HMG盒转录因子1(HBP1)参与H2O2诱导的细胞衰老过程

为探讨HMG盒转录因子1 (HBP1)在过氧化氢（H2O2）诱导的细胞衰老中所起的作用,通过慢病毒感染得到稳定表达HBP1的MDA-MB-231细胞,以H2O2处理细胞．采用Western免疫印迹杂交试验和实时PCR检测HBP1、p16和细胞周期蛋白D1（cyclinD1）表达水平的变化．用荧光免疫试验检测H2O2对HBP1表达的影响,以及HBP1在H2O2的诱导下对于p16和细胞周期蛋白D1启动子的影响．用细胞增殖试验检测H2O2对于细胞增殖的影响． 用基因敲减实验和衰老相关β半乳糖苷酶(SA-β-Gal)染色检测在H2O2诱导的细胞衰老中HBP1所起的作用．Western和免疫荧光实验结果显示,细胞经H2O2处理后,HBP1表达增高的同时促进了p16的表达,降低了细胞周期蛋白D1的表达．细胞增殖实验结果显示,H2O2显著抑制了细胞的增殖．基因敲减实验和SA-β-Gal染色实验说明,H2O2可诱导HBP1表达正常的MDA-MB-231细胞衰老,而HBP1的敲减则抑制了H2O2诱导的细胞衰老过程．本研究结果提示,在H2O2诱导的衰老中,HBP1的表达显著增加,并通过促进衰老相关基因p16的表达和抑制生长因子cyclinD1的表达来阻碍细胞增殖,促进细胞衰老．HBP1在H2O2诱导的细胞衰老过程中起着重要作用,H2O2诱导的细胞衰老必须在HBP1存在的情况下才能发生．     

转录因子HBP1调控H2O2诱导的骨肉瘤细胞生长阻滞过程

为探讨氧化应激对人骨肉瘤细胞增殖的影响及其作用机理,首先用H2O2处理U2OS细 胞,采用Western印迹和real-time PCR检测HMG盒转录因子1 (HBP1)及其下游靶基因 DNMT1和p16表达水平的变化. 用荧光素酶报告基因实验检测在H2O2诱导下, HBP1对于DNMT1 和p16启动子的影响. 用细胞增殖试验（BrdU掺入,细胞生长曲线）检测 H2O2对细胞增殖的影响以及HBP1的作用. 用衰老相关β半乳糖苷酶(SA-β-Gal)染色 检测在H2O2诱导的细胞衰老中HBP1所起的作用. Western 印迹, real-time PCR及荧光素酶报告基因实验结果显示,细胞经H2O2处理后,明显增高HBP1表达水平,转录抑制DNMT1的表达, 促进p16蛋白的表达. 细胞增殖实验结果显示, H2O2显著抑制了细胞的增殖,HBP1 knockdown可部分逆转这种抑制作用. SA-β-Gal染色实验说明, H2O2可诱导HBP1表达正常的U2OS细胞衰老,而HBP1 knockdown使这种促衰老作用减弱. 研究结果说明, H2O2可抑制人骨肉瘤细胞增殖,诱导细胞衰老. 其作用机制是通过上调转录因子HBP1的表达,转录抑制或促进其下游靶基因DNMT1或p16的表达来抑制细胞增殖,促进细胞衰老.     

TGFβ信号调控阿霉素诱导的衰老肿瘤细胞表达SA-β-gal

目的:细胞衰老是维持机体稳态的一种重要机制,表达SA-β-gal被认为是衰老细胞的一种特异性的标志,但有研究表明在衰老细胞中SA-β-gal染色阳性只是衰老细胞的溶酶体变大的结果,为了探究SA-β-gal的表达与细胞衰老之间的具体关系,我们验证了参与调节衰老细胞表达SA-β-gal的信号通路及SA-β-gal的表达情况是否会对细胞衰老的过程产生影响.方法:肿瘤细胞用低剂量的阿霉素处理24小时后,再分别给予不同的小分子抑制剂继续作用4天,观察SA-β-gal染色阳性的细胞数目及SA-β-gal表达与否对于衰老细胞在分泌细胞因子、生长阻滞等细胞生物学功能上的影响.结果:在阿霉素诱导细胞发生衰老的过程中,TGFβ抑制剂SB431542能够抑制衰老细胞表达SA-β-gal,而SA-β-gal表达的缺失并不影响细胞衰老的其他特征性改变.结论:低剂量的阿霉素作用肿瘤细胞后,细胞会进入衰老的状态.在细胞衰老的过程中,TGFβ受体Ⅰ的抑制剂SB431542可以抑制衰老细胞表达SA-β-gal,但是SA-β-gal的缺失表达并不影响细胞衰老的过程及衰老细胞的其他特性,如:不可逆的生长阻滞、分泌有活性的细胞因子等.结果表明:SA-β-gal并不能作为衰老细胞的特异性标志.     

沉默DAXX基因表达促进人卵巢癌细胞凋亡和衰老

DAXX是Fas死亡结构域相关蛋白(Fas death-associated protein, DAXX),可与Fas死亡受体的死亡域结合.通过激活c-Jun NH2末端激酶通路,DAXX增强Fas介导的凋亡,同时也增强转录生长因子β依赖的凋亡.本研究通过免疫组化检测人正常卵巢组织和卵巢癌组织中DAXX蛋白表达,然后通过Tet-on诱导体系构建DAXX基因沉默的慢病毒,感染卵巢癌细胞后,加入嘌呤霉素筛选稳定表达的OV2008细胞,四环素诱导DAXX基因沉默,通过免疫印迹和定量PCR检测DAXX基因干扰效果,MTT检测细胞增殖,克隆形成实验检测克隆形成能力,免疫印迹和免疫荧光方法检测DNA损伤蛋白的变化,SA-β-gal检测细胞衰老.结果表明,在人正常卵巢组织中DAXX低表达,而在人卵巢癌组织中DAXX高表达,随着四环素浓度的增加DAXX的表达量降低,DAXX基因沉默抑制卵巢癌OV2008细胞的增殖和克隆形成. 免疫印迹结果显示,DAXX基因沉默可诱导DNA损伤相关蛋白p-H2AX和p-CHK2高表达.SA-β-gal检测结果表明,DAXX基因沉默可诱导OV2008细胞发生衰老,免疫印迹检测发现,p21和p27在 DAXX沉默的卵巢癌细胞中高表达.综上结果,DAXX沉默可以抑制卵巢癌细胞的增殖和克隆形成,同时也促进卵巢癌细胞发生DNA损伤和衰老.该研究为卵巢癌的基因治疗提供新的思路.     

利用重组荧光素酶报告基因载体研究E2F调控组蛋白H2A的转录

转录因子E2F与细胞增殖、凋亡及癌变密切相关,组蛋白H2A是构成核小体的重要成员之一.研究通过特异性的阻断Rb基因的表达发现组蛋白H2A家族成员:HIST1H2AJ表达下调,再进一步研究转录因子E2F对HIST1H2AJ的转录调控.通过PCR得到HIST1H2hJ的5非翻译区序列,克隆到荧光素酶报告载体pGL3中,然后转染入HEK293,再检测荧光素酶的活性来判断E2F是否调控HIST1H2AJ的转录.研究结果表明:转录因子E2F能够调控组蛋白H2A家族成员之一HIST1H2AJ的转录.     

HER-2阴性乳腺癌新靶向基因的生物信息学分析

利用生物信息学方法研究HER-2阴性乳腺癌的潜在靶向基因、信号传导通路及分子机制。从公众数据库(gene expression omnibus,GEO)下载HER-2阴性乳腺癌患者和正常女性上皮细胞基因芯片数据,运用RMA算法进行数据预处理,运用R语言LIMMA的包选出差异表达基因。将差异表达基因上传到DAVID在线网站进行富集分析,运用KEGG信号传导通路进行信号传导通路分析,最后用STRING进行蛋白相互作用网络分析(控制差异表达倍数大于2倍,p值小于0.01),筛出差异表达基因72个(上调基因10个,下调基因62个)。差异基因富集分析结果表明富集程度高的差异基因主要与转录调节、细胞凋亡及细胞外刺激反应等密切相关,信号传导通路分析结果表明差异基因主要与MAPK信号转导通路等密切相关,蛋白共表达网络分析结果表明关键蛋白质为FOS、JUN、KLF6、ATF3、HIST2H2AA4和HIST2H2BE等。HER-2阴性的乳腺癌患者早期差异表达基因表现为下调,HIST2H2AA4和HIST2H2BE可成为其潜在靶向基因,并可作为MAPK信号传导通路中ERK1/2中FOS基因的下游基因,验证需进一步实验。     

蒙花苷消除衰老骨髓间充质干细胞的衰老表型发挥抗衰老作用

目的:探讨蒙花苷(Linarin,LR)是否可以消除衰老骨髓间充质干细胞(BMSC)的衰老表型发挥抗衰老作用。方法:取4周龄80 g-100 g的雄性SD大鼠大腿骨髓腔内的骨髓间充质干细胞,用含10%胎牛血清的DMEM/F12培养基培养至三代,使用D-gal诱导骨髓间充质干细胞衰老,使用SA-β-gal染色、活性氧检测、蛋白免疫印迹验证骨髓间充质干细胞细胞衰老状态,通过蛋白免疫印迹检测衰老BMSC与正常BMSC中细胞保护性蛋白sirt1、sirt6及衰老相关蛋白p16、p21、p53的表达水平。之后,我们通过不同浓度LR处理衰老骨髓间充质干细胞。最后,通过蛋白印迹分析检测未处理组与LR处理组衰老相关蛋白表达情况。观察蒙花苷能否可以消除衰老的大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞衰老表型。结果:衰老的骨髓间充质干细胞细胞保护性蛋白sirt1、sirt6降低及衰老相关蛋白p16、p21、p53明显增高,衰老细胞中与DNA损伤相关的细胞核内蛋白γ-H2AX表达明显增加。而蒙花苷处理后,衰老细胞组衰老相关蛋白p16、p21、p53明显降低,γ-H2AX蛋白阳性细胞明显减少。结论:蒙花苷可以剂量依赖性的消除衰老的大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞的衰老表型发挥抗衰老作用。     

AFAP1在博来霉素诱导的A549细胞衰老中的作用机制研究

目的:研究AFAP1在博来霉素诱导的A549细胞衰老模型中的作用及分子机制。方法:用50μg/m L的博来霉素处理A549细胞5天建立细胞衰老模型。用相同浓度的博来霉素处理细胞1-5天观察细胞从周期阻滞到衰老的过程,SA-β-Gal染色检测衰老细胞数目,用Western blot方法检测AFAP1、p21、c-Src等蛋白表达。过表达AFAP1后,观察细胞衰老状态及各蛋白表达水平变化。结果:50μg/m L的博来霉素处理A549细胞5天后可以建立细胞衰老模型,表现为BLM组SA-β-Gal阳性细胞数升高(P0.01)且细胞体积显著增大(P0.01),p21表达水平升高。在衰老的A549细胞中,AFAP1和激活型(Src p Y416)表达水平变化一致,从BLM处理后出现升高第4天开始明显下降在第5天最低,c-Src和Src p Y527表达水平不变。过表达AFAP1后再用博来霉素诱导,SA-β-Gal阳性细胞数及细胞体积、Src p Y416和p21表达与空载对照比较未发现有明显差异(P0.05)。结论:衰老的A549细胞中AFAP1表达下调,c-Src活性降低;过表达AFAP1不能减轻博来霉素诱导的A549细胞衰老,也不能抑制衰老细胞中的c-Src的活性下降。     

细胞衰老及其在抗肿瘤研究中的应用

细胞衰老是细胞脱离细胞周期并不可逆地丧失增殖能力后进入的一种相对稳定的状态,虽然基本代谢过程仍然能够维持,但丧失合成DNA及增殖能力。细胞衰老具有复制衰老、癌基因诱导的衰老及加速衰老等类型。衰老细胞具有细胞体积大而扁平、细胞停止分裂及SA-β-gal反应阳性等明显特性,复制衰老还具有端粒缩短到无法维持染色体结构完整性的特征。目前已知,p53-p21和p16-pRB在细胞衰老过程中起着重要的调控作用,细胞衰老对肿瘤的形成起着天然的屏障作用。通过抑制端粒酶活性来诱导肿瘤细胞衰老和通过胞外刺激或化学治疗药物诱导肿瘤细胞发生衰老样生长停滞,已成为抗肿瘤研究的新思路。     

大蒜素激活SIRT1通路抑制过氧化氢诱导人脐静脉内皮细胞的衰老

Sirtuin1(SIRT1)活性的异常与血管内皮细胞的衰老密切相关。大蒜素作为一种生物活性分子具有抗氧化、抗炎及调脂作用,然而目前尚未见关于大蒜素与SIRT1的活性调节的报道。本研究旨在阐明大蒜素对过氧化氢（H2O2）诱导人脐静脉内皮细胞（HUVECs）衰老的影响,以及Sirtuin1(SIRT1)在其中的作用。SA-β-gal染色及活性氧检测提示,与对照组相比,大蒜素明显减少H2O2诱导半乳糖苷酶阳性细胞数及活性氧的产生。用Western印迹、MTT、RT-PCR及SIRT1活化检测对SIRT1、p-SIRT1、PAI-1的蛋白质、SIRT1mRNA表达及细胞活力进行检测,结果显示,大蒜素可以逆转H2O2诱导的PAI-1表达的升高、SIRT1磷酸化及活性的降低,并且上调细胞的活力。当采用SIRT1抑制剂NAM处理后,大蒜素的这些作用均被阻断。以上结果表明,大蒜素通过激活SIRT1抑制H2O2诱导的HUVECs ROS的产生、活力的下降及细胞的衰老。     

Shp2 signaling suppresses senescence in PyMT-induced mammary gland cancer in mice

In this study, we have used techniques from cell biology, biochemistry, and genetics to investigate the role of the tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 in tumor cells of MMTV-PyMT mouse mammary glands. Genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of Shp2 induces senescence, as determined by the activation of senescence-associated β-gal (SA-β-gal), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B (p27), p53, and histone 3 trimethylated lysine 9 (H3K9me3). Senescence induction leads to the inhibition of self-renewal of tumor cells and blockage of tumor formation and growth. A signaling cascade was identified that acts downstream of Shp2 to counter senescence: Src, focal adhesion kinase, and Map kinase inhibit senescence by activating the expression of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2), Aurora kinase A (Aurka), and the Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (Dll1), which block p27 and p53. Remarkably, the expression of Shp2 and of selected target genes predicts human breast cancer outcome. We conclude that therapies, which rely on senescence induction by inhibiting Shp2 or controlling its target gene products, may be useful in blocking breast cancer.     

IGF-I enhances cellular senescence via the reactive oxygen species-p53 pathway

Cellular senescence is characterized by growth arrest, enlarged and flattened cell morphology, the expression of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal), and by activation of tumor suppressor networks. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) plays a critical role in cellular growth, proliferation, tumorigenesis, and regulation of aging. In the present study, we show that IGF-I enhances cellular senescence in mouse, rat, and human primary cells in the confluent state. IGF-I induced expression of a DNA damage marker, γH2AX, the increased levels of p53 and p21 proteins, and activated SA-β-gal. In the confluent state, an altered downstream signaling of IGF-I receptor was observed. Treatment with a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, N-acetylcystein (NAC) significantly suppressed induction of these markers, indicating that ROS are involved in the induction of cellular senescence by IGF-I. In p53-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts, the IGF-I-induced augmentation of SA-β-gal and p21 was inhibited, demonstrating that p53 is required for cellular senescence induced by IGF-I. Thus, these data reveal a novel pathway whereby IGF-I enhances cellular senescence in the ROS and p53-dependent manner and may explain the underlying mechanisms of IGF-I involvement in tumorigenesis and in regulation of aging.     

The human histone H3 complement anno 2011

Histones are highly basic, relatively small proteins that complex with DNA to form higher order structures that underlie chromosome topology. Of the four core histones H2A, H2B, H3 and H4, it is H3 that is most heavily modified at the post-translational level. The human genome harbours 16 annotated bona fide histone H3 genes which code for four H3 protein variants. In 2010, two novel histone H3.3 protein variants were reported, carrying over twenty amino acid substitutions. Nevertheless, they appear to be incorporated into chromatin. Interestingly, these new H3 genes are located on human chromosome 5 in a repetitive region that harbours an additional five H3 pseudogenes, but no other core histone ORFs. In addition, a human-specific novel putative histone H3.3 variant located at 12p11.21 was reported in 2011. These developments raised the question as to how many more human histone H3 ORFs there may be. Using homology searches, we detected 41 histone H3 pseudogenes in the current human genome assembly. The large majority are derived from the H3.3 gene H3F3A, and three of those may code for yet more histone H3.3 protein variants. We also identified one extra intact H3.2-type variant ORF in the vicinity of the canonical HIST2 gene cluster at chromosome 1p21.2. RNA polymerase II occupancy data revealed heterogeneity in H3 gene expression in human cell lines. None of the novel H3 genes were significantly occupied by RNA polymerase II in the data sets at hand, however. We discuss the implications of these recent developments.     

Evidence for a dynamic role of the linker histone variant H1x during retinoic acid-induced differentiation of NT2 cells

The dynamics of chromatin structure are tightly regulated by multiple epigenetic mechanisms such as histone modifications and incorporation of histone variants. In the current work, differentiation of an embryonal carcinoma cell line, NT2, was induced by retinoic acid, and total histone proteins were compared throughout this process. The results showed a significant change in expression level of a variant of H1 histone named H1x. Chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with real-time PCR analysis demonstrated a preferential incorporation of this protein in the regulatory region of Nanog, a marker gene of stemness that is significantly suppressed in differentiated cells. This finding reveals a dynamic role of H1x in differentiation, and implies a repressive role for this histone variant.     

DNA methyltransferase controls stem cell aging by regulating BMI1 and EZH2 through microRNAs

Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is well known mechanism that regulates cellular senescence of cancer cells. Here we show that inhibition of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) with 5-azacytidine (5-AzaC) or with specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) against DNMT1 and 3b induced the cellular senescence of human umbilical cord blood-derived multipotent stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) and increased p16(INK4A) and p21(CIP1/WAF1) expression. DNMT inhibition changed histone marks into the active forms and decreased the methylation of CpG islands in the p16(INK4A) and p21(CIP1/WAF1) promoter regions. Enrichment of EZH2, the key factor that methylates histone H3 lysine 9 and 27 residues, was decreased on the p16(INK4A) and p21(CIP1/WAF1) promoter regions. We found that DNMT inhibition decreased expression levels of Polycomb-group (PcG) proteins and increased expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), which target PcG proteins. Decreased CpG island methylation and increased levels of active histone marks at genomic regions encoding miRNAs were observed after 5-AzaC treatment. Taken together, DNMTs have a critical role in regulating the cellular senescence of hUCB-MSCs through controlling not only the DNA methylation status but also active/inactive histone marks at genomic regions of PcG-targeting miRNAs and p16(INK4A) and p21(CIP1/WAF1) promoter regions.     

Increasing the complexity of chromatin: functionally distinct roles for replication-dependent histone H2A isoforms in cell proliferation and carcinogenesis

Replication-dependent histones are encoded by multigene families found in several large clusters in the human genome and are thought to be functionally redundant. However, the abundance of specific replication-dependent isoforms of histone H2A is altered in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Similar changes in the abundance of H2A isoforms are also associated with the proliferation and tumorigenicity of bladder cancer cells. To determine whether these H2A isoforms can perform distinct functions, expression of several H2A isoforms was reduced by siRNA knockdown. Reduced expression of the HIST1H2AC locus leads to increased rates of cell proliferation and tumorigenicity. We also observe that regulation of replication-dependent histone H2A expression can occur on a gene-specific level. Specific replication-dependent histone H2A genes are either up- or downregulated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia tumor tissue samples. In addition, discreet elements are identified in the 5′ untranslated region of the HIST1H2AC locus that confer translational repression. Taken together, these results indicate that replication-dependent histone isoforms can possess distinct cellular functions and that regulation of these isoforms may play a role in carcinogenesis.