利用假型反转录病毒对大部分胰腺切除后再生细胞的世系追踪

胰腺是一个重要的内外分泌混合腺, 胰腺发生损伤后能够再生。为了探讨胰腺活体细胞世系追踪的方法和胰腺损伤后再生细胞的来源,分别通过胰腺伤口涂抹并胰内注射、尾静脉注射及腹腔注射三种方法, 利用假型反转录病毒对成体小鼠大部分切除后胰腺的细胞进行世系追踪。结果发现在活体条件下, 与尾静脉注射及腹腔注射法相比, 胰腺伤口涂抹并胰腺内注射反转录病毒的方法能够更有效的标记胰腺细胞; 而且, 通过对标记细胞的世系追踪研究证明, 在胰腺损伤后, 胰腺腺泡细胞能够接受损伤信号刺激发生再生。为今后进一步利用反转录假病毒对活体胰腺进行细胞命运追踪研究奠定基础, 为利用反转录病毒载体进行胰腺疾病的基因治疗提供线索。     

小鼠胰腺大部分切除后再生集中区来源的初步探索

目的：探讨胰腺在某些损伤或病理条件下,由于细胞活跃增殖产生再生集中区域的细胞来源。方法：将27只成年ICR系小鼠分为9组,每组3只,其中1组进行假手术,其余8组进行小鼠胰腺大部分切除,分别在切除后12h,24h、36h、48h、3d、5d、7d、10d取材及冰冻切片,采用H-E染色、免疫荧光染色方法检测损伤后各时间段胰腺组织的形态变化和细胞增殖率。结果：H-E染色发现,胰腺手术72h后,剩余胰腺中就出现由细胞角蛋白阳性导管样结构组成的再生集中区,此区域细胞随后分化为功能性细胞类型,10d后消失检测不到。对胰腺再生集中区的定位研究表明,它们仅出现于切除后的伤口边缘。BrdU标记表明,胰腺再生集中区为细胞快速增殖区域,其出现与总导管增殖率提高同时发生,主/大导管和小导管增殖率上升都晚于再生集中区的出现。结论：小鼠胰腺大部分切除后再生集中区可能来源于腺泡细胞的快速增殖,而不是经由总-主/大-小导管-快速增殖区这一途径引起的来源于导管上皮细胞。     

小鼠胰腺大部分切除后再生集中区来源的初步探索

目的:探讨胰腺在某些损伤或病理条件下,由于细胞活跃增殖产生再生集中区域的细胞来源。方法:将27只成年ICR系小鼠分为9组,每组3只,其中1组进行假手术,其余8组进行小鼠胰腺大部分切除,分别在切除后12h,24h、36h、48h、3d、5d、7d、10d取材及冰冻切片,采用H-E染色、免疫荧光染色方法检测损伤后各时间段胰腺组织的形态变化和细胞增殖率。结果:H-E染色发现,胰腺手术72h后,剩余胰腺中就出现由细胞角蛋白阳性导管样结构组成的再生集中区,此区域细胞随后分化为功能性细胞类型,10d后消失检测不到。对胰腺再生集中区的定位研究表明,它们仅出现于切除后的伤口边缘。BrdU标记表明,胰腺再生集中区为细胞快速增殖区域,其出现与总导管增殖率提高同时发生,主/大导管和小导管增殖率上升都晚于再生集中区的出现。结论:小鼠胰腺大部分切除后再生集中区可能来源于腺泡细胞的快速增殖,而不是经由总-主/大-小导管-快速增殖区这一途径引起的来源于导管上皮细胞。     

多模式追踪食蟹猴骨髓间充质干细胞

近年来, 在细胞治疗和再生医学领域, 自体或异体细胞移植治疗疾病正在成为现实. 骨髓间充质干细胞具有分化成多种细胞的潜能, 已被广泛用于各种疾病的研究和治疗. 活体追踪移植细胞, 检测移植细胞的生存及功能状态对于评价移植治疗效果至关重要. 目前, 利用磁共振对比剂超顺磁性氧化铁颗粒(SPIO), 活体追踪和监测标记细胞已被广泛用于动物实验研究和一些临床疾病诊断. 但 MRI 信号不能显示移植细胞在体内的生物学特征. 本研究中, 对食蟹猴骨髓间充质干细胞体外标记Molday ION rhodamine-B^TM(MIRB), 探讨MIRB 标记后cMSCs 的细胞生物学特性, 以及脑内移植后的活体MRI 影像学及组织学追踪. 结果表明, MIRB 具有生物组织相容性, 能高效标记cMSCs, 可用于体内多模式追踪移植细胞, 为利用MIRB 追踪和检测移植细胞, 以及干细胞移植治疗机制的研究提供资料.     

菲立磁标记食蟹猴骨髓间充质干细胞的脑内移植示踪研究

中枢神经系统损伤后的再生修复问题一直是神经科学领域关注的重点之一,骨髓间充质干细胞移植治疗拓宽了人类中枢神经系统损伤的治疗前景,而非侵入性的磁共振成像能活体追踪移植细胞,评价移植效果。应用菲立磁标记食蟹猴骨髓来源的间充质干细胞,在脑立体定位仪引导下,自体脑内移植。结果显示,菲立磁标记间充质干细胞的有效率高达90%以上,移植区磁共振影像呈明显的低信号改变。标记的间充质干细胞移植后在脑内存活,并向周围的脑实质内迁移。移植8周后,发现移植细胞通过血管向对侧脑部迁移,但并未发现移植细胞向神经细胞分化。这些结果提示,菲立磁可用于标记、追踪脑内移植的食蟹猴骨髓间充质干细胞,标记的移植细胞可在脑内存活、迁移。     

低温保存许旺细胞对周围神经再生的作用

目的：比较原代培养许旺细胞（Schwann cells,SCs)和冷冻保存的SCs移植对损伤后坐骨神经再生的作用。方法：原代培养和液氮保存的SCs分别移植到桥接缺损坐骨神经的硅胶管内。在移植后不同时间（第6和8周末）,硅胶管远端神经干内注射HRP,逆行追踪背根神经节和脊髓前角的标记神经元数量;测量再生神经纤维的复合动作电位传导速度;电镜观察再生神经纤维的髓鞘形成。结果：原代培养和冷冻保存SCs在移植后不同时间其背根神经节和脊髓前角神经元HRP标记细胞数量、再生神经纤维的复合动作电位传导速度基本一致,再生神经纤维髓鞘的形成未见明显差别。结论：冷冻保存的SCs仍具有促进损伤后周围神经再生的能力。     

应用小动物活体成像追踪观察EGFP标记的间充质干细胞

为探讨干细胞移植治疗过程中干细胞在体内的存活和迁移能力,利用非细胞损伤性的EGFP(enhanced green fl uorescence protein)标记间充质干细胞进行了实验研究。该研究用电穿孔方法将加强的绿色荧光蛋白表达质粒p CMV-EGFP(cytomegalovirus-EGFP plasmid)转染细胞产生具有EGFP标记的牙髓干细胞、皮肤成纤维细胞(skin fi broblast cells,SFCs)和脐带间充质干细胞。将EGFP标记的脐带间充质干细胞注射到裸鼠皮下,用小动物活体成像系统观察了EGFP标记细胞在体内移植后细胞存活能力和荧光强度随时间的变化情况。结果表明,电穿孔转染能够在体外产生高效表达EGFP的标记细胞,EGFP在牙髓干细胞、SFCs和脐带间充质干细胞中的表达率分别为80%、85%和80%。通过小动物活体成像系统检测表明,EGFP标记的脐带间充质干细胞注射到裸鼠皮下后EGFP荧光表达在7 d后逐渐下降,但免疫组化分析表明,移植细胞可存活6个月以上。该研究提示,EGFP标记的干细胞可用于体内追踪其存活、迁移及分化,为探讨干细胞移植治疗作用提供了实验证据。     

重组腺相关病毒小鼠骨骼肌中近红外荧光蛋白表达及活体成像

近红外荧光蛋白因激发光和发射光波长位于近红外区,在动物组织中光吸收和光散射最低,更适宜于动物活体组织的深层成像.构建了一种携带近红外荧光蛋白(near-infrared fluorescent protein,iRFP)713基因的重组表达质粒pAAV-iRFP713,将重组表达质粒与辅助质粒共转染AAV-293细胞,包装重组腺相关病毒(recombinant adeno-associated virus,rAAV)rAAV-iRFP713.重组腺相关病毒表达载体感染体外培养的癌细胞,48h后,荧光显微镜检测显示近红外荧光蛋白在癌细胞中高效表达,荧光明亮.重组腺相关病毒表达载体注射小鼠骨骼肌,48h后,用近红外荧光活体成像系统检测证明近红外荧光蛋白在小鼠骨骼肌中表达较强, 活体组织成像清晰.实验结果表明近红外荧光蛋白在体内体外均能很好地表达并荧光成像,为动物活体组织标记和成像的研究提供新方法.     

C57BL/6 J小鼠黑色素瘤肺转移模型的构建

目的探讨建立C57BL/6 J小鼠黑色素瘤肺转移模型的影响因素,包括肿瘤的接种方式、细胞接种数量和成瘤周期。方法体外培养小鼠黑色素瘤细胞B16F10。1)取6~8周龄,雄性小鼠18只,随机分三组,每组6只,分别采取尾静脉注射、腹腔注射和皮下注射方式,每只小鼠注射100μL(3×10~6个细胞)B16F10细胞悬液,2周后,解剖小鼠并观察黑色素瘤的生长和转移情况;2)分3组,同上,经尾静脉分别注射3×10~6个细胞、1×10~6个细胞、3×10~5个细胞,2周后,解剖小鼠并观察黑色素瘤的生长和转移情况;3)分3组,同上,尾静脉注射1×10~6个细胞,分别于1周、2周、3周解剖小鼠,观察黑色素瘤的生长和转移情况。结果 1)尾静脉注射小鼠黑色素瘤细胞,小鼠发生肺转移的成功率为100%,而腹腔注射和皮下注射未发生肺转移。2)接种小鼠黑色素瘤细胞数量为1×10~6时,发生肺部转移的黑色素瘤细胞数量适中;接种细胞数量为3×10~6时,发生肺部转移的黑色素瘤细胞数量过多;接种细胞数量为3×10~5时,发生肺部转移的黑色素瘤细胞数量较少。3)尾静脉注射1×10~6个小鼠黑色素瘤细胞,饲养2周后,可以观察到黑色素瘤细胞明显的肺部转移,且不会导致小鼠死亡;饲养3周,黑色素瘤细胞肺部转移数量过多,且小鼠死亡过半;饲养1周,黑色素瘤细胞肺部转移数量较少。结论经尾静脉注射1×10~6个小鼠黑色素瘤细胞,生长2周时间,为构建C57BL/6 J小鼠黑色素瘤肺转移模型的推荐方法。     

双萤光素酶共表达载体构建及特性研究

利用来源于TaV的自剪切多肽2A的编码序列构建一种分泌型萤光素酶Gluc和非分泌型萤光素酶Fluc共表达的载体,对其体内外表达及活体成像特点进行研究。采用重叠PCR技术获得Gluc-2A-Fluc片段,克隆入表达质粒pAAV2neoCAG中,获得重组质粒pAAV2neoCAG-Gluc-2A-Fluc。将重组质粒瞬时转染BHK-21细胞,24h后在细胞上清液和细胞裂解液中均能检测到Gluc和Fluc的表达,其中Gluc98%以上分布在上清液中,而Fluc98%以上存在于细胞中,随时间延长Gluc活性在上清液中逐步增加,而细胞内Fluc活性则保持相对平稳。用水动力法经小鼠尾静脉注射pAAV2neoCAG-Gluc-2A-Fluc质粒DNA,通过尾静脉微量采血(2.5μl/次)即可实时地监测体内Gluc的表达情况。活体成像结果显示,注射Gluc的底物腔肠素时小鼠明显表现为全身显像,显像在10min内迅速衰减;而注射Fluc的底物D-Luciferin时显像主要集中在肝脏,显像在30min内都比较稳定。本研究设计和构建的pAAV2neoCAG-Gluc-2A-Fluc质粒实现了分泌型和非分泌型萤光素酶的共表达,既可以在不裂解细胞或处死动物的情况下直接在细胞培养上清或血液中动态检测Gluc的活性,又可以利用活体成像技术准确定位Fluc表达部位,比单一的萤光素酶报告载体在细胞标记和体内示踪研究方面更具优越性。     

Pancreatic lineage analysis using a retroviral vector in embryonic mice demonstrates a common progenitor for endocrine and exocrine cells

The origin of pancreatic endocrine cells is unknown. Some studies have suggested that there is a common pancreatic progenitor which gives rise to both endocrine and exocrine cells, while others have suggested separate endocrine and exocrine lineages. Previous conclusions have been based on indirect data, such as the co-expression of molecular markers. We directly assessed the relationship between endocrine and exocrine cells during development using a lineage tracer. A replication-incompetent retrovirus was used to introduce the reporter gene alkaline phosphatase into single cells in explants of mouse embryonic pancreas. After a week in culture, the subsequent fate of the infected cells could then be determined. The results show that a common pancreatic progenitor cell exists, which gives rise to both endocrine and exocrine cells.     

Direct lineage tracing reveals the ontogeny of pancreatic cell fates during mouse embryogenesis

Lineage tracing follows the progeny of labeled cells through development. This technique identifies precursors of mature cell types in vivo and describes the cell fate restriction steps they undergo in temporal order. In the mouse pancreas, direct cell lineage tracing reveals that Pdx1- expressing progenitors in the early embryo give rise to all pancreatic cells. The progenitors for the mature pancreatic ducts separate from the endocrine/exocrine tissues before E12.5. Expression of Ngn3 and pancreatic polypeptide marks endocrine cell lineages during early embryogenesis, and these cells behave as transient progenitors rather than stem cells. In adults, Ngn3 is expressed within the endocrine islets, and the NGN3+ cells seem to contribute to pancreatic islet renewal. These results indicate the stage at which each progenitor population is restricted to a particular fate and provide markers for isolating progenitors to study their growth, differentiation, and the genes necessary for their development.     

Limited dedifferentiation provides replacement tissue during zebrafish fin regeneration

Unlike humans, some vertebrate animals are able to completely regenerate damaged appendages and other organs. For example, adult zebrafish will regenerate the complex structure of an amputated caudal fin to a degree that the original and replacement fins are indistinguishable. The blastema, a mass of cells that uniquely forms following appendage amputation in regenerating animals, is the major source of regenerated tissue. However, the cell lineage(s) that contribute to the blastema and their ultimate contribution(s) to the regenerated fin have not been definitively characterized. It has been suggested that cells near the amputation site dedifferentiate forming multipotent progenitors that populate the blastema and then give rise to multiple cell types of the regenerated fin. Other studies propose that blastema cells are non-uniform populations that remain restricted in their potential to contribute to different cell lineages. We tested these models by using inducible Cre-lox technology to generate adult zebrafish with distinct, isolated groups of genetically labeled cells within the caudal fin. We then tracked populations of several cell types over the entire course of fin regeneration in individual animals. We found no evidence for the existence of multipotent progenitors. Instead, multiple cell types, including epidermal cells, intra-ray fibroblasts, and osteoblasts, contribute to the newly regenerated tissue while remaining highly restricted with respect to their developmental identity. Our studies further demonstrate that the regenerating fin consists of many repeating blastema "units" dedicated to each fin ray. These blastemas each have an organized structure of lineage restricted, dedifferentiated cells that cooperate to regenerate the caudal fin.     

TNF-Like Weak Inducer of Apoptosis (TWEAK) Promotes Beta Cell Neogenesis from Pancreatic Ductal Epithelium in Adult Mice

Aim/Hypothesis

The adult mammalian pancreas has limited ability to regenerate in order to restore adequate insulin production from multipotent progenitors, the identity and function of which remain poorly understood. Here we test whether the TNF family member TWEAK (TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis) promotes β-cell neogenesis from proliferating pancreatic ductal epithelium in adult mice.

Methods

C57Bl/6J mice were treated with Fc-TWEAK and pancreas harvested at different time points for analysis by histology and immunohistochemistry. For lineage tracing, 4 week old double transgenic mice CAII-CreER^TM: R26R-eYFP were implanted with tamoxifen pellet, injected with Fc-TWEAK or control Ig twice weekly and analyzed at day 18 for TWEAK-induced duct cell progeny by costaining for insulin and YFP. The effect of TWEAK on pancreatic regeneration was determined by pancytokeratin immunostaining of paraffin embedded sections from wildtype and TWEAK receptor (Fn14) deficient mice after Px.

Results

TWEAK stimulates proliferation of ductal epithelial cells through its receptor Fn14, while it has no mitogenic effect on pancreatic α- or β-cells or acinar cells. Importantly, TWEAK induces transient expression of endogenous Ngn3, a master regulator of endocrine cell development, and induces focal ductal structures with characteristics of regeneration foci. In addition, we identify by lineage tracing TWEAK-induced pancreatic β-cells derived from pancreatic duct epithelial cells. Conversely, we show that Fn14 deficiency delays formation of regenerating foci after Px and limits their expansion.

Conclusions/Interpretation

We conclude that TWEAK is a novel factor mediating pancreatic β-cell neogenesis from ductal epithelium in normal adult mice.     

Dual embryonic origin of the mammalian enteric nervous system

The enteric nervous system is thought to originate solely from the neural crest. Transgenic lineage tracing revealed a novel population of clonal pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (Pdx1)-Cre lineage progenitor cells in the tunica muscularis of the gut that produced pancreatic descendants as well as neurons upon differentiation in vitro. Additionally, an in vivo subpopulation of endoderm lineage enteric neurons, but not glial cells, was seen especially in the proximal gut. Analysis of early transgenic embryos revealed Pdx1-Cre progeny (as well as Sox-17-Cre and Foxa2-Cre progeny) migrating from the developing pancreas and duodenum at E11.5 and contributing to the enteric nervous system. These results show that the mammalian enteric nervous system arises from both the neural crest and the endoderm. Moreover, in adult mice there are separate Wnt1-Cre neural crest stem cells and Pdx1-Cre pancreatic progenitors within the muscle layer of the gut.     

Color-coded imaging of splenocyte-pancreatic cancer cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment

In spite of advances in surgical and medical care pancreatic cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. An understanding of cancer cell interactions with host cells is critical to our ability to develop effective antitumor therapeutics for pancreatic cancer. We report here a color-coded model system for imaging cancer cell interactions with host immune cells within the native pancreas. A human pancreatic cancer cell line engineered to express green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the nucleus and red fluorescent protein (DsRed2) in the cytoplasm was orthotopically implanted into the pancreas of a nude mouse. After 10-14 days red or green fluorescent splenocytes from immune-competent donors were delivered systemically to the pancreatic cancer-bearing nude mice. Animals were imaged after splenocyte delivery using high-resolution intravital imaging systems. At 1 day after iv injection red or green fluorescent spleen cells were found distributed in lung, liver, spleen and pancreas. By 4 days after cell delivery, however, the immune cells could be clearly imaged surrounding the tumor cells within the pancreas as well as collecting within lymphatic tissues such as lymph nodes and spleen. With the high-resolution intravital imaging afforded by the Olympus IV100 and OV100 systems the interactions of the dual-colored cancer cells and the red fluorescent spleen cells could be clearly imaged in this orthotopic pancreatic cancer model. This color-coded in vivo imaging technology offers a novel approach to imaging the interactions of cancer and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME).     

Deconstructing Pancreas Developmental Biology

The relentless nature and increasing prevalence of human pancreatic diseases, in particular, diabetes mellitus and adenocarcinoma, has motivated further understanding of pancreas organogenesis. The pancreas is a multifunctional organ whose epithelial cells govern a diversity of physiologically vital endocrine and exocrine functions. The mechanisms governing the birth, differentiation, morphogenesis, growth, maturation, and maintenance of the endocrine and exocrine components in the pancreas have been discovered recently with increasing tempo. This includes recent studies unveiling mechanisms permitting unexpected flexibility in the developmental potential of immature and mature pancreatic cell subsets, including the ability to interconvert fates. In this article, we describe how classical cell biology, genetic analysis, lineage tracing, and embryological investigations are being complemented by powerful modern methods including epigenetic analysis, time-lapse imaging, and flow cytometry-based cell purification to dissect fundamental processes of pancreas development.