminants towards the endocrine system.
ISSN: 0887-2333

inserm-00872862
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00872862
DOI : 10.1016/j.tiv.2012.05.006
PUBMED : 22643241

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Résumé : International audience
Background: We used evolutionary analysis of alkaline phosphatase (tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase, TNSALP) to predict missense mutations leading to hypophosphatasia. Results: We found 469 sensitive positions and validated 99% of the 204 known mutations. Conclusion: It is a more powerful method than in silico models to validate missense mutations in TNSALP. Significance: Such an approach should be widely used to support genetic diagnostics. ALPL encodes the tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP), which removes phosphate groups from various substrates. Its function is essential for bone and tooth mineralization. In humans, ALPL mutations lead to hypophosphatasia, a genetic disorder characterized by defective bone and/or tooth mineralization. To date, 275 ALPL mutations have been reported to cause hypophosphatasia, of which 204 were simple missense mutations. Molecular evolutionary analysis has proved to be an efficient method to highlight residues important for the protein function and to predict or validate sensitive positions for genetic disease. Here we analyzed 58 mammalian TNSALP to identify amino acids unchanged, or only substituted by residues sharing similar properties, through 220 millions years of mammalian evolution. We found 469 sensitive positions of the 524 residues of human TNSALP, which indicates a highly constrained protein. Any substitution occurring at one of these positions is predicted to lead to hypophosphatasia. We tested the 204 missense mutations resulting in hypophosphatasia against our predictive chart, and validated 99% of them. Most sensitive positions were located in functionally important regions of TNSALP (active site, homodimeric interface, crown domain, calcium site, ...). However, some important positions are located in regions, the structure and/or biological function of which are still unknown. Our chart of sensitive positions in human TNSALP (i) enables to validate or invalidate at low cost any ALPL mutation, which would be suspected to be responsible for hypophosphatasia, by contrast with time consuming and expensive functional tests, and (ii) displays higher predictive power than in silico models of prediction.
ISSN: 0021-9258

hal-01545479
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01545479
DOI : 10.1074/jbc.M114.576843

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley Open Access
Résumé : Biodiversity continues to decline in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures such as habitat destruction, exploitation, pollution and introduction of alien species. Existing global databases of species' threat status or population time series are dominated by charismatic species. The collation of datasets with broad taxonomic and biogeographic extents, and that support computation of a range of biodiversity indicators, is necessary to enable better understanding of historical declines and to project - and avert - future declines. We describe and assess a new database of more than 1.6 million samples from 78 countries representing over 28,000 species, collated from existing spatial comparisons of local-scale biodiversity exposed to different intensities and types of anthropogenic pressures, from terrestrial sites around the world. The database contains measurements taken in 208 (of 814) ecoregions, 13 (of 14) biomes, 25 (of 35) biodiversity hotspots and 16 (of 17) megadiverse countries. The database contains more than 1% of the total number of all species described, and more than 1% of the described species within many taxonomic groups - including flowering plants, gymnosperms, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, beetles, lepidopterans and hymenopterans. The dataset, which is still being added to, is therefore already considerably larger and more representative than those used by previous quantitative models of biodiversity trends and responses. The database is being assembled as part of the PREDICTS project (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems - ). We make site-level summary data available alongside this article. The full database will be publicly available in 2015.
ISSN: 2045-7758

hal-01204216
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01204216
DOI : 10.1002/ece3.1303
PRODINRA : 280886

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Dental and postcranial remains (an atlas, carpus and metacarpus elements, and a part of the pelvic girdle) of an embrithopod mammal are described from Bir Om Ali, Tunisia, a new late Eocene locality. The enamel microstructure of a tooth fragment found in association shows 'arsinoitheriid radial enamel', an enamel condition which is characteristic of Arsinoitherium (Arsinoitheriidae, Embrithopoda). Although the postcranial elements slightly differ in size and morphology from those of Arsinoitherium zitteli (late Eocene to early Oligocene), we tentatively refer this new Eocene Tunisian material to that genus. These fossils represent the first known embrithopod from the Eocene of Tunisia.
ISSN: 0899-5362

hal-00903435
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00903435
DOI : 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2013.07.010