Research Topics

PRIMACEN is a research infrastructure for life sciences identified by RIO (Réunion Inter Organismes) as top level research facility in 2001 and 2003, as a “Regional Platform for Cell Imaging” in 2004 and 2006 and as an IBiSA (Infrastructures en Biologie Santé et Agronomie) platform since 2008. PRIMACEN is located in the CURIB building of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Rouen. The management of PRIMACEN conforms to ISO9001 regulation with the objective of satisfying researcher expectations. For this, PRIMACEN has developed a functional website (iPRIMACEN, APP n°IDDN.FR.001.190018.000.S.P.2010.0000.42000) in order to assist the management of its equipment and help the users working on the Platform. Public or private customers can access to PRIMACEN according to 3 modes i.e.  “Autonomous utilization”, “Scientific collaboration” or “Service delivery”. The mode of access to the Platform depends on the customer’s request, the degree of expertise of the customer, the staff availability and the access restriction to certain equipment of the Platform. Depending on the affiliation/origin of the customer (University of Rouen Normandy; public organization; or private company) 3 different rates are applied (see http://primacen.crihan.fr/Tarification).

  Composition

Involvement of 18 researchers, professors and assistant-professors, engineers, technicians corresponding to 8.5 full-time:

• 4.5 full-time from Inserm including  engineers dedicated to PRIMACEN
• 2.5 full-time from the University of Rouen including PU, MCU et ITAOS
• 1.5 full-time non-permanent positions (Inserm or University of Rouen)

  Activity

PRIMACEN encompasses 4 core-facilities covering the field of cellular imaging from the synthesis of biomarkers and sample preparation to the localization and the determination of biological activity of molecules of interest.  

      The specific offers of each facility include the following applications:  

 Peptide synthesis and Screening of bioactive compounds: design, synthesis, purification, analysis and characterization of peptides (notably for functional studies and production of antibodies), peptide analogs and biomarkers (biotinylated, fluorescent, iodinated molecules...), identification of bioactive molecules and determination of biological activities of natural/endogenous and synthetic molecules.  

 Biophotonics: localization of molecules of interest (neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, structural proteins, receptors, ion channels, transcription factors, enzymes, …) in bacteria, microalgae, plants, animals and human ; spatio-temporal studies of biological events (time lapse…) in living cells and tissues.  

 Electron microscopy: localization and identification of molecules of interest (glucide and protein epitopes) by immunocytochemistry at the subcellular level in bacteria, plant, animal and human cells with or without cryofixation.  

 Microdissection and real-time PCR: tissue sections on cryomicrotomes and vibratomes, laser microdissection, surgery for small animals, quantification of transcription of genes expressed in microdissected tissues or cultured cells. Development of thematic panels to study biological processes by high throughput PCR.  

• Information technology  (IT) solutions for communication, symposia and management
• Consulting in cell imaging and biomarker synthesis
• Technology survey and development of new technological approaches in cell imaging systems
• Training and education
• Scientific animation : symposia and workshops
• Industrial partnerships and support to start-up development
• Scientific information release and science promotion to public.

  Main contributions

Scientific projects

• Identification of new ligands/receptors (ODN, SS2, UII, URP, 26RFa, kisspeptins,…)
• Mechanisms of action of neuropeptides (ODN, UII, 26RFa,…) in the central control of feeding behavior
• Role of PACAP in cell migration, differentiation and survival during development and physiopathological conditions.
• Mechanisms  of intercellular communication through Tunneling Nanotubes in tumoral cells
• Role of lymphangiogenesis in cardiac dysfunction
• Structural and functional analysis of complex polysaccharides and glycoproteins in plants

Technological developments

• STED  nanoscopy
• Workflow from laser capture microdissection to transcriptomic analysis
• Cryomethods for electron microscopy
• Image analysis  (deconvolution, 3D volume rendering)

  Latest publications

2021

• Delage C, Breard-Mellin L, Theresine C, Simioneck S, Lefranc B, Leprince J, Bénard M and Vaudry D. The heterogeneity of response of PC12 cell lines from different laboratories to NGF and PACAP questions the reproducibility of studies carried out with tumor cell lines. Neuroendocrinology 2021
  34348336
• Komuro Y, Galas L, Morozov YM, Fahrion JK, Raoult E, Lebon A, Tilot AK, Kikuchi S, Ohno N, Vaudry D, Rakic P and Komuro H. The Role of Galanin in Cerebellar Granule Cell Migration in the Early Postnatal Mouse during Normal Development and After Injury. J Neurosci 2021, JN-RM-0900-15
  34462307
• Le H, Arnoult C, Dé E, Schapman D, Galas L, Le Cerf D and Karakasyan C. Antibody-Conjugated Nanocarriers for Targeted Antibiotic Delivery: Application in the Treatment of Bacterial Biofilms. Biomacromolecules 2021, 22(4): 1639-1653.
  33709706

2020

• Chalfouh C, Guillou C, Hardouin J, Delarue Q, Li X, Duclos C, Schapman D, Marie JP, Cosette P and Guérout N. The Regenerative Effect of Trans-spinal Magnetic Stimulation After Spinal Cord Injury: Mechanisms and Pathways Underlying the Effect. Neurotherapeutics 2020, 17(4): 2069-2088.
  32856173
• Léger C, Dupré N, Aligny C, Bénard M, Lebon A, Henry V, Hauchecorne M, Galas L, Frebourg T, Leroux P, Vivien D, Lecointre M, Marret S and Gonzalez BJ. Glutamate controls vessel-associated migration of GABA interneurons from the pial migratory route via NMDA receptors and endothelial protease activation. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020, 77(10): 1959-1986.
  31392351

2019

• Hajji K, Mteyrek A, Sun J, Cassar M, Mezghani S, Leprince J, Vaudry D, Masmoudi-Kouki O and Birman S. Neuroprotective effects of PACAP against paraquat-induced oxidative stress in the Drosophila central nervous system. Hum Mol Genet 2019, 28(11): 1905-1918.
  30715303

2018

• Young CNJ, Chira N, Róg J, Al-Khalidi R, Benard M, Galas L, Chan P, Vaudry D, Zablocki K and Górecki DC. Sustained activation of P2X7 induces MMP-2-evoked cleavage and functional purinoceptor inhibition. J Mol Cell Biol 2018, 10(3): 229-242.
  28992079

2017

• Benjdia A, Guillot A, Ruffié P, Leprince J and Berteau O. Post-translational modification of ribosomally synthesized peptides by a radical SAM epimerase in Bacillus subtilis. Nat Chem 2017, 9: 698-707.
  28644475

2016

• Henri O, Pouehe C, Houssari M, Galas L, Nicol L, Edwards-Lévy F, Henry JP, Dumesnil A, Boukhalfa I, Banquet S, Schapman D, Thuillez C, Richard V, Mulder P and Brakenhielm E. Selective Stimulation of Cardiac Lymphangiogenesis Reduces Myocardial Edema and Fibrosis Leading to Improved Cardiac Function Following Myocardial Infarction. Circulation 2016, 133: 1484-97.
  26933083

2015

• Bénard M, Schapman D, Lebon A, Monterroso B, Bellenger M, Le Foll F, Pasquier J, Vaudry H, Vaudry D and Galas L. Structural and functional analysis of tunneling nanotubes (TnTs) using gCW STED and gconfocal approaches. Biol Cell 2015, 107: 419-25.
  26094971