抗siRNA的GFP-Plk1同义突变表达载体及其稳定细胞系的构建

目的:构建GFP-Plk1同义突变表达载体及其稳定转染细胞系。方法:设计Polo样激酶1(Plk1)si RNA序列及相对应的同义突变引物,并利用二次PCR方法扩增Plk1基因,定向克隆到p Rex-EGFP-IRES-Hygro载体中,构建p Rex-EGFP-r Plk1-IRES-Hygro表达载体;利用逆转录病毒感染的方法,构建He La/GFP-r Plk1稳定细胞系;利用免疫印迹及激光共聚焦显微镜,验证Plk1 si RNA的干扰效果及稳定细胞系的构建。结果:双酶切鉴定和测序结果表明构建的p Rex-EGFP-r Plk1-IRES-Hygro正确;免疫印迹实验证明Plk1 si RNA序列可以有效抑制He La/GFP-r Plk1细胞中内源性Plk1蛋白的表达,但不能干扰掉外源GFP-r Plk1蛋白;在荧光共聚焦显微镜下,观察到有丝分裂的前中期和末期,GFP-r Plk1分别定位于着丝粒和中间体上。结论:构建了Plk1同义突变表达载体p Rex-EGFP-r Plk1-IRES-Hygro和He La/GFP-r Plk1稳定细胞系,为下一步研究Plk1在有丝分裂期的调控机制提供了模型。     

朊蛋白PrP~C与神经元的凋亡和存活

朊病毒是不含核酸的一种蛋白质感染颗粒,感染宿主后可诱导细胞固有的同类朊蛋白(PrPC)构象改变、转化成具有蛋白酶抗性的致病性朊粒蛋白(PrPSc),导致可传播性海绵状脑病的发生.PrPC既作为朊病毒复制和疾病发生的分子基础,又是正常的细胞膜蛋白,作为细胞信号转导的参与者调控多条信号通路.因此,揭示PrPC在各条信号途径中发挥的作用将有助于深入了解PrPC的生理功能,进一步理解疾病发生发展过程,为今后的诊断治疗奠定基础.     

不同细胞系中RNA干扰抑制血管内皮生长因子表达

目的通过RNA干扰技术抑制血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)表达,并观察在不同细胞系中,RNA干扰作用强度的变化。方法将VEGF基因作为RNA干扰的靶区,通过E-RNAi网上提供的服务,设计两个特异的RNA干扰序列,将其装入含U6启动子的载体上,构建成抗VEGF基因的小发夹样RNA(shRNA)表达载体,再转染人胚肾细胞HEK293、结肠癌细胞HT29、宫颈癌细胞Hela和肝癌细胞HepG2,通过RT-PCR观察VEGF表达受抑的程度及在不同细胞系中RNA干扰作用强度的变化。结果成功构建了两种抗VEGF基因的shRNA表达载体,发现其在HEK293和HT29细胞系中,能明显抑制VEGF基因的表达,抑制率分别为72%和42%;但在Hela细胞中,抑制作用明显减低至28%;在HepG2细胞中抑制作用更弱,仅为13%。结论针对VEGF基因的shRNA表达载体能够明显抑制VEGF基因的表达,但在不同细胞系中的作用强度有明显差别,提示RNA干扰作用存在明显的细胞系选择性。     

线粒体靶向抗氧化剂Mitoquinone和积雪草酸对朊病毒感染的神经细胞的治疗作用研究

朊病毒病(Prion diseases)是一类具有致死性、传染性和进行性的神经退行性疾病。研究发现朊病毒感染的细胞和动物模型中均存在着线粒体功能异常和氧化应激,这很有可能在朊病毒病发生发展中起重要作用。为探究线粒体靶向抗氧化剂对朊病毒感染是否具有一定的治疗作用,我们选出两种线粒体靶向抗氧化剂,以一定浓度作用于朊病毒感染神经细胞系,并观察细胞活性和线粒体功能的变化情况。结果显示,Mitoquinone(MitoQ)和积雪草酸(Asiatic acid,AA)这两种药物能够显著提高朊病毒感染细胞的活性,降低其活性氧(Reactive oxygen species,ROS)水平,上调ATP5β的表达水平,提示这两种药物对朊病毒感染细胞有一定的治疗作用,本研究为朊病毒病发病机制以及治疗的研究提供了新的思路。     

Noggin基因沉默表达载体的构建及效果评价

目的构建慢病毒介导的Noggin RNAi干扰序列,并分析这些干扰序列对Noggin基因的沉默效果。方法针对目的基因Noggin的m RNA设计四条干扰序列,并将这些序列连接到Lenti-KD慢病毒载体,将重组质粒瞬时转染HEK-293T包装细胞,获得重组慢病毒。将重组病毒感染MC3T3-E1细胞,利用puromycin进行筛选,获得稳定表达细胞系。通过实时荧光定量PCR和Western blot技术分析不同干扰序列的干扰效果。结果实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,四种干扰序列对Noggin基因的表达都有一定的沉默效果,但只有sh Noggin-1(P0.01)对其表达影响显著。Western blot结果显示,四种干扰序列中只有sh Noggin-1(P0.01)对Noggin的表达蛋白具有显著的降低作用。结论获得了一种Noggin基因的干扰序列,该序列能够干扰Noggin基因m RNA的稳定性,从而影响蛋白的表达。该干扰序列可以用于部分敲除Noggin基因,从而用于研究Noggin基因的功能。     

siRNA干扰小鼠睾丸支持细胞μPA表达的初步研究

该研究在验证小鼠睾丸支持细胞TM4有内源性uPA基因表达的基础上,针对uPAmRNA靶序列设计三段不同的siRNA序列（si-uPA）,通过瞬时转染TM4细胞,筛选确定uPA基因的有效干扰序列。将该有效干扰序列进行时效、量效实验,观察siRNA对TM4fi细胞uPAmRNA和蛋白表达的影响。结果显示,siRNA的最佳转染浓度为50nmol／L。三种si—uPA转染TM4细胞后,μPAmRNA和蛋白表达量均较空白对照组明显下降（P〈0．05）,以si—μPAl作用最为明显。si—μPAl转染24h后,转染组细胞μPAmRNA的表达均较对照组显著降低,其中100nmol／L组抑制效果最为明显,抑制率达到70％;随转染时间的延长,μPAmRNA表达持续降低,转染72h后,三组转染细胞μPAmRNA表达量分别为对照组的153．9％、35．3％和27．7％（P〈0．05）。该研究成功筛选出针对μPAmRNA靶序列的有效干扰序列,抑制效应持续至72h;同一时间点内,抑制效应随转染浓度的增加而增强,表现出良好的量效关系。     

表达登革病毒prM基因小干扰RNA的Vero细胞系的建立

prM蛋白是登革病毒膜蛋白M的前体,膜蛋白M对病毒的组装与成熟有重要作用,针对prM基因设计的小干扰RNA（siRNA）可短期抑制登革病毒复制.为了达到长期抑制登革病毒的效果,本研究构建了插入prM siRNA序列的重组慢病毒,利用流式细胞术分选以及杀稻瘟霉素抗性,筛选出稳定表达prM siRNA的非洲绿猴肾细胞（Vero细胞）系.经逆转录PCR及测序验证siRNA序列表达正确. Vero细胞中prM siRNA的表达率约为976%.当受到登革病毒攻击时,表达prM siRNA的Vero细胞能够明显抑制登革病毒prM基因的表达,并抑制登革病毒在Vero细胞中的复制.建立的Vero细胞系可用于RNA干扰防治登革病毒感染的进一步应用研究.     

SW620细胞RACK1稳定RNA干扰细胞系的构建与鉴定

目的:为研究RACK1在结肠癌发生发展中的作用,构建结肠癌RACK1基因稳定RNA干扰(RNAi)细胞系。方法:根据人Gnb211 c DNA序列,运用干扰原则选择5个干扰位点并合成相应干扰片段,定向克隆入p Lentilox3.7干扰载体鼠U6启动子后并测序验证。用干扰及对照质粒分别转染HEK293T细胞48小时后,RT-PCR鉴定干扰效率,选出干扰效率较高的质粒包装慢病毒感染人结肠癌细胞SW620,流式无菌分选出荧光阳性的细胞扩增培养,RT-PCR及Western blotting鉴定慢病毒干扰效率。使用慢病毒构建的SW620 RACK1稳定RNAi细胞系及对照组进行MTT实验初步研究RACK1对SW620增殖的影响。结果:酶切和测序证实RACK1sh RNA质粒构建正确,产生能同时表达绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)和RACK1 sh RNA的慢病毒载体质粒。慢病毒转导SW620并流式无菌分选扩增培养后,与空载体组相比,2个RNAi组均不同程度抑制RACK1表达,RACK1sh RNA5抑制作用最明显,RACK1干扰组细胞增殖得到了抑制。结论:SW620细胞RACK1稳定RNAi细胞系构建成功,为深入研究RACK1在结直肠癌发生发展中的作用奠定了基础。     

siRNA干扰TCAB1对人主动脉平滑肌增殖的影响及机制

目的:探究TCAB1沉默对人主动脉平滑肌细胞(HASMC)增殖的影响及可能机制。方法:采用RNAi技术设计并合成靶向沉默TCAB1基因表达的三对特异性si RNA序列(si TCAB1-331、si TCAB1-619、si TCAB-749)和一对阴性对照序列(NC),使用lipo2000将si TCAB1、NC转染HASMC,分为3个组:干扰组(si TCAB1)、空白对照组(BC)、阴性对照组(NC),转染24小时倒置荧光显微镜观察细胞转染情况;通过RT-qPCR和Western blot从3个干扰靶点中筛选效果最好的干扰靶点。进一步转染si TCAB1-749后,MTS检测HASMC 24、48、72 h的增殖能力,48小时用RT-qPCR和Western blot检测CyclinD1表达量变化,流式细胞术检测HASMC的细胞周期变化。结果:RT-qPCR和WB结果显示si TCAB1-749为最好的干扰靶点;转染24、48、72 h后,si TCAB1-749组增殖水平明显低于NC组、BC组(P0.05)。流式结果显示:si TCAB1-749组处于G1期细胞比率有所增加,处于S期细胞比率减少(P0.05),且si TCAB1-749组细胞周期蛋白cyclinD1表达也下降(P0.05)。结论:沉默TCAB1能抑制HASMC的增殖,其机制可能与阻碍细胞周期蛋白cyclinD1有关。     

Caveolin-1 siRNA对与乳腺癌细胞共培养的成纤维细胞自噬体表达影响的研究

为了探索乳腺癌相关的人成纤维细胞中窖蛋白-1(Caveolin-1,Cav-1)与自噬体的相关性及其对乳腺癌细胞的作用,该研究采用si RNA技术干扰成纤维细胞株ESF表达Cav-1,q RTPCR和Western blot确定si RNA干扰Cav-1表达的效果;Transwell insert方法共培养乳腺癌细胞株BT474和ESF细胞,单丹磺酰戊二胺(monodansylcadaverin,MDC)染色、激光共聚焦显微镜观察Cav-1 si RNA对自噬体表达的影响;q RT-PCR和Western blot检测Cav-1 si RNA对微管相关蛋白1轻链3II(microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 II,LC3II)表达的影响;CCK-8方法检测BT474细胞的增殖和活力。结果显示,靶向Cav-1的si RNA下调了ESF细胞中Cav-1的表达;Cav-1 si RNA促进ESF细胞自噬体和LC3II的表达,转染了Cav-1 si RNA的ESF细胞与BT474细胞共培养对自噬体和LC3II的作用更为显著;BT474细胞在ESFsi Cav-1(ESF cells transfected with Cav-1 si RNA)细胞共培养条件下增殖显著加快。研究表明,Cav-1 si RNA促进了与乳腺癌细胞共培养的成纤维细胞自噬体和LC3II的表达,同时加快了与成纤维细胞共培养的乳腺癌细胞的增殖。     

Integrity of H1 helix in prion protein revealed by molecular dynamic simulations to be especially vulnerable to changes in the relative orientation of H1 and its S1 flank

In the template-assistance model, normal prion protein (PrPC), the pathogenic cause of prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob in human, bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cow, and scrapie in sheep, converts to infectious prion (PrPSc) through an autocatalytic process triggered by a transient interaction between PrPC and PrPSc. Conventional studies suggest the S1-H1-S2 region in PrPC to be the template of S1-S2 β-sheet in PrPSc, and the conformational conversion of PrPC into PrPSc may involve an unfolding of H1 in PrPC and its refolding into the β-sheet in PrPSc. Here we conduct a series of simulation experiments to test the idea of transient interaction of the template-assistance model. We find that the integrity of H1 in PrPC is vulnerable to a transient interaction that alters the native dihedral angles at residue Asn¹⁴³, which connects the S1 flank to H1, but not to interactions that alter the internal structure of the S1 flank, nor to those that alter the relative orientation between H1 and the S2 flank.     

Silencing of cellular prion protein (PrPC) expression by DNA-antisense oligonucleotides induces autophagy-dependent cell death in glioma cells

Malignant gliomas are the most common and lethal primary central nervous system neoplasms. Several intriguing lines of evidence have recently emerged indicating that the cellular prion protein (PrPC) may exert neuro- and cyto-protective functions: PrPC overexpression protects cultured neurons and also tumor cell lines exposed to various pro-apoptotic stimuli while, on the contrary, PrPC silencing sensitizes Adriamycin-resistant human breast carcinoma cells to TRAIL-mediated cell death. In order to determine if PrPC is involved in the resistance of glial tumors to cell death, the effects of cellular prion protein downregulation by antisense approach were investigated in different human malignant glioma cell lines. PrPC downregulation induced profound morphological changes and significant cell death. In addition, a significant tumor volume reduction was noted after PrPC silencing in a EGFP-GL261 glioma murine model. Investigations of the molecular effects induced by PrPC silencing were carried out on T98G human glioma cells by analysing autophagic as well as typical apoptotic markers (nuclear morphology, caspase-3/7, p53 and PARP-1). The results indicated that apoptosis was not induced after PrPC downregulation while, on the contrary, electron microscopy analysis, and an accumulation of GFP-LC3-II in autophagosomal membranes of GFP-LC3 transfected cells, indicated a predominant activation of autophagy. PrPC silencing also led to induction of LC3-II, increase in Beclin-1 and a concomitant decrease in p62, Bcl-2 and in the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1, a target of mTOR autophagy signaling. In conclusion, our results show for the first time that interfering with the cellular prion protein expression could modulate autophagy-dependent cell death pathways in glial tumor cells.     

Silencing of cellular prion protein (PrPC) expression by DNA-antisense oligonucleotides induces autophagy-dependent cell death in glioma cells

Malignant gliomas are the most common and lethal primary central nervous system neoplasms. Several intriguing lines of evidence have recently emerged indicating that the cellular prion protein (PrPC) may exert neuro- and cyto-protective functions: PrPC overexpression protects cultured neurons and also tumor cell lines exposed to various pro-apoptotic stimuli while, on the contrary, PrPC silencing sensitizes Adriamycin-resistant human breast carcinoma cells to TRAIL-mediated cell death. In order to determine if PrPC is involved in the resistance of glial tumors to cell death, the effects of cellular prion protein downregulation by antisense approach were investigated in different human malignant glioma cell lines. PrPC downregulation induced profound morphological changes and significant cell death. In addition, a significant tumor volume reduction was noted after PrPC silencing in a EGFP-GL261 glioma murine model. Investigations of the molecular effects induced by PrPC silencing were carried out on T98G human glioma cells by analysing autophagic as well as typical apoptotic markers (nuclear morphology, caspase-3/7, p53 and PARP-1). The results indicated that apoptosis was not induced after PrPC downregulation while, on the contrary, electron microscopy analysis, and an accumulation of GFP-LC3-II in autophagosomal membranes of GFP-LC3 transfected cells, indicated a predominant activation of autophagy. PrPC silencing also led to induction of LC3-II, increase in Beclin-1 and a concomitant decrease in p62, Bcl-2 and in the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1, a target of mTOR autophagy signaling. In conclusion, our results show for the first time that interfering with the cellular prion protein expression could modulate autophagy-dependent cell death pathways in glial tumor cells.     

Differential expression of calcium-related genes in gastric cancer cells transfected with cellular prion protein.

The prion protein (PrPC) has a primary role in the pathogenesis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which causes prion disorders partially due to Ca2+ dysregulation. In our previous work, we found that overexpressed PrPC in gastric cancer was involved in apoptosis, cell proliferation, and metastasis of gastric cancer. To better understand how PrPC acts in gastric cancer, a human microarray was performed to select differentially regulated genes that correlate with the biological function of PrPC. The microarray data were analyzed and revealed 3798 genes whose expression increased at least 2-fold in gastric cancer cells transfected with PrPC. These genes encode proteins involved in several aspects of cell biology, among which, we specially detected molecules related to calcium, especially the S100 calcium-binding proteins, and found that PrPC upregulates S100A1, S100A6, S100B, and S100P but downregulates CacyBP in gastric cancer cells. We also found that intracellular Ca2+ levels in cells transfected with PrPC increased, whereas these levels decreased in knockdowns of these cells. Taken together, PrPC might increase intracellular Ca2+, partially through calcium-binding proteins, or PrPC might upregulate the expression of S100 proteins, partially through stimulating the intracellular calcium level in gastric cancer. Though the underlying mechanisms need further exploration, this study provides a new insight into the role of PrPC in gastric cancer and enriches our knowledge of prion protein.     

Hsp70 binds to PrPC in the process of PrPC release via exosomes from THP-1 monocytes

PrPC (cellular prion protein) is a GPI (glycophosphatidylinositol)-anchored protein present on the surface of a number of peripheral blood cells. PrPC must be present for the generation and propagation of pathogenic conformer [PrPSc (scrapie prion protein)], which is a conformational conversion form of PrPC and has a central role in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. It is important to determine the transportation mechanism of normal PrPC between cells. Exosomes are membrane vesicles released into the extracellular space upon fusion of multivesicular endosomes with the plasma membrane. We have identified that THP-1 monocytes can secrete exosomes to culture medium, and the secreted exosomes can bear PrPC. We also found that Hsp70 interacts with PrPC not only in intracellular environment, but in the secreted exosomes. However, the specific markers of exosomes, Tsg101 and flotillin-1, were found with no interaction with PrPC. Our results demonstrated that PrPC can be released from THP-1 monocytes via secreted exosomes, and in this process, Hsp70 binds to PrPC, which suggests that Hsp70 may play a potential functional role in the release of PrPC.     

Comparative computational analysis of prion proteins reveals two fragments with unusual structural properties and a pattern of increase in hydrophobicity associated with disease-promoting mutations

Prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative disorders associated with conversion of a normal prion protein, PrPC, into a pathogenic conformation, PrPSc. The PrPSc is thought to promote the conversion of PrPC. The structure and stability of PrPC are well characterized, whereas little is known about the structure of PrPSc, what parts of PrPC undergo conformational transition, or how mutations facilitate this transition. We use a computational knowledge-based approach to analyze the intrinsic structural propensities of the C-terminal domain of PrP and gain insights into possible mechanisms of structural conversion. We compare the properties of PrP sequences to those of a PrP paralog, Doppel, and to the distributions of structural propensities observed in known protein structures from the Protein Data Bank. We show that the prion protein contains at least two sequence fragments with highly unusual intrinsic propensities, PrP(114-125) and helix B. No segments with unusual properties were found in Doppel protein, which is topologically identical to PrP but does not undergo structural rearrangements. Known disease-promoting PrP mutations form a statistically significant cluster in the region comprising helices B and C. Due to their unusual properties, PrP(114-125) and the C terminus of helix B may be considered as primary candidates for sites involved in conformational transition from PrPC to PrPSc. The results of our study also show that most PrP mutations associated with neurodegenerative disorders increase local hydrophobicity. We suggest that the observed increase in hydrophobicity may facilitate PrP-to-PrP or/and PrP-to-cofactor interactions, and thus promote structural conversion.     

Mutant prion protein-mediated aggregation of normal prion protein in the endoplasmic reticulum: implications for prion propagation and neurotoxicity

Familial prion disorders are believed to result from spontaneous conversion of mutant prion protein (PrPM) to the pathogenic isoform (PrPSc). While most familial cases are heterozygous and thus express the normal (PrPC) and mutant alleles of PrP, the role of PrPC in the pathogenic process is unclear. Plaques from affected cases reveal a heterogeneous picture; in some cases only PrPM is detected, whereas in others both PrPC and PrPM are transformed to PrPSc. To understand if the coaggregation of PrPC is governed by PrP mutations or is a consequence of the cellular compartment of PrPM aggregation, we coexpressed PrPM and PrPC in neuroblastoma cells, the latter tagged with green fluorescent protein (PrPC-GFP) for differentiation. Two PrPM forms (PrP231T, PrP217R/231T) that aggregate spontaneously in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) were generated for this analysis. We report that PrPC-GFP aggregates when coexpressed with PrP231T or PrP217R/231T, regardless of sequence homology between the interacting forms. Furthermore, intracellular aggregates of PrP231T induce the accumulation of a C-terminal fragment of PrP, most likely derived from a potentially neurotoxic transmembrane form of PrP (CtmPrP) in the ER. These findings have implications for prion pathogenesis in familial prion disorders, especially in cases where transport of PrPM from the ER is blocked by the cellular quality control.     

Cellular prion protein function in copper homeostasis and redox signalling at the synapse

The fundamental physiological function of native cellular prion (PrPC) remains unknown. Herein, the most salient observations as regards prion physiology are critically evaluated. These include: (i) the role of PrPC in copper homeostasis, particularly at the pre-synaptic membrane; (ii) involvement of PrPC in neuronal calcium disturbances; and (iii) the neuroprotective properties of PrPC in response to copper and oxidative stress. Ultimately, a tentative hypothesis of basic prion function is derived, namely that PrPC acts as a sensor for copper and/or free radical stimuli, thereby triggering intracellular calcium signals that finally translate into modulation of synaptic transmission and maintenance of neuronal integrity.     

Prion and TNFα: TAC(E)it agreement between the prion protein and cell signaling

Prion diseases are rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorders that occur when the cellular prion protein (PrPC) is converted into a conformationally modified isoform that originates the novel infectious agent, called prion. Although much information is now available on the different routes of prion infection, both the mechanisms underlying prion neurotoxicity and the physiologic role of PrPC remain unclear. By use of a novel paradigm, we have shown in a recent paper that - following a myotoxin-induced degenerative challenge - PrPC is implicated in the morphogenesis of the skeletal muscle of adult mice. PrPC accomplished this task by modulating signaling pathways central to the myogenic process, in particular the p38 kinase pathway. The possibility that PrPC acts in cell signaling has already been suggested after in vitro studies. Using our in vivo approach, we have instead provided proof of the physiologic relevance of PrPC commitment in signaling events, and that PrPC likely performed the task by controlling the activity of the enzyme (TACE) secreting the signaling TNF-α molecule. After a brief summary of our data, here we will discuss the suggestion, arising from our and other recent findings, implying that regulation of TACE, and of other members of the protease family TACE belongs to, may be exploited by PrPC in different cell contexts. Notably, this advancement of knowledge on PrPC physiology could also shed light on the defense mechanisms against the onset of a more common neurodegenerative disorder than prion disease, such as Alzheimer disease.     

In Silico Analysis of Prion Protein Mutants: A Comparative Study by Molecular Dynamics Approach

Polymorphisms in the human prion proteins lead to amino acid substitutions by the conversion of PrPC to PrPSc and amyloid formation, resulting in prion diseases such as familial Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, Gerstmann–Straussler–Scheinker disease and fatal familial insomnia. Cation–π interaction is a non-covalent binding force that plays a significant role in protein stability. Here, we employ a novel approach by combining various in silico tools along with molecular dynamics simulation to provide structural and functional insight into the effect of mutation on the stability and activity of mutant prion proteins. We have investigated impressions of prevalent mutations including 1E1S, 1E1P, 1E1U, 1E1P, 1FKC and 2K1D on the human prion proteins and compared them with wild type. Structural analyses of the models were performed with the aid of molecular dynamics simulation methods. According to our results, frequently occurred mutations were observed in conserved sequences of human prion proteins and the most fluctuation values appear in the 2K1D mutant model at around helix 4 with residues ranging from 190 to 194. Our observations in this study could help to further understand the structural stability of prion proteins.