Research activity
M. ulcerans/neurons/analgesia/AT2R-Traak
The central aim of this axis is the development of new potent analgesics, building on the detailed elucidation of the AT2R-Traak model. To reach this aim the project involving 6 teams in France (Marsollier, Lebon, Sandoz, Boustié, Yeramian and Brodin) deploys a full-spectrum approach, from detailed molecular and cellular characterizations, to extensive exploratory screenings of natural compounds and in vivo pain assessments. The project is characterized by several promising strengths, as well as notable safeguards relative to the risks inherent to such approaches:
1) The effect of mycolactone appears to be very long lasting, thus comparing very favourably to compounds such as morphine, with the short duration of action being recognized as a severe shortcoming.
2) The system under study appears to be significantly more complex than other bioinspirational models for analgesia (for example scorpion toxins acting directly on ion channels), making the study more difficult, but offering from the applications perspective many different handles to interfere with the system.
3) The scientific approach adopted provides a sound safeguard relative to the medical objectives of the project, as the expected informations concerning the poorly characterized AT2R GPCR receptor and the Traak ionic channel will be valuable for their own sakes, notably in view of the increasing appreciation of the physiological importance of these components.
Priscille BRODIN, Contact
Mtb /macrophages/control of acidification / Tirap-CISH-vATPase
Stemming from our work , we will further characterize the complex formed by CISH and H+ V-ATPase at the vacuole through a higher spatial and temporal image-based approach. For the identification of other potential partners in the complex, we will perform a high throughput proteomic approach directly on Mtb containing phagosomes isolated from macrophages by immune-affinity separation. We will further
characterize the role of ubiquitination on the H+ V-ATPase. A more global approach aiming at deciphering the dual role of the host ubiquitinome at the Mtb containing vacuole will also be undertaken. Recently, we could also show that the TLR adaptor Tirap (also called MAL) is required for STAT5 phosphorylation and CISH expression, which suggests that Tirap is critical for CISH-mediated bacterial control. Strikingly, the inhibition of bacterial replication is strikingly more pronounced in Tirap-/- compared to Cish-/- macrophages and mice suggesting a unique role of Tirap, which will be further elucidated.
Risk of resistance development of novel TB drug candidates
Theoretical models of biological evolution will be developed to predict the conditions of emergence of Mtb resistance against the proposed treatments, using the modelling frameworks of quantitative genetics and adaptive dynamics (32, 33). The prediction model will be confronted to the results of selection of resistant strains during long-term exposure to sub-lethal doses of drugs on the Mtb infected macrophages. Different models will be designed to account for possible genetic correlations between tolerance and resistance and will incorporate different ingredients which can potentially enhance the acquisition of resistance in bacteria such as i) the capacity for tolerance against antibiotics (i.e. survival through a decrease in intracellular bacterial growth), ii) the type of interaction linking the immune system to pathogens with respect to host resources, iii) source-sink dynamics between reservoirs of pathogen resistance acquisition and immunitydeprived patients.
François MASSOL, Contact
Publications
Bruno R., Boidin-Wichlacz C., Melnyk O., Zeppilli D. The diversification of the antimicrobial peptides from marine worms is driven by environmental conditions. STOTEN.2023
Gravel D, Massol F , Toward a general theory of metacommunity ecology, -, 2020
List of contracts
List of contracts
2023-2024 DECLIC Project funded by CNRS "L’Alvinellacine, Peptide antimicrobien de l’EXtrême pour combattre les infections pulmonaires : validation in vivo et développement de système de couplage à des nanostransporteurs" (Coordination: A. Tasiemski, C. Boidin-Wichlacz, C.Audebert, S.Merlin)
2023-2024 PASPOR Project funded by Université de Lille "Un nouveau Peptide Antimicrobien de l’extrême pour conserver la Semence PORcine" (Coordination: A. Tasiemski, C. Boidin-Wichlacz, R. Gref,, M. Maresca,T. Grandjean, M. Pichavant, A. Machelart)
2022-2023 StartAIRR CycloSpray4TB Project funded by Région Hauts de France (Coordination: A. Machelart, R. GrefC. )
2022-2025 PLASTICIDE Project funded by ADEME "Impacts biologiques des nanoplastiques environnementaux, de leurs co-contaminants et des changements climatiques sur les espèces animales (PLASTICIDE)" (Coordination: D. Renault; Partner: M. Davranche,D. Siaussat A. Tasiemski, C. Boidin-Wichlacz
2021-2025 FEEDME Project funded by the ANR on “Feedbacks between epidemiology and evolution in spatially complex host-parasite metapopulations” (Coordination: O. Kaltz, Partners : A. Tasiemski, F. Massol, C. Boidin-Wichlacz)
2021-2024 ASICS European Biodiversa project, funded in France by the ANR, on “Assessing and mitigating the effects of climate change and biological invasions on the spatial redistribution of biodiversity in cold environments” (Coordination: D. Renault, Partners : A. Tasiemski, F. Massol, C. Boidin-Wichlacz)
2021-2025 SoftGlue, ANR-20-CE19-0020, Title: A soft glue to close wounds and relieve pain (Coordination: R. Gref (ISMO, CNRS); Partner IPL: F. Nesslany, P. Brodin)
2021-2026 MUSTART, ANR, PIA, Title: Multiparametric Strategies against Antibiotic Resistance in Tuberculosis, (Coordination: A. Baulard (IPL); Partner: P Brodin, F Massol)
2021-2023 Anti-TB, CNRS, 80|PRIME, (coordination: R. Gref); Partner: P. Brodin
2021-2023 RIIP, PTR Title: Exploring Host factors linked to phagosomal rupture by Mycobacterium tuberculosis using High Content phenotypic Screening and Lung-on-Chip techniques" (Partner: P. Brodin)
2020-2022 RedAMPS Project funded by the SATT Nord on “Fighting human Respiratory Diseases with Anti-Microbial Peptides” (Coordination: A. Tasiemski, Partner: C. Boidin-Wichlacz)
2020 UFO IntraCIIL project involving 3 teams of the UMR on “Unmask potent biological Functions of reduced versus Oxydized cysteine rich peptides proposed as antibiotic agents against pulmonary infection” (Coordination: A. Tasiemski, Partner: O.Melnyk, M. Pichavant, C. Boidin-Wichlacz)
2020-2024 SubANTECO IPEV program, Project funded by the French Polar Institute (IPEV) that supports the cost of field missions (2 months/year for 4 years) in the French subantarctic Islands, Kerguelen and Crozet to collect and study polar invertebrates (Coordination: D. Renault, Partner: A. Tasiemski, C. Boidin-Wichlacz)
2020-2021 ANTI-CoV, ANR flash Covid-19, Title: Approche antivirale contre le coronavirus SARSCoV-2 (Coordination: J. Dubuisson, Partner: P. Brodin, A. Vandeputte, N. Deboosere)
2020-2021 SENOCOVID, ANR RA-Covid-19, Title: La sénescence cellulaire pulmonaire comme cible pour contrôler le COVID-19 (Coordination: F. Trottein, Partner: A. Machelart, E. Hoffmann)
2017-2021-->2023 AT2R TRAAK BIOANALGESIS, ANR Title:"Caractérisation moléculaires et cellulaire de voies de signalisation de la douleur : contrôle de la douleur dans l'ulcère de buruli comme source d'inspiration pour la conception rationnelle de nouveaux analgésiques puissants" (Partner: P. Brodin)