Axe 3 | Tractus uro-génital et expositions aux composés pharmaceutiques
Impact of analgesics on the fetal urogenital tract and adult testis
Analgesics (paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen etc..) are the most widely used drugs in the world and more than half of pregnant women report intake of analgesics. An association between intrauterine exposure to analgesics and cryptorchidism (undescended testis) has recently been found in several epidemiological cohorts. Cryptorchidism being a major risk factor for infertility and testis cancer, these results raises concerns about the reproductive health of the exposed fetus. We have demonstrated that analgesics behave as endocrine disruptors in both the fetal and adult testis in human and animals. We are currently exploring the mechanism of action of these drugs on the testis as well as extending the risk assessment of the analgesics use during pregnancy to the fetal ovary and kidney.
Contact: Séverine Mazaud-Guittot (CR1 Inserm) and Bernard Jégou (DRE Inserm)
Identification of markers of resistance to anti-cancer therapies in kidney cancer
In the urogenital tract, kidney cancer is among the deadliest (seventh leading cause of cancer death in France) due to its high risk of metastasis and resistance to conventional anti-cancer therapies. Recent advances have led to the development of specific targeted therapies in metastatic situations. However, 40% of patients develop resistance to such therapy or side effects. In this context, our objective is to identify biomarkers of response and resistance to therapies in a cohort of metastatic patients classified as responders to treatment or as having resistance to such therapy. Coding and non-coding transcripts differentially expressed between the different patient subpopulations will be analyzed with the aim to identify predictive biomarkers of response and resistance to therapies.
Contact: Nathalie Rioux-Leclercq (PU-PH)
Impact of anti-cancer therapies on male fertility
Hematologic and testicular malignancies are the most common cancers in young ages. The long term survival rate has drastically improved with advances in medical anti-cancer therapy, but the short-, mid- and long-term impact of those treatments on fertility is unknown. Since a proper sperm epigenome is necessary for embryo development, our current research explores the integrity of sperm epigenome following anti-cancer therapy in a cohort of patients treated for cancer.
Contact: Célia Ravel (PU-PH) and Antoine Rolland (MCF)
