通过细胞穿膜肽和皂苷增强一种核糖体失活蛋白抗肿瘤活性

将核糖体失活蛋白类鼻疽伯克霍尔德菌致死因子1(BLF1)与细胞穿膜肽(CPP)HBP融合表达并与商陆皂苷甲(EsA)联合使用,提高BLF1重组蛋白抑制肿瘤细胞生长的活性。通过原核表达及NI-NTA亲和层析纯化BLF1、BLF1-HBP融合蛋白,以HepG2、MCF-7、A549和HeLa细胞为检测模型,MTT法检测BLF1重组蛋白对肿瘤细胞的毒性,激光共聚焦显微镜观察重组蛋白进入细胞效率,流式细胞术分析抗肿瘤效应。结果显示,穿膜肽HBP可有效提高BLF1对HepG2、MCF-7、A549和HeLa四种肿瘤细胞的生长抑制作用,其中对HeLa细胞的药效增强效果最显著,可达47.5倍;皂苷EsA的使用进一步显著提高了BLF1-HBP对上述4种肿瘤细胞生长抑制活性,且对MCF-7细胞的IC50值从6 840 nmol/L降至0.57 nmol/L。激光共聚焦观察揭示EsA可有效促进BLF1重组蛋白进入肿瘤细胞效率,流式结果分析表明EsA可大大强化BLF1-HBP诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的能力。将BLF1与穿膜肽HBP融合表达并在EsA存在下,可显著提升BLF1对肿瘤细胞的毒性,强化其诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的能力。     

低强度超声对HeLa肿瘤细胞凋亡的诱导作用及其机制

目的探讨低强度超声在诱导HeLa肿瘤细胞凋亡中的作用及其机制。 方法将体外培养的HeLa肿瘤细胞根据超声干预强度分为阴性对照组（切断电源后给予假的超声干预）和0.5、1.3、2.0 W/cm²超声干预组,分别通过MTT实验测定细胞活力、存活率,HE染色检测细胞形态,细胞凋亡实验检测细胞凋亡率,流式细胞术测定ROS含量及Western blot实验检测caspase-12、survivin和内参蛋白β-actin的表达情况。多组间比较采用单因素方差分析,各个实验组与对照组比较采用Dunnet-t检验。 结果与阴性对照组比较,0.5、1.3、2.0 W/ cm²超声干预组的HeLa肿瘤细胞活力[（99.23±1.56）﹪比（80.52±1.72）﹪、（54.31±1.69）﹪（27.75±1.26）﹪]、细胞存活率[（99.91±1.51）﹪比（76.69±1.92）﹪、（52.57±1.63）﹪、（29.81±1.22）﹪]、survivin蛋白表达（51.19±0.21比43.46±0.34、25.28±0.29、18.32±0.3）均降低,ROS含量（11.21±0.45比24.34±1.23、38.26±2.47、52.18±1.56）,细胞凋亡率[（4.23±1.21）﹪比（24.16±1.91）﹪、（48.34±1.66）﹪、（70.27±0.98）﹪]、caspase-12蛋白表达（13.05±0.21比20.23±0.19、33.17±0.32、41.52±0.21）均升高,差异具有统计学意义（P均< 0.05）。 结论低强度超声可能通过诱导HeLa肿瘤细胞中caspase-12蛋白表达增加和survivin蛋白表达的减少而使HeLa肿瘤细胞发生凋亡。     

ILP-2-ECM1(P85)促进乳腺癌细胞的生长

凋亡抑制蛋白-2（inhibitor of apoptosis protein-like protein-2, ILP-2）是新发现的凋亡抑制蛋白质,其抑制肿瘤细胞凋亡促进其生长的分子机制有待阐明,而细胞外基质蛋白1(extracellular matrix protein 1, ECM1)所介导的信号通路与肿瘤细胞的生长密切相关。本研究通过免疫共沉淀法,检测到乳腺癌MCF-7细胞中ILP-2与ECM1（P85）存在相互作用。分别用化学合成的ILP-2-siRNA及ECM1-siRNA干扰处理MCF-7细胞。以未转染的MCF-7细胞和转染阴性对照siRNA的细胞分别作为空白和阴性对照,利用蛋白质印迹法,检测ILP-2-siRNA干扰后ECM1、FAK、Akt蛋白的表达,以及ECM1-siRNA干扰后ILP-2蛋白的表达。其结果显示,与空白对照组相比,ILP-2-siRNA-5 (0.32 ± 0.095)及ECM1-siRNA-1 (0.42 ± 0.024)干扰效率较高(均P<0.001);ILP-2-siRNA-5组待测蛋白质的相对表达量均显著下调 (ECM1, 0.19 ± 0.013, P<0.001), FAK (0.64 ± 0.069, P<0.01), Akt (0.35 ± 0.120, P<0.01)),ECM1-siRNA-1组ILP-2 (0.48 ± 0.060) 蛋白表达也显著下调,表明ILP-2与ECM1-mTOR信号通路联系密切。分别在ILP-2-siRNA和ECM1-siRNA转染24、48和72 h时,使用CCK-8法检测乳腺癌细胞的增殖,并用TUNEL标记荧光法和吖啶橙/溴化乙啶双荧光染色法(AO/EB)检测其凋亡。结果显示,与空白对照组相比,ILP-2-siRNA-5组和ECM1-siRNA-1组的存活率均显著下降（P<0.001）,凋亡率均明显升高（P<0.001）。利用共转染技术同时敲低ILP-2和ECM1表达,检测细胞的凋亡情况。结果显示,在干扰处理后24 h（0.55±0.122）,48 h（0.80 ± 0.107）和72h（0.73 ± 0.091）的凋亡率显著均高于阴性对照组（P＜0.05）。但与只敲低ILP-2或ECM1相比,无显著性差异（P＞0.05）。表明ILP-2可能是通过与ECM1作用激活FAK-mTOR信号通路,影响MCF-7细胞的增殖和凋亡,对乳腺癌细胞MCF-7的生长发挥了积极的作用。     

雷公藤红素与凋亡蛋白突变体通过强化Nur77诱发凋亡通路发挥协同抗肿瘤作用

雷公藤红素(Celastrol)和凋亡蛋白(Apoptin)均可通过Nur77信号通路介导肿瘤细胞凋亡,Celastrol与含有商陆皂苷甲(EsA)的Apoptin突变体tApoptin(简称为tApoptinE)联用是否具有高效的抗肿瘤活性及其协同作用的分子机制值得研究。通过MTT法检测药物联用后对肿瘤细胞增殖的抑制活性,流式细胞术和免疫印迹(Western blot)技术分析药物联用的分子机制。结果显示,Celastrol浓度≥300 nmol/L时可以显著提高tApoptinE对肝癌细胞SMMC-7721生长的抑制活性;上述联用条件下两种药物联合作用指数(Combined index)均小于1,其中,Celastrol(600 nmol/L)与tApoptinE联用的协同效果最显著;流式凋亡分析揭示联合用药强化了对细胞的凋亡效应;Western blot分析表明两种药物协同作用于共同的Nur77通路,促进更多的Nur77被磷酸化,磷酸化的Nur77显著调控Caspase和Bcl-2家族蛋白的表达,强化了细胞凋亡途径。上述两种药物联合使用后通过强化Nur77诱发的细胞凋亡通路,进一步诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡,从而发挥协同抗肿瘤作用。     

依托泊苷影响HEK293细胞同源重组修复体系

抗肿瘤药物疗效的研究多集中在肿瘤细胞,目前针对正常细胞的研究颇少,有必要建立能进行定量分析的同源重组定量修复体系。我们已建立的模型可以探讨肿瘤药物化疗后对HEK293细胞DSBs修复的继发性后果。通过构建含有带I-SceⅠ酶切位点的同源介导的重组修复底物（homologous direct recombination, HDR）,或单链退火修复（single strand annealing, SSA）底物的细胞株,定量检测依托泊苷 (etoposide,VP-l6)对同源性重组修复(homologous recombination, HR)通路的影响。成功构建了可用于定量检测DNA双链断裂(double-strand break, DSBs)诱导的SSA和HDR修复的正常人HEK293细胞应用模型。细胞毒结果证实,与SSA/293对照组对比,VP-16给药组 16 μmol/L（0.475±0.029 vs 1.000±0.000, P<0.001)细胞活力明显降低;与HDR/293对照组相比,VP-16 给药组16 μmol/L（0.458±0.188 vs 1.000±0.000, P<0.05)细胞活力降低。此外,本研究证实,VP-16抑制SSA修复,VP-16给药组 2 μmol/L与SSA/293对照组相比（0.575%±0.177% vs 1.352%±0.195%, P<0.05）,修复效率降低;VP-16抑制HDR修复,VP-16给药组1 μmol/L与HDR/293对照组修复效率相比（0.305%±0.078% vs. 0.635%± 0.049%,P<0.05),修复效率降低。VP-16诱导DNA损伤的同时,抑制HDR修复和SSA修复,修复效率呈现剂量依赖性。本研究结果可为抗肿瘤药物的临床应用提供某些指导。     

基于自噬与凋亡机制研究左归丸对化疗损伤颗粒细胞及膜细胞的影响

目的 探讨左归丸含药血清对化疗损伤性颗粒细胞和膜细胞的影响及作用机制。方法 制备左归丸含药血清,培养大鼠卵巢颗粒细胞和膜细胞,使用磷酰胺氮芥造模分组后给药。CCK-8法测定颗粒细胞和膜细胞存活率,实时荧光定量PCR法（RT-PCR）及蛋白质免疫印迹法（Western blot）分别检测卵巢自噬启动因子Beclin-1、微管结合蛋白轻链3（LC3B）、自噬受体蛋白p62、凋亡蛋白Bax、Caspase3在转录水平和翻译水平上的表达。结果 10%左归丸含药血清对于细胞存活的挽救率最高。Beclin-1、LC3B、Bax、Caspase3在磷酰胺氮芥作用的颗粒细胞和膜细胞中,相对于空白对照组有高表达（P<0.05）,10%左归丸含药血清可下调上述蛋白质在模型组中的表达（P<0.05）;然而受体蛋白p62较空白对照组升高（P<0.05）,10%左归丸含药血清可上调模型组p62的表达（P<0.05）。此外,在颗粒细胞实验组中,激活或抑制自噬途径后,自噬相关蛋白的表达在发生相应改变的同时,凋亡相关蛋白的表达也会发生相应改变。结论 磷酰胺氮芥可通过促进凋亡、激活自噬/溶酶体降解途径的机制损伤颗粒细胞和膜细胞。10%左归丸含药血清能缓解由此带来的损伤,同时影响了颗粒细胞和膜细胞自噬和凋亡过程。在磷酰胺氮芥损伤颗粒细胞的过程和10%左归丸含药血清缓解其损伤过程中均存在自噬与凋亡串流（cross-talk）。     

高糖通过诱导自噬障碍促进心肌细胞H9c2凋亡

目的探讨自噬对高糖（HG）诱导的心肌细胞H9c2凋亡的影响。 方法MTT法检测H9c2细胞活力;hoechst33258染色法检测凋亡细胞;Western Blot检测H9c2细胞促凋亡蛋白Bax和自噬相关蛋白（Beclin-1和P62）的表达。各组的OD值和蛋白条带灰度值均采用析因设计的方差分析,各组间差异用单因素ANOVA分析。 结果HG能诱导H9c2细胞活力降低：12、24、48 mmol/L的HG细胞活力分别为Control组（100%）的[（79.5±2.23）%]（t = 3.143,P = 0.043）、[（54.6±3.08）%]（t = 12.425,P = 0.000）和[（37.2±2.59）%]（t = 13.761,P = 0.000）;与Control组（100%）比较,甘露醇等渗对照组的细胞活力值为[（101.0±1.27）%]（t = 0.012,P = 0.094）。HG诱导H9c2细胞hoechst33258阳性细胞增加,且能诱导促凋亡蛋白Bax表达增加：与Control组比较,12、24、48 mmol/L的HG处理组凋亡蛋白Bax/β-actin灰度值分别为（1.29±0.25,t = 2.32,P = 0.045）、（1.42±0.23,t = 10.247,P = 0.000）和（1.81±0.29,t = 16.324,P = 0.000）。HG诱导自噬障碍：与Control组比较,自噬相关蛋白Beclin-1/β-actin灰度值分别为（0.82±0.16,t = 4.243,P = 0.032）、（0.78±0.19,t = 11.341,P = 0.000）和（0.62±0.11,t = 13.455,P = 0.000）,P62蛋白/β-actin蛋白灰度值分别为（1.29±0.25,t = 4.442,P = 0.014）、（1.42±0.23,t = 13.341,P = 0.000）和（1.81±0.29,t = 15.851,P = 0.000）。自噬诱导剂雷帕霉素可逆转HG诱导的hoechst33258阳性细胞增加,且逆转HG诱导的Bax表达升高：与control组比较,HG组、HG和雷帕霉素共处理组、雷帕霉素组的Bax/β-actin灰度值分别为（1.51±0.31,t = 14.342,P = 0.000）、（1.42±0.23,t = 9.621,P = 0.004）和（1.81±0.12,t = 0.172,P = 0.124）。 结论HG可促进心肌细胞H9c2凋亡,且能诱导自噬障碍,自噬诱导剂的运用逆转了HG对H9c2细胞的凋亡作用,表明自噬障碍是HG诱导H9c2细胞凋亡的重要机制。     

艾拉莫德增强丝裂霉素C诱导的人食管癌Eca109细胞凋亡

目的探讨艾拉莫德增强丝裂霉素C（MMC）诱导的人食管癌Eca109细胞凋亡的作用及其机制。 方法将人食管癌Eca109细胞分为五组：对照组、MMC组、25,50,100 μg/ml浓度艾拉莫德+MMC组;通过CCK-8和DCFH-DA染色法分别检测25,50,100 μg/ml浓度艾拉莫德联合MMC对人食管癌Eca109细胞活力和细胞活性氧（ROS）生成的影响,流式细胞术检测艾拉莫德联合MMC对人食管癌Eca109细胞凋亡的影响,并通过Western Blot检测艾拉莫德联合MMC对TNF-α和cleaved caspase3蛋白表达的影响。采用单因素方差分析和t检验进行统计学分析。 结果CCK-8结果显示,与0 μg/ml T-614+MMC组A450值（0.85±0.03）比较,25、50、100 μg/ml T-614+MMC组A450值（0.73±0.02,0.52±0.02,0.33±0.02）均降低,差异具有统计学意义（F = 127.60, P < 0.01）;DCFH-DA染色检测结果显示,与0 μg/ml T-614+MMC组DCFH荧光值（130.00±10.00）比较,25、50、100 μg/ml T-614+MMC组DCFH值（219.67±9.50,280.33±10.50,338.33±16.07）均升高,差异具有统计学意义（F = 170.20,P < 0.01）;流式细胞术检测结果显示,与对照组的细胞凋亡率（5.33±0.35）﹪比较,T-614和MMC组的凋亡率（20.30±2.00）﹪,（25.60±3.00）﹪均升高。与MMC组细胞凋亡率（25.60±3.00）﹪比较,艾拉莫德与MMC联用组（T-614+MMC）食管癌Eca109细胞的细胞凋亡率（56.20±3.00）﹪升高,差异均具有统计学意义（F = 247.50,P < 0.01）;Western Blot结果显示,与MMC组细胞TNF-α和cleaved caspase3蛋白表达（0.87±0.06,0.25±0.03）比较,艾拉莫德与MMC联用组（T-614+MMC）食管癌Eca109细胞的TNF-α和cleaved caspase3蛋白表达（1.28±0.08,0.59±0.03）升高,差异均具有统计学意义（F = 96.90,P < 0.01）。 结论艾拉莫德能够增强MMC对食管癌Eca109细胞活力的抑制作用,其机制可能通过促进ROS的生成,激活线粒体凋亡通路,最终导致食管癌Eca109细胞凋亡。     

lncRNA RPL34-AS1通过靶向调控miR-575表达对卵巢癌SKOV3细胞增殖和凋亡的影响

目的探究RPL34-AS1对卵巢癌细胞增殖、迁移的影响及其作用机制。 方法取对数生长期SKOV3细胞用无血清培养基同步化12 h,将pcDNA、pcDNA-RPL34-AS1、si-NC、si-RPL34-AS1、anti-miR-NC、anti-miR-575转染至SKOV3细胞中,分别记为pcDNA组、pcDNA-RPL34-AS1组、si-NC组、si-RPL34-AS1组、anti-miR-NC组、anti-miR-575组;将pcDNA-RPL34-AS1与miR-NC、miR-575分别共转染至SKOV3细胞中,记为pcDNA-RPL34-AS1+miR-NC组、pcDNA-RPL34-AS1+miR-575组。实时荧光定量PCR （RT-qPCR）检测临床组织标本及转染后各组细胞中RPL34-AS1和miR-575的表达水平;双荧光素酶报告实验检测RPL34-AS1和miR-575的靶向关系;四甲基偶氮唑盐比色法（MTT）检测细胞存活率;流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡;蛋白质印迹（Western blot）法检测细胞周期蛋白D1（Cyclin D1）、细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶抑制剂1A （p21）、B细胞淋巴瘤/白血病-2 （Bcl-2）、Bcl-2相关X蛋白（Bax）蛋白表达水平。两组间比较采用独立样本t检验,多组间比较采用单因素方差分析,组间两两比较采用LSD-t检验。 结果与癌旁组织相比,卵巢癌组织中RPL34-AS1表达水平降低（1.00±0.08比0.47±0.05）,miR-575表达水平升高（1.01±0.07比3.12±0.28）（P < 0.05）。转染si-RPL34-AS1后,细胞活性升高（48 h：0.68±0.06比0.55±0.05;72 h：0.99±0.08比0.71±0.06）,G1期细胞所占比例降低（13.42±1.38比32.15±2.11）,S期细胞所占比例升高（53.75±5.22比34.69±3.41）,细胞凋亡率降低（4.31±0.42比9.25±0.91）,CyclinD1、Bcl-2表达水平升高（0.92±0.08比0.71±0.07;0.86±0.07比0.61±0.06）,p21、Bax表达水平降低（0.13±0.02比0.29±0.03;0.19±0.02比0.31±0.03） （P均< 0.05）。RPL34-AS1靶向调控miR-575,过表达RPL34-AS1或抑制miR-575后可抑制细胞活性,阻滞细胞周期和促进细胞凋亡。miR-575过表达逆转了RPL34-AS1过表达对卵巢癌SKOV3细胞增殖抑制和凋亡促进的作用。 结论过表达RPL34-AS1可抑制卵巢癌SKOV3细胞增殖,促进细胞凋亡,其机制可能与下调miR-575有关。     

木犀草素对子痫前期大鼠滋养层细胞凋亡的影响及其机制

目的探讨木犀草素（LUT）对子痫前期（PE）大鼠滋养层细胞凋亡的影响及其机制。 方法取妊娠10 d SD大鼠,按随机数字表法随机分为对照组、模型组、20、40、60 mmol/L LUT （LUT-L、LUT-M、LUT-H）组,每组各12只,模型组和给药组大鼠皮下注射100 mg/（kg·d）亚硝基左旋精氨酸甲酯建立PE大鼠模型,对照组大鼠皮下注射等量生理盐水,每天1次,注射6 d。妊娠16 d的大鼠分别予以20、40、60 mmol/L LUT腹腔注射,对照组、模型组大鼠腹腔注射等量生理盐水,每天1次,注射5 d。测量各组大鼠妊娠10、16、21 d尾动脉血压及24 h尿蛋白水平;妊娠21 d,原位末端标记法（TUNEL）检测滋养层组织细胞凋亡情况,Western blot法检测滋养层组织B淋巴细胞瘤-2 （Bcl-2）、Bcl-2相关X蛋（Bax）、磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶（PI3K）、磷酸化PI3K （p-PI3K）、蛋白激酶B （Akt）、磷酸化AKT （p-Akt）、内皮型一氧化氮合酶（eNOS）和磷酸化eNOS （p-eNOS）蛋白表达量。多组间比较采用单因素方差分析,组间两两比较采用SNK-q检验。 结果妊娠10 d,各组大鼠尾动脉收缩压、舒张压、24 h尿蛋白含量差异无统计学意义;妊娠16 d,与对照组比较,模型组、LUT-L组、LUT-M组、LUT-H组大鼠尾动脉收缩压、舒张压、24 h尿蛋白含量升高（P均< 0.05）;妊娠21 d,与对照组比较,模型组、LUT-L组、LUT-M组、LUT-H组收缩压[（110.33±3.67）比（147.28±4.16）,（131.29±4.31）,（124.46±4.27）,（118.54±4.18）mmHg]、24 h蛋白尿、细胞凋亡率[（1.38±0.34）%,（43.45±3.72）%,（39.21±3.53）%,（27.86±3.41）%,（23.21±3.28）%]和Bax蛋白表达量均升高;Bcl-2、p-PI3K/PI3K （1.06±0.09比0.25±0.02,0.37±0.03,0.57±0.06,0.73±0.08）、p-Akt/Akt（0.87±0.08比0.11±0.01,0.23±0.03,0.56±0.07,0.78±0.06）和p-eNOS/eNOS蛋白表达水平（0.85±0.07比0.09±0.01,0.16±0.02,0.38±0.04,0.69±0.07）均降低（P均< 0.05）。与模型组比较,LUT-L组、LUT-M组、LUT-H组大鼠尾动脉收缩压、舒张压、滋养层组织细胞凋亡率和Bax蛋白表达量降低,Bcl-2、p-PI3K/PI3K、p-Akt/Akt和p-eNOS/eNOS蛋白表达量升高（P均< 0.05）。 结论LUT可抑制PE大鼠滋养层组织细胞凋亡,其机制可能与PI3K/Akt/eNOS信号通路激活,调控凋亡相关蛋白表达有关。     

一种用于药物蛋白亲和纯化和跨膜转运的双功能标签的开发

目的:开发一种既能用于亲和纯化目标蛋白,又可介导不能自主进入细胞的药物蛋白跨膜转运到细胞内发挥活性的双功能标签。方法:从已有文献资料中挑选四种富含碱性氨基酸的钙调蛋白结合肽(calmodulin binding peptide,CBP),将其与绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)融合表达,然后采用与钙调蛋白(calmodulin,CaM)亲和结合过程来筛选与CaM具有最高亲和力的CBP;随后采用荧光显微镜检测、激光共聚焦显微镜检测以及流式细胞术等技术来分析测定和比较候选CBP序列将EGFP重组蛋白自主转运进入细胞的能力。最后将筛选到的新型CBP双功能标签与凋亡蛋白融合表达,考察其与CaM亲和结合后纯化重组凋亡蛋白的能力,以MTT法分析此重组蛋白进入肿瘤细胞抑制生长的能力。结果:通过CaM-CBP亲和层析筛选出与CaM具高有亲和力的三种CBP序列;从重组蛋白胞内荧光检测结果得知,带有野生型骨骼肌肌球蛋白轻链激酶CBP序列(MLCK)的重组EGFP蛋白具有最佳跨膜转运效率,且显著高于来源于艾滋病毒的经典穿膜肽TAT的穿膜效率。以此MLCK新型双功能标签成功地通过CaM-CBP亲和结合纯化得到重组凋亡蛋白,并可将重组凋亡蛋白转运进入细胞内发挥抗肿瘤作用。重组凋亡蛋白对MGC-803、H460、HeLa三种肿瘤细胞生长的24h半抑制浓度(IC50)分别为:1. 18μmol/L、1. 23μmol/L、1. 23μmol/L。结论:筛选得到一种新型双功能标签MLCK,其可通过与CaM高亲和作用进行亲和纯化;同时标签本身还具有和典型穿膜肽一样的高效跨膜转运功能,可将药物蛋白自主转运进入细胞,发挥药物的生物活性。因此,新型双功能标签既可用于药物蛋白的亲和纯化,又兼具体内跨膜运输作用,可广泛用于各种新型药物的开发。     

Mitotic catastrophe triggered in human cancer cells by the viral protein apoptin

Mitotic catastrophe is an oncosuppressive mechanism that senses mitotic failure leading to cell death or senescence. As such, it protects against aneuploidy and genetic instability, and its induction in cancer cells by exogenous agents is currently seen as a promising therapeutic end point. Apoptin, a small protein from Chicken Anemia Virus (CAV), is known for its ability to selectively induce cell death in human tumor cells. Here, we show that apoptin triggers p53-independent abnormal spindle formation in osteosarcoma cells. Approximately 50% of apoptin-positive cells displayed non-bipolar spindles, a 10-fold increase as compared to control cells. Besides, tumor cells expressing apoptin are greatly limited in their progress through anaphase and telophase, and a significant drop in mitotic cells past the meta-to-anaphase transition is observed. Time-lapse microscopy showed that mitotic osteosarcoma cells expressing apoptin displayed aberrant mitotic figures and/or had a prolonged cycling time during mitosis. Importantly, all dividing cells expressing apoptin eventually underwent cell death either during mitosis or during the following interphase. We infer that apoptin can efficiently trigger cell death in dividing human tumor cells through induction of mitotic catastrophe. However, the killing activity of apoptin is not only confined to dividing cells, as the CAV-derived protein is also able to trigger caspase-3 activation and apoptosis in non-mitotic cancer cells.     

Apoptin与肿瘤细胞凋亡

Apoptin是一种能够特异性地诱导肿瘤细胞和转化细胞凋亡的小蛋白质。简要综述了Apoptin的来源及其分子生物学特性、Apoptin诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的特点和分子机制、Apoptin在肿瘤治疗方面的研究进展,以及Apoptin作为一种抗肿瘤制剂的应用前景。     

Activation of the tumor-specific death effector apoptin and its kinase by an N-terminal determinant of simian virus 40 large T antigen

Apoptin, a viral death protein derived from chicken anemia virus, displays a number of tumor-specific behaviors. In particular, apoptin is phosphorylated, translocates to the nucleus, and induces apoptosis specifically in tumor or transformed cells, whereas it is nonphosphorylated and remains primarily inactive in the cytoplasm of nontransformed normal cells. Here, we show that in normal cells apoptin can also be activated by the transient transforming signals conferred by ectopically expressed simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen (LT), which rapidly induces apoptin's phosphorylation, nuclear accumulation, and the ability to induce apoptosis. Further analyses with mutants of LT showed that the minimum domain capable of inducing all three of apoptin's tumor-specific properties resided in the N-terminal J domain, a sequence which is largely shared by SV40 small t antigen (st). Interestingly, the J domain in st, which lacks its own nuclear localization signal (NLS), required nuclear localization to activate apoptin. These results reveal the existence of a cellular pathway shared by conditions of transient transformation and the stable cancerous or precancerous state, and they support a model whereby a transient transforming signal confers on apoptin both the upstream activity of phosphorylation and the downstream activity of nuclear accumulation and apoptosis induction. Such a pathway may reflect a general lesion contributing to human cancers.     

一种新型的重组单链三特异抗体的构建与表达

双特异抗体由于其缺乏共刺激信号 ,激活的T细胞往往会导致凋亡。为了更有效地杀伤肿瘤细胞 ,构建了抗卵巢癌单链×抗CD3单链×抗CD2 8单域重组三特异抗体的表达载体。利用大肠杆菌中的分子伴侣FkpA与三特异抗体共表达 ,提高了三特异抗体的在BL2 1Star菌中的可溶性原核表达。ELISA结果显示 ,可溶性的重组单链三特异抗体 (sTRI)与SK OV 3细胞的膜抗原 ,Jurkat细胞上的CD3分子以及重组CD2 8抗原均有较强的结合活性。桥连试验证明该抗体能同时与SK OV 3细胞和Jurkat细胞结合。体外杀伤试验表明该抗体能激活外周血T细胞来杀伤肿瘤细胞。形态学观察也进一步说明该抗体具有良好的结合活性以及体外杀伤活性。这种新型的重组单链三特异抗体为基于T细胞的癌症免疫治疗建立了一个新的技术平台。     

Comparison of Enterococcus quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis results from fresh and marine waters on two real-time instruments

Apoptin, a protein derived from chicken anemia virus (CAV), induces apoptosis selectively in human tumor cells as compared with normal cells. This activity depends on phosphorylation and relocation of apoptin to the nucleus of cancer cells. Here, we describe an in vitro kinase assay that allows the biochemical characterization of apoptin kinase activity in tumor cells. The kinase phosphorylates apoptin in a strictly ATP-dependent fashion and in a broad salt range. The kinase activity is present constitutively in both cytoplasm and nucleus of various human tumor cells. Q-column chromatography showed that both cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions have identical fractionation characteristics, suggesting that the same kinase is present in both cellular compartments. Kinase activity derived from positive Q-column fractions bound to amylose-maltose-binding protein (MBP)-apoptin and could be eluted with ATP only in the presence of the cofactor Mg(2+). Apparently, unphosphorylated apoptin interacts with the kinase and is released only after phosphorylation has occurred, proving that our assay recognizes the genuine apoptin kinase. This is further corroborated by the finding that apoptin is phosphorylated in vitro at positions Thr108 and Thr107, in concert with earlier in vivo observations. Our assay excludes cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and protein kinase C beta (PKC-β), previously nominated by two separate studies as being the genuine apoptin kinase.     

PP2A inactivation is a crucial step in triggering apoptin-induced tumor-selective cell killing

Apoptin (apoptosis-inducing protein) harbors tumor-selective characteristics making it a potential safe and effective anticancer agent. Apoptin becomes phosphorylated and induces apoptosis in a large panel of human tumor but not normal cells. Here, we used an in vitro oncogenic transformation assay to explore minimal cellular factors required for the activation of apoptin. Flag-apoptin was introduced into normal fibroblasts together with the transforming SV40 large T antigen (SV40 LT) and SV40 small t antigen (SV40 ST) antigens. We found that nuclear expression of SV40 ST in normal cells was sufficient to induce phosphorylation of apoptin. Mutational analysis showed that mutations disrupting the binding of ST to protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) counteracted this effect. Knockdown of the ST-interacting PP2A–B56γ subunit in normal fibroblasts mimicked the effect of nuclear ST expression, resulting in induction of apoptin phosphorylation. The same effect was observed upon downregulation of the PP2A–B56δ subunit, which is targeted by protein kinase A (PKA). Apoptin interacts with the PKA-associating protein BCA3/AKIP1, and inhibition of PKA in tumor cells by treatment with H89 increased the phosphorylation of apoptin, whereas the PKA activator cAMP partially reduced it. We infer that inactivation of PP2A, in particular, of the B56γ and B56δ subunits is a crucial step in triggering apoptin-induced tumor-selective cell death.     

Recombinant Apoptin multimers kill tumor cells but are nontoxic and epitope-shielded in a normal-cell-specific fashion

Apoptin, a protein derived from chicken anemia virus, induces apoptosis in human transformed or tumor cells but not in normal cells. When produced in bacteria as a recombinant fusion with maltose-binding protein (MBP-Apoptin), Apoptin forms a distinct, stable multimeric complex that is remarkably homogeneous and uniform. Here, using cytoplasmic microinjection, we showed that recombinant MBP-Apoptin multimers retained the characteristics of the ectopically expressed wild-type Apoptin; namely, the complexes translocated to the nucleus of tumor cells and induced apoptosis, whereas they remained in the cytoplasm of normal, primary cells and exerted no apparent toxic effect. In normal cells, MBP-Apoptin formed increasingly large, organelle-sized globular bodies with time postinjection and eventually lost the ability to be detected by immunofluorescence analysis. Costaining with an acidotrophic marker indicated that these globular structures did not correspond to lysosomes. Immunoprecipitation studies showed that MBP-Apoptin remained fully antibody-accessible regardless of buffer stringency when microinjected into tumor cells. In contrast, MBP-Apoptin in normal cells was only recoverable under stringent lysis conditions, whereas under milder conditions they became fully shielded with time on two epitopes spanning the entire protein. Further biochemical analysis showed that the long-term fate of Apoptin protein aggregates in normal cells was their eventual elimination. Our results provide the first example of a tumor-specific apoptosis-inducing aggregate that is essentially sequestered by factors or conditions present in the cytoplasm of healthy, nontransformed cells. This characteristic should reveal more about the cellular interactions of this viral protein as well as further enhance its safety as a potential tumor-specific therapeutic agent.     

Apoptin induces apoptosis by changing the equilibrium between the stability of TAp73 and ΔNp73 isoforms through ubiquitin ligase PIR2

Apoptin, a protein derived from the chicken anaemia virus, induces cell death in various cancer cells but shows little or no cytotoxicity in normal cells. The mechanism of apoptin-induced cell death is currently unknown but it appears to induce apoptosis independent of p53 status. Here we show that p73, a p53 family member, is important in apoptin-induced apoptosis. In p53 deficient and/or mutated cells, apoptin induced the expression of TAp73 leading to the induction of apoptosis. Knockdown of p73 using siRNA resulted in a significant reduction in apoptin-induced cytotoxicity. The p53 and p73 pro-apoptotic target PUMA plays an important role in apoptin-induced cell death as knockdown of PUMA significantly reduced cell sensitivity to apoptin. Importantly, apoptin expression resulted in a marked increase in TAp73 protein stability. Investigation into the mechanisms of TAp73 stability showed that apoptin induced the expression of the ring finger domain ubiquitin ligase PIR2 which is involved in the degradation of the anti-apoptotic ?Np73 isoform. Collectively, our results suggest a novel mechanism of apoptin-induced apoptosis through increased TAp73 stability and induction of PIR2 resulting in the degradation of ?Np73 and activation of pro-apoptotic targets such as PUMA causing cancer cell death.     

Enhanced expression of apoptin by the Myc-Max binding motif and SV40 enhancer for SCLC gene therapy

Apoptin is derived from chicken anemia virus (CAV) and known to induce tumor specific apoptosis but not normal cells. The aim of this study was to use increased expression of apoptin by the Myc-Max response element (MMRE) and SV40 enhancer in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) gene therapy. To investigate the possibility of the utilization of the MMRE, apoptin, and SV40 promoter/enhancer in targeted cancer gene therapy, adenovirus vector expressing apoptin controlled by the MMRE, and SV40 promoter/enhancer was constructed. Ad-MMRE-apoptin-enh infected SCLC cells were significantly suppressed and induced apoptosis more than those of Ad-apoptin or Ad-apoptin-enh. Infection with Ad-MMRE-apoptin-enh of normal cells did not increase apoptosis. About 85% of SCLC tumors show overexpression of the myc family, so the increased expression of apoptin by MMRE and SV40 enhancer can be used in targeted SCLC gene therapy. These results indicate that apoptin expression was increased by the MMRE and SV40 promoter/enhancer, and that this strategy can be used in SCLC targeted cancer gene therapy.