海洋无脊椎动物甲状腺激素信号通路的研究进展

在脊椎动物中,甲状腺激素信号通路是调控生长、发育和机体能量代谢必不可少的信号通路之一,并且参与了两栖类和鱼类的变态反应。近来,越来越多的证据表明,在海洋无脊椎动物中存在内源性的甲状腺激素、甲状腺激素受体等信号通路的成员分子,而且这些分子参与了海洋无脊椎动物的发育和变态过程。这表明在海洋无脊椎动物中存在与脊椎动物类似的甲状腺激素信号通路。综述了海洋无脊椎动物中甲状腺激素信号通路的相关研究进展,旨在为研究甲状腺激素在海洋无脊椎动物的生物学功能及其作用机制提供基础资料。     

Notch信号通路与肺纤维化

Notch信号通路是在进化上非常保守的单次跨膜信号受体蛋白家族,广泛表达于脊椎动物与无脊椎动物中,主要由Notch受体、Notch配体及细胞内效应分子CSL蛋白组成。Notch信号通路是多种组织和器官早期发育所必需的细胞间调节信号,参与对细胞增殖、分化、凋亡的调控。近年的研究表明,Notch信号通路参与肺纤维化的发生发展,阻断或激活这一途径可以影响肺纤维化的进展,本文就Notch信号通路与肺纤维化的关系的研究进展做一综述。     

转化生长因子—β超家族成员的信号传导通路

转化生长因子-β超家族是在无脊椎动物和脊椎动物中高度保守的一类细胞因子,其家族成员参与调节细胞的增殖、凋亡、分化和发育等多种生命活动。具有丝氨酸／苏氨酸激酶活性的Ⅰ型受体和Ⅱ型受体共同介导了转化生长因子-β超家族成员的跨膜信号传导。新近克隆鉴定的Smad蛋白家族负责将信号由细胞膜传导到细胞核。Smad介导的信号传导通路同其他信号传导通路之间存在相互调节。转化生长因子-β超家族的信号传导通路异常与肿瘤的发生有密切关系。     

Notch信号途径及其调控

Notch是一个进化上十分保守的跨膜受体蛋白家族,对无脊椎动物和脊椎动物发育过程中的细胞命运决定起重要作用。一条重要的Notch信号途径涉及Notch的“三步蛋白质水解”活化。许多相关分子和体内生化过程参与Notch信号途径调控。调控发生在不同水平,包括Notch-配体互作、受体和配体的运输、泛素化降解等。现就Notch受体、Notch信号途径及其所受的不同水平的调控进行综述。     

Hippo信号通路与海洋无脊椎动物天然免疫

Hippo信号通路是一条在进化上保守的丝氨酸/苏氨酸激酶级联信号通路，主要参与调控器官大小、组织再生、胚胎发育和肿瘤发生。在果蝇中，经典的Hippo信号通路主要由Hippo(Hpo)、Salvador(Sav)、Warts(Wts)、MOB as tumor suppressor (Mats)、Yorkie(Yki)和Scalloped(Sd)组成。其不仅可通过Fat(Ft)和Crumbs(Crb)等上游分子进行调控，而且还能与NF-κB途径、IFN途径、ROS途径、cGAS-STING信号通路以及Wnt信号通路发生交联，共同调控天然免疫过程。海洋无脊椎动物缺乏获得性免疫，主要依靠天然免疫抵御病原体的侵害。Hippo信号通路作为与生长发育和天然免疫密切相关的信号通路，对海洋无脊椎动物的研究中有着重要的意义。目前，对于海洋无脊椎动物Hippo信号通路所知甚少，关于其在天然免疫中的研究更是寥寥无几。开展Hippo信号通路在海洋无脊椎动物天然免疫过程中功能机制的研究，将为深入了解海洋无脊椎动物的天然免疫调控提供一种新思路。本文通过对Hippo信号通路的组成、调控机制以及其在海洋无脊椎动物天然...     

CD36在炎症反应和脂质代谢中的作用

白细胞分化抗原36 (cluster of differentiation 36, CD36)是一种高度糖基化的单链跨膜蛋白,属B型清道夫受体。其功能较为广泛,不仅可以识别"异己"成分,诱发免疫应答,还参与多种生理、病理过程。CD36作为膜受体与其他膜蛋白和胞质蛋白组成不同的信号通路。CD36是TRL4的辅助受体,可识别病原体相关分子模式,级联NF-κB信号通路,在天然免疫过程发挥作用;作为修饰脂蛋白受体,级联MAPK通路,诱发无菌性炎症及脂代谢紊乱,并参与动脉粥样硬化病变;作为外源长链脂肪酸受体,通过AMPK/mTOR信号通路在能量代谢及脂质蓄积过程中发挥调控作用。该文综述了CD36的分子特征及其偶联相关信号通路在天然免疫和脂代谢等方面的作用与机制,展示CD36的多功能特点,为相关生物医学研究提供依据。     

天然免疫系统新成员Akirin的研究进展

天然免疫系统是多细胞动物抵御细菌感染的第一道防线。Akirin是新近发现于果蝇中的天然免疫系统新成员,它在果蝇免疫缺陷(Imd)通路中发挥重要作用。Akirin同源基因广泛存在于从低等多细胞生物到高等脊椎动物中,进化上高度保守。已有的研究表明:Akirin在果蝇Imd通路和脊椎动物TLR通路下游,与NF-κB家族转录因子形成复合物,参与调控免疫相关靶基因的转录,是天然免疫调控机制中不可或缺的转录因子,其过表达或缺失直接影响动物对细菌的防御能力。近年来,Akirin在相关信号通路中的功能研究取得重大进展。该文对Akirin的结构、参与天然免疫的分子调控机制以及基因进化等方面进行综述。     

RIG-I样受体与RNA病毒识别

RIG-I样受体(RIG-I like receptors,RLR)是一类新发现的模式识别受体,能够识别细胞质中的病毒RNA,通过RLR级联信号诱导干扰素和促炎症细胞因子的产生,对抗病毒天然免疫的建立起着非常重要的作用.RLR信号通路既受宿主的严格调控,也能够作为病毒逃避宿主干扰素反应的靶点.本文重点讨论了RLR及其在RNA病毒识别和抗病毒天然免疫中的作用.     

鱼类Toll样受体及其信号传导的研究进展

鱼类是脊椎动物中的一个重要类群, 在其生存与进化的过程中, 免疫系统担负着保护鱼类免受病原感染的重任, 其中Toll样受体家族等介导的先天性免疫是鱼类抗病免疫的第一道防线, 并在连接先天性免疫与获得性免疫反应中起着桥梁作用. 虽然从无脊椎动物到高等脊椎动物, Toll样受体家族内多数成员在蛋白质结构与功能上都较为保守, 但是鱼类作为最低等的脊椎动物, 在其进化过程中又形成了一些特有Toll样受体分子, 其剪接类型也更丰富; 鱼类Toll样受体家族介导的免疫识别、免疫信号传导、激活和调控方式与高等脊椎动物也不尽相同. 文章主要综述了鱼类Toll样受体的结构、种类、功能、多样性、免疫信号传导及其调控特点, 为深入了解鱼类的免疫反应奠定基础.       

Toll样受体（TLR）介导的天然免疫间的相互调节

模式识别受体（PRR）在宿主细胞识别与抵御微生物病原体中起到了重要作用。Toll样受体（TLR）是研究比较清楚的一类PRR,可以识别多种病原体成份,启动天然免疫反应。此外,近来发现了几类其他模式识别受体,如C型凝集素受体（CLR）,核苷酸寡聚结合域（NOD）样受体（NLR）和视黄酸诱导基因I（RIG—I）样受体（RLR）,表明机体的天然免疫反应受到多种机制的精密调控。本文着重综述TLR与其他PRR在识别病原体和介导天然免疫信号通路间的相互关系。     

无脊椎动物先天免疫模式识别受体研究进展

免疫系统的基本功能是“自己”与“非己”识别.对入侵物的识别是免疫防御的起始,最终引发效应物反应系统,包括吞噬作用、包被作用、激活蛋白酶级联反应和黑化作用以及诱导抗菌肽的合成等,从而清除或消灭入侵物.研究证明,这种“非己”识别是因为存在某些特异性的、可溶的或与细胞膜结合的模式识别受体,可以识别或结合微生物表面保守的、而在宿主中又不存在的病原相关分子模式.模式识别受体通过对病原相关分子的识别启动先天免疫防御.近年来这方面的研究进展很快,已经在无脊椎动物中确定了多种模式识别受体,包括肽聚糖识别蛋白、含硫酯键蛋白、革兰氏阴性菌结合蛋白、清除受体、C型凝集素、硫依赖型凝集素、Toll样受体和血素等,并对其性质和功能进行了研究.     

The role of scavenger receptors in the innate immune system

Akey aspect of the innate immune system is the ability to discriminate between self and infectious nonself. This is achieved through pattern recognition receptors which directly recognise molecular epitopes expressed by microbes. Scavenger receptors (SRs) have been studied primarily due to their ability to bind and internalise modified lipoproteins, suggesting an important role in foam cell formation and the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. However, the ability of some SRs to function as pattern recognition receptors through their binding of a wide variety of pathogens indicates a potential role in host defence. This review will detail our current understanding of the function of SRs in innate immunity, and in the initiation of aquired immune responses.     

Molecular view on PRR cross-talk in antifungal immunity

The identification of a major class of innate immune receptors, termed pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), has boosted research on innate pathogen recognition. The immune response to a specific pathogen is not restricted to the recognition by one type of PRR or activation of a single cell type, but instead comprises complex collaborations between different receptors, cells and signal mediators. Here we will discuss the cross-talk between PRRs involved in fungal recognition, focusing on the molecular interactions occurring at the plasma membrane.     

New therapeutic strategies targeting transmembrane signal transduction in the immune system

Single-chain receptors and multichain immune recognition receptors (SRs and MIRRs, respectively) represent families of structurally related but functionally different surface receptors expressed on different cells. In contrast to SRs, a distinctive and common structural characteristic of MIRR family members is that the extracellular recognition domains and intracellular signaling domains are located on separate subunits. How extracellular ligand binding triggers MIRRs and initiates intracellular signal transduction processes is not clear. A novel model of immune signaling, the Signaling Chain HOmoOLigomerization (SCHOOL) model, suggests that the homooligomerization of receptor intracellular signaling domains represents a necessary and sufficient condition for receptor triggering. In this review, I demonstrate striking similarities between a consensus model of SR signaling and the SCHOOL model of MIRR signaling and show how these models, together with the lessons learned from viral pathogenesis, provide a molecular basis for novel pharmacological approaches targeting inter- and intrareceptor transmembrane interactions as universal therapeutic targets for a diverse variety of immune and other disorders.     

Innate mechanisms of viral recognition

Viruses are obligate parasites which can infect cells of all living organisms. Multiple antiviral defense mechanisms appeared early in the evolution of the immune system. Higher vertebrates possess the most complex antiviral immunity based on both innate and adoptive immune responses. However, a majority of living organisms, including plants and invertebrates, rely exclusively on innate immune mechanisms for protection against viral infections. There are some striking similarities in several components of innate immune recognition in mammals, plants, and insects suggesting that these signaling cascades are highly conserved in the evolution of the immune system. This review summarizes recent advances in the field of innate immune recognition of viruses, with a focus on pattern-recognition receptors.     

New therapeutic strategies targeting transmembrane signal transduction in the immune system

Single-chain receptors and multi-chain immune recognition receptors (SRs and MIRRs, respectively) represent families of structurally related but functionally different surface receptors expressed on different cells. In contrast to SRs, a distinctive and common structural characteristic of MIRR family members is that the extracellular recognition domains and intracellular signaling domains are located on separate subunits. How extracellular ligand binding triggers MIRRs and initiates intracellular signal transduction processes is not clear. A novel model of immune signaling, the Signaling Chain HOmoOLigomerization (SCHOOL) model, suggests that the homooligomerization of receptor intracellular signaling domains represents a necessary and sufficient condition for receptor triggering. In this review, I demonstrate striking similarities between a consensus model of SR signaling and the SCHOOL model of MIRR signaling and show how these models, together with the lessons learned from viral pathogenesis, provide a molecular basis for novel pharmacological approaches targeting inter- and intrareceptor transmembrane interactions as universal therapeutic targets for a diverse variety of immune and other disorders.Key words: multichain immune recognition receptor, TCR, single-chain receptor, RTK, transmembrane interactions, immune system, therapeutic targets, receptors, cell signaling, immunotherapy     

Innate immunity of fish (overview)

The innate immune system is the only defence weapon of invertebrates and a fundamental defence mechanism of fish. The innate system also plays an instructive role in the acquired immune response and homeostasis and is therefore equally important in higher vertebrates. The innate system's recognition of non-self and danger signals is served by a limited number of germ-line encoded pattern recognition receptors/proteins, which recognise pathogen associated molecular patterns like bacterial and fungal glycoproteins and lipopolysaccharides and intracellular components released through injury or infection. The innate immune system is divided into physical barriers, cellular and humoral components. Humoral parameters include growth inhibitors, various lytic enzymes and components of the complement pathways, agglutinins and precipitins (opsonins, primarily lectins), natural antibodies, cytokines, chemokines and antibacterial peptides. Several external and internal factors can influence the activity of innate immune parameters. Temperature changes, handling and crowding stress can have suppressive effects on innate parameters, whereas several food additives and immunostimulants can enhance different innate factors. There is limited data available about the ontogenic development of the innate immunological system in fish. Active phagocytes, complement components and enzyme activity, like lysozyme and cathepsins, are present early in the development, before or soon after hatching.     

Innate immunity against viruses

Viruses are obligate parasites which are able to infect cells of all living organisms. Multiple antiviral defense mechanisms have appeared early in evolution of the immune system. Higher vertebrates have the most complex antiviral immunity which is based on both innate and adoptive immune responses. However, majority of living organisms, including plants and invertebrates, rely exclusively on innate immune mechanisms for protection against viral infections. There are some striking similarities in several components of the innate immune recognition between mammals, plants and insects, rendering these signaling cascades as highly conserved in the evolution of the immune system. This review summarizes recent advances in the field of innate immune recognition of viruses, with particular interest on pattern-recognition receptors.