组织转谷氨酰胺酶与神经退行性疾病

组织转谷氨酰胺酶(tissue transglutaminase,tTG)广泛分布于各种组织及细胞中,是一个多功能蛋白质。tTG能催化Ca^2 依赖的蛋白质交联反应,并在多种生物学过程中起到了重要作用,如细胞生长与分化、受体介导的胞吞作用、细胞黏附、细胞形态的维持以及细胞凋亡等。已有研究表明,tTG可能在多种神经退行性疾病的病理生理过程中起到了重要作用。现就近年来有关tTG与神经退行性疾病研究的一些进展做一介绍。     

组织型转谷氨酰胺酶与肾脏纤维化

组织型转谷氨酰胺酶(tTG)是一个Ca2 依赖的具有转酰胺基作用的酶,它分布广泛,在许多生理和病理条件下发挥重要作用。近年来它参与组织纤维化的作用逐渐引起重视。tTG分泌到细胞外能够使很多细胞外基质蛋白成分之间发生交联,形成牢固结构,抵抗降解,从而促使细胞外基质沉积,促进组织纤维化发展。本文简要叙述tTG的分子特征和生理及病理学意义,并着重介绍tTG和肾脏纤维化的联系。     

组织型转谷氨酰胺酶的研究进展

组织型转谷氨酰胺酶（tissue transglutaminase,tTG,TGⅡ）是转谷氨酰胺酶家族成员之一,作为一种多功能的蛋白质,具有催化蛋白质谷氨酰胺残基与赖氨酸残基交联的活性,还能结合和水解GTP,在胞内和胞外产生多种功能,最初由于tTG在细胞凋亡中所起的重要作用而受到研究者的关注,最近的研究更表明它在细胞分化,基质的稳定、伤口愈合、信号转导、动物发育等许多生理和病理过程中起着重要作用,因而受到越来越多的研究。     

酵母双杂交筛选心脏cDNA文库中与人热激蛋白70相互作用的蛋白质

目的:利用酵母双杂交系统从人心肌cDNA文库中筛选与热激蛋白70(HSP70)相互作用的蛋白质。方法:从人心脏cDNA文库扩增Hsp70基因,克隆于pGBKT7载体上,酶切鉴定及序列分析,并检测pGBKT7-Hsp70酵母细胞AH109中的自激活活性;将构建的酵母表达诱饵质粒载体pGBKT7-Hsp70转化AH109酵母细胞,与转化有人心脏cDNA文库的酵母Yl87进行交配实验,筛选与HSP70相互作用的蛋白质,通过一对一的回复杂交实验排除假阳性,对阳性克隆进行序列测定和生物信息学分析。结果:构建了"诱饵"质粒栽体pGBKT7-Hsp70,并证明其在酵母双杂交系统中无自激活活性,筛选得到多个与Hsp70相互作用的阳性转化子,并最终得到HSP70的1个相互作用蛋白质HIP。结论:应用酵母双杂交系统筛选出与HSP70相互作用的1个蛋白质,它们的相互作用可能与HSP70发挥细胞分子伴侣作用有关。     

Bax Inhibitor-1与Herp的相互作用

应用酵母双杂交技术筛选Herp的相互作用蛋白。构建编码Herp的基因HERPUD1真核表达载体HERPUD1plexA,应用MATCHMAKERLexA酵母双杂交系统筛选人胎脑cDNA文库,获得的阳性克隆的插入子为Herp的候选相互作用蛋白质,将Herp与筛选到的相互作用蛋白再一对一回复进行酵母双杂交实验,去除假阳性。对阳性克隆插入子的DNA序列测序,在GenBank中作匹配及生物信息学分析。结果得到其中1个阳性克隆的插入子序列与TEGT基因序列一致,编码蛋白为Baxinhibitor1。得出结论:Herp与Baxinhibitor1相互作用,Baxinhibitor1具有调节凋亡特性,提示Herp可能参与凋亡调节。     

水疱性口炎病毒感染细胞中应力颗粒状结构的诱导

<正>以前的研究发现,细胞的Poly(C)结合蛋白2(PCBP2)可以下调水疱性口炎病毒的基因表达。作者的研究表明,水疱性口炎病毒感染可以诱导含细胞RNA结合蛋白的细胞质中颗粒状结构的形成,这些蛋白包括PCBP2、T细胞限制性细胞内抗原1(TIA1)以及TIA1相关性蛋白(TIAR)。通过小干扰RNA(siRNAs)而使TIA1缺失,而非TIAR缺失,而使水疱性口炎病毒的生长和基因表达增强。该病毒诱导的颗粒似乎与经过热休克或氧化应力触发的     

丙酮破碎法提取重组大肠杆菌表达的转谷氨酰胺酶酶原

以茂原链霉菌(Streptomyces mobaraensis)的基因组DNA为模板,PCR扩增出转谷氨酰胺酶酶原基因(pro-transglutaminase,pro-TG)),PCR产物连接到pMDl8-T克隆载体后亚克隆到表达载体pET-22b(+),转化到表达宿主大肠杆菌BL2l(DE3).重组大肠杆菌经IPTG诱导后,转谷氨酰胺酶酶原(pro-TG)主要以可溶性蛋白表达.菌体离心后用丙酮高速搅拌破碎细胞,亲和层析成功地纯化到了转谷氨酰胺酶酶原.转谷氨酰胺酶酶原经胰蛋白酶切割激活后其酶活为502.8 U/g CDM(菌体干重).采用BSA交联试验证实成熟的转谷氨酰胺酶(TG)具有功能.采用丙酮破碎法提取重组大肠杆菌表达的转谷氨酰胺酶酶原对大规模工业化生产转谷氨酰胺酶进行了有益的探索.     

Ca~(2+)信号调控细胞死亡的亚细胞和分子机制

Ca2+在细胞死亡过程中起至关重要的作用。胞浆和/或线粒体(MT)内Ca2+超载不但是多种原因、多种方式细胞死亡的起始因素,也可通过激活蛋白酶、核酸酶、磷脂酶等酶,直接或间接通过与Bcl-2家族蛋白等重要调节因素的相互作用,全程参与死亡生化反应。内质网(ER)释放Ca2+与MT、溶酶体(LS)、细胞核相互作用,激活多种细胞死亡信号转导通路,导致细胞凋亡、坏死和自噬性细胞死亡。本文重点介绍Ca2+信号在亚细胞和分子水平调控细胞死亡的机制研究方面的最新进展。     

利用双杂交系统对SeNPV泛素与抗细胞凋亡蛋白相互作用的研究

本文报道利用酵母双杂交系统研究甜菜夜蛾核多角体病毒(SeNPV)的泛素(Ubiqutin)与抗细胞凋亡蛋白(IAP2, IAP3)相互作用的结果.使用Clontech 公司的MACHMAKER GAL4 Two-hybrid system 3,以病毒ubiquitin基因与酵母GAL4的DNA结合域重组表达"诱饵"蛋白,以病毒iap2或iap3基因与DNA活化域重组表达"猎物"蛋白,在低严谨型筛选培养基上均得到阳性克隆.这一结果表明,甜菜夜蛾核多角体病毒泛素与IAP2或IAP3在体外能进行相互作用,这种作用利用了酵母内源性E1和E2.SeNPV的抗细胞凋亡蛋白(IAPs)可能是泛素-蛋白酶水解途径(UPP)中的泛素连接酶(E3),或者是泛素依赖性蛋白水解酶的靶底物.     

β-淀粉样前体蛋白胞内端与JKTBP2蛋白的相互作用

β-淀粉样前体蛋白APP(β-amyloid precursor protein)与阿尔茨海默氏症密切相关,它经分泌酶1切割后生成的胞内端AID(APP intracellular domain)能够诱导细胞凋亡。为了研究AID在阿尔茨海默氏症病理过程中的作用,我们以AID为诱饵蛋白用酵母双杂交系统筛选与之有相互作用的蛋白。我们发现人不均一核蛋白D类似蛋白JKTBP2的90-204位肽段可以结合AID。利用293T细胞表达蛋白后进行免疫共沉淀,结果证实二者间存在相互作用。这些结果指出JKTBP2可能在阿尔茨海默氏症形成中有重要作用。     

Intracellular localization and activity state of tissue transglutaminase differentially impacts cell death

Tissue transglutaminase (tTG) is a unique member of the transglutaminase family as it is both a transamidating enzyme and a GTPase. In the cell tTG is mostly cytosolic, however it is also found in the nucleus and associated with the plasma membrane. tTG can be proapoptotic, however anti-apoptotic activities of the enzyme have also been reported. To determine how the intracellular localization and transamidating activity of tTG modulates its effects on apoptosis, HEK293 cells were transiently transfected with tTG or [C277S]tTG (which lacks transamidating activity) constructs that were targeted to different intracellular compartments. Apoptosis was induced by thapsigargin treatment, which results in increased intracellular calcium concentrations. Cytosolic tTG was pro-apoptotic, while nuclear localization of [C277S]tTG attenuated apoptosis. Membrane-targeted tTG had neither pro- nor anti-apoptotic functions. This finding indicates for the first time that intracellular localization is an important determinant of the effect of tTG on apoptosis. Previous studies have suggested that tTG may modulate retinoblastoma (Rb) protein, an important suppressor of apoptosis. tTG interacted with Rb and after induction of apoptosis, the interaction of nuclear-targeted [C277S]tTG with Rb was increased significantly concomitant with an attenuation of apoptosis. In contrast, the interaction of nuclear-targeted tTG with Rb was significantly decreased and apoptosis was not attenuated. These data suggest that tTG protects cells against apoptosis in response to stimuli that do not result in increased transamidating activity by translocating to the nucleus, and that complexing with Rb may be an important aspect of the protective effects of tTG.     

降低细胞内tTG活性可使细胞获得对TNF-α的抗性

 用 Northern印迹证实在 He La细胞中有 t TG的表达 ,且这种表达受 TNF-α的上调 .构建t TG反义真核表达质粒并转染 He La细胞 ,用 G41 8抗性筛选稳定表达的转染细胞 ,并用 Northern印迹和 t TG活性测定进一步分析反义 t TG的转录 .用结晶紫及 MTT法证实阳性细胞克隆获得了对 TNF- α的抗性 ,而转染表达载体 pc DNA3的细胞仍对 TNF- α敏感 .结果表明降低 t TG活性能使细胞对 TNF- α诱发的细胞凋亡敏感性降低     

Inhibition of "tissue" transglutaminase increases cell survival by preventing apoptosis

Treatment of the human promonocytic cell line U937 with all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) commits these cells to apoptosis, which can be triggered by simply increasing intracellular calcium levels by the ionophore A23187. RA treatment of U937 cells is characterized by a decrease in Bcl-2 and marked induction of "tissue" transglutaminase (tTG) gene expression. In this study, we show that the inhibition of tTG expression in U937 cells undergoing apoptosis prevents their death. In fact, U937 cell-derived clones transfected with the human tTG gene in the antisense orientation showed a pronounced decrease in apoptosis induced by several stimuli. These findings demonstrate that the Ca(2+)-dependent irreversible cross-linking of intracellular proteins catalyzed by tTG represents an important biochemical event in the gene-regulated cell death in monoblasts. In addition, our data indicate that the apoptotic program in promonocytic cells is strictly regulated by RA and that a key role is played by the free intracellular calcium concentration.     

Transglutaminase overexpression sensitizes neuronal cell lines to apoptosis by increasing mitochondrial membrane potential and cellular oxidative stress

'Tissue' transglutaminase (tTG) selectively accumulates in cells undergoing apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro. Considering the central role played by mitochondria in apoptosis, we investigated the relationships existing amongst tTG expression, apoptosis and mitochondrial function. To this aim we studied the mechanisms of apoptosis in a neuronal cell line (SK-N-BE (2)) in which the tTG-expression was driven by a constitutive promoter. Furthermore, a tet-off inducible promoter was also used in 3T3 fibroblastic cells used as control. Both cell lines, when expressing tTG, appeared 'sensitized' to apoptosis. Strikingly, we found major differences in the morphological features of mitochondria among cell lines in the absence of apoptotic stimuli. In addition, these ultrastructural characteristics were associated with specific functional features: (i) constitutively hyperpolarized mitochondria and (ii) increased reactive oxygen intermediates production. Importantly, after mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis by staurosporine, a rapid loss of mitochondrial membrane potential was found in tTG cells only. Taken together, these results seem to suggest that, via hyperpolarization, tTG might act as a 'sensitizer' towards apoptotic stimuli specifically targeted to mitochondria. These results could also be of pathogenetic relevance for those diseases that are characterized by increased tTG and apoptotic rate together with impaired mitochondrial function, e.g. in some neurodegenerative disease.     

Hormonal control of "tissue" transglutaminase induction during programmed cell death in frog liver

In this study, we show that sex hormones (testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone) act as physiological modulators of programmed cell death (PCD) during the frog liver involution observed postvitellogenesis. PCD in parenchymal cells is paralleled by the specific induction of the "tissue" transglutaminase (tTG) gene. tTG protein specifically accumulates in hepatocytes showing the morphological features of apoptosis. The hormone-dependent increase of both PCD and tTG was reproduced in ovariectomized frogs. Treatment of castrated animals with testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone inhibited the induction of both tTG and PCD, thus indicating that in vivo the drop in the circulating sex hormone is the signal favoring the involution phase of the maternal frog liver after mating. Although an affinity-purified polyclonal antibody raised against mammalian transglutaminase reacts in frog liver with a 55- to 60-kDa protein, concomitant with the onset of PCD, tTG cleavage products were detected, suggesting a proteolytic processing of the enzyme protein. These results represent the first evidence indicating that the physiological involution occurring postvitellogenesis of frog liver takes place by programmed cell death and that this, together with the concomitant induction of tTG gene expression, is regulated by sex hormones.     

Complex formation between tissue transglutaminase II (tTG) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2): proposed mechanism for modulation of endothelial cell response to VEGF

We have recently demonstrated that thrombin-activated FXIII (FXIIIA-subunit), a plasma transglutaminase, activates VEGFR-2 by crosslinking it with the alpha(v)beta(3) integrin on the surface of endothelial cells (EC), thereby stimulating angiogenesis. Tissue transglutaminase (tTG), which is functionally and structurally related to FXIIIA, is expressed by numerous cell types, among them EC. However, its role in EC function has not been fully characterized. In the present study, we investigated the potential involvement of tTG in angiogenesis. Using co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescent staining experiments, we observed that tTG forms a complex with VEGFR-2 on the cell surface and within the cytoplasm of EC. Stimulation of EC with VEGF resulted in translocation of the tTG-VEGFR-2 complex from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In VEGF-treated cells, tTG-VEGFR-2 interaction resulted in incorporation of VEGFR-2 into high molecular weight crosslinked complex (es), as revealed by an antibody against gamma-glutamyl-epsilon-lysine isopeptide bond. tTG -VEGFR-2 association was inhibited by a specific VEGFR-2 protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor (PTKI ), as well as by cystamine, inhibitor of the transglutaminase activity of tTG, but not by bacitracin which inhibits the protein-disulfide isomerase (PDI) activity of tTG. Furthermore, cystamine completely abolished the VEGF-induced nuclear translocation of the tTG-VEGFR-2 complex. Blockade of the crosslinking activity of tTG by cystamine enhanced VEGF-induced migration of EC in Boyden chamber by 31% (P < 0.02), and prolonged VEGF-induced signaling response, as demonstrated by sustained activation of the MAP kinase ERK. Taken together, our findings suggest that endothelial cell tTG might be involved in modulation of the cellular response to VEGF by forming an intracellular complex with VEGFR-2, and mediating its translocation into the nucleus upon VEGF stimulation.     

Induction of tissue transglutaminase expression by propionate and n-butyrate in colon cancer cell lines

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have been demonstrated to induce differentiation and/or apoptosis in colon cancer cells. A close correlation between tissue transglutaminase (tTG) expression and differentiation and/or apoptosis has been suggested in many cell lineages. However, the effects of SCFAs on tTG expression in colon cancer cells have not yet been reported. In this report, the relationship between cytosolic tTG levels and differentiation state was investigated in six human colon cancer cell lines. Effects of four kinds of SCFAs (acetate, propionate, n-butyrate, and isobutyrate) on the expression of tTG then were investigated in association with their effects on apoptosis induction. High expression of tTG protein and mRNA were found in SW480 and WiDr cell lines, which exhibited well differentiated phenotypes. tTG expression was hardly detectable in the less differentiated cell lines COLO201, COLO320DM, and CW-2. However, n-butyrate and propionate significantly increased cytosolic tTG levels at concentrations above 0.5 mM in these less differentiated colon cancer cells. n-Butyrate and propionate induced growth suppression and apoptosis in these cell lines at concentrations that can induce tTG expression. Acetate and isobutyrate did not induce tTG expression or growth suppression at concentrations up to 8 mM. In conclusion, tTG induction by propionate and n-butyrate was suggested to be closely linked to their differentiation- and apoptosis-inducing effects in colon cancer cells. These findings may explain the mechanisms by which dietary fiber show preventive effects against colon carcinogenesis.     

Interaction of tissue transglutaminase with nuclear transport protein importin-alpha3

Tissue transglutaminase is a multifunctional enzyme which has been involved in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. Recently, nuclear localization of tTG has been reported indicating the potential of active nuclear transport. In this study we use the yeast two-hybrid assay and co-immunoprecipitation to show that tTG interacts with the nuclear transport protein importin-alpha3. Using electron microscopy we demonstrate that nuclear expression of tTG in a non-small cell lung cancer cell line is induced by retinoic acid (RA). These data suggest that importin-alpha3 could mediate active nuclear transport of tTG which may be important for the regulation of critical cellular processes.     

Tissue transglutaminase and apoptosis: sense and antisense transfection studies with human neuroblastoma cells.

In this report, we show that the overexpression of tissue transglutaminase (tTG) in the human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-BE(2) renders these neural crest-derived cells highly susceptible to death by apoptosis. Cells transfected with a full-length tTG cDNA, under the control of a constitutive promoter, show a drastic reduction in proliferative capacity paralleled by a large increase in cell death rate. The dying tTG-transfected cells exhibit both cytoplasmic and nuclear changes characteristic of cells undergoing apoptosis. The tTG-transfected cells express high Bcl-2 protein levels as well as phenotypic neural cell adhesion molecule markers (NCAM and neurofilaments) of cells differentiating along the neuronal pathway. In keeping with these findings, transfection of neuroblastoma cells with an expression vector containing segments of the human tTG cDNA in antisense orientation resulted in a pronounced decrease of both spontaneous and retinoic acid (RA)-induced apoptosis. We also present evidence that (i) the apoptotic program of these neuroectodermal cells is strictly regulated by RA and (ii) cell death by apoptosis in the human neuroblastoma SK-N-BE(2) cells preferentially occurs in the substrate-adherent phenotype. For the first time, we report here a direct effect of tTG in the phenotypic maturation toward apoptosis. These results indicate that the tTG-dependent irreversible cross-linking of intracellular protein represents an important biochemical event in the induction of the structural changes featuring cells dying by apoptosis.     

Tissue transglutaminase-dependent posttranslational modification of the retinoblastoma gene product in promonocytic cells undergoing apoptosis.

The retinoblastoma gene product (pRB) plays an important role in controlling both cell release from the G1 phase and apoptosis. We show here that in the early phases of apoptosis, pRB is posttranslationally modified by a tissue transglutaminase (tTG)-catalyzed reaction. In fact, by employing a novel haptenized lysis synthetic substrate which allows the isolation of glutaminyl-tTG substrates in vivo, we identified pRB as a potential tTG substrate in U937 cells undergoing apoptosis. In keeping with this finding, we showed that apoptosis of U937 cells is characterized by the rapid disappearance of the 105,000- to 110,000-molecular-weight pRB forms concomitantly with the appearance of a smear of immunoreactive products with a molecular weight of greater than 250,000. The shift in pRB molecular weight was reproduced by adding exogenous purified tTG to extracts obtained from viable U937 cells and was prevented by dansylcadaverine, a potent enzyme inhibitor. The effect of the pRB posttranslational modification during apoptosis was investigated by determining the E2F-1 levels and by isolating and characterizing pRB-null clones from U937 cells. Notably, the lack of pRB in these U937-derived clones renders these p53-null cells highly resistant to apoptosis induced by serum withdrawal, calphostin C, and ceramide. Taken together, these data suggest that tTG, acting on the pRB protein, might play an important role in the cell progression through the death program.