抑制O~6-甲基鸟嘌呤-DNA甲基转移酶活性与肿瘤细胞对亚硝脲药物敏感性关系的研究

80％以上的肿瘤细胞为O~6-甲基鸟嘌吟-DNA甲基转移酶(O~6-MT)活性较高的Mer~+型,能够修复亚硝脲药物(NU)造成的DNA烷化损伤,对NU不敏感。本实验证明,用0.75,0.50和0.25mmol/L甲基亚硝脲(MNU)分别处理Mer~+型的HeLaS3,SMMC-7721和表现Mer~-型特征的Cc801,均能明显降低细胞中O~6-MT活性,从而显著提高了三种细胞对嘧啶亚硝脲和双氯乙亚硝脲的敏感性,提示降低O~6-MT活性是使用NU对Mer~+型肿瘤进行有效治疗的前提。     

DNA烷化损伤及修复的分子基础

烷化剂可以造成细胞DNA分子的烷化损伤。其中鸟嘌呤第6位氧原子的甲基化(O~6-MeG)会造成碱基错误配对,引起细胞致突致死。O~6-甲基鸟嘌呤DNA-甲基转移酶(O~6-MT)可以修复O~6-MeG损伤。原核细胞中编码O~6-MT的烷化损伤修复酶基因ada已经克隆成功。哺乳动物细胞的烷化损伤修复基因的克隆工作正在研究中。根据O~6-MT含量可以把人肿瘤细胞分为两类,Mer~ 和Mer~-。Mer~-不含O~6-MT,约占1/5左右。细胞学及裸鼠实验证明使用双功能烷化剂ACNU可以特异性地杀死Mer~-类肿瘤。提示以DNA烷化损伤修复研究为基础,可以开拓出一条肿瘤选择性化疗的新途径。     

O~6-甲基鸟嘌呤受体蛋白的定量测定

本文介绍了一种细胞提取液O~6—甲基鸟嘌呤(O~6—MeGua)受体蛋白测定及其底物O~6-[~8H-Me]Gua DNA的制备方法。废物与受体蛋白反应后,甲基从O~6-[~3H-Me]Gua DNA转移到受体蛋白,生成甲基-S-半胱氨酸(Me-S-Cys)。经盐酸水解后,直接测定酸不溶部分的受体蛋白沉淀。方法简便、快速、准确。     

细胞和组织中的O~6-甲基脱氧鸟嘌呤核苷的脱甲基作用

为了探讨细胞和组织中的O~6-甲基脱氧鸟嘌呤核苷的脱甲基作用,我们合成了[~3H]O~6-mGua DNA、O~6-mdGuo、O~6-mdGMP、O~6-mdGTP等底物,在体外利用高压液相色谱分析细胞和组织提取物去除鸟嘌呤基团第六位氧原子上甲基的能力。结果表明,在细胞和组织提取物中存在一种去甲基酶,它能去除O~6-甲基脱氧鸟嘌呤核苷、O~6-甲基脱氧鸟嘌呤核苷-磷酸上的甲基,生成脱氧鸟嘌呤核苷或脱氧鸟嘌呤核苷-磷酸,并伴随着甲醇的释放。它不同于DNA甲基转移酶。没有观察到它对O~6-甲基鸟嘌呤DNA、O~6-甲基脱氧鸟嘌呤核苷三磷酸、O~4-甲基胸腺嘧啶核苷以及O~6-甲基鸟嘌呤的去甲基作用。     

O^6—甲基鸟嘌呤—DNA—甲基转移酶的基因表达调控

DNA损伤修复是生命科学研究的重要课题。DNA修复在防止基因突变,保证遗传信息稳定性的过程中起着极其重要的作用。近20年来,人们通过大量研究发现细胞内0~6-甲基鸟嘌呤-DNA-甲基转移酶(O~6-metnylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase,MGMT)能专一性很强地修复DNA烷化损伤,防止细胞癌变和死亡;大量试验还证明细胞内MGMT活性的高低是决定肿瘤细胞对亚硝脲类药物产生耐药性的分子基础。详尽了解MGMT基因表达调控机理对DNA损伤修复的理论研究和克服肿瘤细胞耐药性的实践都具有重要的意义。     

甲基鸟嘌呤甲基转移酶表达调节在肿瘤发生和治疗中的作用

甲基鸟嘌呤甲基转移酶（O⁶-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase,MGMT）是从细菌到哺乳类机体中存在的一种独特的DNA修复蛋白,其作用是在DNA损伤的修复过程,催化DNA分子鸟嘌呤O⁶位上的烷基从鸟嘌呤碱基转移至MGMT蛋白的半胱氨酸残基上,而使DNA分子鸟嘌呤复原.因此,机体中MGMT适当的表达有利于修复由烷化剂诱导而形成的O⁶烷基鸟嘌呤DNA加合物.MGMT蛋白的含量和活性不但在基因水平受到各种因素的调控,并且与某些药物的直接作用有关.调节MGMT在细胞内的活性,对于防御肿瘤的发生及某些肿瘤的治疗过程中克服肿瘤耐药性和克服骨髓毒性具有重要的意义.     

N6-甲基腺嘌呤修饰与环状RNA

N6-甲基腺嘌呤(N6-methyladenosine,m6A)是发生在腺嘌呤第6位氮原子上的甲基化修饰,广泛存在于多种真核生物的RNA中。环状RNA(circular RNA,circRNA)是一类表达稳定的非编码RNA。该文分别从m6A影响circRNA的形成和翻译、降解、出核、先天免疫,通过下游分子影响circRNA的方面,以及circRNA竞争性结合三种m6A相关酶影响其他RNA的m6A修饰,海绵吸附微小RNA(microRNA,miRNA)靶向m6A相关酶,调控甲基转移酶的表达,结合去甲基化酶的mRNA促进其表达,增强去甲基化酶与mRNA的相互作用,结合并参与泛素化降解m6A结合蛋白的方面,及其他间接联系方面总结归纳了二者之间的作用机制,以期为研究m6A与circRNA相互影响的机制提供参考。     

RNA中6-甲基腺嘌呤的研究进展

RNA酶促共价修饰研究, 尤其是m⁶A(6-甲基腺嘌呤), 是RNA生物学研究的一个新兴领域。m⁶A是真核生物mRNA内部序列中最常见的一种转录后修饰形式, 由包含3个独立组分的复合物mRNA: m⁶A甲基转移酶催化生成。最新研究发现肥胖相关蛋白FTO可以脱掉m⁶A上的甲基, 表明该甲基化过程是可逆的。抑制或敲除m⁶A甲基转移酶会引起重要的表型变化, 但是由于过去的检测方法受限, m⁶A确切的作用机制目前为止还不甚清楚。二代测序技术结合免疫沉淀方法为大规模检测m⁶A修饰并研究其作用机制提供了可能。文章主要综述了m⁶A的发现史、生成机制、组织和基因组分布、检测方法、生物学功能等及其最新研究进展, 并通过比较3种IP-seq技术和数据分析的异同及优缺点, 对m⁶A这种RNA表观修饰研究中尚未解决的问题进行了讨论。     

DNA甲基转移酶

DNA甲基化在基因调节和动物发育中起着重要作用。负责DNA甲基化作用的酶尔为DNA甲基转移酶（Dnmts）。到目前为止,在哺乳动物细胞中已经鉴定了三种DNA甲基转移酶基因家族,即Dnmt1、Dnmt2和Dnmt3。鉴定和研究DNA甲基转移酶对阐明DNA甲基化机制起着关键的作用。     

RNA表观遗传修饰:N~6-甲基腺嘌呤

N6-甲基腺嘌呤(N6-methyladenosine,m6A)是真核生物信使RNA(Messenger RNA,m RNA)上含量最多的化学修饰之一。类似于DNA和组蛋白化学修饰,m6A修饰也同样是动态可逆的,可在时间和空间上被甲基转移酶和去甲基酶调控。哺乳动物体内m6A甲基转移酶复合物中有一部分成分已被解析,主要有METTL3(Methyltransferase-like protein 3)、METTL14(Methyltransferase-like protein 14)和WTAP(Wilms tumor 1-associating protein)。m6A去甲基酶肥胖蛋白FTO(Fat mass and obesity associated protein)和ALKBH5(Alk B homolog 5)依赖α-酮戊二酸(α-Ketoglutaric acid,α-KG)和Fe(Ⅱ)对m6A进行氧化去甲基化反应。m6A在生物体内由m6A结合蛋白识别,并介导其行使功能。目前发现的m6A结合蛋白有YTH结构域蛋白YTHDF1(YTH domain-containing family protein 1)、YTHDF2(YTH domain-containing family protein 2)、YTHDC1(YTH domain-containing protein1)和核内HNRNPA2B1(Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins A2B1)。本文综述了m6A的分布和相关蛋白介导的m6A功能研究,以期全面理解m6A这一RNA表观遗传新修饰在生命进程中的重要调控作用。     

Comparative analysis of O6-methylguanine methyltransferase activity and cellular sensitivity to alkylating agents in cell strains derived from a variety of animal species

Using 26 cultured cell lines derived from 17 different animal species, we have measured both the activity of O6-methylguanine (O6-MeG) methyltransferase (MT) in cell extracts and the sensitivity of the strains to the lethal effects of the alkylating agents, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea (ACNU). The MT activity was assayed by measuring the amount of 3H radioactivity transferred from methyl-[3H]-labeled O6-MeG in DNA to acceptor protein molecules in the extracts. In all the 21 mammalian cell strains, lethal sensitivity to ACNU as measured by colony-forming ability correlated well with cellular MT activity, indicating that the major lethal ACNU damage is reparable by the MT. On the other hand, MNNG sensitivity did not necessarily correlate with the MT activity.     

应用反义RNA技术降低肿瘤细胞的耐药性

细胞内的Ｏ６－甲基鸟嘌呤－ＤＮＡ甲基转移酶（ＭＧＭＴ）能够修复亚硝脲药物造成的ＤＮＡ损伤,阻止亚硝脲药物对肿瘤的杀伤作用,使细胞对亚硝脲药物产生耐药性．我们曾经构建了三个表达ＭＧＭＴ反义ＲＮＡ的逆转录病毒载体,导入对亚硝脲呈抗性的ＨｅＬａＳ３细胞,并...     

Difference in O6-methylguanine methyltransferase activity among transformed NIH3T3 cell clones

We examined the sensitivity to the lethal effects of methylating agents and the O6-methylguanine methyltransferase (MTR) activities of in vitro transformed NIH3T3 cell clones. The sensitivities to the lethal effects of MNNG were not different among all 49 transformed cell clones examined and do not correlate with the MTR activities. All 8 spontaneously transformed cell clones showed the same sensitivities to ACNU as the parental cell line. 2 of 20 transformants induced by UV or MNNG showed higher sensitivities to the ACNU although the MTR activity was normal. One cell clone transformed by UV was sensitive to ACNU and showed about half MTR activity. 5 of 19 cell clones transformed by oncogenes (Ha-ras or SV40 ori-) were sensitive to the lethal effects of ACNU and showed the low MTR activities, but were not as much sensitive as a Ha-MuSV transformed cell clone, Ha821.     

反义RNA调节肿瘤细胞O~6-甲基鸟嘌呤-DNA甲基转移酶活性

报道了逆转录病毒载体介导的反义ＲＮＡ对肿瘤细胞Ｏ６－甲基鸟嘌呤－ＤＮＡ甲基转移酶（ＭＧＭＴ）活性的调节作用．构建了三个表达ＭＧＭＴ反义ＲＮＡ的逆转录病毒载体并用它们转染ＨｅＬａＳ３肿瘤细胞,观察细胞在转染前后ＭＧＭＴｍＲＮＡ水平、ＭＧＭＴ活性及其对ＡＣＮＵ抗药性的变化．发现针对ＭＧＭＴｍＲＮＡ５’端的反义ＲＮＡ能够有效地降低ＭＧＭＴｍＲＮＡ水平和ＭＧＭＴ活性并使细胞对ＡＣＮＵ的敏感性提高４．６倍;针对ＭＧＭＴｍＲＮＡ全长的反义ＲＮＡ也能在一定程度上调节细胞的ＭＧＭＴｍＲＮＡ水平和ＭＧＭＴ活性并增加细胞对ＡＣＮＵ的敏感性,而针对３’端序列的反义ＲＮＡ对ＭＧＭＴ活性没有调节作用．     

Age and strain dependence of O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase activity in mice

The activity of the DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MT) was compared in liver extracts from female ICR and male C57BL/6 mice at various ages (3-130 weeks old). Similar patterns of overall enzyme activity were observed in both strains with O6-MT activity being relatively low in young mice (3 or 8 weeks old). However, the activity significantly increased after adolescence (middle age), thereafter decreasing with old age (over 100 weeks old) to a level equivalent to that found in young mice. In an additional strain difference study, O6-MT activities in liver extracts from 4 strains of mice were compared at 5 and 30 weeks of age. Although a similar age-associated increase of enzyme activity in adolescence was confirmed in all 4 strains investigated, the closed-colony ICR mice differed from the inbred strains in demonstrating significantly higher levels of O6-MT activity in females than in males. However, the same tendency was also observed in a comparison of the sexes in 30-week-old C3H/HeN, C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice.     

Instability of Mex- phenotype in human lymphoblastoid cell lines

Three lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) had extremely low activities of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (O6-AGT), and were classified as Mex-. They were highly sensitive to cell killing by 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)-methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosoure a hydrochloride (ACNU), whereas NMO2, a Mex+ LCL with a high O6-AGT activity, was resistant to the agent. Small fractions of these Mex- LCLs survived the treatment with 10 micrograms/ml of ACNU for 24 h, and the surviving cells were found to be resistant to subsequent treatments with the agent. In addition, they contained O6-AGT activities comparable to that of NMO2 and were therefore regarded as Mex+. These results suggest that the Mex- phenotype in LCLs is unstable.     

Purification to homogeneity and partial amino acid sequence of a fragment which includes the methyl acceptor site of the human DNA repair protein for O6-methylguanine.

DNA repair by O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (O6-MT) is accomplished by removal by the enzyme of the methyl group from premutagenic O6-methylguanine-DNA, thereby restoring native guanine in DNA. The methyl group is transferred to an acceptor site cysteine thiol group in the enzyme, which causes the irreversible inactivation of O6-MT. We detected a variety of different forms of the methylated, inactivated enzyme in crude extracts of human spleen of molecular weights higher and lower than the usually observed 21-24kDa for the human O6-MT. Several apparent fragments of the methylated form of the protein were purified to homogeneity following reaction of partially-purified extract enzyme with O6-[3H-CH3]methylguanine-DNA substrate. One of these fragments yielded amino acid sequence information spanning fifteen residues, which was identified as probably belonging to human methyltransferase by virtue of both its significant sequence homology to three procaryote forms of O6-MT encoded by the ada, ogt (both from E. coli) and dat (B. subtilis) genes, and sequence position of the radiolabelled methyl group which matched the position of the conserved procaryote methyl acceptor site cysteine residue. Statistical prediction of secondary structure indicated good homologies between the human fragment and corresponding regions of the constitutive form of O6-MT in procaryotes (ogt and dat gene products), but not with the inducible ada protein, indicating the possibility that we had obtained partial amino acid sequence for a non-inducible form of the human enzyme. The identity of the fragment sequence as belonging to human methyltransferase was more recently confirmed by comparison with cDNA-derived amino acid sequence from the cloned human O6-MT gene from HeLa cells (1). The two sequences compared well, with only three out of fifteen amino acids being different (and two of them by only one nucleotide in each codon).     

International Commission for Protection Against Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens. A method for combining and comparing short-term genotoxicity test data: preface. A report from ICPEMC Committee 1.

The ability to repair 'mis-instructive', O6-methylguanine, and 'non-instructive', AP sites, DNA lesions in Fischer 344 rat livers at various ages was determined. Different behaviours were observed. While the AP-endodesoxyribonuclease enzymes displayed a high constant level throughout the animals' lifetime, the O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase activity presented a stepwise modulation (DNA normalisation of results): the O6-MT activity significantly increased within the first month of animal life and enhanced again after 6 months reaching a maximum plateau in the 12-18-month-old animals. Thereafter a net significant decrease of O6-MT enzyme was detected in the 24-month-old group. While the repair of the widely formed AP sites appeared uniformly efficient like 'house keeping' functions, the removal of the rare precancerous O6-methylguanine is age-dependent indicating a decreased protection of the youngest and oldest animals against this 'mis-instructive' damage. However, any extrapolation of the age-associated cancer risk needs further assessment.