shRNA下调MTDH基因抑制人乳腺癌MCF-7细胞HIF-1α及VEGF表达

目的：探讨转移粘附基因（metadherin,MTDH）的表达对人乳腺癌细胞中肿瘤血管生成相关分子标志物缺氧诱导因子-1α（HIF-1α）及血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）表达的影响。方法：将针对MTDH基因的干扰质粒MTDH-shRNA转染乳腺癌MCF-7细胞,RT-PCR及Western blot验证其对MTDH基因的沉默效果;应用Western blot检测转染前后MCF-7细胞中缺氧诱导因子-1α（HIF-1α）及血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）在蛋白水平上的表达变化;MTT实验检测下调MTDH对MCF-7细胞增殖情况的影响。结果：MCF-7细胞转染48小时后,MTDH-shRNA转染组和MTDH-shRNA-neg转染组转染效率约70%。MTDH-shRNA转染组中MTDH在mRNA及蛋白水平上表达明显下调,此外HIF-1α及VEGF蛋白表达明显降低,与对照组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。MTDH-shRNA转染组MCF-7细胞增殖明显受到抑制,与对照组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。结论：在乳腺癌MCF-7细胞中下调MTDH基因可以抑制HIF-1α、VEGF表达及细胞增殖,提示MTDH基因可能对乳腺癌肿瘤血管生成有促进作用。     

hAng-1真核表达载体的构建及其在MSCs中的表达

目的:通过基因重组技术,构建人血管生成素-1(human angiopoietin 1,hAng-1)真核表达载体体系,并将其转染至大鼠的骨髓间充质干细胞(marrow mesenchymal stem cells,MSCs)内进行培养,进而验证hAng-1的表达.方法:将hAng-1编码序列(互补脱氧核糖核酸)通过酶切,插入至pcDNA3.1(+)质粒的多克隆位点,构建质粒pcDNA 3.1 (+)/hAng-1真核表达质粒;重组质粒经脂质体介导转染鼠MSCs.应用逆转录聚合酶联反应(RT-PCR)、蛋白免疫印迹法(Western blot)等方法检测hAng-1的表达情况.结果:pcDNA 3.1 (+)/hAng-1真核表达质粒转染鼠MSCs后,应用流式细胞仪检测,转染效率约为15％.同时应用RT-PCR能够检测出目的基因mRNA,Western blot能够检出hAng-1的蛋白表达.结论:本实验通过基因重组技术,构建的pcDNA3.1 (+)/hAng-1真核表达载体能够在转染的鼠MSCs中表达,且表达较为持续,为hAng-1基因应用于基因治疗的研究奠定了基础.     

阻断VEGF旁分泌通路抑制乳腺癌血管生成与肿瘤生长

以人乳腺癌细胞株MCF 7为研究对象 ,通过构建有义与反义血管内皮生长因子 (VEGF)基因表达质粒 ,并转染MCF 7细胞 ,建立了高与低水平表达VEGF的细胞克隆。稳定转染反义VEGF表达质粒的细胞产生和分泌VEGF的能力明显下降 ,尽管在体外培养条件下细胞的增殖速度与未经转染的对照相比不是减慢而是略有增快 ,但在体内的成瘤能力、生长速度和转移能力等却明显低于未经转染的对照细胞或稳定转染有义VEGF表达质粒高水平表达VEGF的细胞克隆。通过体内电穿孔技术介导反义VEGF12 1及可溶性VEGF受体sFlk 1表达质粒转移至荷瘤鼠肿瘤组织内 ,反义VEGF12 1及sFlk 1的表达能显著抑制肿瘤的生长。研究结果证实了VEGF旁分泌通路在诱导乳腺癌肿瘤血管生成、促进肿瘤生长和转移方面起重要作用 ,阻断VEGF旁分泌通路能有效抑制乳腺癌的生长     

FOXQ1在肝癌中的临床意义及其对SMMC-7721细胞体外血管形成的影响

探讨叉头框蛋白Q1(forkhead box Q1, FOXQ1)基因在肝癌中的临床意义及对肝癌细胞体外血管生成作用.利用 qRT-PCR法及Western印迹法,检测24例肝癌、癌旁组织、正常肝细胞L02及肝癌细胞SMMC-7721中FOXQ1的mRNA和蛋白质的表达;利用免疫组织化学法检测68例肝癌及癌旁组织中FOXQ1的蛋白质表达.合成shRNA-FOXQ1及shRNA-NC慢病毒,转染到SMMC-7721细胞.用体外血管生成实验检测转染shRNA-FOXQ1的肝癌细胞血管生成能力. 用qRT-PCR和Western印迹法检测细胞间FOXQ1、VEGF基因和蛋白质的表达.结果显示,癌组织和SMMC-7721细胞中FOXQ1 mRNA和蛋白质的表达均高于癌旁组织和正常肝细胞(P<0.05),FOXQ1蛋白的表达与TNM分期、肿瘤分化程度、肿瘤数目、肿瘤大小等参数差异显著(P<0.05).shRNA-FOXQ1组血管生成能力明显低于shRNA-NC组和空白组(P<0.05),FOXQ1、VEGF基因和蛋白质的表达也明显低于shRNA-NC组和空白组(P<0.05).研究结果证实,FOXQ1在肝癌中高表达,如果沉默FOXQ1的表达可抑制肝癌细胞血管生成,与肝癌的临床病理特征密切相关.     

GALNT14对人乳腺癌MCF-7细胞迁移的影响

构建真核表达载体pcDNA 3.1-Flag-T14,重组质粒经酶切分析及测序鉴定后,利用脂质体将重组质粒转染人乳腺癌细胞系MCF-7细胞,经G418筛选并建立稳定转染GALNT14细胞株.应用半定量RT-PCR、Western blot检测稳定细胞株GALNT14 mRNA及蛋白表达水平,细胞划痕修复及穿膜试验检测GALNT14基因对MCF-7迁移能力的影响,同时RT-PCR检测GALNT14对MMP-2,MMP-9,TGF-β1及VEGF等肿瘤浸润转移相关因子表达的影响.结果显示成功构建了真核重组表达载体pcDNA 3.1-Flag-T14,经RT-PCR和Western blot检测显示成功获得了稳定表达GALNT14的MCF-7细胞株;GALNT14能够提高MCF-7细胞株的迁移能力,且能增加侵袭转移相关因子MMP-2,MMP-9,TGF-β1及VEGF的表达.结论:GALNT14可明显促进MCF-7细胞的迁移,可能在肿瘤侵袭转移中起重要作用.     

监测活细胞中诱导激活的Rac、Cdc42时空图像的FRET单分子探针的构建

以PCR方法从人脑cDNA基因文库扩增Rac1、Cdc42 cDNA全序列及其效应蛋白基因Pak1、N-WASP的GTP酶联结区域(GBD)序列,从dsRed1-N1质粒扩增红色荧光蛋白dsRed1cDNA全序列.将cDNA序列依次定向克隆至pECFP-N1质粒载体,获得基于FRET原理,包含dsRed1,Pak1或N-WASP的GBD,Rac1或Cdc42,ECFP编码序列的单分子探针.在dsRed1的C末端加入一段CAAM法尼基化基序,构建包含EGFP,Pak1的GBD,Rac1或Cdc42,dsRed1-CAAM的质膜特异表达的单分子探针.采用这两种探针,可用于监测活细胞中诱导激活的Rac1、Cdc42信号转导通路的3D时空图像,检测待测蛋白分子的GEF或GAP活性.     

人EGFR显性负性突变体抑制胃癌细胞促血管形成能力

目的探讨人表皮生长因子显性负性突变体(dominant negative epidermal growth factor receptor,DNEGFR))对胃癌细胞促血管形成能力的影响及其分子机制,并检测其对裸鼠皮下移植瘤生长的影响。方法选用2株人胃癌细胞,分为如下6组:SGC-7901及NCI-N87细胞未转染组(US组,UN组),SGC-7901及NCI-N87细胞pEGFP-N1质粒转染组(ES组,EN组),SGC-7901及NCI-N87细胞pEGFPN1-DNEGFR质粒转染组(DS组,DN组)。采用人脐静脉内皮细胞(humanumbilical vein endothelial cell,HUVEC)管腔结构形成实验检测体外促血管形成能力,采用酶联免疫吸附测定法(enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA)测定细胞培养液中血管内皮生长因子(vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF)的水平,建立人胃癌细胞裸鼠移植瘤模型,标本微血管密度(microvessel density,MVD)检测体内促血管形成能力,标本体积检测其对裸鼠皮下移植瘤生长的影响。结果转染pEGFPN1-DNEGFR质粒的人胃癌细胞株出现HUVEC管腔结构形成抑制,培养液中VEGF水平降低,MVD计数降低,裸鼠皮下移植瘤体积变小。结论 DNEGFR可能通过下调VEGF分泌抑制胃癌细胞体外及裸鼠体内促血管形成能力,最终抑制裸鼠皮下移植瘤生长。     

重组泛素连接酶PTB-U-box/RING的构建与表达

目的 构建重组泛素连接酶PTB-U-box、PTB-RING,并克隆进入pFLAG-CMV4真核表达载体,为研究靶向降解受体型酪氨酸激酶IGF-IR,抑制肿瘤细胞生长提供基础.方法 分别设计引物,扩增接头分子IRS-1的PTB结构域以及E3泛素连接酶CHIP的U-box、Cbl的RING结构域,再利用重组PCR,将PTB分别与U-box、RING进行融合,双酶切之后将其插入真核表达载体pFLAG-CMV4,经过酶切鉴定及测序后,转染HeLa细胞,Western 印迹验证重组质粒的表达.结果 PCR结果显示PTB-U-box条带大小840 bp,PTB-RING大小为620 bp,重组质粒经酶切鉴定和测序结果正确,转染后可见融合蛋白的表达.结论 成功构建真核重组表达载体pFLAG-CMV4-PTB-U-box和 pFLAG-CMV4-PTB-RING,并且转染HeLa细胞后证实其能够正确表达.     

PI3K/AKT/NF-κB轴调控胃癌细胞HGC-27增殖

目的:构建磷酸化AKT1(Ser473)位点突变真核表达载体,并检测PI3K/AKT/NF-κB信号通路轴对胃癌细胞增殖的影响。方法:以带有pcDNA3.0-Flag标签的AKT1质粒为模板,扩增出AKT1(Ser473A)(丝氨酸突变成丙氨酸)位点突变编码序列,将其插入pcDNA3.0-Flag载体中,双酶切和测序验证后瞬时转染人胚肾293T细胞,Western印迹检测其表达情况;将突变质粒与空载体分别转染胃癌细胞HGC-27,通过Western印迹检测其下游基因核转录因子κB(NF-κB)在蛋白水平的变化;通过CCK-8法检测对细胞生长曲线的影响。结果:双酶切和测序结果表明,pcDNA3.0-Flag-AKT1(Ser473A)真核表达质粒构建成功;转染293T细胞后获得表达;转染胃癌细胞HGC-27后,Western印迹验证去磷酸化AKT1(Ser473A)可下调NF-κB的蛋白水平(P0.01);细胞生长曲线结果显示,转染pcDNA3.0-Flag-AKT1(Ser473A)较空载体细胞生长慢(P0.01)。结论:PI3K/AKT/NF-κB信号通路轴在胃癌发生发展过程中发挥重要作用。     

准噶尔小胸鳖甲抗冻蛋白MpAFP698在真核细胞中的表达与鉴定

目的:构建真核表达质粒pEGFP-N1-mpafp698,转染人胚肾293T细胞,并表达准噶尔小胸鳖甲抗冻蛋白MpAFP698.方法:PCR扩增出mpafp698序列,将其克隆入本室保存的真核表达载体pEGFP-N1中,转染293T细胞;利用RT-PCR、流式细胞仪、免疫荧光、Western 印迹检测蛋白表达.结果:构...     

Phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase signaling pathway is essential for Rac1-induced hypoxia-inducible factor-1(alpha) and vascular endothelial growth factor expression

We have previously demonstrated the roles of RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 in hypoxia-driven angiogenesis. However, the role of oncogenes in hypoxia signaling is poorly understood. Given the importance of Rho proteins in the hypoxic response, we hypothesized that Rho family members could act as mediators of hypoxic signal transduction. We investigated the cross-talk between hypoxia and oncogene-driven signal transduction pathways and explored the role of Rac1 on hypoxia-induced hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and VEGF expression. Since the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K) pathway is involved in signal transduction of many oncogenes, we explored the role of PI3K on Rac1-mediated expression of HIF-1α and VEGF in hypoxia. We showed that LY-294002, a PI3K inhibitor, suppressed HIF-1α and VEGF induction under hypoxic conditions by up to 50%. Activation of Rac1 resulted in an upregulation of hypoxia-induced HIF-1α expression, which was blocked by LY-294002. These data suggested that Rac1 is an intermediate in the PI3K-mediated induction of HIF-1α. Interestingly, there was a significant downregulation of the tumor suppressor genes p53 and von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL) in cells expressing a constitutively active form of Rac1. Rac1-mediated inhibition of p53 and VHL could therefore be implicated in the upregulation of HIF-1α expression.     

Differential localization of Rho GTPases in live cells: regulation by hypervariable regions and RhoGDI binding

Determinants of membrane targeting of Rho proteins were investigated in live cells with green fluorescent fusion proteins expressed with or without Rho-guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI)alpha. The hypervariable region determined to which membrane compartment each protein was targeted. Targeting was regulated by binding to RhoGDI alpha in the case of RhoA, Rac1, Rac2, and Cdc42hs but not RhoB or TC10. Although RhoB localized to the plasma membrane (PM), Golgi, and motile peri-Golgi vesicles, TC10 localized to PMs and endosomes. Inhibition of palmitoylation mislocalized H-Ras, RhoB, and TC10 to the endoplasmic reticulum. Although overexpressed Cdc42hs and Rac2 were observed predominantly on endomembrane, Rac1 was predominantly at the PM. RhoA was cytosolic even when expressed at levels in vast excess of RhoGDI alpha. Oncogenic Dbl stimulated translocation of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-Rac1, GFP-Cdc42hs, and GFP-RhoA to lamellipodia. RhoGDI binding to GFP-Cdc42hs was not affected by substituting farnesylation for geranylgeranylation. A palmitoylation site inserted into RhoA blocked RhoGDI alpha binding. Mutations that render RhoA, Cdc42hs, or Rac1, either constitutively active or dominant negative abrogated binding to RhoGDI alpha and redirected expression to both PMs and internal membranes. Thus, despite the common essential feature of the CAAX (prenylation, AAX tripeptide proteolysis, and carboxyl methylation) motif, the subcellular localizations of Rho GTPases, like their functions, are diverse and dynamic.     

Integrin-mediated adhesion regulates cell polarity and membrane protrusion through the Rho family of GTPases

Integrin-mediated adhesion is a critical regulator of cell migration. Here we demonstrate that integrin-mediated adhesion to high fibronectin concentrations induces a stop signal for cell migration by inhibiting cell polarization and protrusion. On fibronectin, the stop signal is generated through alpha 5 beta 1 integrin-mediated signaling to the Rho family of GTPases. Specifically, Cdc42 and Rac1 activation exhibits a biphasic dependence on fibronectin concentration that parallels optimum cell polarization and protrusion. In contrast, RhoA activity increases with increasing substratum concentration. We find that cross talk between Cdc42 and Rac1 is required for substratum-stimulated protrusion, whereas RhoA activity is inhibitory. We also show that Cdc42 activity is inhibited by Rac1 activation, suggesting that Rac1 activity may down-regulate Cdc42 activity and promote the formation of stabilized rather than transient protrusion. Furthermore, expression of RhoA down-regulates Cdc42 and Rac1 activity, providing a mechanism whereby RhoA may inhibit cell polarization and protrusion. These findings implicate adhesion-dependent signaling as a mechanism to stop cell migration by regulating cell polarity and protrusion via the Rho family of GTPases.     

Role of Activated Rac1/Cdc42 in Mediating Endothelial Cell Proliferation and Tumor Angiogenesis in Breast Cancer

Angiogenesis is a well-established target in anti-cancer therapy. Although vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated angiogenesis apparently requires the Rho GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42, the relevant mechanisms are unclear. Here, we determined that activated Rac1/Cdc42 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells could decrease p53 protein levels and increase VEGF secretion to promote proliferation and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). However, these effects are reversed after ubiquitin-proteasome breakage. In exploring potential mechanisms for this relationship, we confirmed that activated Rac1/Cdc42 could enhance p53 protein ubiquitination and weaken p53 protein stability to increase VEGF expression. Furthermore, in a xenograft model using nude mice that stably express active Rac1/Cdc42 protein, active Rac1/Cdc42 decreased p53 levels and increased VEGF expression. Additionally, tumor angiogenesis was inhibited, and p53 protein levels were augmented, by intratumoral injection of the ubiquitin-proteasome inhibitor MG132. Finally in 339 human breast cancer tissues, our analyses indicated that Rac1/Cdc42 expression was related to advanced TNM staging, high proliferation index, ER status, and positive invasive features. In particular, our data suggests that high Rac1/Cdc42 expression is correlated with low wt-p53 and high VEGF expression. We conclude that activated Rac1/Cdc42 is a vascular regulator of tumor angiogenesis and that it may reduce stability of the p53 protein to promote VEGF expression by enhancing p53 protein ubiquitin.     

DEF6, a novel PH-DH-like domain protein, is an upstream activator of the Rho GTPases Rac1, Cdc42, and RhoA

In this paper, we describe the characterization of DEF6, a novel PH-DH-like protein related to SWAP-70 that functions as an upstream activator of Rho GTPases. In NIH 3T3 cells, stimulation of the PI 3-kinase signaling pathway with either H2O2 or platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) resulted in the translocation of an overexpressed DEF6-GFP fusion protein to the cell membrane and induced the formation of filopodia and lamellipodia. In contrast to full-length DEF6, expression of the DH-like (DHL) domain as a GFP fusion protein potently induced actin polymerization, including stress fiber formation in COS-7 cells, in the absence of PI 3-kinase signaling, indicating that it was constitutively active. The GTP-loading of Cdc42 was strongly enhanced in NIH 3T3 cells expressing the DH domain while filopodia formation, membrane ruffling, and stress fiber formation could be inhibited by the co-expression of the DH domain with dominant negative mutants of either N17Rac1, N17Cdc42, or N19RhoA, respectively. This indicated that DEF6 acts upstream of the Rho GTPases resulting in the activation of the Cdc42, Rac1, and RhoA signaling pathways. In vitro, DEF6 specifically interacted with Rac1, Rac2, Cdc42, and RhoA, suggesting a direct role for DEF6 in the activation of Rho GTPases. The ability of DEF6 to both stimulate actin polymerization and bind to filamentous actin suggests a role for DEF6 in regulating cell shape, polarity, and movement.     

Small rho GTPases regulate antigen presentation in dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DC) are involved in the regulation of innate and adaptive immunity. However, the molecular mechanisms maintaining DC function remain to be elucidated. In this study, we report on the role of small Rho GTPases: Cdc42, Rac1, and RhoA in the regulation of DC adherence, Ag presentation, migration, chemotaxis, and endocytosis. Murine DC were transfected with vaccinia virus-based constructs, encoding dominant-negative or constitutively active (ca) mutant forms of Rho GTPases. We demonstrate that Cdc42 plays a major role in the regulation of DC adhesion, because caCdc42-transfected DC had significant up-regulation of adhesion to extracellular matrix, which was blocked by the Rho GTPase inhibitor toxin B (ToxB). In contrast, caRho-transfected DC only modestly elevated DC adhesion, and caRac had no effect. Additionally, caCdc42 and caRho increased the ability of DC to present OVA peptide to specific T cells. This effect was abrogated by ToxB. Activation of Cdc42 in DC significantly inhibited spontaneous and chemokine-induced DC migration. Furthermore, uptake of dextran 40 by DC was significantly enhanced by Rho GTPase activators cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 and PMA, and reduced by ToxB. caCdc42 also increased endocytotic activity of DC, whereas dominant-negative Cdc42 blocked it. Thus, Rho GTPases Cdc42, RhoA, and Rac1 regulate DC functions that are critical for DC-mediated immune responses in vivo.