poly(dA:dT)促进体外培养的人绒毛组织AIM2炎性体活化

目的:在妊娠过程中,胎盘可能暴露于多种病原微生物,威胁胎儿正常生长发育。为探讨人胎盘绒毛组织是否表达AIM2炎性体成员基因以及人胎盘组织的AIM2炎性体的活化形式。方法:以THP-1细胞来源的RNA和蛋白作为阳性对照,分别应用RT-PCR和Western blot方法检测人早孕期胎盘绒毛组织中AIM2炎性体两个相关基因AIM2和ASC的表达。分离和体外培养人胎盘绒毛膜组织,并用不同浓度的poly(d A:d T)进行转染,处理24小时后,分别收集组织培养上清和蛋白裂解液,Western blot检测蛋白裂解液中caspase-1的活化,ELISA检测培养上清中IL-1β的分泌。结果:RT-PCR和Western blot结果均显示人早孕期胎盘绒毛组织组成性表达AIM2炎性体相关基因AIM2和ASC。同时,体外培养的人胎盘绒毛组织在转染5μg/m L poly(d A:d T)后,caspase-1剪切片段p10显著增多,培养上清中IL-1β分泌也显著增多(P0.01)。结论:人胎盘绒毛组织存在功能性的AIM2炎性体,能够被胞内双链DNA活化。     

妊娠兔胎盘细胞凋亡及凋亡相关基因Bcl-2和Bax表达的动态变化

以新西兰雌兔为动物模型。研究妊娠期间胎盘细胞凋亡及其凋亡调控蛋白Bcl-2和Bax表达的动态变化,基因组DNA凝胶电泳实验检测到妊娠中期和晚期胎盘基因组DNA中出现典型的凋亡特征-DNA梯带,而且DNA断裂值在妊娠早、中、晚期分别为：0.14,0.49和1.43,与妊娠早期相比,妊娠中,晚期胎盘基因组DNA断裂值有显著性增加,TUNEL实验和活化caspase-3的免疫定位实验表明,在妊娠早期胎盘中存在细胞凋亡,而且在各妊娠期中细胞凋亡主要发生于合体滋养层,免疫印迹法分析表明,Bcl-2和Bax随妊娠的进行其表达量明显增加,Bax:Bcl-2比值在妊娠早、中、晚期分别为：0.89,0.91和1.25,呈增加趋势,实验结果说明,在兔正常妊娠中,胎盘合体滋养层细胞发生凋亡,且随妊娠的进行,凋亡细胞数量增多,胎盘细胞凋亡主要与细胞中Bax:Bcl-2的比例相关。     

腺相关病毒介导基因组来源的基因转移与整合

构建一个带β-珠蛋白基因组序列的腺相关病毒载体AV53HS2Δβ2Neo.经包装成重组腺相关病毒后,转导红系细胞.DNA印迹证实包含红系增强子、β-珠蛋白基因和筛选标志基因的前病毒基因组完整整合于红系细胞基因组中.结果说明腺相关病毒载体能介导基因组序列来源的目的基因稳定整合于受体细胞基因组中.     

妊娠兔胎盘细胞凋亡及凋亡相关基因Bcl-2和Bax表达的动态变化

以新西兰雌兔为动物模型,研究妊娠期间胎盘细胞凋亡及其凋亡调控蛋白Bcl-2和Bax表达的动态变化.基因组DNA凝胶电泳实验检测到妊娠中期和晚期胎盘基因组DNA中出现典型的凋亡特征——DNA梯带,而且DNA断裂值在妊娠早、中、晚期分别为：0.14、0.49和1.43,与妊娠早期相比,妊娠中、晚期胎盘基因组DNA断裂值有显著性增加.TUNEL实验和活化caspase-3的免疫定位实验表明,在妊娠早期胎盘中存在细胞凋亡,而且在各妊娠期中细胞凋亡主要发生于合体滋养层.免疫印迹法分析表明,Bcl-2和Bax随妊娠的进行其表达量明显增加,Bax∶Bcl-2比值在妊娠早、中、晚期分别为：0.89,0.91和1.25,呈增加趋势.实验结果说明,在兔正常妊娠中,胎盘合体滋养层细胞发生凋亡,且随妊娠的进行,凋亡细胞数量增多,胎盘细胞凋亡主要与细胞中Bax∶Bcl-2的比例相关.     

骨髓间充质干细胞和部分肿瘤细胞中Nucleostemin基因的表达

以分离的人胚胎和大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞 (MSCs) ,6种肿瘤细胞株 ,裸鼠肿瘤和转移瘤组织为实验材料 ,以大鼠心肌组织和人胎盘组织为对照 ,探讨nucleostemin基因的表达情况 .RT PCR结果显示 ,nucleostemin基因在MSCs、肿瘤细胞和肿瘤组织中均有不同程度的表达 ,而大鼠心肌和人胎盘组织中无表达 .DNA测序结果证明 ,扩增的PCR产物与GenBank提供的DNA序列完全同源 .SCID裸鼠肿瘤动物模型定量PCR结果证实 ,nucleostemin的mRNA在裸鼠肿瘤组织和转移瘤组织中表达较高 .研究结果表明 ,在细胞中nucleostemin基因不同水平的表达可能与MSCs、肿瘤细胞的增殖和肿瘤的发生、发展与转移有关 .     

妊娠兔胎盘细胞凋亡及凋亡相关基因 Bcl-2和Bax表达的动态变化

以新西兰雌兔为动物模型,研究妊娠期间胎盘细胞凋亡及其凋亡调控蛋白Bcl-2和Bax表达的动态变化.基因组DNA凝胶电泳实验检测到妊娠中期和晚期胎盘基因组DNA中出现典型的凋亡特征--DNA梯带,而且DNA断裂值在妊娠早、中、晚期分别为:0.14、0.49和1.43,与妊娠早期相比,妊娠中、晚期胎盘基因组DNA断裂值有显著性增加.TUNEL实验和活化caspase-3的免疫定位实验表明,在妊娠早期胎盘中存在细胞凋亡,而且在各妊娠期中细胞凋亡主要发生于合体滋养层.免疫印迹法分析表明,Bcl-2和Bax随妊娠的进行其表达量明显增加,Bax∶Bcl-2比值在妊娠早、中、晚期分别为:0.89,0.91和1.25,呈增加趋势.实验结果说明,在兔正常妊娠中,胎盘合体滋养层细胞发生凋亡,且随妊娠的进行,凋亡细胞数量增多,胎盘细胞凋亡主要与细胞中Bax∶Bcl-2的比例相关.     

在体分离小鼠小肠隐窝、绒毛上皮细胞的生化完整性研究

目的:检测低温条件下用螯合剂沉淀法分离的小鼠小肠上皮隐窝和绒毛细胞是否具有生化完整性.方法:使用螯合剂在低温(冰浴)条件下分离和富集小肠上皮绒毛和隐窝细胞;抽提DNA、RNA和总蛋白,用电泳的方法检测完整性;用Real-time PCR检测溶菌酶Lysozyme的表达以判断隐窝、绒毛细胞富集程度.结果:低温条件下分离的肠上皮隐窝、绒毛细胞形态完整;基因组DNA完整,未出现明显的DNA ladder现象;富集细胞的RNA完整;富集隐窝、绒毛细胞的蛋白未降解,两组总蛋白具有表达谱差异性;隐窝细胞富集物溶菌酶mRNA表达水平较绒毛细胞富集物高30倍以上.结论:小肠隐窝绒毛的生物学性状可在低温螯合剂沉底法分离过程中得到保存,提示此方法可以用来分析生理和创伤痛理条件下小肠上皮基因和蛋白表达改变.     

人IL-12重组逆转录病毒载体在HeLa细胞中的表达

目的:包装携带人白细胞介素12(IL-12)的逆转录病毒,用于宫颈癌的治疗研究.方法:携带IL-12的逆转录病毒重组质粒pL35P40SN经PA317细胞包装,G418筛选.在NIH3T3细胞进行病毒滴度测定.然后用病毒感染人宫颈癌细胞HeLa.PCR、RT-PCR方法检测IL-12基因在HeLa中的整合和表达情况.结果:重组质粒pL35P40SN经PA317细胞包装后收获病毒上清,感染HeLa细胞,检测发现IL-12基因整合到细胞基因组DNA中,并且能有效的转录.结论:成功包装了携带IL-12基因的逆转录病毒,该病毒能有效感染HeLa细胞,并使携带的基因IL-12在细胞中表达,为今后IL-12基因治疗宫颈癌的研究奠定基础.     

基因组DNA甲基化及组蛋白甲基化

在真核生物中,DNA甲基化是一种非常重要的表观遗传学标记,能影响染色质的结构和基因的表达。随着全基因组甲基化测序的发展,全基因组范围内的DNA甲基化水平得以了解。文章概述了基因组中启动子、基因本体、增强子、沉默子和转座子等不同元件的DNA甲基化的研究进展,以及DNA甲基化与基因表达调控间的关系。启动子的DNA甲基化对基因的表达有抑制作用,而基因本体的DNA甲基化与基因的表达关系因物种或细胞类型不同而异。增强子的DNA甲基化状态与基因活性呈反比关系,沉默子则相反呈正相关。转座子的DNA高度甲基化抑制其转座活性,从而维持基因组的稳定性。文章还探讨了DNA甲基化与组蛋白甲基化间的相互作用及其对基因表达、可变剪切、转录的调控作用,以及本领域的未来研究方向。     

一个灵长类种属特异基因——XAGE-3转基因

目的分析XAGE-3基因在灵长类和啮齿类动物的基因组中的同源性,通过转基因研究XAGE-3基因在小鼠中的功能及生物学意义。方法根据Homologene及Taxplot数据库,通过Blast比对方法分析XAGE-3在两类动物基因组中的同源性;从人胎盘组织克隆XAGE-3基因,转入真核表达载体pCDNA3.1(+),显微注射方法得到转基因动物,基因组PCR鉴定基因型,反转录PCR分析基因的表达;Brdu标记3周龄动物显示睾丸内细胞的增殖。结果XAGE-3在人、黑猩猩和猕猴中存在高度同源基因,而在小鼠和大鼠中无同源区域;在基因型鉴定阳性的5个首建系中3个品系睾丸组织目的基因表达较高,在传代的两个品系中,在小肠,胸腺,睾丸等组织中目的基因均有表达;睾丸组织Brdu标记显示XAGE-3转基因动物有更多的发育晚期的精细胞被标记。结论XAGE-3作为灵长类种属特有基因在转基因小鼠中影响了精细胞发育。     

Emx2 in adult neural precursor cells.

Emx2 is a vertebrate homeobox gene involved in the control of the central nervous system development. In the formation of cerebral cortex, Emx2 expression is restricted mainly to the germinal ventricular zone fading away in the first postmitotic neurons. This expression pattern, the severe impairment of cortex organization and the size in mutant mice suggest a role of Emx2 in the control of proliferation and migration of neural precursor cells. The observed persistence of Emx2 expression in adult neurogenic areas in vivo is here confirmed at later stages. We also find that Emx2 is expressed at high levels in adult neural stem cells (ANSCs) in vitro and is down modulated upon differentiation. Overexpression of Emx2 gene in ANSCs has an anti-proliferative effect but it does not influence a particular differentiation pathway. Our results suggest that Emx2 may act promoting an asymmetric mode of cell division thereby increasing the size of a transit amplifying population.     

Absence of Cajal-Retzius cells and subplate neurons associated with defects of tangential cell migration from ganglionic eminence in Emx1/2 double mutant cerebral cortex

Emx1 and Emx2, mouse orthologs of the Drosophila head gap gene, ems, are expressed during corticogenesis. Emx2 null mutants exhibit mild defects in cortical lamination. Segregation of differentiating neurons from proliferative cells is normal for the most part, however, reelin-positive Cajal-Retzius cells are lost by the late embryonic period. Additionally, late-born cortical plate neurons display abnormal position. These types of lamination defects are subtle in the Emx1 mutant cortex. In the present study we show that Emx1 and Emx2 double mutant neocortex is much more severely affected. Thickness of the cerebral wall was diminished with the decrease in cell number. Bromodeoxyuridine uptake in the germinal zone was nearly normal; moreover, no apparent increase in cell death or tetraploid cell number was observed. However, tangential migration of cells from the ganglionic eminence into the neocortex was greatly inhibited. The wild-type ganglionic eminence cells transplanted into Emx1/2-double mutant telencephalon did not move to the cortex. MAP2-positive neuronal bodies and RC2-positive radial glial cells emerged normally, but the laminar structure subsequently formed was completely abnormal. Furthermore, both corticofugal and corticopetal fibers were predominantly absent in the cortex. Most importantly, neither Cajal-Retzius cells nor subplate neurons were found throughout E11.5-E18.5. Thus, this investigation suggests that laminar organization in the cortex or the production of Cajal-Retzius cells and subplate neurons is interrelated to the tangential movement of cells from the ganglionic eminence under the control of Emx1 and Emx2.     

Evolution of Emx genes and brain development in vertebrates.

Emx1 and Emx2 genes are known to be involved in mammalian forebrain development. In order to investigate the evolution of the Emx gene family in vertebrates, a phylogenetic analysis was carried out on the Emx genes sequenced in man, mice, frogs, coelacanths and zebrafish. The results demonstrated the existence of two clades (Emx1 and Emx2), each grouping one of the two genes of the investigated taxa. The only exception was the zebrafish Emx1-like gene which turned out to be a sister group to both the Emx1 and Emx2 clusters. Such striking sequence divergence observed for the zebrafish Emx1-like gene could indicate that it is not orthologous to the other Emx1 genes, and therefore, in vertebrates there must be three Emx genes. Alternatively, if the zebrafish emx1 gene is orthologous to the tetrapod one, it must have undergone to strong diversifying selection.     

Patterns and consequences of vertebrate Emx gene duplications

SUMMARY We have cloned and analyzed two Emx genes from the lamprey Petromyzon marinus and our findings provide insight into the patterns and developmental consequences of gene duplications during early vertebrate evolution. The Emx gene family presents an excellent case for addressing these issues as gnathostome vertebrates possess two or three Emx paralogs that are highly pleiotropic, functioning in or being expressed during the development of several vertebrate synapomorphies. Lampreys are the most primitive extant vertebrates and characterization of their development and genomic organization is critical for understanding vertebrate origins. We identified two Emx genes from P. marinus and analyzed their phylogeny and their embryological expression relative to other chordate Emx genes. Our phylogenetic analysis shows that the two lamprey Emx genes group independently from the gnathostome Emx1, Emx2 , and Emx3 paralogy groups. Our expression analysis shows that the two lamprey Emx genes are expressed in distinct spatial and temporal patterns that together broadly encompass the combined sites of expression of all gnathostome Emx genes. Our data support a model wherein large-scale regulatory evolution of a single Emx gene occurred after the protochordate/vertebrate divergence, but before the vertebrate radiation. Both the lamprey and gnathostome lineages then underwent independent gene duplications followed by extensive paralog subfunctionalization. Emx subfunctionalization in the telencephalon is remarkably convergent and refines our understanding of lamprey forebrain patterning. We also identify lamprey-specific sites of expression that indicate either neofunctionalization in lampreys or sites-specific nonfunctionalization of all gnathostome Emx genes. Overall, we see only very limited correlation between Emx gene duplications and the acquisition of novel expression domains.     

Embryonic cortical neural stem cells migrate ventrally and persist as postnatal striatal stem cells

Embryonic cortical neural stem cells apparently have a transient existence, as they do not persist in the adult cortex. We sought to determine the fate of embryonic cortical stem cells by following Emx1(IREScre); LacZ/EGFP double-transgenic murine cells from midgestation into adulthood. Lineage tracing in combination with direct cell labeling and time-lapse video microscopy demonstrated that Emx1-lineage embryonic cortical stem cells migrate ventrally into the striatal germinal zone (GZ) perinatally and intermingle with striatal stem cells. Upon integration into the striatal GZ, cortical stem cells down-regulate Emx1 and up-regulate Dlx2, which is a homeobox gene characteristic of the developing striatum and striatal neural stem cells. This demonstrates the existence of a novel dorsal-to-ventral migration of neural stem cells in the perinatal forebrain.     

Structure and expression of three Emx genes in the dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula: functional and evolutionary implications

We report the characterization of three Emx genes in a chondrichthyan, the dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula. Comparisons of these genes with their osteichthyan counterparts indicate that the gnathostome Emx genes belong to three distinct orthology classes, each containing one of the dogfish genes and either the tetrapod Emx1 genes (Emx1 class), the osteichthyan Emx2 genes (Emx2 class) or the zebrafish Emx1 gene (Emx3 class). While the three classes could be retrieved from the pufferfish genome data, no indication of an Emx3-related gene in tetrapods could be found in the databases, suggesting that this class may have been lost in this taxon. Expression pattern comparisons of the three dogfish Emx genes and their osteichthyan counterparts indicate that not only telencephalic, but also diencephalic Emx expression territories are highly conserved among gnathostomes. In particular, all gnathostomes share an early, dynamic phase of Emx expression, spanning presumptive dorsal diencephalic territories, which involves Emx3 in the dogfish, but another orthology class, Emx2, in tetrapods. In addition, the dogfish Emx2 gene shows a highly specific expression domain in the cephalic paraxial mesoderm from the end of gastrulation and throughout neurulation, which suggests a role in the segmentation of the cephalic mesoderm.