白质消融性白质脑病致病基因EIF2B的突变功能研究

白质消融性白质脑病(leukoencephalopathy with vanishing white matter,VWM)是儿童最常见的遗传性白质脑病之一,是目前人类遗传性疾病中首个被确定由于mRNA翻译启动异常所致疾病,是由编码真核细胞翻译启动因子2B(eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2B,eIF2B)的五个亚单位(eIF2Bα、β、γ、δ、ε)的基因(EIF2B1-5)任一突变所致。eIF2B是一种鸟嘌呤核苷酸交换因子,调控全部mRNA的翻译起始过程。eIF2B突变功能研究尚处于起步阶段。EIF2B突变可能通过不同的途径影响eIF2B的功能。例如,通过影响eIF2B复合体的形成或其与底物的结合从而破坏eIF2B的鸟苷酸转移因子(GEF)活性或引起细胞应激反应异常。EIF2B突变是否影响胶质前体细胞的分化是VWM发病机制的另一个关键问题。     

研究报告: 一个白质消融性白质脑病家系新基因突变及临床表型研究

目的 探讨白质消融性脑病的临床及影像学特点。方法 回顾分析一例白质消融性白质脑病患儿家系的临床资料,并复习相关文献。结果 先证者1,女,4岁10个月,因步态异常起病。头颅磁共振成像（MRI）示白质异常,且弥漫对称。基因检测发现患儿EIF2B4基因存在2个错义突变,均位于外显子13,分别为C. 1544 T→A（p.Leu515Gln）和C. 1445 G→T （p.Arg 482Leu）杂合变异,国内外均未报道,为新发现的基因变异。结合国外临床诊断标准及基因分析结果确诊为白质消融性白质脑病。另一患儿为其同卵妹妹,与其发病时间、发病表现、头颅MRI及基因检测结果均大致相同,但随访1年发现先证者1退步更快。结论 发现2个新的EIF2B4基因错义突变,基因分析有助明确诊断白质消融性白质脑病。     

研究报告: EIF2B5表达下调的人星形胶质细胞与人神经元在内质网应激后细胞存活及miRNA表达的差异

目的 探讨白质消融性白质脑病中胶质细胞选择性受累而神经元受累轻微的原因。方法 将EIF2B5-RNAi表达载体转染至人星形胶质细胞和人神经元,检测基础状态下及内质网应激（endoplasmic reticulum stress,ERS）后细胞凋亡和活力,检测参与ERS调控的已知和未知miRNA,筛选EIF2B5-RNAi人星形胶质细胞在ERS后miRNA变化。结果 与EIF2B5-RNAi人神经元相比,星形胶质细胞自发凋亡及细胞活力下降。较之神经元,更多miRNA参与星形胶质细胞ERS刺激后的调控,EIF2B5-RNAi组参与调控的miRNA数目显著减少。聚类分析发现,5条已知miRNA是通路连接的关键组分。结论 人星形胶质细胞在ERS后可能更加依赖众多促细胞增殖分化的miRNA修复,而EIF2B5-RNAi人星形胶质细胞存在自发凋亡,ERS后严重减少的miRNA可能导致细胞无法存活。     

综述与专论: 运动调节星形胶质细胞改善阿尔茨海默病机制研究

阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer’s disease, AD） 是老年人中最常见的中枢神经系统退行性疾病之一, AD的病理性改变与星形胶质细胞（astrocytes）密切相关。星形胶质细胞是血脑屏障和三方突触的重要组成部分。越来越多的证据表明,在AD早期阶段星形胶质细胞已出现分子和细胞水平的改变。星形胶质细胞的功能会影响AD的发生发展。多项研究表明,运动可以通过调节星形胶质细胞的激活、营养因子的释放、能量代谢、炎症及氧化应激反应,延缓AD的病理变化及改善AD认知功能障碍。本文对运动通过星形胶质细胞改善AD认知功能障碍的作用及机制进行综述和展望,旨在为AD的预防和治疗提供新策略。     

综述与专论: 星形胶质细胞对神经退行性疾病影响的研究进展

神经退行性疾病是常见且难以治愈的疾病,给患者的生活带来了极大的不便。星形胶质细胞在神经退行性疾病中发挥重要作用。在神经退行性疾病患者神经系统中,受损的神经胶质细胞对周围的神经元可以产生毒性作用,造成神经元功能障碍,从而死亡。同时,受疾病影响产生的一些反应性星形胶质细胞可以保护神经元,清除神经元周围的有害物质,暂缓疾病的恶化。本综述将讨论星形胶质细胞在部分常见神经退行性疾病中发挥的作用,包括肌萎缩侧索硬化（amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,ALS）、阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer’s disease,AD）和帕金森病（Parkinson’s disease,PD）。同时总结了星形胶质细胞对这些疾病发挥的共同作用,旨在进一步促进神经退行性疾病的研究进展。     

巨脑性白质脑病伴皮层下囊肿MLC1基因突变对星形胶质细胞功能的影响

单基因病是一种天然存在的致病基因突变模型,对这些基因突变引起的细胞功能障碍的分子机制研究越来越受到关注。巨脑性白质脑病伴皮层下囊肿(MLC)是儿童较常见的遗传性白质脑病之一,其致病基因为MLC1。新近研究表明,MLC1蛋白主要在星形胶质细胞的终足(end foot)表达,对其功能研究尚处于起步阶段,在分子水平上探讨MLC1基因突变对星形胶质细胞功能影响可以阐明其可能的分子机制,这些研究结果将为了解本病及类似疾病的共同发生机制、新的治疗靶点及早期干预,提供理论依据。     

综述与专论: 脊髓星形细胞瘤研究进展

脊髓星形细胞瘤是一种罕见的中枢神经系统恶性肿瘤,在流行病学、肿瘤临床学表型、分子遗传标记、治疗及研究方面有着独特特征。虽然随着手术技术的进步以及分子病理的发展,脑胶质瘤的研究和治疗取得较大进展,但脊髓星形细胞瘤的研究和治疗却发展缓慢。其原因一方面在于临床样本较少,难以开展研究,另一方面因其分子遗传独特性,对脑胶质瘤一线化疗药替莫唑胺敏感性差。因而亟需理清脊髓星形细胞瘤的研究现状,为改善其临床疗效梳理潜在方向。基于此,本文综述脊髓星形细胞瘤的临床特征、病理分型、分子遗传特征和当前治疗方法等方面的研究进展,在描绘脊髓星形细胞瘤的临床治疗现状和研究进展的基础上,提出了未来研究和治疗潜在方向。     

综述与专论: 神经胶质细胞转分化为神经元的研究进展

细胞转分化是通过基因重编程,诱导某种细胞直接转变为另一种细胞,而不经过其他中间状态的过程。神经元丢失是神经系统疾病中常见的病理过程,神经元丢失通常不可逆转,且造成运动、感觉、精神症状。而由于人中枢神经系统神经元再生能力十分有限,仅有部分区域在神经损伤的刺激下能够新生少量神经元。在这样的背景下,将神经胶质细胞（星形胶质细胞、小胶质细胞和少突胶质前体细胞）在神经元丢失处原位转分化为功能性神经元并整合进神经网络的治疗性策略,受到了广泛关注。近年来,学者通过在神经胶质细胞中将神经元命运决定的重要转录因子过表达或敲减等手段,成功实现其向神经元的转分化,取得多项重大进展,但由于目前研究手段的局限性、判断标准的分歧性、结果和结论间较难自洽等问题,部分研究成果的结论仍存在很大的争议。本文系统地回顾了神经胶质细胞转分化为神经元的发现与发展历程,总结了神经胶质细胞转分化为神经元的重要发现,并进行讨论与展望。     

综述与专论: 星形胶质细胞调节性容积减小（RVD）的关键膜蛋白研究进展

星形胶质细胞承担着维持脑部内环境稳态的重要功能,包括维持脑的水电解质平衡。然而,在缺血性脑卒中等多种疾病中,星形胶质细胞会首先出现明显的细胞水肿,进而促进脑水肿的发生,加重脑损伤。调节性容积减小（RVD）是星形胶质细胞面对水肿时快速减小自身部分容积的代偿反应。最新研究进展发现,水通道蛋白（AQP）和体积调节性阴离子通道（VRAC）是RVD过程的关键参与者。VRAC是LRRC8家族成员构成的异多聚体,星形胶质细胞水肿时,VRAC激活,介导阴离子和有机渗透性物质快速向细胞外转运,是RVD的主要驱动力。AQP是一种6次跨膜蛋白,具有选择性的双向水通道,是星形胶质细胞快速水肿的结构基础,同时也是RVD过程中水转移至胞外的“快速通道”。进一步了解VRAC和AQP的结构、功能及其在RVD中发挥的作用,有助于最终解析星形胶质细胞RVD的发生机制并为脑水肿的治疗提供潜在靶点。     

伴皮层下囊肿的巨脑性白质脑病星形胶质细胞肿胀与囊肿形成机制

MLC1/GlialCAM突变导致伴皮层下囊肿的巨脑性白质脑病(MLC)预后不同的常染色体隐性/显性的一类中枢神经系统髓鞘变性病,病理特征为星形胶质细胞肿胀与囊肿形成。MLC1与GlialCAM蛋白在星形胶质细胞定位于终足处,参与MLC1/GlialCAM/CLCN2三聚体结构的形成,MLC1突变影响EGFR信号转导通路参与星形胶质细胞体积调节与RVD活化,影响EGFR-KCa3. 1信号通路使得星形胶质细胞功能障碍,影响水和离子平衡,最终导致疾病发生。     

Eukaryotic Initiation Factors (eIF) 2�� and 4E Expression, Localization, and Phosphorylation in Brain Tumors

Increased protein synthesis is regulated, in part, by two eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs): eIF4E and eIF2α. One or both of these factors are often overexpressed in several types of cancer cells; however, no data are available at present regarding eIF4E and eIF2α levels in brain tumors. In this study, we analyzed the expression, subcellular localization and phosphorylation states of eIF4E and eIF2α in 64 brain tumors (26 meningiomas, 16 oligodendroglial tumors, and 22 astrocytomas) and investigated the correlation with the expression of MIB-1, p53, and cyclin D1 proteins as well. There are significant differences in the phosphorylated eIF4E levels between the tumors studied, being the highest in meningiomas and the lowest in the oligodendroglial tumors. Relative to subcellular localization, eIF4E is frequently found in the nucleus of the oligodendroglial tumors and rarely in the same compartment of the meningiomas, whereas eIF2α showed an inverse pattern. Finally, cyclin D1 levels directly correlate with the phosphorylation status of both factors. The different expression, phosphorylation, or/and subcellular distribution of eIF2α and eIF4E within the brain types of tumors studied could indicate that different pathways are activated for promoting cell cycle proliferation, for instance, leading to increased cyclin D1 expression. (J Histochem Cytochem 57:503–512, 2009)     

Inhibition of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPK)-interacting Kinase (MNK) Preferentially Affects Translation of mRNAs Containing Both a 5′-Terminal Cap and Hairpin

The MAPK-interacting kinases 1 and 2 (MNK1 and MNK2) are activated by extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) or p38 in response to cellular stress and extracellular stimuli that include growth factors, cytokines, and hormones. Modulation of MNK activity affects translation of mRNAs involved in the cell cycle, cancer progression, and cell survival. However, the mechanism by which MNK selectively affects translation of these mRNAs is not understood. MNK binds eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G (eIF4G) and phosphorylates the cap-binding protein eIF4E. Using a cell-free translation system from rabbit reticulocytes programmed with mRNAs containing different 5′-ends, we show that an MNK inhibitor, {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"CGP57380","term_id":"877393391","term_text":"CGP57380"}}CGP57380, affects translation of only those mRNAs that contain both a cap and a hairpin in the 5′-UTR. Similarly, a C-terminal fragment of human eIF4G-1, eIF4G(1357–1600), which prevents binding of MNK to intact eIF4G, reduces eIF4E phosphorylation and inhibits translation of only capped and hairpin-containing mRNAs. Analysis of proteins bound to m⁷GTP-Sepharose reveals that both CGP and eIF4G(1357–1600) decrease binding of eIF4E to eIF4G. These data suggest that MNK stimulates translation only of mRNAs containing both a cap and 5′-terminal RNA duplex via eIF4E phosphorylation, thereby enhancing the coupled cap-binding and RNA-unwinding activities of eIF4F.     

New insights into the interactions of the translation initiation factor 2 from archaea with guanine nucleotides and initiator tRNA

Heterotrimeric a/eIF2alphabetagamma (archaeal homologue of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 with alpha, beta and gamma subunits) delivers charged initiator tRNA (tRNAi) to the small ribosomal subunit. In this work, we determined the structures of aIF2gamma from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus in the nucleotide-free and GDP-bound forms. Comparison of the free, GDP and Gpp(NH)p-Mg2+ forms of aIF2gamma revealed a sequence of conformational changes upon GDP and GTP binding. Our results show that the affinity of GDP to the G domain of the gamma subunit is higher than that of Gpp(NH)p. In analyzing a pyrophosphate molecule binding to domain II of the gamma subunit, we found a cleft that is very suitable for the acceptor stem of tRNA accommodation. It allows the suggestion of an alternative position for Met-tRNA i Met on the alphagamma intersubunit dimer, at variance with a recently published one. In the model reported here, the acceptor stem of the tRNAi is approximately perpendicular to that of tRNA in the ternary complex elongation factor Tu-Gpp(NH)p-tRNA. According to our analysis, the elbow and T stem of Met-tRNA i Met in this position should make extensive contact with the alpha subunit of aIF2. Thus, this model is in good agreement with experimental data showing that the alpha subunit of aIF2 is necessary for the stable interaction of aIF2gamma with Met-tRNA i Met.     

真核翻译起始因子3与肿瘤

真核翻译起始因子3是由多个亚基组成的,在真核翻译起始中发挥重要作用,近年来的研究表明其多个亚基在多种肿瘤细胞中存在异常表达的现象且与肿瘤的侵袭性、转移能力、分化程度及预后相关,使其有望成为肿瘤治疗的新靶点。     

Identification of MRI1, encoding translation initiation factor eIF-2B subunit alpha/beta/delta-like protein,as a candidate locus for infantile epilepsy with severe cystic degeneration of the brain

Several neurodegenerative disorders are known to predominantly affect the white matter of the brain including vanishing white matter disease (VWMD), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by leukodystrophy of varying severity in addition to variable systemic involvement. We report a consanguineous Arab family with three affected children, all of whom presented with severe neonatal epilepsy and profound neurodegenerative disease characterized by marked leukodystrophy with white matter cavitation mimicking VWMD. We combined autozygome and exome analysis to identify a novel variant in the gene encoding a member of the eIF2B-related family of proteins (MRI1). This is a poorly understood family of proteins of unclear function. Our results represent the first link between a variant in a member of this family and a human disease, and suggest that it converges with the highly homologous eIF2B, known to be mutated in VWMD, on the molecular pathogenesis of neurodegeneration.     

GTP-dependent recognition of the methionine moiety on initiator tRNA by translation factor eIF2

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2) is a G-protein that functions as a central switch in the initiation of protein synthesis. In its GTP-bound state it delivers the methionyl initiator tRNA (Met-tRNA(i)) to the small ribosomal subunit and releases it upon GTP hydrolysis following the recognition of the initiation codon. We have developed a complete thermodynamic framework for the assembly of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae eIF2.GTP.Met-tRNA(i) ternary complex and have determined the effect of the conversion of GTP to GDP on eIF2's affinity for Met-tRNA(i) in solution. In its GTP-bound state the factor forms a positive interaction with the methionine moiety on Met-tRNA(i) that is disrupted when GTP is replaced with GDP, while contacts between the factor and the body of the tRNA remain intact. This positive interaction with the methionine residue on the tRNA may serve to ensure that only charged initiator tRNA enters the initiation pathway. The toggling on and off of the factor's interaction with the methionine residue is likely to play an important role in the mechanism of initiator tRNA release upon initiation codon recognition. In addition, we show that the conserved base-pair A1:U72, which is known to be a critical identity element distinguishing initiator from elongator methionyl tRNA, is required for recognition of the methionine moiety by eIF2. Our data suggest that a role of this base-pair is to orient the methionine moiety on the initiator tRNA in its recognition pocket on eIF2.