Biology subjects

Vigneron, N.

Publications and source records attributed to Vigneron, N..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

A single genetic innovation at the origin of plant terrestrialization

How the functional innovations that enabled plants to first colonize land 450 million years ago evolved remains puzzling. Here, we show that the gain of a single family of enzymes was pivotal in the evolution of two of these innovations, the cuticle that protect plants from dehydration and UV light, and the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal symbiosis promoting water and nutrient uptake. We show that functional phosphatase domain Glycerol-3-Phosphate Acyl Transferase (p-GPATs) evolved in the first land plants, concomitantly with the cuticle and symbiosis. Mutation of two p-GPATs from the liverwort Marchantia paleacea is sufficient to abolish both cuticle formation and AM symbiosis, leading to major developmental defects. We propose that the evolution of p-GPATs in land plants acted as a two birds-one stone innovation, diverting intracellular lipids to the extracellular space and providing a simple path to the evolution of two traits essential for the colonization of land.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Predicting Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma outcomes using long-term Patient-Derived Tumor Organoids

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains associated with substantial morbidity and a 5-year overall survival rate of approximately 60%, reflecting persistent radio- and chemo-resistance and the lack of effective precision medicine strategies. Patient-Derived Tumor Organoids (PDTO) constitute promising functional models that may predict individual treatment response. In this study, we generated PDTO from surgically resected HNSCC of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx. A total of 20 long-term PDTO lines were established, maintaining growth over seven passages and successfully cryopreserved, capturing the molecular and clinical diversity of the patient cohort. These PDTO faithfully recapitulated histological features, major tumor marker expression, and the genomic and transcriptomic landscapes of their tumors of origin, with stability over time. Functional assays revealed heterogeneous responses to cisplatin and X-rays. Importantly, in vitro sensitivity of PDTO was associated with clinical outcome of patients at 24 months. Cisplatin response of PDTO predicted prognosis with 66.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity, while X-ray response showed 91.7% sensitivity and 75% specificity. Notably, all patients whose PDTO were classified as resistant to both cisplatin and X-rays experienced relapse and/or death within 24 months. Collectively, the successful long-term expansion and cryopreservation of HNSCC PDTO establish a stable and scalable preclinical resource that captures the molecular and clinical heterogeneity of the disease. This biobank provides a valuable platform for mechanistic studies and for the evaluation of innovative therapeutic strategies. This cohort represents one of the largest clinically annotated HNSCC PDTO collections to date, demonstrating a robust association between PDTO response to cisplatin and X-rays and patient prognosis. These findings support the predictive potential of PDTO-based functional assays and argue for their integration into standardized, rapid, and miniaturized precision oncology workflows for HNSCC.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Long-term patient-derived ovarian cancer organoids closely recapitulate tumor of origin and clinical response

There is an urgent need of precision medicine for ovarian cancer patients to identify patients who respond to chemotherapy and PARP inhibitors, a therapy targeting homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). Here we established a panel of 37 long-term patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTO) models of various histological subtypes from 224 patients and demonstrated that they mimic the histological and molecular characteristics of original tumors. Screening of chemotherapeutic drugs showed that PDTO exhibit heterogeneous responses, and that response of PDTO from high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma to carboplatin recapitulated patient response to first-line treatment. Additionally, the detection of HRD phenotype of PDTO using functional assay was associated with the results of the HRD test Genomic Instability Scar (GIScar). Although larger-scale investigations are needed to confirm the predictive potential of PDTO, these results provide further evidence of the potential interest of ovarian PDTO for functional precision medicine even if many challenges remain to be addressed.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2019

An ancestral signalling pathway is conserved in plant lineages forming intracellular symbioses

Plants are the foundation of terrestrial ecosystems and their colonization of land was facilitated by mutualistic associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Following that founding event, plant diversification has led to the emergence of a tremendous diversity of mutualistic symbioses with microorganisms, ranging from extracellular associations to the most intimate intracellular associations, where fungal or bacterial symbionts are hosted inside plant cells. Through analysis of 271 transcriptomes and 122 plant genomes, we demonstrate that the common symbiosis signalling pathway controlling the association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and with nitrogen-fixing bacteria specifically co-evolved with intracellular endosymbioses, including ericoid and orchid mycorrhizae in angiosperms and ericoid-like associations of bryophytes. In contrast, species forming exclusively extracellular symbioses like ectomycorrhizae or associations with cyanobacteria have lost this signalling pathway. This work unifies intracellular symbioses, revealing conservation in their evolution across 450 million years of plant diversification.

plant biology↗