Expression and secretion of chicken apolipoprotein AI in transfected COS cells

A full-length chicken apolipoprotein A-I (apoAI) cDNA has been cloned into an expression vector, pRSVapoAI. This plasmid was transfected into a monkey kidney (COS-1) cell line in order to study apolipoprotein-lipid assembly. Chicken apoAI is the major apolipoprotein of chicken high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is less complex in apolipoprotein content than the HDL of human plasma. The transient transfected COS-1 cells synthesized and secreted authentic plasma apoAI. Under serum-free medium conditions, COS cells secreted only proapoAI. A small portion (15%) of the secreted apoAI floated at a density 1.07-1.20 g/ml. Upon incubation with fetal bovine serum at 10 degrees C, a majority of the apoAI was recovered in the HDL density (1.06-1.20 g/ml) region. Secreted apoAI was labeled when transfected COS cells were incubated with [U-14C]palmitate, but the incorporation of radioactivity was not the result of fatty acid acylation through ester bond formation. These results indicate that heterologous COS-1 cells are capable of synthesizing and secreting apoAI, and that intracellular association of apoAI with lipids is not necessary for secretion.     

人促红细胞生成素基因组基因和cDNA的克隆及其在COS－7细胞中的表达

利用ＰＣＲ技术,从正常人胎肝染色体ＤＮＡ中克隆到长度为１５７２ｂｐ的人促红细胞生成素（ＥＰＯ）基因组基因片段,它包含除第一个外显子和第一个内含子外所有外显子及内含子。再人工合成１３ｂｐ外显子１的编码区,并与１５７２ｂｐ片段拼接,从而得到除第一个内含子的人促红细胞生成素基因组基因。将克隆得到的ＥＰＯ基因插入载体ｐＳＶ２－ｄｈｆｒ得到ｐＳＶ２－ＥＰＯ表达载体,转染ＣＯＳ－７细胞后获得高效表达。利用自行研制的小鼠抗人ＥＰＯ单抗及兔抗人ＥＰＯ多抗,对表达产物进行ＥＬＩＳＡ定量测定,细胞分泌ＥＰＯ量高达２５１±７Ｕ／ｍｌ．Ｋｒｙｓｔａｌ法测得体外生物活性２４１．５±６．５Ｕ／ｍｌ．用ＥＰＯ单抗免疫沉淀结合ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ对转染细胞的表达产物做了进一步鉴定,清晰地看到了ＥＰＯ条带。从高效表达ＥＰＯ的转染细胞中分离纯化ｍＲＮＡ,用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ方法扩增并克隆到ＥＰＯ的ｃＤＮＡ,这为ＥＰＯ在其它系统中的表达及ＥＰＯ的功能与结构的研究打下了基础。     

Archetype JC Virus Efficiently Replicates in COS-7 Cells, Simian Cells Constitutively Expressing Simian Virus 40 T Antigen

JC polyomavirus (JCV), the causative agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), is ubiquitous in humans, infecting children asymptomatically and then persisting in the kidney. Renal JCV is not latent but replicates to excrete progeny in the urine. The renal-urinary JCV DNAs carry the archetype regulatory region that generates various rearranged regulatory regions occurring in JCVs derived from the brains of PML patients. Tissue cultures that support the efficient growth of archetype JCV have not been reported. We studied whether archetype JCV could replicate in COS-7 cells, simian cells transformed with an origin-defective mutant of simian virus 40 (SV40). Efficient JCV replication, as detected by a hemagglutination assay, was observed in cultures transfected with five of the six archetype DNAs. The progeny JCVs could be passaged to fresh COS-7 cells. However, when the parental cells of COS-7 not expressing T antigen were transfected with archetype JCV DNAs, no viral replication was detected, indicating that SV40 T antigen is essential for the growth of JCV in COS-7 cells. The archetype regulatory region was conserved during viral growth in COS-7 cells, although a small proportion of JCV DNAs underwent rearrangements outside the regulatory region. We then attempted to recover archetype JCV from urine by viral culture in COS-7 cells. Efficient JCV production was observed in COS-7 cells infected with five of the six JCV-positive urine samples examined. Thus, COS-7 cells should be of use not only for the production of archetype JCV on a large scale but also for the isolation of archetype JCV from urine.     

Overexpression of oxidized protein hydrolase protects COS-7 cells from oxidative stress-induced inhibition of cell growth and survival

Oxidized protein hydrolase (OPH) preferentially degrades oxidatively damaged proteins in vitro and is widely distributed in various cells and tissues. The role of OPH in intact cells exposed to oxidative stress was examined. For this purpose, using COS-7, a cell line derived from African green monkey kidney, COS-7-OPH cells that stably overexpressed OPH were established. When COS-7-OPH cells were exposed to oxidative stress induced by H(2)O(2) and paraquat, accumulation of protein carbonyls in the cells was apparently lower than that of parental COS-7 cells, and COS-7-OPH cells were significantly resistant to the oxidative stress compared with parental COS-7 cells. The majority of overexpressed OPH in the cells was found to be located uniformly in cytosol, and its location was not altered by H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress. Above results indicate that OPH in intact cells plays a preventive role against oxidative stress and suggest that OPH relieves cells from accumulation of oxidatively damaged proteins.     

Mammalian plasma membrane ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1, CD39, is not active intracellularly. The N-glycosylation state of CD39 correlates with surface activity and localization

CD39 is a member of the membrane-bound ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase family. The active site for native CD39 is located on the outer surface of the cellular plasma membrane; however, it is not yet known at what stage this enzyme becomes active along the secretory pathway to the plasma membrane. In this study, sucrose density fractionations performed on CD39-transfected COS-7 cell membranes suggest that CD39 activity resides primarily in the plasma membrane. Furthermore, we have created recombinant, soluble versions of CD39, one that is secreted and others that are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, to demonstrate that CD39 is not active until it reaches the plasma membrane both in yeast and COS-7 cells. Moreover, the secreted active soluble CD39 in COS-7 cells is found to receive a higher degree of N-glycan addition than the inactive form retained intracellularly. When COS-7 cells were treated with tunicamycin to prevent N-glycosylation, soluble CD39 was not detected in the extracellular medium and remained inactive intracellularly. Surface biotinylation analysis also revealed that surface-expressed wild type CD39 receives a higher degree of N-glycosylation than intracellular forms and that inhibition of N-glycosylation prevents its plasma membrane localization. In addition, both intact and digitonin-permeablized COS-7 cells transfected with CD39 possess similar ecto-ATPase activities, further supporting the conclusion that only surface-expressed CD39 is enzymatically active. All of these data suggest that intracellular CD39 is inactive and that only a fully glycosylated CD39 has apyrase activity and is localized at the cell surface.     

Proalbumin is processed to serum albumin in COS-1 cells transfected with cDNA for rat albumin

Synthesis and processing of rat albumin were investigated in COS-1 cells transiently expressing rat albumin. Analysis using isoelectric focusing revealed that serum-type albumin, which is indistinguishable from the counterpart isolated from rat hepatocyte cuture medium, was secreted from the transfected COS-1 cells, indicating that proalbumin is effectively converted into serum albumin in the COS-1 cells, if not completely. Furthermore methylamine was found to cause the diminution of serum albumin released from the cells, substantiating that the proteolytical conversion of proalbumin occurs in the Golgi complex before discharge from the COS-1 cells.     

Biochemical and biological analysis of human interleukin 6 expressed in rodent and primate cells.

The cDNA for human interleukin 6 (IL 6) was stably expressed at high levels in the three mammalian cell lines COS-7, PA317, and GH3 to yield IL 6 proteins of 25 to 27, 26, 22 to 24, and 23 kDa molecular mass. Both size and relative amounts of the recombinant IL 6 (rIL 6) species produced correspond to those of natural IL 6 secreted by LPS-stimulated monocytes. Oligosaccharide analysis of recombinant IL 6 utilizing tunicamycin and endoglycosidases revealed O- and N-linked glycosylation that is comparable to that of natural IL 6 derived from human monocytes and fibroblasts. IL 6 expressed in each of the three cell lines was phosphorylated similarly to the IL 6 produced in human monocytes and fibroblasts. IL 6 secreted by the three different cell lines have marked differences in specific biological activities. COS-7 IL 6 appeared to be 12-fold more active in its hybridoma growth factor activity than that made in PA317 or GH3 cells. In contrast, PA317 and GH3 IL 6 were 230 and 6.7 times more effective than COS-7 IL 6 in inducing Ig production in CESS cells. Also, PA317 and GH3 IL 6 were more effective than COS-7 IL 6 in inducing the acute-phase protein fibrinogen in human hepatocytes. The rIL 6 species exhibited no antiviral activity.     

Transient expression of the angiotensin II receptor: a rapid and functional analysis of a calcium-mobilizing seven-transmembrane domain receptor in COS-7 cells

The mas oncogene/angiotensin II receptor was subcloned into a mammalian expression vector pCDM8 and used to transiently transfect monkey kidney derived COS-7 cells. As a result, the mas transfected COS-7 cells expressed a functional angiotensin II receptor capable of transducing an increase in intracellular Ca2+ following stimulation with angiotensin II. The angiotensin II stimulated changes in Ca2+ could be measured 24 hours after transfection in both a fluorimeter and a fluorescence activated cell sorter. These results describe a rapid method for the functional analysis of the 7-transmembrane domain receptor genes.     

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in the extracellular space inhibits cell spreading

The occurrence and the novel function of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in the extracellular space were studied. The extracellular GAPDH with the same molecular mass as the intracellular GAPDH was detected in the conditioned medium of mammalian cultured cell lines such as COS-7, HEK293, MCF-7, HepG2, PC-12, and Neuro-2a cells. Western blot analysis represented the occurrence of GAPDH, but not alpha-tubulin (an intracellular marker protein), in the conditioned medium of COS-7 cells. Furthermore, GAPDH was found in rat serum. These results indicate that GAPDH was secreted outside of the cells. Addition of GAPDH to the cultured medium of COS-7, HEK293, and HepG2 cells allowed cells to undergo morphological changes. In COS-7 cells, the extracellular GAPDH inhibited cell spreading without influencing the cell growth. Western blot and immunofluorescent microscopy analyses revealed that the extracellular GAPDH bound to COS-7 cells in time- and dose-dependent manners. However, a mutant substituting Ser for Cys at position 151 of GAPDH resulted in no binding to the cells, no decreased cell-spreading efficiency and no cell morphological changes. These results indicate that the Cys151 was involved in the binding of GAPDH to cells and the GAPDH-inhibited cell spreading.     

Identification and functional characterization of hCLS1, a human cardiolipin synthase localized in mitochondria

In eukaryotic cells, CLS (cardiolipin synthase) is involved in the final step of cardiolipin synthesis by catalysing the transfer of a phosphatidyl residue from CDP-DAG (diacylglycerol) to PG (phosphatidylglycerol). Despite an important role of cardiolipin in regulating mitochondrial function, a gene encoding the mammalian CLS has not been identified so far. We report in the present study the identification and characterization of a human cDNA encoding the first mammalian CLS [hCLS1 (human CLS1)]. The predicted hCLS1 peptide sequence shares significant homology with the yeast and plant CLS proteins. The recombinant hCLS1 enzyme expressed in COS-7 cells catalysed efficiently the synthesis of cardiolipin in vitro using CDP-DAG and PG as substrates. Furthermore, overexpression of hCLS1 cDNA in COS-7 cells resulted in a significant increase in cardiolipin synthesis in intact COS-7 cells without any significant effects on the activity of the endogenous phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase of the transfected COS-7 cells. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the recombinant hCLS1 protein was localized to the mitochondria when transiently expressed in COS-7 cells, which was further corroborated by results from subcellular fractionation analyses of the recombinant hCLS1 protein. Northern-blot analysis showed that the hCLS1 gene was predominantly expressed in tissues that require high levels of mitochondrial activities for energy metabolism, with the highest expression in skeletal and cardiac muscles. High levels of hCLS1 expression were also detected in liver, pancreas, kidney and small intestine, implying a functional role of hCLS1 in these tissues.     

Proteolytic cleavage of the precursor of von Willebrand factor is not essential for multimer formation

Monkey kidney cells (COS-1), transfected with full-length human von Willebrand factor (vWF) cDNA encoding the precursor of vWF (pro-vWF), mimic the characteristics of the biosynthesis and of the constitutive secretory pathway, displayed by cultured vascular endothelial cells. Such heterologous transfected cells are able to cleave pro-vWF, generating the propolypeptide and mature vWF, and to assemble pro-vWF dimers into a series of multimers, similarly to endothelial cells. Evidence is presented showing that proteolytic processing of pro-vWF by COS-1 cells occurs at the peptide bond between arginine and serine in the sequence Lys762-Arg763-Ser764, identical to endothelial cell-associated proteolysis. This conclusion stems from the observation that substitution of Arg763 by a glycine residue completely abolishes proteolytic processing. As a result, transfection of COS-1 with the mutant vWF-Gly763 cDNA does not significantly affect the multimeric organization of secreted vWF molecules. Consequently, we conclude that proteolytic processing of pro-vWF is not required for multimer formation. Pulse-chase labeling of COS-1 cells transfected with full-length vWF cDNA reveals pro-vWF exclusively in cell lysates, whereas both pro-vWF and mature vWF are encountered in the conditioned medium. These observations indicate that proteolytic processing of pro-vWF is a "late" event during intracellular routing of these molecules or may occur extracellularly.     

Upregulation of cAMP is a new functional signal pathway of Klotho in endothelial cells

We measured angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in a human endothelial cell to characterize the intracellular signal pathways of Klotho. COS-1 cells transfected with naked mouse membrane-form klotho plasmid DNA (pCAGGS-klotho) translated proper Klotho protein. This translated Klotho protein was secreted into the culture medium. Furthermore, ACE activity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was upregulated when HUVEC were co-cultured with COS-1 cells that were pre-transfected with pCAGGS-klotho. The conditioned medium from COS-1 cells pre-transfected with pCAGGS-klotho also dose-dependently upregulated ACE in HUVEC. In addition, the conditioned medium induced time- and dose-dependent enhancement of cAMP production in HUVEC. Rp-cAMP, an inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA), inhibited the upregulation of ACE by Klotho protein. Our results suggest that mouse membrane-form Klotho protein acts as a humoral factor to increase ACE activity in HUVEC via a cAMP-PKA-dependent pathway. These findings may provide a new insight into the mechanism of Klotho protein.     

Establishment of a temperature-inducible cell line for human plasminogen activator (tissue-type) by transfection of monkey cells with expression constructs

An expression construct for human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-pA) cDNA [containing a simian virus 40 (SV40) origin of replication] was introduced into CV1, COS-7 and COSts2 cells; in the latter cell line the amount of functionally active large T antigen of SV40 is regulated by the temperature. In a transient system, the expression in COSts2 cells at the permissive temperature for large T antigen was improved sixfold compared to COS-7 cells. By cotransfection with a plasmid conferring resistance to G418 into COSts2 cells, a cell line (COSts2Glob t-pA) could be isolated with barely detectable expression of t-pA at the semi-permissive and non-permissive temperature and inducible secretion of t-pA at the permissive temperature. The kinetics of induction, inducibility after continued propagation at the semi-permissive temperature and the influence of the temperature during previous propagation on inducibility were investigated. The biological activity of the secreted material was demonstrated by a functional assay. Inducibility of t-pA by temperature was accompanied by a dramatic increase of the copy number of episomal plasmids (up to 2000 copies per cell).     

Intracellular processing of complement pro-C3 and proalbumin is inhibited by rat alpha 1-protease inhibitor variant (Met352----Arg) in transfected cells

Complement C3, when its cDNA was transfected into COS-1 cells, was synthesized as a precursor, pro-C3, which was intracellularly processed into the alpha and beta subunits, although not completely. A cDNA for rat alpha 1-protease inhibitor (alpha 1-PI) was mutated in vitro to encode its variant with the modified active site (Met352----Arg). In cells co-transfected with the mutant alpha 1-PI cDNA and the C3 cDNA, pro-C3 expressed was secreted without being processed into the subunits. Co-transfection of the mutant alpha 1-PI cDNA and the albumin cDNA also resulted in the inhibition of intracellular conversion of proalbumin into serum-type albumin. No inhibition of the processing of each preform was observed in cells co-transfected with the normal alpha 1-PI cDNA. Taken together, the results indicate that the alpha 1-PI variant (Met352----Arg) expressed inhibits specifically an intracellular enzyme which is involved in the proteolytic processing of both pro-C3 and proalbumin.     

大鼠促甲状腺激素释放激素受体1基因的克隆及其在COS-7细胞系中的表达

目的:克隆大鼠促甲状腺激素释放激素受体1(TRH-R1)基因,构建其真核表达载体,并检测该基因在非洲绿猴肾细胞系COS-7中的表达。方法:应用RT-PCR方法,以大鼠脑源RNA为模板,扩增获得TRH-R1基因,定向克隆到pDsRed2-N1中,以LipofectAMINE 2000试剂转染pDsRed2-N1-TRH-R1表达载体至COS-7细胞系中进行瞬时表达。结果:测序结果表明,从大鼠脑源总RNA中克隆到正确的TRH-R1基因全长编码序列;显微照相观察到所构建的TRH-R1表达载体质粒在COS-7细胞系中获得有效表达。结论:大鼠TRH-R1基因的克隆、真核表达载体的构建及在COS-7细胞系中表达获得成功,为进一步研究其功能奠定了基础。     

Structural organization and chromosomal assignment of the gene encoding endothelin

Endothelin is a 21-amino acid vasoconstrictor synthesized and secreted by vascular endothelial cells. The human peptide is derived from a 212-amino acid precursor, preproendothelin. A nearly full length clone containing DNA complementary to human preproendothelin mRNA was isolated, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. Using this cDNA as a probe, the genomic organization of the human endothelin gene was determined and the promoter region delineated. The gene contains five exons and four intervening sequences. Nucleotide sequences encoding endothelin are contained within the second exon, and the third exon specifies a portion of preproendothelin that is homologous to endothelin. The second and third exons may represent descendants of a common progenitor exon. The 3'-untranslated portion of the gene contains a 250-base pair region that is highly conserved between human and porcine genomes and may have an important role in endothelin mRNA stability. On the basis of DNA isolated from human-mouse somatic hybrid cell lines, the endothelin gene was assigned to human chromosome 6.     

An endogenous acid-sensitive K+ channel expressed in COS-7 cells

COS-7 cells originally isolated from monkey kidney and used in many transfection studies were found to express a background K+ channel and therefore, its biophysical and pharmacological properties were examined. In cell-attached patches, a 32-pS K+ channel with a linear current-voltage relationship could be recorded. The open probability was highly voltage-dependent, with greater channel activity at depolarized potentials. The channel was markedly sensitive to changes in extracellular pH (pH(o)), showing a 70+/-10% inhibition by changing the pH(o) from 7.3 to 6.3. Arachidonic acid (5 microM) augmented channel activity 12-fold. Applying negative pressure (-40 mmHg) to the membrane patch also increased channel activity by 4-fold. These results show that COS-7 cells express a K+ channel with unique properties that must be considered when using these cells as transfection system.     

Bead transfection of adherent cells

Bead transfection is a simple, rapid, efficient, and cost-effective method of gene transfer into adherent mammalian cells. It involves a brief incubation of the cells with glass beads in a solution containing the DNA to be transferred. We have optimized this technique using COS-7 (an SV40 transformed monkey kidney cell line) and a transient expression assay for chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT). Stable transfection efficiency assessed using the selectable marker gene neomycin phosphotransferase (NEO^R) was 27% in COS-7 cells. As this technique delivers high transfection efficiency with little manipulation of the exogenous DNA and does not require the use of any viral sequences, it may be a useful alternative method of gene delivery in the development of gene therapy protocols.