全长朊粒蛋白淀粉样纤维引发细胞毒性的机制研究

目的 朊病毒病(prion disease)是一类由朊粒蛋白(PrP)发生错误折叠、聚集形成致病性的PrP^Sc导致的具有高致死率的神经退行性疾病。本文在细胞和动物水平开展了PrP纤维诱导内源PrP聚集和毒性机制的研究。方法 通过超速离心结合蛋白质免疫印迹实验检测PrP聚集；通过氧化压力实验，使用Annexin V-FITC/PI双染检测细胞凋亡；运用细胞超薄切片技术检测细胞线粒体形态；在动物水平，分离新生小鼠的前额叶，进行横断切片培养，在脑片上接种PrP纤维。结果 PrP纤维种子可以诱导内源PrP聚集，PrP纤维可以诱导细胞内氧化压力升高和细胞凋亡，PrP纤维可以引起线粒体损伤，PrP纤维可以诱导小鼠前额叶内源PrP聚集。结论 本文在细胞和动物水平证实体外组装的PrP淀粉样纤维具有细胞毒性和潜在的感染性。     

大黄素对人肝癌HepG2细胞AIF和EndoG蛋白表达的影响

目的:观察大黄素干预后,体外培养的人肝癌HepG2细胞株胞浆和胞核内AIF和EndoG的表达情况,探讨大黄素对非Caspase依赖细胞凋亡的影响.方法:将体外培养的HepG2细胞分为四组:空白对照组、Caspase抑制剂组、大黄素干预组、大黄素+Caspase抑制剂组;取对数生长期的细胞进行实验,药物作用48小时后提取各组细胞胞浆及胞核蛋白;采用Western Blotting法分别检测各组细胞胞浆和胞核内AIF与EndoG的表达,并进行统计学分析.结果:AIF和EndoG在大黄素干预组、大黄素+Caspase抑制剂组细胞胞浆和胞核的表达均高于空白对照组及Caspase抑制剂组(p＜0.01),其中以大黄素+Caspase抑制剂组的表达最高(p＜0.01).结论:大黄素能促进体外培养的人肝癌HepG2细胞AIF和EndoG的表达和核转位,可以通过非Caspase依赖途径诱导细胞凋亡.     

荞麦rBTI-2的表达及其对肿瘤细胞的生长抑制作用

设计一种适合基因工程开发的无标签重组荞麦胰蛋白酶抑制剂rBTI-2,并研究其对肿瘤细胞的生长抑制作用。构建原核表达载体pExSecI-BTI-2,诱导表达获得可溶性目的蛋白,经Resource~(TM) Q纯化后作用于HL-7702、HepG2、EC9706和QBC-939细胞,MTT检测rBTI-2对其生长的影响,并与前期获得的几种融合蛋白酶抑制剂进行功能比对。结果表明:质粒pEXSecI-BTI-2构建成功,SDS-PAGE分析表明分子量约为7.8 kDa。MTT检测表明rBTI-2对几种肿瘤细胞的生长有明显的抑制作用,而对正常细胞HL-7702作用很小。几种蛋白酶抑制剂对肿瘤细胞的生长均有不同程度的影响,其中rBTI-2对肿瘤细胞的生长抑制作用要大于融合蛋白酶抑制剂rBTI,这为深入研究BTI诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的分子机制及其应用开发提供了重要基础和研究依据。     

一种新的PrP无细胞构象转化系统的建立

PrP细胞外构象转化系统已经被一些实验室用于朊病毒的研究,但在反应体系中往往需要使用放射性同位素。为了建立一种安全方便的PrP无细胞构象转化系统用于TSE发病机制的研究,通过PCR方法获得仓鼠PrP(HaPrP)全长基因,克隆至原核表达载体pQE30,在大肠杆菌中表达并纯化出分子量为27kD HaPrP蛋白,Western blot证实可与PrP特异性单克隆抗体反应。将纯化蛋白在体外标记生物素(Biotin-7-NHs),与纯化的scrapie 263K毒株仓鼠感染脑组织PrP^Se蛋白共同孵育4天后,经蛋白酶K消化,Western blot检测,证明存在一条抵抗蛋白酶K消化的、被亲和素特异性识别的条带,其分子量约为20kD。这表明HaPrP^sen可以被转化为HaPrP^res。实验表明,可以利用原核系统取代真核系统表达PrP,并用生物素标记取代^35S标记纯化蛋白,建立一个更加安全方便的无细胞构象转化系统,用于朊病毒的研究。     

三氧化二砷对胶质瘤U251细胞侵袭迁移和MMP2表达的影响

目的:研究三氧化二砷(As2O3)在体外对胶质瘤U251细胞侵袭迁移及金属基质蛋白酶2(MMP2)表达的影响.方法:采用台盼兰法(MTT法)观察As2O3对U251细胞粘附能力的影响;Transwell侵袭小室测定法检测As2O3对U251细胞侵袭能力的影响;明胶酶谱实验和逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)方法观察As2O3对金属基质蛋白酶2(Matrix metalloproteinase2,MMP2)在U251细胞中表达的影响.结果:As2O3能够降低U251细胞粘附能力,Transwell实验中药物处理组穿膜细胞数明显低于对照组(P＜0.01),As2O3不但降低MMP2前体蛋白的表达,而且影响其mRNA的表达.结论:As2O3能够有效抑制胶质瘤U251细胞的侵袭迁移,其作用机制可能与As2O3下调胶质瘤U251细胞中MMP2的表达有关.     

具有八肽重复区突变的朊蛋白其抗氧化性降低

抗氧化性被认为是细胞朊蛋白的主要生理功能之一,研究显示它的抗氧化性主要与朊蛋白序列中的八肽重复区有关．但是迄今为止它的抗氧化机制仍旧不清楚．我们构建表达了野生型朊蛋白（PrP-PG5）和它的不同八肽重复区突变体0（PrP-PG0）,9（PrP-PG9）和12（PrP-PGl2）．各种原核表达突变体蛋白在H202氧化后出现分子量的增加,并可导致羰基产生．MTT和细胞计数实验显示表达各种突变体的细胞存活率明显低于表达野生型朊蛋白（PrP—PG5）的细胞．细胞内ROS检测发现表达各种突变体的细胞内ROS水平明显高于表达野生型朊蛋白（PrP-PG5）的细胞．此外,谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶检测显示表达野生型朊蛋白（PrP-PG5）的细胞内谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶水平明显高于表达各种突变体的细胞．H2O2处理细胞后,转染突变体的细胞总的羰基产物数量明显高于转染野生型朊蛋白（PrP-PG5）的细胞,而表达突变体细胞及转染空载体的细胞较表达野生型朊蛋白（PrP-PG5）的细胞对氧化物质的抵抗性明显减弱．这些结果提示,具有正确八肽重复区数目对于朊蛋白（PrP）的抗氧化作用起关键作用,PrP的抗氧功能的丢失可能参与家族性朊病毒病的病理过程．     

过表达Nogo-C对PC12细胞存活及增殖的影响

以PC12细胞为神经元细胞模型,研究Nogo-C对神经元细胞存活及增殖的作用。在PC12细胞中转染过表达Nogo-C,使用G418药物筛选以获得稳定表达的细胞克隆,利用Hoechst33342染色、细胞计数、MTT以及流式细胞仪等技术检测Nogo-C对细胞增殖以及细胞周期的影响。结果表明:(1)Hoechst33342染色未观察到表达Nogo-C的细胞发生明显凋亡;(2)细胞计数及MTT实验观察到转染Nogo-C后的PC12细胞生长增殖活性明显降低;(3)流式细胞仪检测细胞生长周期,正常PC12细胞G1期的百分数为(37.8±7.9)%,S期为(50.4±8.5)%,而转染Nogo-C的PC12细胞G1期为(76.8±4.1)%,S期为(14.7±1.7)%,提示转染Nogo-C的PC12细胞的细胞周期被阻滞在G1期;(4)没有获得稳定表达Nogo-C的PC12细胞模型。实验证明,过表达Nogo-C通过使PC12细胞周期被阻滞在G1期而明显抑制细胞的增殖,但是并不引起细胞的凋亡。     

细胞色素c的释放是多巴胺诱导PC12细胞凋亡的重要环节

通过末端脱氧核苷酸转移酶介导dUTP缺口翻译法和DNA凝胶电泳观察多巴胺(DA)对PC12细胞凋亡的诱导作用, 并经蛋白质印迹法检测胞浆细胞色素c、Bcl-2和Bax蛋白以及活化型半胱氨酸蛋白酶3(caspase-3)水平. 结果表明, 在DA诱导PC12细胞凋亡的过程中, 可见PC12细胞中活化型caspase-3蛋白表达, 胞浆中细胞色素c水平明显增高, 同时Bcl-2蛋白水平下降, 而Bax蛋白水平明显增加. 环孢菌素A预处理对细胞色素c释放和caspase-3激活有明显的抑制作用, 而对Bcl-2和Bax蛋白影响不明显. 结果提示, Bcl-2和Bax蛋白、细胞色素c以及caspase-3可能参与DA诱导PC12细胞凋亡, 线粒体细胞色素c向胞浆释放可能是其中的中心环节.     

三氧化二砷对胶质瘤U251细胞侵袭迁移和MMP2表达的影响

目的:研究三氧化二砷(As2O3)在体外对胶质瘤U251细胞侵袭迁移及金属基质蛋白酶2(MMP2)表达的影响。方法:采用台盼兰法(MTT法)观察As2O3对U251细胞粘附能力的影响;Transwell侵袭小室测定法检测As2O3对U251细胞侵袭能力的影响;明胶酶谱实验和逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)方法观察As2O3对金属基质蛋白酶2(Matrix metalloproteinase2,MMP2)在U251细胞中表达的影响。结果:As2O3能够降低U251细胞粘附能力,Transwell实验中药物处理组穿膜细胞数明显低于对照组(P<0.01),As2O3不但降低MMP2前体蛋白的表达,而且影响其mRNA的表达。结论:As2O3能够有效抑制胶质瘤U251细胞的侵袭迁移,其作用机制可能与As2O3下调胶质瘤U251细胞中MMP2的表达有关。     

GRP75经由Raf/Mek/Erk1/2信号转导通路抑制缺糖诱导的细胞凋亡

本文旨在探讨促存活信号通路Raf/Mek/Erk1/2是否参与了葡萄糖调节蛋白75(glucose-regulated protein75,GRP75)对缺糖诱导的细胞凋亡的抑制作用。GRP75过表达的PC12细胞给予Raf/Mek/Erk1/2通路抑制剂U0126预处理之后,无糖培养6、12和24h,同时以DMSO预处理的GRP75过表达PC12细胞组为对照。Western blot检测Erk1/2的磷酸化和表达水平,MTT实验检测细胞存活率,Hoechst 33258染色观察凋亡细胞核的形态学改变,流式细胞仪检测细胞亚二倍体峰,免疫荧光检测细胞色素c(cytochrome c,Cytc)向胞浆的弥散情况。结果显示:U0126在没有影响Erk1/2表达水平的前提下,阻断了GRP75对Erk1/2磷酸化水平的维持;U0126处理组的凋亡率明显高于对照组;U0126处理组Cytc从线粒体向胞浆释放的时间明显早于对照组,同时Cytc向胞浆的弥散程度大于对照组。以上结果提示,U0126通过抑制Erk1/2磷酸化,阻断了缺糖状态下GRP75对Cytc释放和细胞凋亡的抑制作用,这表明GRP75是通过Raf/Mek/Er...     

The PKC delta inhibitor, rottlerin, induces apoptosis of haematopoietic cell lines through mitochondrial membrane depolarization and caspases' cascade

Rottlerin is a widely selective protein kinase C delta (PKCdelta) inhibitor isolated from Mallotus philippinensis. It shown to be effective against several human tumor cell lines and in potentiating chemotherapy-induced cytotoxcicity. Using the trypan blue exclusion assay, we demonstrated that rottlerin reduced the viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner of human leukemia HL60 cells, human acute T cell leukemia Jurkat cells and mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Rottlerin caused apoptosis and the apaptotic processing was inhibited by a caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk, in these haematopoietic cells. The apoptosis-inducing activities were determined by nuclear condensation, sub-G1 appearance, DNA fragmentation, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsim), release of mitochondrial cytochrome c into cytoplasm and proteolytic activation of caspase 9 and 3. Expression of PKCdelta and Bcl-2 protein inhibited Deltapsim change and repressed cell death. These studies suggest that the cytotoxic effects of rottlerin through inhibition of PKCdelta cause mitochondrial dysfunction, cytochrome c release from mitochondria into cytoplasm and the activation of caspases' cascade.     

Cytotoxic activity of clinical Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

AIMS: To determine the potential virulence factors produced by culture supernatants of clinical isolates of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. METHODS AND RESULTS: Culture supernatants of clinical isolates of S. maltophilia were assayed for haemolytic, enzymatic (lipase, protease and phospholipase) and cytotoxic activity. Cytotoxic activity was assayed in Vero (African green monkey), HeLa (human cervix) and HEp-2 (human larynx epidermoid carcinoma) cells. Microscopic analyses revealed intensive rounding, loss of intercellular junctions and membrane alterations (blebbing) followed by death of HEp-2 cells. In Vero and HeLa cells, the cytotoxic effects were characterized by vigorous endocytosis and cell aggregation. The viability of cultured mammalian cells was determined with neutral red and demonstrated that the sensitivity among the cells was different. This activity was inactivated by heating at 56 degrees C for 15 min and protease inhibitors did not inhibit cytotoxic activity. The clinical S. maltophilia presented a cell-free haemolytic activity similar to the 'hot-cold' haemolysins. CONCLUSIONS: S. maltophilia culture supernatants caused vigorous endocytosis and cell aggregation in HeLa and Vero cells, produced haemolytic and enzymatic activities. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This work revealed the presence of putative virulence factors that could be associated with human infections involving Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strains.     

The intestine as source of cytotoxic mediators in shock: free fatty acids and degradation of lipid-binding proteins

Shock and multiple organ failure remain primary causes of late-stage morbidity and mortality in victims of trauma. During shock, the intestine is subject to extensive cell death and is the source of inflammatory factors that cause multiorgan failure. We (34) showed previously that ischemic, but not nonischemic, small intestines and pancreatic protease digested homogenates of normal small intestine can generate cytotoxic factors capable of killing naive cells within minutes. Using chloroform/methanol separation of rat small intestine homogenates into lipid fractions and aqueous and sedimented protein fractions and measuring cell death caused by those fractions, we found that the cytotoxic factors are lipid in nature. Recombining the lipid fraction with protein fractions prevented cell death, except when homogenates were protease digested. Using a fluorescent substrate, we found high levels of lipase activity in intestinal homogenates and cytotoxic levels of free fatty acids. Addition of albumin, a lipid binding protein, prevented cell death, unless the albumin was previously digested with protease. Homogenization of intestinal wall in the presence of the lipase inhibitor orlistat prevented cell death after protease digestion. In vivo, orlistat plus the protease inhibitor aprotinin, administered to the intestinal lumen, significantly improved survival time compared with saline in a splanchnic arterial occlusion model of shock. These results indicate that major cytotoxic mediators derived from an intestine under in vitro conditions are free fatty acids. Breakdown of free fatty acid binding proteins by proteases causes release of free fatty acids to act as powerful cytotoxic mediators.     

Calpain-dependent endoproteolytic cleavage of PrPSc modulates scrapie prion propagation

Previous studies using post-mortem human brain extracts demonstrated that PrP in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) brains is cleaved by a cellular protease to generate a C-terminal fragment, referred to as C2, which has the same molecular weight as PrP-(27-30), the protease-resistant core of PrP(Sc) (1). The role of this endoproteolytic cleavage of PrP in prion pathogenesis and the identity of the cellular protease responsible for production of the C2 cleavage product has not been explored. To address these issues we have taken a combination of pharmacological and genetic approaches using persistently infected scrapie mouse brain (SMB) cells. We confirm that production of C2 is the predominant cleavage event of PrP(Sc) in the brains of scrapie-infected mice and that SMB cells faithfully recapitulate the diverse intracellular proteolytic processing events of PrP(Sc) and PrP(C) observed in vivo. While increases in intracellular calcium (Ca(2+)) levels in prion-infected cell cultures stimulate the production of the PrP(Sc) cleavage product, pharmacological inhibitors of calpains and overexpression of the endogenous calpain inhibitor, calpastatin, prevent the production of C2. In contrast, inhibitors of lysosomal proteases, caspases, and the proteasome have no effect on C2 production in SMB cells. Calpain inhibition also prevents the accumulation of PrP(Sc) in SMB and persistently infected ScN2A cells, whereas bioassay of inhibitor-treated cell cultures demonstrates that calpain inhibition results in reduced prion titers compared with control-treated cultures assessed in parallel. Our observations suggest that calpain-mediated endoproteolytic cleavage of PrP(Sc) may be an important event in prion propagation.     

Investigation of sequential behavior of carboxyl protease and cysteine protease activities in virus-infected Sf-9 insect cell culture by inhibition assay

Proteases produced during the culture of Spodoptera frugiperda Sf-9 cells infected with Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) were assayed with various protease inhibitors. This inhibitory analysis revealed that: (1) carboxyl and cysteine proteases were predominantly produced by the insect cells infected with recombinant AcNPV, the gene of which encoded a variant of green fluorescent protein in a portion of the polyhedrin gene of the baculovirus, and (2) the protease activity was almost completely blocked by pepstatin A (carboxyl protease inhibitor) and E64 (cysteine protease inhibitor) in an additive manner in the presence of EDTA. Utilizing the additive property of the inhibitors, the inhibition-based protease assay discriminated between the two protease activities and elucidated the sequential behavior of the carboxyl and cysteine proteases produced in the virus-infected Sf-9 cell culture. The carboxyl protease(s) existed in the virus-infected cells all the time and their level in the medium continuously increased. Uninfected cells also contained a carboxyl protease activity, the level of which was similar to that of the virus-infected cells. At a certain time after virus infection, the cysteine protease activity was largely increased in the virus-infected cells and a significant amount of the protease(s) was released into the medium, due to the cell membranes losing their integrity. The behavior of intracellular and extracellular cysteine protease activities coincided with that of a recombinant protein whose expression was under the control of the viral polyhedrin promoter. Similar examinations with wt-AcNPV-infected and uninfected insect cells showed that the inhibition-based protease assay was useful for analyzing the carboxyl protease and cysteine protease activities emerging in the insect cell (Sf-9)/baculovirus expression system.     

Molecular morphology and toxicity of cytoplasmic prion protein aggregates in neuronal and non-neuronal cells

Recent studies have revealed that accumulation of prion protein (PrP) in the cytoplasm results in the production of aggregates that are insoluble in non-ionic detergents and partially resistant to proteinase K. Transgenic mice expressing PrP in the cytoplasm develop severe ataxia with cerebellar degeneration and gliosis, suggesting that cytoplasmic PrP may play a role in the pathogenesis of prion diseases. The mechanism of cytoplasmic PrP neurotoxicity is not known. In this report, we determined the molecular morphology of cytoplasmic PrP aggregates by immunofluorescence and electron microscopy, in neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Transient expression of cytoplasmic PrP produced juxtanuclear aggregates reminiscent of aggresomes in human embryonic kidney 293 cells, human neuroblastoma BE2-M17 cells and mouse neuroblastoma N2a cells. Time course studies revealed that discrete aggregates form first throughout the cytoplasm, and then coalesce to form an aggresome. Aggresomes containing cytoplasmic PrP were 1-5-microm inclusion bodies and were filled with electron-dense particles. Cytoplasmic PrP aggregates induced mitochondrial clustering, reorganization of intermediate filaments, prevented the secretion of wild-type PrP molecules and diverted these molecules to the cytoplasm. Cytoplasmic PrP decreased the viability of neuronal and non-neuronal cells. We conclude that any event leading to accumulation of PrP in the cytoplasm is likely to result in cell death.     

Cytochrome c is released in a reactive oxygen species-dependent manner and is degraded via caspase-like proteases in tobacco Bright-Yellow 2 cells en route to heat shock-induced cell death

To gain some insight into the mechanism of plant programmed cell death, certain features of cytochrome c (cyt c) release were investigated in heat-shocked tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Bright-Yellow 2 cells in the 2- to 6-h time range. We found that 2 h after heat shock, cyt c is released from intact mitochondria into the cytoplasm as a functionally active protein. Such a release did not occur in the presence of superoxide anion dismutase and catalase, thus showing that it depends on reactive oxygen species (ROS). Interestingly, ROS production due to xanthine plus xanthine oxidase results in cyt c release in sister control cultures. Maximal cyt c release was found 2 h after heat shock; later, activation of caspase-3-like protease was found to increase with time. Activation of this protease did not occur in the presence of ROS scavenger enzymes. The released cyt c was found to be progressively degraded in a manner prevented by either the broad-range caspase inhibitor (zVAD-fmk) or the specific inhibitor of caspase-3 (AC-DEVD-CHO), which have no effect on cyt c release. In the presence of these inhibitors, a significant increase in survival of the cells undergoing programmed cell death was found. We conclude that ROS can trigger release of cyt c, but do not cause cell death, which requires caspase-like activation.     

Intercellular transfer of the cellular prion protein

The cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein. We investigated whether PrP(C) can move from one cell to another cell in a cell model. Little PrP(C) transfer was detected when a PrP(C) expressing human neuroblastoma cell line was cultured with the human erythroleukemia cells IA lacking PrP(C). Efficient transfer of PrP(C) was detected with the presence of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, an activator of protein kinase C. Maximum PrP(C) transfer was observed when both donor and recipient cells were activated. Furthermore, PrP(C) transfer required the GPI anchor and direct cell to cell contact. However, intercellular protein transfer is not limited to PrP(C), another GPI-anchored protein, CD90, also transfers from the donor cells to acceptor cells after cellular activation. Therefore, this transfer process is GPI-anchor and cellular activation dependent. These findings suggest that the intercellular transfer of GPI-anchored proteins is a regulated process, and may have implications for the pathogenesis of prion disease.     

Degradation of the disease-associated prion protein by a serine protease from lichens

The disease-associated prion protein (PrP(TSE)), the probable etiological agent of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), is resistant to degradation and can persist in the environment. Lichens, mutualistic symbioses containing fungi, algae, bacteria and occasionally cyanobacteria, are ubiquitous in the environment and have evolved unique biological activities allowing their survival in challenging ecological niches. We investigated PrP(TSE) inactivation by lichens and found acetone extracts of three lichen species (Parmelia sulcata, Cladonia rangiferina and Lobaria pulmonaria) have the ability to degrade prion protein (PrP) from TSE-infected hamsters, mice and deer. Immunoblots measuring PrP levels and protein misfolding cyclic amplification indicated at least two logs of reductions in PrP(TSE). Degradative activity was not found in closely related lichen species or in algae or a cyanobacterium that inhabit lichens. Degradation was blocked by Pefabloc SC, a serine protease inhibitor, but not inhibitors of other proteases or enzymes. Additionally, we found that PrP levels in PrP(TSE)-enriched preps or infected brain homogenates are also reduced following exposure to freshly-collected P. sulcata or an aqueous extract of the lichen. Our findings indicate that these lichen extracts efficiently degrade PrP(TSE) and suggest that some lichens could have potential to inactivate TSE infectivity on the landscape or be a source for agents to degrade prions. Further work to clone and characterize the protease, assess its effect on TSE infectivity and determine which organism or organisms present in lichens produce or influence the protease activity is warranted.