NLRP1炎性体

核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体蛋白1(NLRP1)炎性体是NLRP1在识别胞内病原相关分子模式(PAMP)后与凋亡相关斑点样蛋白(ASC)以及半胱天冬氨酸酶(Caspase-1、Caspase-5)前体等分子结合形成的蛋白复合物,活化后促进IL-1β、IL-18、IL-33等炎症因子的成熟和释放,在先天性免疫中发挥重要作用。本文主要介绍了NLRP1炎性体的组成、激活机制、信号通路、负向调控及生物学功能,综述了NLRP1炎性体在炭疽、弓形虫病、泛发型白癜风、肠炎、牛皮癣等疾病中作用的研究进展。     

国外研究信息

<正>白细胞介素1受体相关激酶1旁路引发和直接连接Toll样受体至快速核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体含热蛋白结构域3炎性体激活致病性感染和组织损伤引发炎性体的组装,这种胞质蛋白复合物激活半胱天冬酶-1(caspase-1),促进白细胞介素1β前体(pro-IL-1β)和pro-IL-18的切割成熟,还能调节caspase-1依赖的程序性细胞死亡(pyroptosis)。众所周知,微生物识别Toll样受体(TLR)主要是诱导激活caspase-1,但已知的TLR功能仅限于上调炎性体的作用。感染致命微生物后,TLR和核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体(NLR)有可能同时     

NLRP10蛋白的结构和自组装

NLRP10是NOD样受体(NOD-like receptor,NLR)蛋白家族的特殊成员,它具有N端热蛋白结构域(pyrin-like domain,PYD)和中间的核苷酸结合寡聚结构域(nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain,NOD),却不具有亮氨酸富集重复结构域(leucine-rich repeat domain,LRR),这表明NLRP10可能并不直接参与病原微生物的识别,而是行使免疫调节的功能.研究表明,NLRP10能促进NOD1介导的免疫反应,也能抑制NLRP3炎症小体的激活.在参与免疫调控时,NLRP10以聚集体的形式与接头蛋白ASC结合,继而招募相应免疫信号通路中的其他成员.NLRP10蛋白在结构方面的研究很有限,目前仅有PYD结构域的相关报道.本文在尝试纯化全长人源NLRP10时,同时得到了PYD结构域缺失的稳定蛋白片段,电镜结果表明存在条形和环形两种形态的聚集体.通过序列分析和定点突变,我们找到了潜在的蛋白质降解位点,从而解决了纯化过程中蛋白质降解的问题,为后期的高分辨结构测定奠定了基础.     

细胞焦亡机制及与疾病的关系

细胞焦亡(pyroptosis)是近年来发现的一种区别于细胞凋亡的促炎程序性死亡方式。焦亡途径包括半胱天冬酶(caspase)-1介导的经典焦亡途径和Caspase-4/5/11介导的非经典焦亡途径。细胞焦亡涉及多种炎性小体的激活,如核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体蛋白3(NLR pyrin domain containing 3,NLRP3)、核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体蛋白C4 (NLR containing a caspase recruitment domain 4,NLRC4)以及黑色素瘤缺乏因子2 (absent in melanoma 2,AIM2)等。Gasdermin-D(GSDMD)是参与细胞焦亡的关键切割蛋白,最终导致膜蛋白通道开放、膜孔形成、白细胞介素(interleukins,ILs)释放,从而扩大炎症反应。细胞焦亡介导许多疾病如感染性疾病、神经系统疾病、心血管疾病、代谢性疾病以及炎症免疫性疾病等。本文综述了细胞焦亡机制及与疾病关系的研究进展。     

载脂蛋白C3通过炎症小体替代激活诱导炎症和器官损伤

正核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体蛋白3 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3,NLRP3)驱动的炎症与多种疾病的发病机制有关,其内源性激活物的鉴定对于开发新的抗炎治疗策略至关重要。由德国萨尔大学的蒂莫·斯佩尔(Timo Speer)教授领导的研究小组近期揭示了确定富含甘油三酸酯的脂蛋白代谢的关键参与者载脂蛋白C3(Apolipoprotein C3,Apo C3)是一种新型的NLRP3激活剂,可促进无菌性炎症和器官损害,结果发表在《自然·免疫学》杂志上。     

牛病毒性腹泻病毒Erns蛋白激活NOD样受体热蛋白结构域相关蛋白3炎症小体诱发细胞焦亡的研究

【目的】牛病毒性腹泻病毒(bovine viral diarrhea virus, BVDV)是引起牛病毒性腹泻-黏膜病的关键病毒。BVDV的结构蛋白Erns可在病毒感染的初期削弱宿主的免疫防御,引发牛群炎症反应。核苷酸寡聚化结构域样受体(nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, NOD)热蛋白结构域相关蛋白3 (NLRP3)炎症小体是NOD样受体(NOD-like receptor, NLRs)家族重要成员,调控炎症性疾病的发生发展,同时激活的NLRP3炎症小体能够引起宿主细胞焦亡,进而诱发级联放大的炎症反应。但BVDV Erns蛋白在BVDV感染诱发炎症反应的分子机制尚不清楚。【方法】为进一步探索Erns蛋白对BVDV感染激活NLRP3炎症小体诱发细胞焦亡的影响,构建了BVDV Erns蛋白的真核表达质粒pCMV-HA-Erns,过表达BVDV Erns蛋白,检测BVDV感染细胞中NLRP3炎症小体组分[半胱氨酸蛋白酶(caspase-1)、凋亡相关斑点样蛋白(apoptosis-associated speck-like protein, ASC)和NLRP3]、IL-1β的mRNA转录水平和蛋白表达水平,以及细胞死亡调节蛋白(gasdermin D, GSDMD)的基因表达和蛋白剪切情况,并通过扫描电镜观察牛睾丸(bovine testis, BT)细胞膜成孔及BT细胞内容物释放情况,以分析Erns蛋白诱导BT细胞产生细胞焦亡。【结果】Erns蛋白能够显著引起NLRP3炎症小体活化进而激活caspase-1,活化的caspase-1一方面切割GSDMD,形成有活性的GSDMD-N端并在BT细胞膜形成孔洞,释放内容物,诱导BT细胞发生细胞焦亡;另一方面活化的caspase-1切割pro-IL-1β,形成有活性的IL-1β,并释放到BT细胞外,引起BT细胞上清中IL-1β水平上升。【结论】系统解析了BVDV Erns蛋白激活NLRP3炎症小体介导细胞焦亡的产生,对疫苗及治疗药物的研制具有重要指导意义。     

炎症复合体与炎症反应

炎症复合体(inflammasome)是胞浆内一组复杂的多蛋白复合体,是胱天蛋白酶(caspase)-1活化所必需的反应平台,调控白介素(interleukin,IL)-1β、IL-18、IL-33等促炎细胞因子的加工及活化,参与天然免疫系统的激活.核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体(nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain-like receptors,NLRs)是胞浆内重要的模式识别受体,能感知胞内病原微生物产物及代谢性应激,起始炎症复合体的组装,是构成炎症复合体的核心成分.综述了炎症复合体和NLRs研究现状及其在炎症反应中的作用.     

自噬与NLRP3炎症小体激活间的相互作用

自噬作为真核生物细胞遭遇各种应激压力时发生的一种基本应答方式,参与细胞的多种生命活动,使细胞在各种应激条件下维持一种动态平衡状态。NOD样受体家族核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体3（NOD-like receptor family,pyrin domain containing 3,NLRP3）炎症小体,是生物体内防御病原微生物的固有免疫防御系统的重要组成部分。NLRP3炎症小体通过激活胱天蛋白酶-1（caspase-1）,从而促进白细胞介素-1β（interleukin-1,IL-1β）和白细胞介素-18（interleukin-18,IL-18）等促炎细胞因子的成熟和分泌,继而介导炎症的发生。众多研究表明,自噬能够负向或正向调控NLRP3炎症小体的激活。同时,NLRP3炎症小体也会逆向影响自噬的作用。本文对自噬包括选择性自噬与NLRP3炎症小体激活的相互作用,以及通过激活自噬抑制NLRP3炎症小体,从而在炎症相关疾病治疗中的应用进行综述。     

原发性骨关节炎患者关节滑膜组织中NLRP3含量与炎症及氧化应激的相关性分析

目的:探讨原发性骨关节炎患者关节中核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体3(NLRP3)含量与炎症及氧化应激的相关性。方法:选择2018年6月-2019年6月我院接诊的100例原发性骨关节炎患者进行研究,设为观察组,并选择我院同期体检健康者80例作为对照组。分析NLRP3、凋亡相关斑点样蛋白(ASC)、半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白酶1(Caspase-1)与白介素1β(IL-1β)、白介素17(IL-17)、肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)、丙二醛(MDA)、8-羟基脱氧鸟苷(8-OHdG)、3-硝基酪氨酸(3-NT)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)的相关性。结果:观察组NLRP3、ASC、Caspase-1水平显著高于对照组,差异显著(P0.05);观察组IL-1β、IL-17、TNF-α水平显著高于对照组,差异显著(P0.05);观察组MDA、8-OHdG、3-NT水平显著高于对照组,SOD、GSH-Px水平显著低于对照组,差异显著(P0.05);将炎症及氧化应激作为因变量,将NLRP3、ASC、Caspase-1分别作为自变量,在相关性分析结果中显示,NLRP3、ASC、Caspase-1和IL-1β、IL-17、TNF-α、MDA、8-OHdG、3-NT之间均呈正相关(P0.05),NLRP3、ASC、Caspase-1和SOD、GSH-Px之间均呈负相关(P0.05)。结论:在原发性骨关节炎患者中NLRP3的含量和炎症及氧化应激之间存在着密切关系,可促使疾病进展。     

晚期糖基化白蛋白通过上调核苷酸结合寡聚结构域样受体蛋白3诱导巨噬细胞焦亡

本研究旨在探讨晚期糖基化白蛋白(advanced glycated albumin, AGE-alb)对巨噬细胞核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体蛋白3 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3, NLRP3)-caspase-1途径的影响,以阐明AGE-alb对巨噬细胞焦亡的影响及机制。体外培养RAW264.7巨噬细胞,分别给予AGE-alb (1、2、4和6 g/L)、对照白蛋白(C-alb,4 g/L)处理24h或以NLRP3抑制剂MCC950 (1μmol/L)预处理细胞,1h后以AGE-alb(4g/L)处理24h。MTT法检测细胞活力,试剂盒测定caspase-1和培养基乳酸脱氢酶(lactate dehydrogenase, LDH)活性以及白细胞介素-1β(interleukin-1β, IL-1β)、IL-18浓度,TUNEL法和Hoechst 33342/PI双染法检测细胞死亡情况,Westernblot分析NLRP3、procaspase-1和cleavedcaspase-1表达变化。结果显示:AGE-alb显著诱导RAW264.7巨噬细胞损伤,表现为细胞活力降低,LDH漏出、TUNEL阳性和PI阳性细胞率显著增加,且呈浓度依赖性,并可促进IL-1β和IL-18分泌。AGE-alb显著上调NLRP3表达和caspase-1活性,尤其在4和6 g/L浓度时更为明显。然而,MCC950预处理可抑制AGE-alb所诱导的RAW264.7巨噬细胞活力降低、LDH漏出、TUNEL阳性和PI阳性细胞率增加以及IL-1β和IL-18分泌,并可抑制AGE-alb所致的caspase-1活化。以上结果表明,AGE-alb可诱导RAW264.7巨噬细胞焦亡,其机制至少部分是通过激活NLRP3-caspase-1信号途径实现的。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

The structure, reproduction and taxonomy of Vidalia and Osmundaria (Rhodophyta, Rhodomelaceae)

Comprises species occurring mostly in subtidal habitats in tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate areas of the world. An analysis of the type species, V. spiralis (Sonder) Lamouroux ex J. Agardh, a species from Australia, establishes basic characters for distinguishing species in the genus. These characters are (1) branching patterns of thalli, (2) flat blades that may be spiralled on their axis, (3) width of the blade, (4) primary or secondary derivation of sterile and fertile branchlets and (5) position of sterile and fertile branchlets on the thalli. Application of the latter two characters provides an important basic method for separation of species into three major groups. Osmundaria , a genus known only in southern Australia, was studied in relation to Vidalia , and its separation from the Vidalia assemblage is not accepted. Species of Vidalia therefore are transferred to the older genus name, Osmundaria. Two new species, Osmundaria papenfussii and Osmundaria oliveae are described from Natal. Confusion in the usage of the epithet, Vidalia fimbriala Brown ex Turner has been clarified, and Vidalia gregaria Falkenberg, described as an epiphyte on Osmundaria pro/ifera Lamouroux, is revealed to be young branches of the host, Osmundaria prolifera.     

New or rare chromosome counts in Artemisia L. (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) and related genera from Kazakhstan

Fifteen chromosome counts of six Artemisia taxa and one species of each of the genera Brachanthemum, Hippolytia, Kaschgaria, Lepidolopsis and Turaniphytum are reported from Kazakhstan. Three of them are new reports, two are not consistent with previous counts and the remainder are confirmations of very scarce (one to four) earlier records. All the populations studied have the same basic chromosome number, x = 9, with ploidy levels ranging from 2x to 6x. Some correlations between ploidy level, morphological characters and distribution are noted.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

肝癌中HBV和HCV基因和抗原的分布及意义

采用原位分子杂交方法检测HCV RNA及HBV X基因;采用免疫组织化学方法研究HCV核心抗原,非结构区C33c抗原及HBxAg在肝细胞肝癌中的定位及分布.结果表明(1)HCV RNA、HBV X基因在肝细胞肝癌组织检出率分别为40%(55/136)和82%(112/136).HCV RNA定位于癌细胞的胞浆内,阳性细胞呈散在、灶状及弥漫分布三种形式;HBV X基因在肝癌细胞中的分布呈胞浆型、核型及核浆型,阳性细胞也呈上述三种分布形式;(2)HCV C33c抗原、核心抗原在肝细胞肝癌中的阳性率为81%(133/164)及86%(141/164).C33c抗原定位于癌细胞及肝细胞的胞浆内;核心抗原既定位于癌细胞核中,又可定位于胞浆中.C33c抗原阳性细胞以灶状分布为主;而核心抗原阳性细