p8-应激调节的多功能核蛋白

1997年,Iovanna等在研究急性胰腺损伤的分子变化中首先克隆得到了p8基因.人的p8分子是一个由82个氨基酸组成的小分子核蛋白,分子内含有一个保守的核定位序列,蛋白质二级结构与HMG-I/Y蛋白十分相似,该分子在包括胰腺、肝脏、肾脏在内的诸多脏器受到损伤刺激后,能够在短时间内迅速、高水平地上调,因此被认为是一个应激分子(stress associated protein).随后的研究显示该基因具有复杂的表达调节模式,在个体发育、肿瘤形成、组织损伤、心肌肥大以及糖尿病性肾病中都发挥重要作用,并且其功能表现在不同组织、细胞中不尽相同.     

NFBD1的生物学作用

NFBD1是一个参与DNA损伤应答的重要分子,在DNA损伤关卡、DNA损伤修复、细胞生长增殖及肿瘤发生中均有作用。研究NFBD1功能及其作用机制对生物医学基础知识的拓展以及肿瘤的防治将产生重要影响。     

p62蛋白的分子功能及其在疾病中的研究进展

螯合体1(SQSTM1/p62)是一种选择性自噬接头蛋白,在清除待降解蛋白、维持细胞内蛋白质稳态中发挥重要的调控作用。p62蛋白具有多个功能结构域,介导与多种蛋白质发生相互作用进而精确调节特定的信号通路,从而将p62蛋白与氧化防御系统、炎症反应和营养感知等重要生命过程联系起来。研究表明p62的突变或者表达异常与多种疾病的发生发展过程密切相关,包括神经退行性疾病、肿瘤、感染性疾病、遗传性疾病以及慢性疾病等。本文综述了p62蛋白的结构特征、分子功能,并系统介绍其在蛋白质稳态和信号通路调控中的多种功能,总结了p62在疾病发生发展中的复杂性与多面性,以期为p62蛋白的功能与相关疾病研究提供参考。     

胰岛素增强子结合蛋白-1(ISL1)与肿瘤的发生与发展北大核心CSCD

在人类发育过程中,胰岛素增强子结合蛋白-1(ISL1)被认为是一个胚胎性基因。成年后,ISL1只在特定的组织或器官中表达,例如胰腺和大脑。近年来,在多种肿瘤中检测到ISL1的异常表达,不仅在胰腺内分泌肿瘤、神经肿瘤中高表达(与之相应的正常组织也表达ISL1),而且在淋巴瘤、胃癌和膀胱癌等肿瘤组织中呈现表达(其正常组织不表达ISL1)。ISL1的异常表达可能与肿瘤的发生发展及预后相关。本文针对ISL1与肿瘤的相关性以及在肿瘤发生发展中的功能进行综述,为进一步的分子机制研究提供理论依据。     

胰岛素增强子结合蛋白-1（ISL1）与肿瘤的发生与发展

在人类发育过程中,胰岛素增强子结合蛋白-1(ISL1)被认为是一个胚胎性基因。成年后,ISL1只在特定的组织或器官中表达,例如胰腺和大脑。近年来,在多种肿瘤中检测到ISL1的异常表达,不仅在胰腺内分泌肿瘤、神经肿瘤中高表达（与之相应的正常组织也表达ISL1）,而且在淋巴瘤、胃癌和膀胱癌等肿瘤组织中呈现表达（其正常组织不表达ISL1）。ISL1的异常表达可能与肿瘤的发生发展及预后相关。本文针对ISL1与肿瘤的相关性以及在肿瘤发生发展中的功能进行综述,为进一步的分子机制研究提供理论依据。     

腺病毒介导的p33ING1b过表达显著促进衰老细胞的DNA损伤修复

p33^ING1b是一个较晚发现的肿瘤抑制基因ING1的主要表达形式,自从被成功克隆以后得到了广泛的研究,已有的研究表明,p33^ING1b参与了细胞的生长抑制、凋亡、染色质重塑、DNA损伤修复、肿瘤抑制和细胞衰老等。但是它在细胞衰老过程中的作用特别是对衰老细胞DNA损伤修复的影响还没有被地阐明,在本研究中,我们首先用2BS细胞构建了细胞衰老模型,通过RT-PCR和Western blot技术证实p33^ING1b在衰老细胞中的表达水平是下调的,然后通过构建和包装包含p33^ING1b基因的腺病毒,将p33^ING1b导入年轻和衰老细胞中并使其过表达,用HCR（host cell reactivation）方法检测年轻细胞和衰老细胞DNA损伤修复能力。我们的实验首次表明,相对于年轻细胞,p33^ING1b的过表达使衰老细胞的DNA的损伤修复能力显著增加,这说明p33^ING1b在衰老细胞中的表达下调与衰老细胞DNA损伤修复能力的下降有关,也进一步证实了p33^ING1b在细胞衰老过程中起着十分重要的作用。     

DNA损伤监测及修复相关酶与细胞衰老

衰老是细胞的重要生命现象之一,衰老假说之一认为细胞中残留DNA损伤的积累可加速细胞的衰老.因此,细胞内DNA损伤监测及修复系统的正常运行与细胞衰老调控密切相关,DNA损伤监测及修复相关酶如PARP、DNA-PK、ATM、p53等在细胞衰老中的调控作用日益受到广泛关注.研究这些蛋白质分子间的相互作用及其在细胞衰老过程中的调控功能,有利于揭示DNA损伤应激、损伤修复调控与细胞衰老之间的内在联系,为抗衰老研究及从衰老角度治疗肿瘤提供新的思路.     

PLK1 与妇科肿瘤的研究进展

人类肿瘤生成过程由很多复杂环节组成,其主要现象表现为细胞分裂增殖的失调控生长。细胞分裂都必须按照正常细胞程序的每一个步骤进行才能保证机体的正常运转,细胞周期依赖分子PLK1是调节正常细胞有丝分裂、胞质分裂,以及对DNA受损伤后进行一系列反应调节的重要因子。它在细胞周期中的作用已有多位学者共同认识,当细胞失调控时检测到PLK1存在过量的表达,同时大量研究表明,人类PLK1基因不仅在多种已发现的恶性肿瘤中有此现象,而且在一些肿瘤中,它关系到这些肿瘤的发生发展及预后,被认为其可能成为一种新的肿瘤标志物,还可作为肿瘤定向分子靶向治疗中的一个有效目的基因的靶点,并且近年来对PLK1在肿瘤基因蛋白靶向治疗方面的药物研究开发已经成为学者研究的一个热点方向,该文对近年来PLK1在肿瘤生成中的作用,特别是其与妇科肿瘤关系方面的一些研究进展予以以下阐述。     

p62蛋白功能及相关信号通路研究

p62是一种多功能蛋白,其蛋白分子包含多个结构域,通过与不同蛋白质结合形成细胞中重要的信号中心,从而调控多种信号通路,影响细胞的生长、衰老,甚至死亡等生理过程。p62蛋白通过对mTORC1信号通路的影响在氨基酸信号通路中发挥着关键的调控作用。p62蛋白是自噬体与底物之间的适配蛋白,在细胞自噬过程中起到分子调节器的作用。p62蛋白具有质核穿梭功能,在DNA损伤修复和氧化应激反应中具有重要作用,其异常积累会引起细胞的恶性转变,导致肿瘤的发生。现综述p62在调节多种信号通路,如自噬、氨基酸感知、凋亡及肿瘤发生等过程中的作用。     

NFBD1的生物学作用

NFBD1足一个参与DNA损伤应答的重要分子,在DNA损伤关卡、DNA损伤修复、细胞生长增殖及肿瘤发生中均有作用.研究NFBD1功能及其作用机制对生物医学基础知识的拓展以及肿瘤的防治将产生重要影响.     

MHCI链相关分子A／B在胰腺癌组织中的表达及临床意义

目的：探讨MHCI链相关分子A／B（MICA／B）在胰腺癌（PDA）组织中的表达及其与胰腺癌发生发展的相关性。方法：应用免疫组化检测MICA／B在胰腺癌中的表达,分析MICA／B与胰腺癌临床病理学特征的相关性。结果：MICA／B在PDA组织中的阳性表达率为89．58％（43／48）,而慢性胰腺炎和正常胰腺组织中不表达或微弱表达,癌组织与慢性胰腺炎及正常胰腺组差异显著（X2=36．069,p〈0．001）。MICA／B在胰腺癌组织中的表达水平与肿瘤的临床分期和病理分级有密切的关系（X2=8．398,10．000;P=0．015,0．003）,在早期、分化较好的胰腺癌组织中MICA／B表达水平较高,而在分化较差的胰腺癌组织中表达水平较低,随着胰腺癌进展,MICA／B从肿瘤细胞表面脱落到癌细胞周围的间质组织中,晚期胰腺癌患者MICA／B的表达水平较低甚至不表达。Spearman等级相关分析显示MICA／B表达程度与分化程度正相关（r=0．331）。结论：MICA／B作为诱导蛋白通过MICA／B—NKG2D介导的免疫反应可能在早期清除胰腺癌细胞中起重要作用。但随着肿瘤的进展,MICAfB从肿瘤细胞表面脱落,释放到肿瘤间质组织进而引起肿瘤免疫逃避。因而我们推测,MICA／B-NKG2D介导的免疫监视障碍可能促进了胰腺癌的进展。     

Expression of calcyclin-binding protein/Siah-1 interacting protein in normal and malignant human tissues: an immunohistochemical survey.

Calcyclin-binding protein (CacyBP)/Siah-1 interacting protein (SIP), a component of ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, could bind the Skp1-Cul1-F box protein complex. Although CacyBP/SIP was implicated in p53-induced beta-catenin degradation, its exact function was still unknown. Our previous studies showed that CacyBP/SIP could modulate the multidrug-resistant phenotype of gastric cancer cells and was highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues compared with that in non-cancerous tissues. In this study, CacyBP/SIP protein expression profile in a broad range of human normal tissues and carcinomas was analyzed by immunohistochemistry staining with anti-CacyBP/SIP monoclonal antibody first produced in our laboratory. CacyBP/SIP was generally localized in the cytoplasm/nucleus. Positive staining of CacyBP/SIP was found in brain, heart, lymph node, and esophagus. Weak staining was shown in the rectum and kidney. No CacyBP/SIP was detected in other normal tissues. However, CacyBP/SIP was ubiquitously detected in all kinds of tumor tissues and was highly expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, osteogenic sarcoma, and pancreatic cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the CacyBP/SIP expression pattern in a broad range of human normal and tumor tissues. The data presented should serve as a useful reference for other investigators in future studies of CacyBP/SIP functions. Hopefully, this knowledge will lead to discovery of more roles of CacyBP/SIP in tumorigenesis.     

p8 gene is necessary for tumor establishment

We identified a new gene, called p8, which showed a strong induction during the acute phase of pancreatitis. Further experiments have shown that p8 mRNA is activated in response to several stresses and that its activation is not restricted to pancreatic cells. p8 is a nuclear protein and biochemical and biophysical studies showed that p8 was in many structural aspects very similar to the HMG (high mobility group) proteins, although sharing with them low amino acid sequence homology. Also, p8 was found overexpressed in many human cancers. Therefore, we wondered whether the p8-mediated response to cellular stress was necessary for tumor establishment. Subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injections of transformed p8-expressing fibroblasts led to tumor formation in nude mice, but no tumor was observed with transformed p8-deficient cells. Restoring p8 expression in transformed p8-deficient fibroblasts led to tumor formation demonstrating that p8 expression is necessary for tumor development and suggesting that the stress-response mechanisms governed by p8 are required for tumor establishment.     

Light‐emitting diode irradiation induces AKT/mTOR‐mediated apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells and xenograft mouse model

The beneficial effects of light‐emitting diode (LED) irradiation have been reported in various pathologies, including cancer. However, its effect in pancreatic cancer cells remains unclear. Herein, we demonstrated that blue LED of 460 nm regulated pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis by suppressing the expression of apoptosis‐related factors, such as mutant p53 and B‐cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‐2), and decreasing the expression of RAC‐β serine/threonine kinase 2 (AKT2), the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Blue LED irradiation also increased the levels of cleaved poly‐(ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase‐3 in pancreatic cancer cells, while it suppressed AKT2 expression and inhibited tumor growth in xenograft tumor tissues. In conclusion, blue LED irradiation suppressed pancreatic cancer cell and tumor growth by regulating AKT/mTOR signaling. Our findings indicated that blue LEDs could be used as a nonpharmacological treatment for pancreatic cancer.     

p8 expression controls pancreatic cancer cell migration, invasion, adhesion, and tumorigenesis

p8 is a stress gene whose activity is necessary for tumor development and progression. The acquisition of invasive properties by transformed cells is a key event in tumor development. In order to establish whether p8 is involved or not in this phenomenon, we assessed the capacity of p8 at influencing cell adhesion, migration, invasion, and tumorigenesis of pancreatic cancer cells. p8 expression was knocked down by a small interfering RNA (siRNA) in pancreatic cancer-derived Panc-1 and MiaPaCa-2 cells and subsequent changes in cell adhesion, migration, invasion, and tumorigenesis were assessed. Influence of p8 silencing on gene expression was analyzed using cDNA microarrays. The influence of inhibiting CDC42, one of the genes most over-expressed in p8-silenced cells, on the changes observed in p8-silenced cells was also evaluated. Finally, the tumorigenic capacities of Panc-1 cells transfected with control siRNA or p8 siRNA were compared by assessing their ability to form colonies in soft agar and to grow as xenografts in nude mice. Knocking-down p8 in pancreatic cancer cells in vitro decreased migration and invasion while increasing cell adhesion; over-expression produced the opposite effect. Knocking down CDC42 reversed almost completely the effects of silencing p8 in vitro. Finally, cells transfected with p8 siRNA were almost unable to form colonies in soft agar. In addition, p8-deficient Panc-1 cells did not develop tumors when injected subcutaneously in nude mice. In conclusion, p8 expression controls pancreatic cancer cell migration, invasion and adhesion, three processes required for metastasis, at least in part, through CDC42, a major regulator of cytoskeleton organization.     

MiR-371-5p Facilitates Pancreatic Cancer Cell Proliferation and Decreases Patient Survival

Background

microRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in tumorigenesis, either as a tumor suppressor or as an oncogenic miRNA, depending on different tumor types. To date, scientists have obtained a substantial amount of knowledge with regard to miRNAs in pancreatic cancer. However, the expression and function of miR-371-5p in pancreatic cancer has not been clearly elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of miR-371-5p in pancreatic cancer and its association with the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Methods

The expression of miR-371-5p was examined in pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and their adjacent normal pancreatic tissues (ANPT) or in pancreatic cancer cell lines by qRT-PCR. The association of miR-371-5p expression with overall survival was determined. The proliferation and apoptosis of SW-1990 and Panc-1 cells, transfected with miR-371-5p mimics or inhibitor, were assessed using MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The tumorigenicity was evaluated via mice xenograft experiments. miR-371-5p promoter interactions were analyzed by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays (ChIP). Protein expression was analyzed by Western blot.

Results

The expression level of miR-371-5p was dramatically upregulated in clinical PDAC tissues compared with ANPT. Patients with high miR-371-5p expression had a significantly shorter survival than those with low miR-371-5p expression. The in vitro and in vivo assays showed that overexpression of miR-371-5p resulted in cell proliferation and increased tumor growth, which was associated with inhibitor of growth 1 (ING1) downregulation. Interestingly, we also found that ING1, in turn, inhibited expression of miR-371-5p in the promoter region.

Conclusions

our study demonstrates a novel ING1-miR-371-5p regulatory feedback loop, which may have a critical role in PDAC. Thus miR-371-5p can prove to be a novel prognostic factor and therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer treatment.     

Reduced expression of the membrane skeleton protein beta1-spectrin (SPTBN1) is associated with worsened prognosis in pancreatic cancer

Spectrins are members of the superfamily of F-actin cross linking proteins that are important as scaffolding proteins for protein sorting, cell adhesion, and migration. In addition, spectrins have been implicated in TGF-beta signaling. The aim of the present study was to analyze the expression and localization of beta1-spectrin (SPTBN1) in pancreatic tissues. mRNA levels of SPTBN1 in cultured pancreatic cancer cell lines, as well as in normal pancreatic tissues (n=18), chronic pancreatitis (n=48) and pancreatic cancer tissues (n=66) were analyzed by real time quantitative RT-PCR. Localization of SPTBN1 in pancreatic tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry. SPTBN1 staining was assessed semi-quantitatively in 55 cancer tissues and survival analysis was carried out using the Kaplan-Meier method. Median SPTBN1 mRNA levels were 6.0-fold higher in pancreatic cancer tissues compared to the normal pancreas (p<0.0001) and 2.2-fold higher compared to chronic pancreatitis tissues (p=0.0002). In the normal pancreas, SPTBN1 was present in the cytoplasm of normal ductal cells and occasionally in pancreatic acinar and centroacinar cells. In pancreatic cancer tissues, SPTBN1 was present in the cytoplasm of pancreatic cancer cells. Low SPTBN1 protein expression indicated a tendency for worsened prognosis with a median survival of 14.0 months, versus 23.8 months for patients whose tumors expressed moderate/high levels of SPTBN1. In conclusion, reduced SPTBN1 expression correlated with shorter survival of pancreatic cancer patients, suggesting a tumor suppressor function of this gene, as has already been shown for other malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract.     

Long non-coding RNA OIP5-AS1 promotes pancreatic cancer cell growth through sponging miR-342-3p via AKT/ERK signaling pathway

Opa-interacting protein 5 antisense RNA 1 (OIP5-AS1), a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), has been reported to link with the progression of some cancers. However, its biological functions and underlying molecular mechanisms in pancreatic cancer are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of lncRNA OIP5-AS1 in pancreatic cancer. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that OIP5-AS1 is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues versus adjacent non-tumor tissues. In vitro functional assays showed that downregulation of OIP5-AS1 or overexpression of miR-342-3p inhibited the proliferation, decreased Ki67 expression, and induced cell cycle arrest in pancreatic cancer cells. The expression of cyclinD1, CDK4, and CDK6 was decreased by knockdown of OIP5-AS1. Moreover, we found that OIP5-AS1 acted as a miR-342-3p sponge to suppress its expression and function. Dual-luciferase assay confirmed the interaction of OIP5-AS1 and miR-342-3p and verified anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) as a direct target of miR-342-3p. Results showed that depletion of miR-342-3p abolished the inhibitory effects of OIP5-AS1 knockdown on pancreatic cancer cell growth. The expression of Ki67, AGR2, cyclinD1, CDK4, CDK6, p-AKT, and p-ERK1/2 was reversed by silencing of miR-342-3p in pancreatic cancer cells with OIP5-AS1 knockdown. Further, knockdown of OIP5-AS1 suppressed tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model of pancreatic cancer. OIP5-AS1 induced pancreatic cancer progression via activation of AKT and ERK signaling pathways. Therefore, we demonstrate that OIP5-AS1 functions as oncogene in pancreatic cancer and its downregulation inhibits pancreatic cancer growth by sponging miR-342-3p via targeting AGR2 through inhibiting AKT/ERK signaling pathway.

     

The grapefruit flavanone naringin protects against the radiation-induced genomic instability in the mice bone marrow: a micronucleus study

To test the hypothesis that carcinogen exposure and oxidative stress are involved in pancreatic carcinogenesis in susceptible individuals, aromatic DNA adducts and 8-hydroxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) were measured by (32)P-postlabeling and HPLC-EC, respectively, in 31 pancreatic tumors and 13 normal tissues adjacent to the tumor from patients with pancreatic cancer. Normal pancreatic tissues from 24 organ donors, from six patients with non-pancreatic cancers, and from five patients with chronic pancreatitis served as controls. It was found that tissue samples from patients with pancreatic cancer had significantly higher levels of both aromatic DNA adducts and 8-OH-dG compared with control samples. The mean (+/-S.D.) levels of aromatic DNA adducts were 101.8+/-74.6, 26.9+/-26.6, and 11.2+/-6.6 per 10(9) nucleotides in adjacent tissues, tumors, and controls, respectively. The mean (+/-S.D.) levels of 8-OH-dG were 11.9+/-9.6, 10.8+/-10.6, and 6.7+/-4.6 per 10(5) nucleotides in adjacent tissues, tumors, and controls, respectively. Polymorphisms of the CYP1A1, CYP2E1, NAT1, NAT2, GSTM1, MnSOD, and hOGG1 genes were determined in these patients. The level of aromatic DNA adducts was significantly associated with polymorphism of the CYP1A1 gene. No significant correlation was found between the level of 8-OH-dG and the MnSOD, GSTM1, and hOGG1 polymorphisms. However, one novel polymorphism/mutation of the hOGG1 gene was found in a pancreatic tumor. Mutation at codon 12 of the K-ras gene was found in 25 (81%) of 31 pancreatic tumors, including three G-to-A transitions and 22 G-to-T transversions. Patients with the G-to-T mutation had a significantly higher level of aromatic DNA adducts than those with G-to-A or wild-type codon (P=0.02). On the other hand, the K-ras mutation profile was not related to the level of 8-OH-dG. Given the limitation of sample size, these preliminary data lend further support the hypothesis that carcinogen exposure and oxidative stress are involved in pancreatic carcinogenesis.