小鼠pre-miRNA-122启动子荧光素酶报告质粒的构建及表达调控

[目的]构建小鼠pre-miRNA-122基因启动子荧光素酶报告质粒,研究血小板衍生生长因子(Platelet-derived growth factor,PDGF)对miRNA-122表达的影响。[方法]利用生物信息学分析pre-miRNA-122启动子片段并扩增,插入pGL3-basic载体中获得报告质粒pmir-122-luc。将pmir-122-luc转染小鼠Huh-7和HepG2细胞,24h后检测荧光素酶活性;同样将其转染小鼠肝星状细胞(Hepatic Stellate Cells,HSCs),PDGF处理12h后检测活性。[结果]pre-miRNA-122上游5.5~4.5 kb为启动子区域。构建的质粒经酶切、测序鉴定正确。pmir-122-luc荧光素酶活性较pGL3-basic显著增加,且在Huh-7细胞高表达(24±5.02倍)而在HepG2细胞低表达(1.8±0.34倍)。pmir-122-luc能在HSCs中表达,且PDGF处理后活性降低(P0.05)。[结论]小鼠pre-miRNA-122启动子荧光素酶活性报告质粒构建成功;PDGF抑制miRNA-122在HSCs中表达,为探索miRNA-122的表达调控机制提供了新的窗口。     

利用基因捕获技术建立稳定表达HBV的细胞模型

pGEM-HBV1.3质粒经HindIII限制性内切酶消化,将HBV1.3全长DNA切下,与同样经HindIII限制性内切酶降解过的PU21连接,得到PU21-HBV重组质粒。将该重组质粒采用电击转染方法导入HepG2细胞中,G418筛选阳性克隆并以X-gal染色,RT-PCR、Southern blot等方法验证HBV DNA的插入和表达。 PU21-HBV重组质粒经测序证明HBV1.3全长DNA正确与PU21载体连接,该重组质粒转染HepG2细胞后经G418筛选,得到一系列阳性克隆, Southern blot证实HepG2细胞基因组中含HBV DNA,RT-PCR结果表明HBV DNA在HepG2细胞中有功能基因的转录。HBV1.3已被整合在HepG2细胞染色体中并能稳定表达其RNA。稳定的HBV表达细胞模型构建成功。HBV表达细胞模型的建立,为进一步研究相关基因对HBV的转录、复制、转录后调节以及HBV各种蛋白的表达机理研究提供实验材料。     

miR-122过表达转基因小鼠质粒构建及其功能验证

目的:比较两种miR-122转基因小鼠过表达载体构建方法,为建立miR-122过表达转基因小鼠奠定基础。方法:PCR扩增长约291bp的pre-miR-122的序列,分别定向克隆到pBROAD3-GFP载体GFP基因上游内含子或下游3'UTR区域,两种质粒分别转染293T细胞,Q-PCR检测miR-122和GFP的表达水平,并观察GFP绿色荧光。miR-122 sensor reporter是将3个miR-122成熟序列的反义序列串联克隆至psiCHECK2载体luciferase 3'UTR中,然后分别与2种miR-122过表达质粒载体共转染293T细胞,最后检测荧光素酶活性来鉴定miR-122调控功能。结果:2种构建方法的miR-122表达水平都明显增高,而只有插入到GFP基因3'UTR的质粒表达GFP功能正常。结论:构建microRNA过表达载体时,microRNA位于报告基因3'UTR区域不会影响microRNA和报告基因的功能;构建的两种miR-122过表达质粒载体都可应用到转基因小鼠研究中,而将miR-122插入到GFP下游的方法则更利于miR-122的表达。     

HBV影响XRN2基因在HepG2-H7细胞中表达的机制研究

目的利用稳定表达HBV的HepG2-H7细胞,研究HBV对XRN2基因表达的调控,并对其作用机制进行初步探讨。方法用RT—PCR和Real-time PCR的方法检测HepG2细胞及稳定表达HBV的HepG2-H7细胞中XRN2在mRNA水平的表达差异。构建XRN2启动子的萤火虫荧光素酶报告质粒,分别转染HepG2细胞及HepG2-H7细胞,检测HBV对XRN2启动子的影响。将XRN2启动子质粒与HBV4种蛋白的真核表达质粒共转染HepG2细胞,寻找对启动子影响较大的HBV蛋白。结果RT—PCR和Real-time PCR的结果显示XRN2在HepG2-H7细胞中的表达较HepG2细胞有所下降。荧光素酶活性分析显示HBV能抑制XRN2启动子的活性,且HBx和HBp蛋白在这一过程中起主要作用。结论HBV蛋白可以通过抑制XRN2启动子活性调节其在HepG2-H7细胞中的表达。     

电脉冲刺激法提高小鼠miR-122表达的研究

目的:电脉冲能够改变细胞膜的通透性,促进外源DNA进入细胞内。通过基因导入仪电脉冲刺激已注入质粒pcDNA3.0-miR-122的小鼠肌肉细胞,检测对小鼠miR-122表达的影响。方法:将扩增得到的pre-miR-122克隆到真核表达载体pcDNA3.0上,构建pcDNA3.0-miR-122表达质粒。利用基因导入仪分别将生理盐水、pcDNA3.0、pcDNA3.0-miR-122质粒DNA导入小鼠腿部肌肉,然后进行电脉冲刺激。qRT-PCR测定各组小鼠血清及肝脏中的miR-122水平,同时检测肝癌组织和经Cecropin XJ处理的肝癌组织中的miR-122水平。结果:基因导入仪电脉冲刺激已注入pcDNA3.0-miR-122的腿部肌肉组织后,小鼠血清和肝脏中miR-122的表达分别提高了23和11倍,经Cecropin XJ处理的小鼠肝癌组织中miR-122的表达比对照高1.6倍。结论:电脉冲刺激能够显著提高小鼠体内miR-122的表达,为探讨miR-122表达对肝癌生长影响的调控作用奠定基础。     

广西巴马小型猪miR-181b慢病毒表达载体的构建和鉴定

本试验旨在构建广西巴马小型猪miR-181b慢病毒表达载体,以广西巴马小型猪基因组DNA为模板,利用PCR扩增miR-181b前体序列,构建重组质粒p LV-miR-181b,经PCR和测序鉴定,阳性重组质粒转染C2C12细胞,荧光倒置显微镜下检测转染效率。结果显示,miR-181b前体序列长度为377 bp,与预期片段序列长度一致。将鉴定为阳性的miR-181b重组质粒转染C2C12细胞48 h后,在荧光显微镜下检测到较强的绿色荧光蛋白的表达,说明重组miR-181b质粒在C2C12细胞中具有较高的表达活性。本研究成功构建了具有高表达活性的miR-181b重组慢病毒表达载体,为研究miRNA-181b调控骨骼肌生长发育的功能机制提供实验基础。     

磷脂爬行酶1对干扰素抑制乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)作用的影响

研究磷脂爬行酶1(Phospholipid scramblase 1,PLSCR1)对干扰素抑制HBV作用的影响。设计合成PLSCR1特异性小干扰RNA(siRNA),以完全随机序列的阴性小干扰(NCsiRNA)作为对照,转染HepG2细胞,于转染48h后分别检测PLSCR1mRNA和蛋白水平表达量的变化,筛选出对PLSCR1具有沉默作用的siRNA;将HepG2细胞分为正常对照组和干扰素处理组,将1.3倍乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)全基因真核细胞表达载体HBV1.3质粒分别与PLSCR1siRNA或NCsiRNA共同转染HepG2细胞或干扰素处理的HepG2细胞,转染48h后检测各组细胞中PLSCR1mRNA表达量及培养液上清中HBsAg表达水平。PLSCR1特异性小干扰RNA siRNA911转染后能够显著抑制HepG2细胞中PLSCR1基因在mRNA和蛋白水平的表达;与HepG2细胞对照组比较,干扰素处理组细胞转染HBV1.3质粒、NCsiRNA+HBV1.3质粒后,细胞培养液中HBsAg表达水平均显著降低(P0.05);而PLSCR1siRNA与HBV1.3共转染IFN处理的HepG2细胞组与共转染HepG2细胞组相比较,细胞培养液中HBsAg的表达水平没有显著差异。提示抑制PLSCR1的siRNA可抑制干扰素的抗HBV活性,提示PLSCR1在干扰素抑制HBV复制中具有重要作用。     

MIR-122 慢病毒表达载体构建及稳定转染HepG2 细胞系

目的:构建人mir-122慢病毒表达载体,感染肝癌细胞HepG2,建立稳定表达mir-122的HepG2细胞系。方法:以人has-mir-122成熟序列,设计并合成引物,采用PCR的方法扩增目的基因,并连接到慢病毒表达质粒pGCSIL-GFP(含绿色荧光蛋白GFP基因)中。对重组质粒进行双酶切鉴定后,进行mir-122基因慢病毒(pGCSIL-GFP-miR-122)的包装及病毒滴度测定,用构建好的慢病毒表达载体感染HepG2细胞,qPCR检测感染后细胞中MIR-122的变化。通过流式细胞仪检测荧光蛋白GFP,westernblot检测mir-122靶分子CAT-1,验证pGCSIL-GFP-miR-122在HepG2细胞中的表达效果。结果:pGCSIL-GFP-miR-122经双酶切分析及测序,插入序列正确。qPCR检测显示转入病毒后mir-122在细胞中的表达显著提高。表明mir-122慢病毒表达载体构建成功。流式细胞仪根据GFP荧光筛选纯化感染后细胞,感染率达90%以上。Western blot显示mir-122明显抑制其靶分子表达。进一步验证pGCSIL-GFP-miR-122在细胞中的稳定表达。结论:成功构建mir-122慢病毒表达载体,并建立稳定表达的细胞系,为研究mir-122在人体所起的作用及功能机制打下基础。     

MIR-122 慢病毒表达载体构建及稳定转染HepG2 细胞系

目的:构建人mir-122慢病毒表达载体,感染肝癌细胞HepG2,建立稳定表达mir-122的HepG2细胞系。方法:以人has-mir-122成熟序列,设计并合成引物,采用PCR的方法扩增目的基因,并连接到慢病毒表达质粒pGCSIL-GFP(含绿色荧光蛋白GFP基因)中。对重组质粒进行双酶切鉴定后,进行mir-122基因慢病毒(pGCSIL-GFP-miR-122)的包装及病毒滴度测定,用构建好的慢病毒表达载体感染HepG2细胞,qPCR检测感染后细胞中MIR-122的变化。通过流式细胞仪检测荧光蛋白GFP,westernblot检测mir-122靶分子CAT-1,验证pGCSIL-GFP-miR-122在HepG2细胞中的表达效果。结果:pGCSIL-GFP-miR-122经双酶切分析及测序,插入序列正确。qPCR检测显示转入病毒后mir-122在细胞中的表达显著提高。表明mir-122慢病毒表达载体构建成功。流式细胞仪根据GFP荧光筛选纯化感染后细胞,感染率达90%以上。Western blot显示mir-122明显抑制其靶分子表达。进一步验证pGCSIL-GFP-miR-122在细胞中的稳定表达。结论:成功构建mir-122慢病毒表达载体,并建立稳定表达的细胞系,为研究mir-122在人体所起的作用及功能机制打下基础。     

肝脏特异性miR-122的分子生物学特性及功能

miR-122是在肝脏特异高表达的一种microRNA。研究表明：生理状态下,miR-122 在调控肝脏的细胞发育、诱导细胞分化、调节细胞代谢、参与肝细胞应急应答等生命活动过程中发挥重要作用;而在病理状态下,miR-122 与丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）和肝细胞肝癌（HCC）密切相关,可能促进HCV RNA 复制,并在HCC发生、发展过程中发挥抑癌基因样作用,可能对HCC 临床诊断和预后具有重要价值。鉴于miR-122 参与调控肝脏生理及肝脏重大疾病的发生、发展等过程,文章详细阐述并讨论miR-122 在肝脏中的生物学特性和功能,以及可能的作用机制。肝脏特异性miR-122 有可能作为治疗人类肝脏疾病的关键靶点。     

MicroRNA-122 Inhibits Tumorigenic Properties of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells and Sensitizes These Cells to Sorafenib

MicroRNAs are negative regulators of protein coding genes. The liver-specific microRNA-122 (miR-122) is frequently suppressed in primary hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). In situ hybridization demonstrated that miR-122 is abundantly expressed in hepatocytes but barely detectable in primary human HCCs. Ectopic expression of miR-122 in nonexpressing HepG2, Hep3B, and SK-Hep-1 cells reversed their tumorigenic properties such as growth, replication potential, clonogenic survival, anchorage-independent growth, migration, invasion, and tumor formation in nude mice. Further, miR-122-expressing HCC cells retained an epithelial phenotype that correlated with reduced Vimentin expression. ADAM10 (a distintegrin and metalloprotease family 10), serum response factor (SRF), and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (Igf1R) that promote tumorigenesis were validated as targets of miR-122 and were repressed by the microRNA. Conversely, depletion of the endogenous miR-122 in Huh-7 cells facilitated their tumorigenic properties with concomitant up-regulation of these targets. Expression of SRF or Igf1R partially reversed tumor suppressor function of miR-122. Further, miR-122 impeded angiogenic properties of endothelial cells in vitro. Notably, ADAM10, SRF, and Igf1R were up-regulated in primary human HCCs compared with the matching liver tissue. Co-labeling studies demonstrated exclusive localization of miR-122 in the benign livers, whereas SRF predominantly expressed in HCC. More importantly, growth and clonogenic survival of miR-122-expressing HCC cells were significantly reduced upon treatment with sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor clinically effective against HCC. Collectively, these results suggest that the loss of multifunctional miR-122 contributes to the malignant phenotype of HCC cells, and miR-122 mimetic alone or in combination with anticancer drugs can be a promising therapeutic regimen against liver cancer.     

MicroRNA-122 Inhibits the Production of Inflammatory Cytokines by Targeting the PKR Activator PACT in Human Hepatic Stellate Cells

MicroRNA-122 (miR-122) is one of the most abundant miRs in the liver. Previous studies have demonstrated that miR-122 plays a role in inflammation in the liver and functions in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which reside in the space of Disse. Here, we showed that the transient inhibition of PKR-activating protein (PACT) expression, by miR-122 or siRNA targeting of PACT, suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and IL-1β, in human HSC LX-2. Sequence and functional analyses confirmed that miR-122 directly targeted the 3′-untranslated region of PACT. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that miR-122 blocked NF-κB-nuclear translocation in LX-2 cells. We also showed that conditioned medium from miR-122-transfected LX-2 cells suppressed human monocyte-derived THP-1 cell migration. Taken together, our study indicates that miR-122 may downregulate cytokine production in HSCs and macrophage chemotaxis and that the targeting of miR-122 may have therapeutic potential for preventing the progression of liver diseases.     

HepG2 cells expressing microRNA miR-122 support the entire hepatitis C virus life cycle

The liver-specific microRNA miR-122 is required for efficient hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA replication both in cell culture and in vivo. In addition, nonhepatic cells have been rendered more efficient at supporting this stage of the HCV life cycle by miR-122 expression. This study investigated how miR-122 influences HCV replication in the miR-122-deficient HepG2 cell line. Expression of this microRNA in HepG2 cells permitted efficient HCV RNA replication and infectious virion production. When a missing HCV receptor is also expressed, these cells efficiently support viral entry and thus the entire HCV life cycle.     

Simplified Isoelectric Focusing Columns of Small Scales

ABSTRACT

Citrus plants are rich in flavonoids and beneficial for lipid metabolism. However, the mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Both citrus peel flavonoid extracts (CPFE) and a mixture of their primary flavonoid compounds, namely, nobiletin, tangeretin and hesperidin, citrus flavonoid purity mixture (CFPM), were found to have lipid-lowering effects on oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. The carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1α (CPT1α) gene was markedly increased, while the fatty acid synthase (FAS) gene was significantly decreased by both CPFE and CFPM in oleic acid-treated HepG2 cells. Flavonoid compounds from citrus peel suppressed miR-122 and miR-33 expression, which were induced by oleic acid. Changes in miR-122 and miR-33 expression, which subsequently affect the expression of their target mRNAs FAS and CPT1α, are most likely the principal mechanisms leading to decreased lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. Citrus flavonoids likely regulate lipid metabolism by modulating the expression levels of miR-122 and miR-33.     

Downregulation of miR-192 causes hepatic steatosis and lipid accumulation by inducing SREBF1: Novel mechanism for bisphenol A-triggered non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) has been associated with the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Given that microRNA (miRNA) is recognized as a key regulator of lipid metabolism and a potential mediator of environmental cues, this study was designed to explore whether exposure to BPA-triggered abnormal steatosis and lipid accumulation in the liver could be modulated by miR-192. We showed that male post-weaning C57BL/6 mice exposed to 50 μg/kg/day of BPA by oral gavage for 90 days displayed a NAFLD-like phenotype. In addition, we found in mouse liver and human HepG2 cells that BPA-induced hepatic steatosis and lipid accumulation were associated with decreased expression of miR-192, upregulation of SREBF1 and a series of genes involved in de novo lipogenesis. Downregulation of miR-192 in BPA-exposed hepatocytes could be due to defective pre-miR-192 processing by DROSHA. Using HepG2 cells, we further confirmed that miR-192 directly acted on the 3′UTR of SREBF1, contributing to dysregulation of lipid homeostasis in hepatocytes. MiR-192 mimic and lentivirus-mediated overexpression of miR-192 improved BPA-induced hepatic steatosis by suppressing SREBF1. Lastly, we noted that lipid accumulation was not a strict requirement for developing insulin resistance in mice after BPA treatment. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a novel mechanism in which NAFLD associated with BPA exposure arose from alterations in the miR-192-SREBF1 axis.