July 12th AM - 10:15-12:15

• Symposium 1 " New insights on neuropeptides in obesity and metabolic disorders "
  
  

  Chairpersons

  Sebastien G. Bouret

  Inserm U1172 Lille, France

                     

  Laura Dearden

  University of Cambridge, UK

  
  Short description: In the midst of a staggering obesity epidemic, there is a need to better understand the mechanisms and factors involved in the development of this pathological condition. Our current knowledge of the biological processes that underlie hunger and satiety is relatively recent. Classical lesion experiments and more recent studies using conditional gene targeting methods have shown that appetite, energy balance, and metabolism are carefully regulated by the central nervous system and involves highly plastic complex neuropeptidec and peptide hormone systems regulated on a daily basis and modulated from development to ageing.

  This symposium will give an overview of novel neural mechanisms governing regulation of various neuropeptidergic systems involved in feeding behavior. It will also present recent advances in the neurobiology of obesity, e.g. using transgenic approaches as well as classical behavioral, electrophysiological, and optogenetic approaches. The selected speakers are world-class experts in the field of neurobiology of obesity and metabolic disorders and will cover diverse research fields from neuroendocrinology to behavior, to name a few.

   

  Speakers:

  Suzanne Appleyard

  College of Vet Med WSU, USA

  Satiety peptide signals in the brainstem

   

  Serge Luquet

  University of Paris Diderot-Paris 7, France

  Hypothalamic agouti-related peptide-neurons control peripheral substrate utilization and nutrient partitioning

   

  Sophie Steculorum

  Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Germany

  Novel regulator of agouti-related peptide neurons

   

  Jean-Louis Nahon

  IPMC UMR 7275 CNRS/UNS, France

  Brain inflammation-driven obesity and MCH network signaling

   

  Marie Picot

  INSERM U982

  The hypothalamic neuropeptide 26RFa acts as an incretin to regulate glucose homeostasis

  
  
• Symposium 2 " Cardiovascular peptide hormone GPCRs: new insights into ligand-receptor interactions and implications for drug discovery "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

   

  David Chatenet

  Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique Armand Frappier - Quebec, Canada

   

  Jérôme Leprince

  University of Rouen, France

   

  Short description: G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) play a critical role in cardiac physiology and pharmacology and therefore, they are among the most widely studied signaling systems in the heart. While over 200 GPCRs have been identified in the heart, only a few of them, including the β-adrenergic, the angiotensin, and the endothelin receptors, have been targeted for therapeutic intervention.Despite these successes, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to impose enormous health (around 20 million people die every year from CVDs) and financial burdens (almost 300 billion dollars per year) worldwide.Discovery of additional components (GPCR or GPCR complexes) or a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms (interactions ligand-receptor) involved in the control of cardiac activity, in healthy and failing hearts, may provide a mechanistic basis for improving CVD treatment and thus life expectancy. The symposium will cover new aspect of ligand-receptor interaction, i.e. biased agonism, and will describe new tools aimed at deciphering this new GPCR pharmacology ultimately highlighting new drug discovery concept.

   

  Speakers:

   

  Terry Hébert

  McGill University - Montréal, Québec, Canada

  Assessing allostery in GPCR heterodimers using conformational biosensors

   

  Sudarshan Rajagopal

  Duke University Medical Center - Durham NC, USA

  Biased Agonism – How to quantify it? And what does it mean?

   

  Bernard Mouillac

  CNRS UMR5203- INSERM U1191 - Université de Montpellier, France

  Structural insights into biased agonism of the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin V2 receptor subtype

   

  Xavier Iturrioz

  Collège de France, Paris, France

  Structure-function relationship of the apelin receptor by molecular modeling and site-directed mutagenesis

   

  Kyungsoo Shin

  Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

  Elucidating the role of preferential membrane-association in regulation of proprotein processing

  
  
• Symposium 3 " Evolution of neuropeptides "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

   

  Hervé Tostivint

  CNRS UMR 7221 Paris, France

   

  Pascal Favrel

  CNRS UMR 7208, France

   

  Short description: This symposium will highlight the recent discoveries that have been made in the field of comparative endocrinology/neuroendocrinology. A special focus will be put on the identification of novel neuropeptides that have members in both protostomes and deuterostomes. This includes aspects related to genomics, bioinformatics, biochemical and physiological studies that point to the earliest functions of these peptides.  

   

  Speakers:

   

  Pascal Favrel

  University of Caen - CNRS UMR 7208, France

  The pacific oyster: an emerging model for comparative neuroendocrinology

   

  Isabel Beets

  University of Leuven, Belgium

  Evolutionary conserved neuropeptide signaling and behavioral modulation in C. elegans

   

  Olivier Mirabeau

  Institut Curie - Inserm U830 Paris, France

  Molecular evolution of peptidergic signaling systems in bilaterians

   

  Dan Larhammar

  Uppsala University, Sweden

  Extraordinary multiplicity of neuropeptides and receptors at the origin of vertebrates: examples from the NPY, CRH and somatostatin systems

   

  Hervé Tostivint

  UMR 7221 CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France

  Evolution of the somatostatin genes family: insights from three lamprey species, Lampetra fluviatilis, Petromyzon marinus, and Lethenteron japonicum

  
  
• Symposium 4 " Peptidergic regulation of the immune system "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

  Barbara Kofler

  Paracelsus Medical University - Salzburg, Austria

   

  Peter Holzer

  Medical University of Graz, Austria

   

  Short description: The increase of inflammatory diseases has fostered research to the neurogenic component in inflammation. The major symptoms of inflammation – pain, redness and swelling – leave no doubt that the activation of the nervous system contributes to the development of inflammatory diseases. Both the skin and the mucosa (airways, respiratory system) possess a dense network of sensory nerve fibers, which are found mainly at smooth muscles, endocrine elements, vessels and epithelia, and express and release a range of neuropeptides. Under normal circumstances this system is controlled by the nervous system.  In the pathophysiological state, however, a close relationship between neural stimuli and immunological responses exists. Involvement of macrophages, T and B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, neutrophils, eosinophils and mast cells has been demonstrated. Thereby the classical classification of neuropeptides, regulatory peptides, cytokines and chemokines regarding their function is becomming more and more indistinct from each other.

   

  The symposium will give an overview of different (neuro)peptidergic systems involved in the innate and adaptive immune system.

  The selected speakers are internationally recognized experts in the field and will cover diverse research fields from innate immunity including first line immune defence by antimicrobial peptides to immunology and inflammation.

   

  Speakers:

  Elena Gonzalez-Rey

  Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine "López-Neyra" - Granada, Spain

  Fine-tuning of the immune response with neuropeptides

   

  Zsuszanna Heyles

  University of Pécs, Hungary

  LPS- and smoking-induced inflammatory mechanisms

   

  Susanne Brunner

  Paracelsus Medical University - Salzburg, Austria

  Contribution of the galanin system to innate immunity and inflammation

   

  Jonathan Thompson

  Anaesthesia & Critical Care - Leicester Royal Infirmary - Leicester, UK

  Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ system as a target in sepsis

   

  Erika Pinter

  University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary

  TRPA1 receptor is upregulated in human oral lichen planus and further elevated by comorbid hypertension

   

  
  

July 12th PM - 16:30-18:30

• Symposium 5 " Cationic host defence (antimicrobial) peptides and the immune system: mechanisms of immunomodulation and translational applications "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

  Neeloffer Mookherjee

  University of Manitoba, Canada

   

  Donald J. Davidson

  University of Edinburgh, Scotland

   

  Short description: Cationic host defence peptides (CHDPs) are essential in the control of infections (antimicrobial) and resolution of inflammation. Research in the last decade has made it clear that CHDPs impact both innate and adaptive immunity, and play a critical role in immune homeostasis. The functional diversity of CHDPs with their ability to activate the immune system while simultaneously controlling inflammation has captured the interest of biomedical researchers. There are complex molecular mechanisms that go vern the multifunctional capabilities of CHDPs. The focus of this symposium will be to discuss the role of CHDPs in immunity and how that impacts different biological processes such as infection control, inflammation, wound healing, the microbiome and even sterility. Recent research in this area has expanded to include the development of peptidomimics of CHDPs as potential antimicrobial and immunomodulatory therapies. This symposium will therefore explore the fundamental biology and transformative translational applications of CHDPs.

   

  Speakers:

  Pieter S Hiemstra

  Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands

  Cationic host defence peptides in chronic respiratory diseases: regulation of expression and airway inflammation

   

  Julia Dorin

  University of Edinburgh, Scotland

  Modulation of innate immune responses by human beta-defensins

   

  Neeloffer Mookherjee

  University of Manitoba, Canada

  Innate defence regulator peptides as immunomodulatory therapy

   

  Donald J. Davidson

  University of Edinburgh, Scotland

  Antiviral function of host defence peptides against respiratory viruses

   

  Ka-Yee G. Choi

  Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, Departments of Internal Medicine and Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

  Human cathelicidin peptide LL-37 and derivative IG-19, modulates IL-32-induced inflammation and confers protection in arthritis

  
  
• Symposium 6 " Peptide GPCRs: a growing ambition as oncotarget "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

  Daniel Fourmy

  University of Toulouse, France

   

  Hélène Castel

  University of Rouen, France

   

  Short description: G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of proteins involved in signal transduction across membranes and one of the most important pharmaceutical drug target classes. Despite this, it is rather surprising that the clinical practice of cancer treatment includes only a few drugs that act on GPCR-mediated signaling, including molecules acting on GnRH receptor to reduce testosterone levels and reduce prostate cancer cell growth or a synthetic somatostatin receptor agonist, octreotide, prescribed for cancer treatment/imaging. However, abnormal expression of GPCRs, their ligands and/or G proteins is directly observed in cancer cells of various origins that use GPCRs signaling to directly stimulate growth, induce angiogenesis, inhibit apoptosis, promote spreading/metastasis and induce immune responsiveness. In particular, peptides and their GPCRs, their G-protein coupling mechanisms and related signaling pathways in hypoxic and angiogenic tumoral context, remain poorly studied and understood. This symposium aims highlighting new role of peptide hormones in cancer, uncommon signaling pathways and new therapeutic strategies.

   

  Speakers:

  Corinne Bousquet

  Inserm U1037 Toulouse, France

  Deciphering the antitumoral potential of somatostatin receptor signal

   

  Daniel Fourmy

  University of Toulouse, France

  GPCR internalization: new platforms of cell signaling

   

  Justo P. Castaño

  University of Córdoba, Spain

  The truncated splice variant of somatostatin receptor subtype 5, sst5TMD4: a hallmark of endocrine cancers?

   

  Hélène Castel

  University of Rouen,France

  The chemokine vasoactive peptide Urotensin II: the dark face of chemokine and angiogenic factors in glioma

   

  Terry Moody

  NCI, Bethesda, USA

  Endothelin facilitates epithelial to mesenchymal transitions in lung cancer cells in an EGFR- and HER2-dependent manner

  
  
• Symposium 7 " Neuropeptides in brain circuits underlying stress perception and response "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

  Lee E. Eiden

  NIMH-IRP, Bethesda, MD

   

  Short description: This symposium focuses on the neuropeptides corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), and neuropeptide Y (NPY). While other neuropeptides are certainly involved in the physiology and pathophysiology of stress, these three are paradigmatic for the field of translational focusing of neuropeptide-neuropeptide receptor interaction in neuropsychiatric disorders associated with stress, including major depression (MD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) for several reasons. These are: i) all three peptides act at multiple loci within the hypothalamus, extended amygdala, and hippocampus to mediate stress responding, ii) all three peptides’ receptors may signal differently at different cellular sites within the brain, iii) all three have been sufficiently studied with both traditional and cutting-edge neuroscience biotechniques that they are beginning to yield translationally actionable insights into their role(s) in stress responding, and the likely outcomes of drug engagement with their receptors with respect to both therapeutic targets and predicted off-target (i.e. non-therapeutic) effects that administration of antagonists (for PACAP and CRH) or agonists (for NPY) might be predicted to generate upon drug administration, first in animal models and then in the clinic. The speakers in this symposium are veteran neuropharmacologists, endocrinologists and neuroscientists, and combinations of the above, with a vast experience in grappling with the promises and pitfalls of neuropeptides and their receptors as stress-related transmitters and potential drug targets. We anticipate that their interaction at Regulatory Peptides 2016 will efficiently shed light rather than heat on this important subject for those in attendance, with clear and definite implications for translational neuropeptide research in other arenas being highlighted during Regpep 2016.

   

  Speakers:

  Lee E. Eiden

  NIMH-IRP, Bethesda, MD

  PACAPergic cell signaling, and cellular circuitry, mediating mammalian responses to psychogenic and systemic stressors

   

  Tallie Z. Baram

  University of California at Irvine, USA

  The complex effects of modern-life stress on learning and memory: role of hippocampal CRH

   

  Valery Grinevich

  University of Heidelberg, Germany

  Central oxytocin pathways modulating stress, fear and pain

   

  Esther Sabban

  New York Medical College, USA

  Single prolonged stress rodent model reveals a role for NPY as a mediator, and a therapeutic target, in PTSD

   

  Florian Reichmann

  UCLA, Los Angeles, USA

  A potential role of neuropeptide Y for the beneficial effects of environmental enrichment: evidence from knockout mice

  
  
• Symposium 8 " In silico approaches to peptide identification and design "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

   

  Martin Zacharias

  Physik-Department T38 – Technische Universität München - Garching, Germany

   

  Pierre Tufféry

  In Silico Peptide Design - INSERM UMR-S 973, Université Paris Diderot Paris, France

   

   

  Short description: In silico approaches for the identification and design of candidate therapeutic peptides, even if not having reached yet the degree of maturity of those developed for chemicals, have made significant progress in the recent years. Methods to assist the rational discovery, identification, optimization of candidate peptides are the subject for the development of new in silico approaches, or the subject for the fine tuning of protocols developed for proteins. The aim of the proposed symposium is to increase the awarness of recent progress of in silico peptide protocols for experimental researchers in the peptide and neuropeptide area and to provide an overview of the ongoing work in the field of in silico peptide protocols, and to invite contribution on topics such as peptide identification from genomic information, peptide structure prediction, peptide-protein interactions, binding site identification, docking, peptide dynamics, peptide screening, peptide functional properties, peptide aggregation and amyloid formation.

   

   

  Speakers:

   

  Ora Furman

  The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

  The use of Rosetta FlexPepDock and FlexPepBind protocols for the characterization, prediction, and manipulation of protein interactions: what we learned and where we are going

   

  Philippe Derreumaux

  Institut de Biologie Physico Chimique - CNRS UPR 9080 Paris, France

  Folding peptides with atomistic and coarse-grained models

   

  Denis Shields

  University College Dublin - Belfield, Ireland

  Opportunities and challenges in moving from computational prediction to experimental validation of peptide function

   

  Maude Pupin

  Université Lille 1 INRIA CNRS -  Villeneuve d'Ascq, France

  How to study nonlinear peptides ? Presentation of Norine, a bioinformatics platform dedicated to nonribosomal peptides

   

  Christina E.M. Schindler

  Technical University of Munich, Physics Department T38, Munich, Germany

  Fully blind peptide-protein docking with pepATTRACT

  
  

July 13th AM - 10:15-12:15

• Symposium 9 " Role of peptides in stress-related modulation of visceral pain "
  
  

  Chairpersons: 

  Yvette Taché

  University of California Los Angeles, USA

   

  Dervla O’Malley

  University College Cork, Ireland

  
  Short description: Stress plays an important role in modulating pain including in the development or intensity of irritable bowel syndrome manifestations of which visceral pain is a landmark. The corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) signaling is a key pathway in the underlying mechanisms of stress. The symposium will provide insight how CRF receptors in the brain and the gut contribute to the modulation of visceral pain and gut response in different experimental models of acute or chronic stress. Recent advances in peptides activating proteinase activated receptor 4 will be addressed. This symposium will provide better understanding of potential targets to alleviate stress-related visceral manifestatins.

   

  Speakers:

  Muriel Larauche

  University of California Los Angeles, USA

  Role of brain and peripheral peptides in the modulation of stress-related visceral pain: sex differences

   

  Dervla O’Malley

  Univeristy College Cork, Ireland

  The role of CRF in the exacerbation of visceral pain in functional bowel disorders

   

  Mulugeta  Million

  University of California Los Angeles, USA

  Role of urocortins in stress related modulation of visceral responses

   

  Janos Szolcsanyi

  Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy

  Novel, peripheral neurohumoral antinociceptive mechanism mediated by capsaicin-sensitive nociceptors

   

  Ahmed Ahmed

  Research Unit of Translational Neurogastroenterology

  Role of peptide YY in somatic and visceral pain in mice?

  
  
• Symposium 10 " Role of neuropeptides in the progression of tumours of the nervous system "
  
  

  Chairpersons

  Jean-Marc Muller

  University of Poitiers, France

   

  Annette G. Beck-Sickinger

  Leipzig University, Germany

   

  Short description: A number of bioactive peptides, for example MSH, NPY, Somatostatin, Substance P, VIP and PACAP, have been demonstrated to play important roles in tumour progression This symposium will give an overview of signaling pathways and other mechanisms implicated in the effects of different regulatory peptides in tumor proliferation, survival and invasion. It will also present novel therapeutic strategies aiming to target the receptors of these peptides. Speeches will focus on tumours of neuroectodermal origin: glioblastoma, neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, melanoma, and also on other types of malignant neoplasms, such as breast cancer.

   

  Speakers:

  Corinne Chadéneau

  University of Poitiers, France

  Anti-tumor effect of VIP and analogs of PACAP in high-risk neuroblastoma and glioblastoma cells

   

  Fabrice Morin

  University of Rouen, France

  Modulation of autophagic activity by chemotactic GPCRs controls the invasive potential of glioblastoma cells

   

  Pawel Niewiadomski

  University of WarsawPoland

  Interaction of PACAP with sonic hedgehog reveals complex regulation of the hedgehog pathway by PKA

   

  Annette G. Beck-Sickinger

  Leipzig University, Germany

  Peptide-drug conjugation for cancer targeting

   

  Alex Eberle

  Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

  MSH radiopeptides for targeting melanoma metastases

  
  
• Symposium 11 " Novel peptides with therapeutic potential from non-mammalian vertebrates "
  
  

  Chairperson:

  J. Michael Conlon

  Ulster University, UK

   

  Hubert Vaudry

  University of Rouen, France

   

  Short description: Translation research is the theme of the symposium and will address the importance of studies with non-mammalian vertebrates in drug discovery. The speakers will highlight (a) the role of peptides isolated from frog skin in combating the threat to public health posed by the emergence of multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacteria, (b) the potential of dogfish glucagon for development into agents to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes (c) the possibility of developing frog peptides into anti-cancer agents and drugs for treatment of sepsis and (d) examples of peptides and proteins from snake venom with anti-angiogenic, anti-cancer and other potentially therapeutically valuable properties.

   

  Speakers:

  Maria Luisa Mangoni

  Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

  Esculentin-1a(1-21) and its diastereomer: frog skin-derived peptides with anti-Pseudomonal activities

   

  Finbarr O’Harte

  Ulster University, UK

  Stable analogues of dogfish glucagon with GLP-1 and glucagon dual agonist activities and therapeutic potential for treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes

   

  Juan J. Calvete

  Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Spain

  On the origin of neurotoxicity in nearctic snakes: relevance for the development of a pan-Americanantivenom

   

  Michael Conlon

  Ulster University, Coleraine, N. Ireland

  Immunomodulatory peptides from frog skin: implications for anti-cancer therapy

   

  Jean-Claude Le Mével

  Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, France

  Differential effects of urotensin II and arginine vasotocin on QT and QTc intervals of the electrocardiogram in trout

  
  
• Symposium 12 " Apelin, from pharmacological strategies to clinical developments "
  
  

  Chairpersons :

  Philippe Valet

  Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse, France

   

  Jens Peter Gøtze

  University of Copenhagen, Denmark 

   

  Short description: The G protein-coupled receptor APJ and its cognate ligand, apelin, are widely expressed throughout human body. They are implicated in different key physiological processes such as angiogenesis, cardiovascular functions, fluid homeostasis and energy metabolism regulation. On the other hand, this couple ligand-receptor is also involved in the development and progression of different pathologies including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer. An increased number of publication are dedicated to the design of new Apelin receptor ligands either agonist or antagonist. Moreover there are growing evidences that apelin is efficient in humans through recent clinical trials.

  This symposium will be the opportunity to gather worldwide information regarding both pharmacological and clinical developements through selected speaker experts in the field of apelin and its receptor.

   

  Speakers:

  Catherine Llorens-Cortes

  CNRS UMR 7241 Paris, France

  Insights into Apelin Receptor Function and New Drug Development

   

  Eric Marsault

  University of Sherbrooke, Canada

  Molecular engineering of apelin to modulate stability, signalling and cardiovascular functions

   

  Isabelle Castan-Laurell

   INSERM U1048 Toulouse, France

  Proof of concept of apelin effect on insulin sensitivity in Human

   

  Anthony Davenport

  University of Cambridge, UK

  Role of apelin, Elabela/Toddler and action of novel biased receptor agonists in the cardiovascular system

   

  Phil Griffiths

  School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

  The pressor effect of [Pyr1]apelin-13 in the rat rostral ventrolateral medulla is not mediated via ionotropic glutamate, GABAA, or AT1 angiotensinergic receptors.

  
  

July 13th PM - 13:30-15:30

• Symposium 13 " ISN Symposium on therapeutic potential of PACAP/VIP neuropeptide family and related peptides in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

  Illana Gozes

  Tel Aviv University, Israel

   

  Seiji Shioda

  Hoshi University, Japan

   

   

  Short description: From diverse parts of the globe, we shall provide news about the translational potential of VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide), PACAP (pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide) and the VIP/PACAP regulated, ADNP (activity-dependent neuroprotective protein) and its snippet, drug candidate, NAP. We will cover spinal cord injury and brain ischemia, androgen receptor toxicity in spinal bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), Parkinson disease, Alzheimer’s disease, autism and schizophrenia. Novel drug candidates, stem cells and intricate gene regulation will be highlighted combining molecular, behavioral and translational neuroscience of regulatory peptides.

   

   

  Speakers:

  Illana Gozes

  Tel Aviv University, Israel

  Regulated by VIP and PACAP: The autism mutated ADNP and NAP (davunetide) in research and development

   

  Seiji Shioda

  Hoshi University, Japan

  Neuroprotection and molecular mechanism of brain ischemia and spinal cord injury by PACAP

   

  Maria Pennuto

  University of Trento, Italy

  PACAP/PKA axis to attenuate the toxicity of polyglutamine-expanded androgen receptor

   

  Nese Tuncel

  Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Turkey

  What Type of Cards Are Held by VIP for the Future Treatment of Parkinson’s disease

   

  Dora Reglodi

  Department of Anatomy, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungray

  PACAP as a potential biomarker - alterations of PACAP levels in human physiological and pathological conditions

  
  
• Symposium 14 " Peptides and microbes "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

  Jean-Marc Berjeaud

  University of Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267

   

  Olivier Lesouhaitier

  University of Rouen, France

   

  Short description: We are living in harmony with bacteria and in some cases the balance is disrupted. There is ample evidence that eukaryotic communication molecules including peptides are detected by bacteria and modify their physiology and virulence potential. These observations suggest that peptide hormones have additional effects on micro-organisms, in addition to their well characterized physiological effects in mammalian organisms. In parallel, micro-organisms release numerous peptides in order to protect themselves against both host defence compounds and other microbes that enter in competition with them. The goal of the symposium “peptides and microbes” is to show examples of the effect of peptides released by eukaryotic cells or micro-organisms on microbe adaptation into the infected host and how these findings can be used for developing novel therapeutic strategies. 

   

  Speakers:

  Oscar Kuipers

  University of Groningen, The Netherlands

  Designing and producing novel modified peptides for antimicrobial or hormonal bioactivity

   

  Peter Nielsen

  University of Copenhagen, Denmark

  Antimicrobial peptide nucleic acid (PNA): genetic antibiotics, synergy of two worlds

   

  Jean-Marc Berjeaud

  University of Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267

  Bacterial peptides and lipopeptides biological activities and mode of action towards Legionella

   

  Olivier Lesouhaitier

  University of Rouen, France

  C-type natriuretic peptide, a human hormone which prevents Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation through a specific human receptor-like target

   

  Pascal Thebault

  Laboratoire PBS/Université de Rouen, Mont Saint Aignan, France

  Elaboration of bioinspired surfaces based on antimicrobial peptides

  
  
• Symposium 15 " Gastrointestinal peptides and their receptors "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

   

  Joseph R. Pisegna

  University of California Los Angeles, USA

   

  Michael Wolfe

  Case Western Reserve University, USA

   

  Short description: This symposium would focus on gastrointestinal peptides and their regulation of integrative physiology. Areas of potential focus in attracting abstracts to this session would be in the regulation of feeding, obesity, NAFLD, colitis and irritable bowel syndrome by gastrointestinal hormones. Other disease states would include peptic ulcer disease, neuroendocrine tumors and diabetes.

   

  Speakers:

   

  Juanita Merchant

  University of Michigan, USA

  Murine model of gastrinoma, neuroendocrine tumor

   

  Michael Wolfe

  Case Western Reserve University, USA

  Role of GIP on metabolic syndrome

   

  Joseph Pisegna

  University of California Los Angeles, USA

  Role of high protein diet on body mass composition and hepatic steatosis

   

  Helge L. Waldum

  Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway

  Gastrin and gastric cancer

   

  Yvette Taché

  University of California Los Angeles, USA

  Brain-gut peptides and the regulation of feeding

  
  
• Symposium 16 " Hypocretins/orexins in arousal, stress, reward and cognition "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

   

  Luis de Lecea

  Stanford University School of Medicine, USA

   

  Zhian Hu

  Third Medical University - Chongqing, China

   

  Short description: Hypocretins, also known as orexins, are excitatory neuropeptides secreted by neurons specifically located in lateral hypothalamus and perifornical areas. Hcrt axon fibers are extensively distributed in various brain regions and involved in a number of physiological functions, such as arousal, cognition, stress, appetite, and metabolism. Arousal is the most important function of Hcrt system as dysfunction of Hcrt signaling leads to narcolepsy. In addition to narcolepsy, Hcrt dysregulation is associated with important neural disorders, including addiction, depression, and anxiety. As a new class of Orexin receptor antagonists has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of insomnia, strategies targeted to orexin system (e.g., antagonists to orexin receptors, gene delivery, and cell transplantation) are likely to be applied to treat arousal disorders, including anxiety, depression and PTSD.

   

  Speakers:

   

  Luis de Lecea

  Stanford University School of Medicine, USA

  Hypocretins in control of sleep transitions

   

  Patricia Bonnavion

  Free University of Brussels, Belgium

  Hypocretin and leptin modulate stress

   

  Zhian Hu

  Third Medical University - Chongqing, China

  Orexins, histamine and cognitive function

   

  Veronique Fabre

  University Pierre and Marie Curie - Paris, France

  The role of hypocretin-serotonin interactions in sleep and mood regulation

   

  Roman A. Romanov

  University of Vienna

  Neuronal diversity in the hypothalamus revealed by single-cell RNA-sequencing-driven circuit mapping

  
  

July 14th AM - 10:15-12:15

• Symposium 17 " Neuropeptidomics: from mass spectrometry to discovery "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

  Jonathan V. Sweedler

  University of Illinois, USA

   

  Anders H. Johnsen

  Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

   

  Short description: Neuropeptidomics, the study of the neuropeptide/hormone complement of a tissue, is of growing importance. The last few years has seen an increasing number of brain peptides reported each year. The acceleration of peptide discovery is due to striking technological advances in mass spectrometry that enable the peptidome to be characterized from ever smaller samples with increasing chemical detail. Recent sampling approaches allow neuropeptides to be characterized from an individual cell, peptide release to be measured from cultured neuronal networks and ex vivo brain slices, and the spatial distributions of unknown peptides to be measured via mass spectrometry imaging.  This symposium will highlight the latest technology development and emerging applications of mass spectrometry-based neuropeptidomics, including novel sampling strategies, chemical characterization approaches, spatial mapping via mass spectrometry imaging, and functional studies of peptide release across a range of animal models.

   

  Speakers:

  Per Andrén

  Uppsala University, Sweden

  Mass spectrometry imaging and profiling of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters in models of Parkinson’s disease

   

  Liesbet Temmerman

  University of Leuven Belgium

  C. elegans neuropeptidomics and behavior

   

  Lloyd Fricker

  Einstein School Medicine, USA

  Intracellular peptides in disease: insights from peptidomic studies

   

  Lingjun Li

  University of Wisconsin Madison, USA

  Comparative peptidomic analysis towards functional discovery of neuropeptides

   

  Jonathan V. Sweedler

  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, USA

  Neuropeptide processing heterogeneity measured via single cell mass spectrometry reveals regional differences in peptide processing

  
  
• Symposium 18 " Perspectives of skin regulating peptides and their application in dermatology "
  
  

  Chairpersons

  Paul L. Bigliardi

  National University Hospital, Singapore

   

  Alex N. Eberle

  University of Basel and Collegium Helveticum - Zurich, Switzerland

   

  
  Short description: The skin as an endocrine organ is the source of various peptides that regulate skin function such as pigmentation, neurotransmitter release and host-defense reactions. Apart from skin cells, there are skin-resident microbes that also release peptides which are equally important for host-defense reactions. All these peptides have received renewed interest with regard to the development of potential novel peptide pharmaceuticals.

   

  This session will give an overview about the state of the art of the physiological and functional role of skin regulating peptides as well as the application of the first skin peptide pharmaceuticals. Wound healing and the impact of opioid peptides in its regulation is another important aspect, followed by the topic of the mechanism of action of host-defense peptides in the skin. Finally, receptor-mediated targeting of melanoma cells and melanocytes with synthetic MSH peptides represents the basis for the application of specific photodynamic therapy of pigmentary disorders. The selected speakers are well-known experts in the field of peptides in dermatology and they will cover some highlights in this fascinating and novel field.

   

  Speakers:

  Thomas A. Luger

  University of Münster, Germany

  Functional roles of skin-derived peptides– state of the art

   

  Mei Bigliardi-Qi

  Institute of Medical Biology, Singapore

  Opioid peptides affect epidermal homeostasis and wound healing

   

  Roger W. Beuerman.

  Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), Singapore

  Host-defense peptides in the skin and their multifunctional role in innate immunity

   

  Paul L. Bigliardi

  National University Hospital, Singapore

  Specific targeting of melanocytes and melanoma cells by photodynamic therapy using ligated photosensitizers

   

  Marc Feuilloley

  LMSM EA4312 Normandie Université, Evreux, France

  Skin neuropeptides: Key regulators of cutaneous microbiote homeostasis

  
  
• Symposium 19 " Peptide hormone-reactive immunoglobulins and bacterial peptides in microbiota-host interactions "
  
  

  Chairpersons:

   

  Tomas Hökfelt

  Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

   

  Sergueï Fetissov

  University of Rouen, France

   

  Short description: It is generally assumed that peptide hormones in the circulation are transported by large proteins. It appears that the role of such peptide carrier molecules can be played by immunoglobulins (Ig). In fact, during the last decade it has been established that peptide-hormone reactive IgG and other Ig classes of natural autoantibodies (autoAbs) are ubiquitously present in humans and rodents. Several studies have been undertaken to understand the origin and regulation of such autoAbs production as well as their possible involvement in peptide-hormone signaling in normal and pathological conditions. The obtained results show that IgG may protect peptide hormones from degradation by plasma enzymes and that they may modulate activation of peptide receptors. Stress and intestinal inflammation were shown to affect plasma levels of peptide-reactive autoAbs and several microbial proteins from gut microbiota have been identified as antigenic source of autoAbs cross-reactive with peptide hormones. Furthermore, bacterial proteins and peptides have been detected in systemic circulation suggesting that they can directly influence host peptidergic signaling. The variable nature of IgG molecules underlies the finding of different affinity kinetics parameters of peptide-reactive IgG in humans and animals associated with modulation of peptide signaling. Significant correlations between peptide-reactive Ig characteristics and behavioral parameters were reported for eating and sleep disorders, aggressive behavior, anxiety and depression. Bacteria-derived peptides, including those inducing quorum sensing are new interesting targets in microbiota host interactions. Thus, detection and targeting microbiota derived peptides and peptide hormone-reactive Ig appears as a new diagnostic and therapeutic approach for several pathological conditions.

   

  Speakers:

   

  CsabaAdori

  Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

  Screening for peptide reactive IgG in sleep disorders

   

  Sergueï Fetissov

  University of Rouen, France

  Role of immunoglobulins in peptidergic signaling

   

  Henning Vaeroy

  Akershus University Hospital, Norway

  ACTH-reactive IgG in stress and aggression

   

  Gregory Lambert

  TargEDys, France

  New diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities for eating disorders

   

  Bart De Spiegeleer

  Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

  Quorum sensing peptides as host-microbial interacting molecules

  
  
• Symposium 20 " Neuropeptides, inflammation, and auto-immunity "
  
  

  Chairpersons :

  Alain Couvineau

  INSERM U1149 Paris, France

   

  Yossan-Var Tan

  INSERM U905 - University of Rouen, France

   

  Short description: Inflammation is a coordinated process designed by evolution to eliminate pathogens and enable healing. However, this is carefully orchestrated in the sense that when it is no longer necessary, it must be actively terminated to avoid tissue damage and/or auto-immunity. Can we find modulators outside the immune system?

   

  The proposed symposium will address this issue and illustrate the multifaceted function of peculiar neuropeptides/peptides enabling a dialogue between the immune and nervous systems. Indeed, it will gather three speakers who will provide remarkable examples on how they can efficiently regulate the immune response during inflammatory and/or auto-immune pathologies.

   

  Speakers:

  Rosa P. Gomariz

  Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain

  VIP and their receptors as biomarkers in rheumatic diseases

   

  Catalina Abad

  INSERM U905 - University of Rouen, France

  Therapies for multiple sclerosis: VIP/PACAP receptor analogs

   

  Nassima Messal

  INSERM U1149 Paris, France

  Anti-inflammatory properties of the neuropeptide orexin in ulcerative colitis: a new promising therapeutical molecule

   

  Sigal Fleisher-Berkovich

  Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

  Differential effect of intranasally administrated kinin B1 and B2 receptor antagonists on Alzheimer's pathology

   

  Olivier Wurtz

  INSERM U982, University of Rouen, France

  Delayed PACAP delivery after brain stroke improves functional recovery by inducing M2 microglia/macrophage polarization