膀胱癌中唾液酸酶Neu1的异常表达对Toll样受体的影响

哺乳动物细胞内的某些蛋白质或脂类可以被糖基化修饰,而糖链末端往往存在唾液酸化的现象,催化添加唾液酸的酶为糖基转移酶(sialyltransferase,ST),而去除唾液酸的为唾液酸酶(sialidase,SA或称为neuraminidase,NEU).本实验检测了人膀胱正常上皮细胞HCV29、非浸润性膀胱癌细胞KK47和浸润性膀胱癌细胞YTS-1中唾液酸的表达,发现恶性肿瘤细胞中唾液酸的含量高于正常细胞;进一步分析唾液酸酶和唾液酸转移酶的表达,发现唾液酸酶Neu1在正常细胞中表达最高,在良性肿瘤细胞中次之,在恶性肿瘤细胞中表达最低,推测在膀胱癌中Neu1对唾液酸的异常表达起着主要作用.同时,膀胱癌细胞中Toll样受体1,2,3,4(toll-like receptors,TLRs)表达趋势也与Neu1一致.利用TGF-β处理HCV29,使之发生上皮间质转化(epithelial-mesenchymal transition,EMT),细胞中Neu1和TLR3表达明显减少;将Neu1基因沉默后,TLR3表达也明显减少.此外,在YTS-1细胞中过表达Neu1,TLR3表达增高且激活了下游NF-κB通路.这一结果说明膀胱癌中Neu1与TLR3的表达有着密切的关系,这为膀胱癌的分子机理研究提供了工作基础.     

脂联素受体的研究进展

脂联素作为一种脂肪细胞因子具有维持能量代谢内稳态、调节免疫平衡、调控细胞增殖的作用.因此脂联素受体被认为是具有潜在应用价值的新靶点.随着研究的进展,人们对其结构特性、生物学功能、介导的信号转导通路以及表达调控有了更加深入的认识.在疾病过程中,脂联素受体含量以及功能的变化可以引起细胞对脂联素的敏感性发生改变,成为影响疾病发生与发展的重要机制之一;开发调控脂联素受体表达的药物并明确其作用的机制将会有力地促进对代谢紊乱和心血管疾病的防治.     

H7N2禽流感病毒HA的分离纯化及其糖链谱研究

血凝素(HA)是位于流感病毒囊膜表面的一种Ⅰ型跨膜糖蛋白,是流感病毒结合宿主细胞表面受体,介导病毒入胞的关键分子,也是中和抗体以及疫苗研制的重要靶标.HA表面糖基化与病毒毒力、感染宿主范围等密切相关,且其表面糖链变化会影响其结构与功能.然而目前关于流感病毒HA糖基化的研究主要集中在其糖基化位点上,而对于HA上详细的糖链结构知之甚少.本文应用禽流感病毒特异识别的唾液酸糖链(SAα2-3Gal)受体,制备特异的糖链磁性微粒复合物,进而从H7N2禽流感病毒中分离纯化HA,并采用SDS-PAGE及质谱技术进行鉴定.确定提取物系HA后,进一步利用凝集素芯片联合质谱技术研究禽流感病毒H7N2的HA表面糖型,结果显示H7N2禽流感病毒HA表面主要含有岩藻糖、半乳糖、N-乙酰半乳糖胺、甘露糖、N-乙酰葡糖胺等糖链结构,共获得16个糖链结构较为准确的寡糖,这些糖链可能与HA生物学功能相关.本研究有助于揭示禽流感病毒感染宿主的糖链作用机制,有助于设计制备针对HA相关的糖链疫苗.     

糖基转移酶在神经系统中的作用

神经系统的发育及其正常功能的维持受到精确的控制,其调控异常导致的神经系统疾病成为危害健康的重要因素。研究神经系统的发育及其疾病发生的分子机制是生命科学的热点。糖基转移酶是一组催化糖链合成及糖链与蛋白质或者脂质形成复合物的酶类。糖基转移酶可以调节神经细胞表面多种蛋白质及脂质的糖基化,参与神经系统的发生及多种疾病发病过程的调控。对糖基转移酶在神经系统发育和疾病中的作用做一综述。     

NR4A1对糖脂代谢的调控作用

孤核受体NR4A1又被广泛地称为Nur77, TR3或NGFI-B等,是核受体NR4A家族中的重要成员,它作为转录因子,对体内多种生理过程都起到直接或间接的调控作用.本综述根据该领域的研究进展,以及本实验室的相关研究,对NR4A1在糖脂代谢中的调控作用进行了简短的综述.在胰岛β细胞中,持续高糖高脂的压力会引起细胞的内质网应激和氧化应激,而NR4A1能够抵抗由其引起的细胞凋亡,从而缓冲或阻止糖尿病的发生和发展.在脂肪组织中, NR4A1能够抑制脂肪细胞分化和脂质的生成,从而影响肥胖的发生和发展.     

多聚唾液酸与多聚唾液酸转移酶

多聚唾液酸（PSA）是一种在神经细胞黏附分子（neural cell adhesion molecule,NCAM）上表达的唾液酸聚合物,在神经发育过程中起重要作用.PSA的聚合程度会影响PSA-NCAM的功能.多聚唾液酸酶主要用于合成PSA-NCAM,两种高度同源的多聚唾液酸转移酶ST8SiaⅡ和ST8SiaⅣ都属于唾液酸转移酶家族.多聚唾液酸转移酶中NCAM的识别域和多聚唾液酸化域是截然不同的,且一些异构酶在NCAM多聚唾液酸化中起明显的负作用.多聚唾液酸酶与很多疾病都有关系,以多聚唾液酸转移酶为标靶设计的药物也将成为神经系统及肿瘤治疗的新型药物.     

Dkk1在器官发育及肿瘤发生中的调控作用

Wnt信号通路在脊椎动物的胚胎发育过程中发挥重要作用. Dkk1(Dickkopf1)是Dkk基因家族的成员之一,通过编码一种分泌型的糖蛋白与Wnt信号蛋白竞争细胞表面受体,来维持Wnt信号通路的稳态,从而调控胚胎器官的正常发育. 同时,在人类成体中,Dkk1基因活性的改变与肿瘤、代谢性骨病和骨关节炎等疾病的发生密切相关. 本文对Dkk1在头部、肢、眼和牙齿等器官的胚胎发育过程中的相关分子调控机制以及Dkk1与肿瘤发生的关系进行综述.     

雌激素受体ERα的功能调控及相关疾病的研究进展

雌激素受体(estrogen receptorα,ERα)是依赖配体活化转录因子的核受体家族成员之一,参与靶细胞的增殖和分化。ERα活化的经典途径是与雌激素结合后直接作用于靶基因上游的雌激素受体反应元件(ERE),从而诱导靶基因转录。雌激素受体的功能受许多因子调节,包括与之结合的配体、DNA上的顺式元件、募集的辅助调节因子及细胞环境等。在雌激素受体相关疾病中,除乳腺癌和子宫内膜癌外,近年研究表明心血管疾病、骨质疏松症、阿尔茨海默氏病等疾病也与雌激素受体密切相关。雌激素的生物效应与多种疾病的发生、转归和预后密切相关。本文将综述几类辅助调节因子对雌激素受体介导的基因转录的调控,雌激素受体相关疾病,及环境有害物质对ERα功能的影响。     

转录因子GGS1参与赤霉素和糖信号调控

MYB类转录因子GGS1（glucose and GA signaling 1）既受到DELLA蛋白的调控,又与糖受体蛋白HXK1形成核内复合体.前人的这些研究结果暗示,GGS1可能同时参与了赤霉素和糖的信号调控.为了进一步证实GGS1基因在两信号途径中发挥的作用,我们对以下两个方面进行了研究.首先对GGS1基因表达谱进行分析,结果表明,GGS1特异在拟南芥各器官的维管组织的韧皮部细胞中表达;用赤霉素和高浓度蔗糖处理能抑制GGS1基因的表达.GGS1同源基因虽和GGS1具有相似的表达谱,但是其表达却不受GA和糖处理的影响,暗示二者间不存在功能冗余.其次,我们获得GGS1过表达转基因植株并通过Q-PCR分析这一植株中GA和糖代谢途径中一些重要相关基因表达变化.结果表明,在GGS1过表达植株中参与GA合成的基因表达升高,GA分解代谢基因表达降低;与糖信号密切相关的光合作用相关基因表达升高.两方面研究结果证实了GGS1的双元功能,即既可以作为GA信号调控的负调控因子,又在糖的信号传递中发挥作用.     

糖蛋白物与发育

糖与蛋白质或脂类共价结合而成的糖蛋白、蛋白聚糖、糖脂以及脂多糖统称糖复合物 ,最近几年人们对糖复合物在生物发育过程中的作用进行了大量的研究 ,已经在许多方面取得了重大进展。1 .糖复合物与配子发生和受精配子发生和受精过程中有大量糖复合物的参与 ,他们在配子发生、精卵识别与受精以及受精完成后防止多精穿入的皮层反应等过程中发挥作用。哺乳动物精子表面有一层几百种糖蛋白组成的糖萼 ,其成熟是精子成熟的标志。射出的精子头部外表面的糖蛋白能阻止顶体酶的释放 ,在获能过程中该糖蛋白被雌性生殖管道分泌物中的酶降解后精子才获…     

Primer on genes encoding enzymes in sialic acid metabolism in mammals

Sialic acid, a nine-carbon sugar acid usually is present in the non-reducing terminal position of free oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates. Sialylated conjugates in mammals perform important roles in cellular recognition, signaling, host–pathogen interaction and neuronal development. Metabolism of sialylated conjugates involves a complex pathway consisting of enzymes distributed among the different compartments in the cell. These enzymes are encoded by 32 genes diversely distributed throughout the mammalian genome. Genetic variants in some of these genes are associated with embryonic lethality and abnormal phenotypes in mice and neuromuscular diseases, carcinomas and immune-mediated diseases in humans. In humans, the CMP-NeuAc-hydroxylase (CMAH) enzyme is inactivated due to a deletion mutation in the encoded enzyme. This lack of Neu5Gc phenotype makes humans unique among mammals. This review focuses on genes encoding enzymes in sialic acid metabolism pathways in mammalian cells with special emphasis on the human, mouse and cow.     

Role of sialic acid-containing molecules in paramyxovirus entry into the host cell: A minireview

Sialic acid-containing compounds play a key role in the initial steps of the paramyxovirus life cycle. As enveloped viruses, their entry into the host cell consists of two main events: binding to the host cell and membrane fusion. Virus adsorption occurs at the surface of the host cell with the recognition of specific receptor molecules located at the cell membrane by specific viral attachment proteins. The viral attachment protein present in some paramyxoviruses (Respirovirus, Rubulavirus and Avulavirus) is the HN glycoprotein, which binds to cellular sialic acid-containing molecules and exhibits sialidase and fusion promotion activities. Gangliosides of the gangliotetraose series bearing the sialic acid N-acetylneuraminic (Neu5Ac) on the terminal galactose attached in α2-3 linkage, such as GD1a, GT1b, and GQ1b, and neolacto-series gangliosides are the major receptors for Sendai virus. Much less is known about the receptors for other paramyxoviruses than for Sendai virus. Human parainfluenza viruses 1 and 3 preferentially recognize oligosaccharides containing N-acetyllactosaminoglycan branches with terminal Neu5Acα2-3Gal. In the case of Newcastle disease virus, has been reported the absence of a specific pattern of the gangliosides that interact with the virus. Additionally, several works have described the use of sialylated glycoproteins as paramyxovirus receptors. Accordingly, the design of specific sialic acid analogs to inhibit the sialidase and/or receptor binding activity of viral attachment proteins is an important antiviral strategy. In spite of all these data, the exact nature of paramyxovirus receptors, apart from their sialylated nature, and the mechanism(s) of viral attachment to the cell surface are poorly understood. The authors would like to dedicate this review to Prof. José A. Cabezas, recently retired who, as well being our mentor and colleague, introduced us into the fascinating field of sialic acid-containing glycoconjugates and viral sialidases at a time when just a very small number of scientists were paying attention to this important field of research. Also, he has been for us a continuous source of inspiration and friendship to us. The ganglioside nomenclature of Svennerholm [1] is used.     

The S protein of bovine coronavirus is a hemagglutinin recognizing 9-O-acetylated sialic acid as a receptor determinant.

The S protein of bovine coronavirus (BCV) has been isolated from the viral membrane and purified by gradient centrifugation. Purified S protein was identified as a viral hemagglutinin. Inactivation of the cellular receptors by sialate 9-O-acetylesterase and generation of receptors by sialylation of erythrocytes with N-acetyl-9-O-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5,9Ac2) indicate that S protein recognizes 9-O-acetylated sialic acid as a receptor determinant as has been shown previously for intact virions. The second glycoprotein of BCV, HE, which has been thought previously to be responsible for the hemagglutinating activity of BCV, is a less efficient hemagglutinin; it agglutinates mouse and rat erythrocytes, but in contrast to S protein, it is unable to agglutinate chicken erythrocytes, which contain a lower level of Neu5,9Ac2 on their surface. S protein is proposed to be responsible for the primary attachment of virus to cell surface. S protein is proposed to be responsible for the primary attachement of virus to cell surface receptors. The potential of S protein as a probe for the detection of Neu5,9Ac2-containing glycoconjugates is demonstrated.     

唾液酸生物学与人类健康和疾病

唾液酸（sialicacid）是一类酸性九碳单糖,是所有神经氨酸或酮基一脱氧壬酮糖酸（KDN）的N-或O-衍生物的总称。唾液酸作为复合糖的组成部分镶嵌于所有细胞表面以及人多数脊椎动物糖蛋白和糖脂分予的末端最外侧。唾液酸家族成员已经达到五十多个,其分子结构多样,在生物体内分布广泛。唾液酸介导或调制了发育、炎症、病原感染、肿瘤发生发展等诸多生理和病理过程,与人类健康和疾病密切关联。对唾液酸生物学的研究已成为糖生物学研究的热点之一。对唾液酸与人类健康与疾病研究的新进展做一综述。     

Sialic acids: fascinating sugars in higher animals and man

Sialic acids are acidic monosaccharides, which are among the most important molecules of higher animals, and occur in some microorganisms. They are bound to complex carbohydrates and occupy prominent positions, especially in cell membranes. Their structural diversity is high and, correspondingly, the mechanisms for their biosynthesis are complex. Sialic acid substituents strongly influence the activity of catabolic enzymes, in particular the sialidases, and thus the turnover rate of glycoconjugates. These sugars are involved in manifold cell functions. Due to the surface location of the acidic molecules they shield macromolecules and cells from enzymatic and immunological attacks. But they also represent recognition sites for various physiological receptors as well as for toxins and microorganisms, and thus allow their colonization. Many viruses use sialic acids for the infection of cells. As sialic acids also play a decisive role in tumor biology they prove to be rather versatile molecules that modulate cell biological events in a sensitive way. It is discussed that their evolvement may have stimulated evolution and rendered organisms less vulnerable to environmental attacks. However, disturbance of their metabolism may cause diseases.     

Coxsackievirus A24 variant uses sialic acid-containing O-linked glycoconjugates as cellular receptors on human ocular cells

Coxsackievirus A24 variant (CVA24v) is a main causative agent of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC), which is a highly contagious eye infection. Previously it has been suggested that CVA24v uses sialic acid-containing glycoconjugates as attachment receptors on corneal cells, but the nature of these receptors is poorly described. Here, we set out to characterize and identify the cellular components serving as receptors for CVA24v. Binding and infection experiments using corneal cells treated with deglycosylating enzymes or metabolic inhibitors of de novo glycosylation suggested that the receptor(s) used by CVA24v are constituted by sialylated O-linked glycans that are linked to one or more cell surface proteins but not to lipids. CVA24v bound better to mouse L929 cells overexpressing human P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) than to mock-transfected cells, suggesting that PSGL-1 is a candidate receptor for CVA24v. Finally, binding competition experiments using a library of mono- and oligosaccharides mimicking known PSGL-1 glycans suggested that CVA24v binds to Neu5Acα2,3Gal disaccharides (Neu5Ac is N-acetylneuraminic acid). These results provide further insights into the early steps of the CVA24v life cycle.     

Sialic acid diversity in the human gut: Molecular impacts and tools for future discovery

Sialic acids are a family of structurally related sugars that are prevalent in mucosal surfaces, including the human intestine. In the gut, sialic acids have diverse biological roles at the interface of the host epithelium and the microbiota. N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), the best studied sialic acid, is a nutrient source for bacteria and, when displayed on the cell surface, a binding site for host immune factors, viruses, and bacterial toxins. Neu5Ac is extensively modified by host and microbial enzymes, and the impacts of Neu5Ac derivatives on host–microbe interactions, and generally on human and microbial biology, remain underexplored. In this mini-review, we highlight recent reports describing how host and microbial proteins differentiate Neu5Ac and its derivatives, draw attention to gaps in knowledge related to sialic acid biology, and suggest cutting-edge methodologies that may expand our appreciation and understanding of Neu5Ac in health and disease.     

Reduced susceptibility to colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis in mice lacking plasma membrane-associated sialidase

Sialic acids are acidic monosaccharides that bind to the sugar chains of glycoconjugates and change their conformation, intermolecular interactions, and/or half-life. Thus, sialidases are believed to modulate the function of sialoglycoconjugates by desialylation. We previously reported that the membrane-associated mammalian sialidase NEU3, which preferentially acts on gangliosides, is involved in cell differentiation, motility, and tumorigenesis. The NEU3 gene expression is aberrantly elevated in several human cancers, including colon, renal, prostate, and ovarian cancers. The small interfering RNA-mediated knock-down of NEU3 in cancer cell lines, but not in normal cell-derived primary cultures, downregulates EGFR signaling and induces apoptosis. Here, to investigate the physiological role of NEU3 in tumorigenesis, we established Neu3-deficient mice and then subjected them to carcinogen-induced tumorigenesis, using a sporadic and a colitis-associated colon cancer models. The Neu3-deficient mice showed no conspicuous accumulation of gangliosides in the brain or colon mucosa, or overt abnormalities in their growth, development, behavior, or fertility. In dimethylhydrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis, there were no differences in the incidence or growth of tumors between the Neu3-deficient and wild-type mice. On the other hand, the Neu3-deficient mice were less susceptible than wild-type mice to the colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis induced by azoxymethane and dextran sodium sulfate. These results suggest that NEU3 plays an important role in inflammation-dependent tumor development.     

Engineering the sialic acid in organs of mice using N-propanoylmannosamine

Sialic acids play an important role during development, regeneration and pathogenesis. The precursor of most physiological sialic acids, such as N-acetylneuraminic acid is N-acetyl-D-mannosamine. Application of the novel N-propanoylmannosamine leads to the incorporation of the new sialic acid N-propanoylneuraminic acid into cell surface glycoconjugates. Here we analyzed the modified sialylation of several organs with N-propanoylneuraminic acid in mice. By using peracetylated N-propanoylmannosamine, we were able to replace in vivo between 1% (brain) and 68% (heart) of physiological sialic acids by N-propanoylneuraminic acid. The possibility to modify cell surfaces with engineered sialic acids in vivo offers the opportunity to target therapeutic agents to sites of high sialic acid concentration in a variety of tumors. Furthermore, we demonstrated that application of N-propanoylmannosamine leads to a decrease in the polysialylation of the neural cell adhesion molecule in vivo, which is a marker of poor prognosis for some tumors with high metastatic potential.     

Differential sialylation of cell surface glycoconjugates in a human B lymphoma cell line regulates susceptibility for CD95 (APO-1/Fas)-mediated apoptosis and for infection by a lymphotropic virus.

Sialic acid, as a terminal saccharide residue on cell surface glycoconjugates, plays an important role in a variety of biological processes. In this study, we investigated subclones of the human B lymphoma cell line BJA-B for differences in the glycosylation of cell surface glycoconjugates, and studied the functional implications of such differences. With respect to the expression level of most of the tested B cell-associated antigens, as well as the presence of penultimate saccharide moieties on oligosaccharide chains, subclones were phenotypically indistinguishable. Marked differences among subclones, however, were found in the overall level of glycoconjugate sialylation, involving both alpha-2,6 and alpha-2,3-linked sialic acid residues. Accordingly, subclones were classified as highly- (group I) or hyposialylated (group II). The function of two sialic acid-dependent receptor-mediated processes is correlated with the sialylation status of BJA-B subclones. Susceptibility to and binding of the B lymphotropic papovavirus (LPV) was dependent on a high sialylation status of host cells, suggesting that differential sialylation in BJA-B cells can modulate LPV infection via its alpha-2,6-sialylated glycoprotein receptor. CD95-mediated apoptosis, induced by either the human CD95 ligand or a cytotoxic anti-CD95 monoclonal antibody, was drastically enhanced in hyposialylated group II cells. An increase in endogenous sialylation may be one antiapoptotic mechanism that converts tumor cells to a more malignant phenotype. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that differential sialylation in a clonal cell line may regulate the function of virus and signal-transducing receptors.