人端粒酶催化亚单位启动子调控自杀基因HSV-TK肿瘤细胞特异性表达载体的构建

将自杀基因形插入质粒pGL3-hTp和pGL3-Control中,取代其上的荧光素酶基因,分别构建hTERT启动子和SV40启动子调控的TK基因表达质粒pGL3-hWp-TK和pGL3-SV40-TK,酶切和PCR鉴定结果显示重组质粒pGL3-hTp-TK和pGL3-SV40-TK构建成功;用脂质体法将pGL3-hTp-TK和pGL3-SV40-TK瞬时转染端粒酶阳性的人肺腺癌细胞株A549及端粒酶阴性的人胚肺成纤维细胞株MRC-5,RT-PCR显示转染pGL3-SV40-TK的细胞A549和MRC-5均有TK mRNA表达,转染pGL3-hTp-TK的A549细胞中也有形mRNA表达,但转染pGL3-hTp-TK的MRC-5细胞无TK mRNA表达,提示hTERT启动子可以调控自杀基因HSV-TK在肺癌细胞中靶向表达,可能是肿瘤靶向性基因治疗中比较理想的转录调控元件．     

用于化学预防剂筛选的转基因细胞模型的建立

建立TK启动子以及抗氧化反应元件(ARE)增强子调控报告基因GFP在HepG2细胞中稳定表达的细胞模型。人工合成ARE增强子序列,经退火和磷酸化后插入pTK-GFP载体的TK启动子上游,构建pARE-TK-GFP重组质粒。PCR法扩增TK和ARE-TK目的片段克隆到pEGFP-N1上,构建TK启动子启动以及上游由ARE增强子调控的报告基因表达载体pTK-GFP/Neo和pARE-TK-GFP/Neo。脂质体转染法转染人HepG2肝癌细胞后加G418筛选出阳性克隆。经扩大培养的克隆细胞中加入化学预防剂PDTC和香菇多糖作用48h后检测细胞中GFP荧光强度,结果显示pARE-TK-GFP/Neo表达载体中的GFP基因受ARE增强子的调控,其表达水平高于对照载体且在一定范围内与化学预防剂的浓度呈剂量效应关系,从而表明所构建的细胞模型可用于各种天然或人工合成的化学预防剂的初步筛选。     

hTERT启动子调控rVBMDMP基因表达载体的构建与功能研究

为了探讨端粒酶催化亚单位(hTERT)启动子调控重组血管基膜衍生多功能肽(rVBMDMP)基因表达抑制肺癌细胞生长的作用机制,采用PCR方法,克隆hTERT启动子核心区片段,并检测其功能活性.然后,构建pLNSX/hTERT/rVBMDMP逆病毒载体,获取逆病毒,感染肺癌A549细胞,检测hTERT启动子调控rVBMDMP基因表达对细胞形态、细胞生长、细胞凋亡以及Caspase-3表达的影响.另外,观察hTERT启动子调控rVBMDMP基因表达对裸鼠成瘤的抑制作用、瘤组织细胞的凋亡及Caspase-3表达情况.结果发现:a.hTERT启动子核心区能调控rVBMDMP基因的表达(n=3,P<0.05);b.hTERT启动子调控rVBMDMP基因的表达具有抑制肺癌A549细胞的生长和裸鼠成瘤作用(n=6,P<0.05);c.rVBMDMP基因表达能促进肺癌A549细胞凋亡和Caspase-3蛋白表达.以上结果说明,hTERT启动子调控rVBMDMP基因表达后,通过提高Caspase-3的表达水平,促进细胞凋亡而抑制肺癌A549细胞的生长.     

健脾化瘀中药提高胞嘧啶脱氨酶/单纯疱疹病毒胸苷激酶基因治疗肝细胞癌的实验研究

目的:观察健脾化瘀中药提高胞嘧啶脱氨酶/单纯疱疹病毒胸苷激酶基因治疗肝细胞癌的作用。方法:脂质体lipofectamine将含有双自杀基因的腺病毒载体pAd-CD/TK导人293细胞,收集病毒上清转染人肝癌细胞BEL7402,MTT法测定BEL7402细胞存活率。裸鼠人肝癌模型转染CD/TK双自杀基因后,给予5-FC500mg/kg,GCV 100mg/kg腹腔注射,同时予健脾化瘀中药960复方灌胃。观察肿瘤生长情况。结果:给予前体药物5-FC和GCV后,CD/TK转染细胞被杀死。并表现出较强的旁观者效应。转染细胞比例达到10%即表现出较强的杀伤作用(P<0.01)。健脾化瘀中药960复方具有提高旁观者效应作用,1.67ml/kg和2.5ml/kg960复方含药血清组细胞存活率显著低于对照组(P<0.01)。转染基因组应用5-FC和GCV治疗后,裸鼠肝癌的生长明显受到抑制(P<0.05),抑瘤率39.42%,单用中药组抑瘤率18.04%,中药与CD/TK 5-FC/GCV联合运用组,较单纯CD/5-FC/HSV-tk/GCV对裸鼠肿瘤模型的生长抑制作用更加明显(P<0.05),抑瘤率55.10%。结伦:腺病毒介导CD/TK自杀基因可有效地杀死人肝癌BEL7402细胞,健脾化瘀中药960复方具有显著提高CD/TK双自杀基因对人肝癌细胞的抑杀作用。     

Survivin基因RNA干扰对肺癌细胞凋亡及增殖的影响

目的:探讨Survivin表达对肺鳞癌细胞的凋亡和增殖的影响.方法:利用siRNA阻抑人肺鳞癌细胞内survivin基因的表达,用RT-PCR和Western Blotting法分析survivin基因mRNA和蛋白的表达,流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率,细胞集落形成实验检测细胞增殖.结果:(1)Survivin在肺癌细胞中表达.转染Survivin siRNA可在RNA和蛋白水平阻断其表达;(2)转染Survivin siRNA的肺癌细胞凋亡率显著增加;(3)转染Survivin siRNA的肺癌细胞的集落形成率显著降低.结论:阻断Survivin表达可通过增加细胞凋亡率和降低细胞增殖增加肺鳞癌细胞的放疗敏感性.     

CEA启动子控制HSV-TK基因表达对人结直肠癌细胞的杀伤作用

构建了以CEA启动子控制的HSV-TK基因表达质粒pCEA-TK。转染pCEA-TK的人结肠癌细胞LoVo对GCV的敏感性提高了1300倍。同样条件下,人宫颈癌细胞HeLa对GCV的敏感性仅提高8倍,且对低于血药浓度(20μmol/L)的GCV不敏感。以上结果显示在GCV存在时,CEA启动子控制下HSV-TK基因的表达使CEA阳性的人结直肠癌细胞获得专一性杀伤。此外,DNA片段分析和电镜观察表明GCV诱导转染pCEA-TK的LoVo细胞发生凋亡可能是这个系统杀死肿瘤细胞的机制之一。本工作还讨论了癌胚抗原(CEA)基因启动子用于人结直肠癌专一性自杀基因治疗的可能性。     

肝胆肿瘤细胞转录因子Oct-4的表达对Survivin抗凋亡作用的调控

对临床原发性肝癌、胆囊癌、胆管癌标本Oct-4和Survivin的表达进行了免疫组化鉴定;进一步建立肝癌、胆囊癌、胆管癌细胞系EHBH-H1、EH-GB1和EH-CA1,利用腺病毒携带Survivin-shRNA或Oct-4基因感染癌细胞系,并利用流式细胞术观察细胞周期和细胞凋亡的变化,探讨转录因子Oct-4与Survivin之间的相互调控及对癌细胞遗传特性的影响。结果表明,临床原发性肝癌、胆囊癌、胆管癌标本Oct-4阳性率达60.7%,Survivin阳性率达75.0%,且两者之间存在明显的正相关关系;特异性shRNA沉默EH-CA1癌细胞Survivin的表达后,其Oct-4表达没有变化,但诱导细胞周期阻滞和细胞凋亡;EH-GB1癌细胞获得Oct-4表达后,Survivin表达增强,促进细胞周期运行并下调细胞凋亡。实验证实Oct-4可以增强癌细胞Survivin的表达,从而发挥促进细胞周期运行、抑制细胞凋亡的作用,此研究为建立并优化肿瘤基因治疗的策略提供了新的靶点。     

携带HSV-1TK基因的逆转录病毒载体构建及在HeLa细胞中的表达

目的:构建携带单纯疱疹病毒脱氧胸腺嘧啶激酶基因(herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase,HSV-TK)的逆转录病毒,用于宫颈癌的治疗研究。方法:用限制性内切酶从质粒pcDNA3.1/HA-myc-His(-)Z-TK切下HSV-1TK cDNA序列,亚克隆入逆转录病毒载体pLXSN得到重组质粒pLXSN-TK,鉴定正确的阳性重组质粒经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和Western blotting方法检测HSV-1TK基因在HeLa中的整合和表达情况。结果:重组质粒pLXSN-TK经PA317细胞包装后收获病毒上清,感染HeLa细胞,检测发现HSV-1TK基因整合到细胞基因组DNA中,并且能有效的转录和翻译。结论:成功构建了逆转录病毒pLXSN-TK,该病毒能有效感染HeLa细胞,并使携带的治疗基因HSV-1TK在细胞中表达,为今后HSV-1TK基因治疗宫颈癌的研究奠定基础。     

肝癌细胞Fas-FasL途径反击免疫细胞

为了探讨肝癌细胞反击肿瘤浸润淋巴细胞(TIL)的机制,在体外进行肝癌细胞和TIL混合培养后,检测两种细胞FasL、Fas、caspase-8基因的表达情况,以及肿瘤细胞反击时TIL凋亡比例的变化.将肝癌细胞与TIL按照不同的比例共培养后,流式细胞术检测TIL凋亡率;实时荧光定量PCR检测肝癌细胞与TIL FasL、Fas和caspase-8基因的表达情况;以及Western印迹检测FasL、caspase-8的表达情况.不同浓度的肝癌细胞与TIL共同培养48 h后,随着肝癌细胞接种浓度的增加,TIL凋亡率明显增加(P＜0.01).与正常人肝细胞相比,人肝癌细胞FasL mRNA表达含量明显增高(P＜0.01).与人肝癌细胞共同培养24 h后,TIL Fas、caspase-8基因mRNA的表达也明显升高;TIL caspase-8的表达也明显升高.结果表明,肝癌细胞可以通过Fas系统诱导TIL发生凋亡,这为肝癌的免疫逃逸和肿瘤反击机制提供了依据.     

Enhancement of expression of survivin promoter-driven CD/TK double suicide genes by the nuclear matrix attachment region in transgenic gastric cancer cells

This work aimed to study a novel transgenic expression system of the CD/TK double suicide genes enhanced by the nuclear matrix attachment region (MAR) for gene therapy. The recombinant vector pMS-CD/TK containing the MAR–survivin promoter–CD/TK cassette was developed and transfected into human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells. Expression of the CD/TK genes was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blot. Cell viability and apoptosis were measured using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and flow cytometry. When the MAR fragment was inserted into the upstream of the survivin promoter, the qPCR result showed that the expression of the CD/TK genes significantly increased 7.7-fold in the transgenic SGC-7901 cells with plasmid pMS-CD/TK compared with that without MAR. MTT and flow cytometry analyses indicated that treatment with the prodrugs (5-FC + GCV) significantly decreased the cellular survival rate and enhanced the cellular apoptosis in the SGC-7901 cells. The expression of the CD/TK double suicide genes driven by the survivin promoter can be enhanced by the MAR fragment in human gastric cancer cells.     

CEA启动子控制HSV—TK基因表达对人结直肠癌细胞的杀伤作用

An expression plasmid pCEA-TK, in which HSV-TK gene was under the control of CEA promoter, was constructed. The human colorectal carcinoma cell line LoVo or the human uterine cervical cancer cell line HeLa was co-transfected with pSV2-neo and pCEATK, respectively. After G418 selection, both transgenic cell clones (LoVo/CEATK and HeLa/CEATK) were obtained. LoVo/CEATK cells were 1300 times more sensitive to the cytotoxicity of ganciclovir than LoVo cells. However, the elevation of GCV sensitivity induced by pCEATK gene in HeLa line was only 8 times. Injection of GCV resulted in significant regression of HSV-TK transfected LoVo tumor in nude mice. These data suggested that the expression of TK gene driven by CEA promoter specifically killed CEA-positive colorectal carcinoma cells. Transmission electromicroscopy and DNA fragmentation assay demonstrated that GCV could induce apoptosis in LoVo/CEATK cells. The possibility of the CEATK/GCV system in the treatment of human colorectal carcinoma was discussed.     

Targeted Expression of Suicide Gene by Tissue-Specific Promoter and MicroRNA Regulation for Cancer Gene Therapy

In order to realise the full potential of cancer suicide gene therapy that allows the precise expression of suicide gene in cancer cells, we used a tissue specific Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) promoter (EGP-2) that directs transgene Herpes simplex virus–thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) expression preferentially in EpCAM over expressing cancer cells. EpCAM levels are considerably higher in retinoblastoma (RB), a childhood eye cancer with limited expression in normal cells. Use of miRNA regulation, adjacent to the use of the tissue-specific promoter, would provide the second layer of control to the transgene expression only in the tumor cells while sparing the normal cells. To test this hypothesis we cloned let-7b miRNA targets in the 3’UTR region of HSV-TK suicide gene driven by EpCAM promoter because let-7 family miRNAs, including let-7b, were found to be down regulated in the RB tumors and cell lines. We used EpCAM over expressing and let-7 down regulated RB cell lines Y79, WERI-Rb1 (EpCAM ^+ve/let-7b^{down-regulated}), EpCAM down regulated, let-7 over expressing normal retinal Müller glial cell line MIO-M1(EpCAM ^−ve/let-7b^up-regulated), and EpCAM up regulated, let-7b up-regulated normal thyroid cell line N-Thy-Ori-3.1(EpCAM ^+ve/let-7b^up-regulated) in the study. The cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay, apoptosis was measured by probing cleaved Caspase3, EpCAM and TK expression were quantified by Western blot. Our results showed that the EGP2-promoter HSV-TK (EGP2-TK) construct with 2 or 4 copies of let-7b miRNA targets expressed TK gene only in Y79, WERI-Rb-1, while the TK gene did not express in MIO-M1. In summary, we have developed a tissue-specific, miRNA-regulated dual control vector, which selectively expresses the suicide gene in EpCAM over expressing cells.     

The role of a HSV thymidine kinase stimulating substance, scopadulciol, in improving the efficacy of cancer gene therapy

BACKGROUND: The most extensively investigated strategy of suicide gene therapy for treatment of cancer is the transfer of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) gene followed by administration of antiviral prodrugs such as acyclovir (ACV) and ganciclovir (GCV). The choice of the agent that can stimulate HSV-TK enzymatic activity is one of the determinants of the usefulness of this strategy. Previously, we found that a diterpenoid, scopadulciol (SDC), produced a significant increase in the active metabolite of ACV. This suggests that SDC may play a role in the HSV-TK/prodrug administration system. METHODS: The anticancer effect of SDC was evaluated in HSV-TK-expressing (TK+) cancer cells and nude mice bearing TK+ tumors. In vitro and in vivo enzyme assays were performed using TK+ cells and tumors. The phosphorylation of ACV monophosphate (ACV-MP) was measured in TK- cell lysates. The pharmacokinetics of prodrugs was evaluated by calculating area-under-the-concentration-time-curve values. RESULTS: SDC stimulated HSV-TK activity in TK+ cells and tumors, and increased GCV-TP levels, while no effect of SDC was observed on the phosphorylation of ACV-MP to ACV-TP by cellular kinases. The SDC/prodrug combination altered the pharmacokinetics of the prodrugs. In accord with these findings, SDC enhanced significantly the cell-killing activity of prodrugs. The bystander effect was also significantly augmented by the combined treatment of ACV/GCV and SDC. CONCLUSIONS: SDC was shown to be effective in the HSV-TK/prodrug administration system and improved the efficiency of the bystander effect of ACV and GCV. The findings will be considerably valuable with respect to the use of GCV in lower doses and less toxic ACV. This novel strategy of drug combination could provide benefit to HSV-TK/prodrug gene therapy.     

Targeted killing effects of double CD and TK suicide genes controlled by survivin promoter on gastric cancer cell

Suicide genes such as cytosine deaminase (CD) and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (TK) encode products that convert nontoxic substances (prodrugs) into toxic metabolites. Studies in recent years indicated that survivin(sur) expression was associated with the biological behaviors of gastric carcinoma. In the present study, targeted killing effects of double CD and TK suicide genes controlled by survivin promoter on gastric cancer cell were investigated, the recombinant pSCT vector containing CD and TK genes driven by sur promoter was constructed and transfected into SGC-7901 cells. After adding the CCV and 5-FC, the effects of double suicide genes on cell growth, cell cycle and proliferation were determined by MTT assay and flow cytometry (FCM). The results showed that sur promoter could specifically drive the expression of double CD/TK gene in SGC-7901 cells, whereas not in the normal GES-1 cell. After using CCV and 5-FC, the growth of SGC-7901 cells was inhibited. G1 phase proportion was significantly higher in SGC-7901 cells transfected with double suicide genes than the untransfected cells. These results suggest that CD and TK double suicide genes driven by sur promoter could provide a new approach for enhancing selective suicide gene therapy of CD/5-FC for the treatment of advanced gastric carcinoma.     

以HIV-1 5＇LTR为靶点的药物筛选细胞模型的构建

构建以人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV-1）5＇LTR为靶点的药物筛选细胞模型,用于体外筛选潜在的对HIV-1启动子具有抑制作用的药物,或用于筛选与HIV-1复制相关的宿主因子。通过PCR扩增HIV-1 5＇LTR片段和胸苷激酶基因（thymidine kinase gene,TK基因）,以这2片段为模板进行重叠PCR将两者连接起来,连接产物经酶切后与pcDNA3.1载体连接;将连接正确的质粒转染HEK293细胞同时用G418加压筛选获得稳定细胞系;加入药物更昔洛韦（GCV）检测TK基因的表达。成功构建了HIV-1 5＇LTR调控TK基因表达的稳定细胞系,在其培养过程中加入药物更昔洛韦时,细胞逐渐死亡。构建了以HIV-1 5＇LTR为靶点的药物筛选细胞模型,该模型利用TK基因作为报告基因方便灵敏,可用于筛选针对HIV-1 5＇LTR的潜在抗HIV药物。     

shRNA随机文库结合TK自杀基因筛选靶向HIV-1LTR相关宿主因子

构建shRNA随机文库与HIV-1 LTR启动胸苷激酶基因(TK基因)稳定表达的稳定细胞系HEK293/TK,将两者结合起来,筛选靶向HIV-1 LTR相关宿主因子.方法:通过化学合成含有19个随机脱氧核苷酸的发夹结构,将其退火补平后与合成的接头Linker连接进行PCR反应,将PCR产物酶切后置于慢病毒载体pLenti-U6启动子下游由此构建shRNA随机文库;利用重叠PCR将HIV-1 LTR片段和TK基因连接起来,连接产物经酶切后与pcDNA3.1载体连接;将连接正确的质粒转染HEK293细胞同时用G418加压筛选获得稳定细胞系HEK293/TK;将所获得的文库质粒包装成慢病毒后侵染所构建的HEK293/TK细胞系,通过加入药物GCV进行加压筛选获得存活细胞.结果:成功筛选到加药后存活下来的细胞,抽提细胞基因组,采用巢式PCR扩增目的干扰序列并用Western blot对干扰序列进行验证,鉴定获得一个克隆所表达的shRNA能对TK基因的表达起到抑制作用,通过测序分析获得其干扰序列,该序列很有可能针对HIV-1 LTR某宿主相关因子.结论:成功构建了一种筛选HIV-1 LTR相关宿主因子的方法,筛选所得序列可以定位到具体相关宿主因子,为靶向筛选抗HIV-1药物提供了重要手段.