肿瘤抑制因子CYLD的调控途径

CYLD（cylindromatosis）是近年发现的一种肿瘤抑制基因,CYLD丢失或突变可致肿瘤形成,多个研究显示,其表达蛋白CYLD可去泛素化TRAFs、NEMO及Bcl-3而抑制NF—κB、JNK等信号途径的激活,这二种途径在肿瘤的形成及发展中有着重要的促进作用,因此,CYLD是人体内一个重要的肿瘤抑制因子。同时CYLD也受NF—κB及IKKγ的反馈调控,这种相互调控对维持体内多种反应的平衡有着重要的作用。     

泛素化在TRAF2介导的NF-κB信号通路中的作用

NF-κB（核因子κ增强子结合蛋白）是核转录因子家族成员,具有调节免疫、炎症和细胞存活的功能.它可被TRAF2（tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 2,肿瘤坏死因子受体相关因子2）等相关因子活化.TRAF2包含了N-端的环指结构域和C-端的高度保守结构域.它通过与肿瘤坏死因子受体超家族成员相互作用,介导了下游信号通路.而TRAF2的泛素化在过程中是关键的,鞘磷脂作为TRAF2的泛素化连接酶辅助因子,在TRAF2介导的NF-κB信号通路中发挥重要作用.     

IRE1/TRAF2诱导细胞凋亡的分子机制

在细胞内质网应激中,IRE1/TRAF2/ASK1复合物可激活JNK信号通路,诱导细胞凋亡。IRE1-Lys828可被E3连接酶CHIP泛素化而激活。而TRAF2本身也具有RING结构域的E3泛素连接酶活性,可结合于IRE1的泛素化位点Lys828,促进IRE1磷酸化活化。IRE1/TRAF2复合物可募集ASK1,进而磷酸化激活JNK信号通路。另外,IRE1/TRAF2也可激活MAPK/p38、NF-κB以及caspase-12等信号途径,促进细胞凋亡。ASK1也是内质网应激IRE1/TRAF2诱导激活细胞凋亡所必需的。因此,TRAF2在调控细胞内质网应激,激活IRE1途径,诱导细胞凋亡中具有重要的作用,可作为一个靶点进行药物开发。     

肿瘤抑制因子CYLD对细胞功能的调控作用

肿瘤抑制因子（cylindromatosis,CYLD）是一种在体内广泛分布的去泛素酶,其包含去泛素化酶结构域和富含甘氨酸细胞骨架相关蛋白结构域,前者可通过去泛素化信号分子,调控细胞信号传导途径,后者主要通过对微管的调节,改变多聚化和乙酰化过程,进而调控其组装和排列。CYLD主要通过对信号传导和细胞骨架的调节,从而调控细胞增殖、细胞凋亡、细胞运动和细胞分化等细胞功能。该文对近年来肿瘤抑制因子CYLD对细胞功能调控的研究进行概述。     

单纯疱疹病毒US3衣壳蛋白在TRAF6泛素化时或之前抑制Toll样受体2信号通路

单纯疱疹病毒（HSV ）能通过多种策略来调节宿主免疫反应。通过对 HSV开放读码框架的筛选发现, HSV编码的额外蛋白能影响核因子κB（NF-κB）信号通路,确定了病毒US3衣壳蛋白是NF-κB信号通路的抑制剂。该研究发现,在感染早期 US3蛋白能抑制病毒感染引起的Toll样受体2（TLR2）信号通路激活。US3在转染细胞中过表达能抑制酵母多糖引起的 TLR2信号通路激活,且这种抑制作用发生在MyD88的下游和p65的上游。在TLR2信号通路中,TRAF6的泛素化至关重要。使用US3-null和US3激酶突变病毒株,证明HSV US3蛋白能降低TRAF6泛素化,且US3激酶活性是这种作用所必需。结果提示,US3是有效抑制TLR2信号通路所必需且发生在TRAF6泛素化时或之前。     

EB病毒潜伏膜蛋白1通过结合TRAFs调控NF-κB

为了探讨EB病毒潜伏膜蛋白1（LMP1）的致瘤机制,对鼻咽癌中LMP1激活重要的核转录因子NF－κB机制进行了研究,首先,采用免疫共沉淀－蛋白质印迹在稳定表达LMP1的鼻咽癌细胞系HNE2－LMP1中证实LMP1与TRAF1,2,3结合形成免疫共沉淀复合物,进一步以野生型LMP1及其三种突变体的鼻咽癌细胞系LMP1（野生型, wt),HNE2－LMP1 del187-351(CTAR1缺失型）,HNE2－LMP1（1－231）,（CTAR2缺失型）,HNE2－LMP1（1－187）（羰基端胞浆区缺失型）,HNE2－pSG5(空白载体型）为材料,结合NF－κB报道基因质粒（pG12-NF-B-luc)的荧光素酶活性表达分析NF－κB的活性,证实：较之母细胞,野生型LMP1活化NF－B达13．8倍,LMP1（1－187）几乎不活化NF－kb,LMP1(1-231)活化NF－kB 达4．9倍,LMP1（del187-351)活化NFκB达9．1倍,TRAF1过表达升高LMP1（ wt)及LMP1（1－231）介导的NF－κB活性,而对LMP1（del187-351)活化NFκB无影响,TRAF3过表达或TRAF3负显性突变体抑,制LMP1（wt)及LMP1（1－231）介导的NF－κB活性而不影响LMP1（del187－351）活化NF－κB,TRAF2过表达升高LMP1（wt),LMP1(1-231)及LMP1（del 187-351)介导的NF－kB活性,这些结果表明：鼻咽癌中LMP1通过TRAF1,TRAF2或TRAF3调控NF－kB,TRAF1和TRAF3主要通过CTAR1发挥作用,TRAF2的作用主要是通过CTAR1和CTAR2介导的。     

NF-κB信号转导途径与肿瘤抗凋亡关系的研究进展

细胞核因子κB(NF—κB)家族及其介导的细胞信号转导通路广泛调控着人类免疫和炎症反应中一系列基因的表达,同时也发现它对肿瘤的发生发展有着重要作用,特别是它可以调控一些细胞凋亡相关基因如TRAF家族、IAPs家族、Bcl-2家族及FLIP基因、p53基因、COX-2基因的转录表达,从而大大提高肿瘤细胞的抗凋亡能力。本文就近年来对NF—κB通路与肿瘤抗凋亡关系的研究进展作一综述。     

肿瘤坏死因子受体作用因子3(TRAF3)结构及生物学功能

目前在哺乳动物中发现6个肿瘤坏死因子受体作用因子(TNF receptor associated factors,TRAFs)家族成员,它们主要参与TNF受体家族信号通路.这些TRAF成员在C末端有螺旋卷曲结构和保守的TRAF结构域.TRAF3是TRAF家族中功能最为多样化的成员之一.1996年对TRAF3基因敲除小鼠进行研究发现,小鼠在出生早期死亡,这阻碍了TRAF3的生物学功能进一步研究,另一方面也证实了TRAF3在出生后发育以及维持正常的免疫系统功能方面有着重要生物学功能.10年后研究发现,TRAF3的缺失能够导致非经典NF-κB信号通路激活,这使得TRAF3在该信号通路中的功能得到了进一步的阐述.最近研究表明,TRAF3不仅能够负向调节NF-κB和MAPK信号通路,还能够正向调节Ⅰ型干扰素的产生.通过研究还发现,TRAF3可能存在着负向调节钙调蛋白磷酸酶活性的新功能.因此,研究TRAF3在免疫信号通路中的作用以及与之相关的病毒疾病具有重要的意义.     

胞内接头蛋白TRAFs家族

肿瘤坏死因子（tumor necrosis factor,TNF）受体相关因子（receptor-associated factor,TRAF）家族是一类胞内接头蛋白,能介导TNF受体和Toll-like／IL-1受体超家族成员与多种下游信号通路包括NF—κB（nuclear factor κB）和JNK（Jun N-terminal kinase）的信号传导。TRAF蛋白家族参与调控细胞增殖、分化乃至凋亡等生理过程。由于其在信号通路中的关键作用,TRAFS蛋白的失调与多种疾病的发生相关。本文结合最新的研究进展对TRAFs蛋白家族在信号传导通路中的地位进行介绍,并探讨了TRAFs及其相关蛋白在临床上可能的应用前景。     

NF-κB的结构功能及其与疾病的关系

NF-κB蛋白家族在哺乳动物的生长发育和免疫反应中具有重要作用。NF—κB信号传导途径的改变会引起多种炎性疾病和肿瘤的发生。该主要介绍近些年来在NF—κB及其相关蛋白的主要结构和生物学功能方面的研究进展,同时揭示NF—κB蛋白家族与炎症、肿瘤疾病之间存在的关系,探讨NF—κB相关蛋白抑制剂的应用。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.