SV40增强子对奶牛β-酪蛋白启动子活性的影响

该文采用重叠PCR方法在奶牛β-酪蛋白启动子(op0)中插入SV40增强子构建重组启动子op0-SV40enh,并分析其活性。首先PCR扩增op0 5′-端2.1 Kb片段、op0 3′-端1 Kb片段和SV40增强子序列,重叠PCR拼接三种片段得到插入SV40增强子的op0-SV40enh启动子并测序鉴定后,酶切连接将其插入pGL3-Basic中的指定克隆位点,构建重组载体pGL3-op0-SV40enh。将重组载体pGL3-op0和pGL3-op0-SV40enh分别瞬时转染乳腺癌MCF-7细胞,采用双荧光素酶报告基因检测系统检测启动子op0和op0-SV40enh的相对活性。结果显示,重叠PCR拼接出长度为3.4 Kb的片段,测序结果与预期结果一致,表明成功构建了重组载体pGL3-op0-SV40enh;op0-SV40enh启动子的活性远高于op0启动子的活性,表明奶牛β-酪蛋白启动子中插入SV40增强子序列可显著提高其引导荧光素酶报告基因表达的活性。     

CMV早期转录增强子对人癌胚抗原启动子效率的作用研究

为了探讨人巨细胞病毒(CMV)早期转录增强子用于癌胚抗原(CEA)阳性肿瘤的靶向基因治疗的意义,我们参考有关文献利用PCR法分别克隆了369 bp的人CEA启动子和531 bp的CMV早期转录增强子,构建了相应的pGL4.10荧光素酶报告基因载体,与内参照pGL4.74质粒共转染CEA阳性的人肠癌细胞LoVo、HT-29、SW620、肺癌细胞A549、乳腺癌细胞MCF7和CEA阴性的肠癌细胞SW480、宫颈癌细胞HeLa、人肺成纤维细胞LL47,利用双荧光素酶检测系统检测分析了这些细胞中CEA重组启动子的效率。结果表明,CMV增强子能够明显增强CEA启动子在CEA阳性细胞中的效率(提高7.46至70.16倍),但是也能提高CEA启动子在CEA阴性细胞中的效率(提高24.01至76.40倍)。因此上述CMV增强子虽然可以大大提高CEA启动子的效率,但是对特异性有影响,在将其用于CEA阳性肿瘤基因治疗时还需采用其它保证特异性的手段。     

乙型肝炎病毒核心启动子下游克隆入Teto序列后其在不同细胞系中转录活性的变化

目的:探讨将Teto序列克隆入乙型肝炎病毒核心启动子(Cp)下游后对该启动子在不同细胞系中转录活性的影响。方法:利用PCR从质粒pTL-8中扩增7个Teto序列,并将其克隆入T载体pMD19-T/Simple中,测序正确后将7个Teto序列亚克隆入pGL3-Basic/Cp萤光素酶报告基因质粒中Cp启动子的下游,以构建质粒pGL3-Basic/Cp/x7t。将能表达TetR的质粒pTL-8的萤光素酶编码基因切除后,与pGL3-Basic/Cp/x7t共转染肝癌细胞系HepG2、宫颈癌细胞系HeLa、绿猴肾细胞系COS-7、乳腺癌细胞系MDA-MB-231和结肠癌细胞系HT-29,通过双萤光素酶检测系统检测萤光素酶在这些不同细胞系中的活性,以分析将Teto序列克隆入乙型肝炎病毒核心启动子下游后对Cp在不同细胞系中转录活性的影响。结果:构建了质粒pGL3-Basic/Cp/x7t,将其转染HeLa、COS-7、HepG2、MDA-MB-231和HT-29细胞后其相对萤光素酶活性分别为56.14、171.52、211.03、6.11和34.24。结论:将Teto序列克隆入Cp下游并不能明显提高Cp的转录活性,而且破坏了Cp的组织特异性转录活性。     

人连接蛋白43基因启动子活性区域分析

利用PCR技术从基因组DNA中获得不同长度的Cx43基因启动子片段,克隆至荧光素酶报告基因载体pGL3-Basic中,瞬时转染成纤维细胞,通过荧光素酶活性检测,分析不同启动子区域的转录调控能力。结果显示Cx43基因不同长度的启动子荧光素酶报告基因载体被成功构建,它们在成纤维细胞中的活性不同:535~-1区域可能为Cx43基因启动子的核心转录调控作用区,这为进一步研究Cx43在成纤维细胞中的转录调控特点奠定了基础。     

小鼠TIE2基因启动子的克隆及转录活性分析

克隆小鼠TIE2基因的启动子并分析其转录活性.设计并合成引物,以小鼠肝脏组织DNA为模板,巢式PCR扩增小鼠TIE2基因启动子区.将扩增获得的系列截短片段克隆入荧光素酶(Luc)报告基因表达载体pGL3-Basic中,构建系列启动子区转录活性报告质粒pGL3-TIE2-Luc.报告质粒与内参质粒共转染SVEC4-10、NIH3T3、HUVEC及NIT-1细胞系,48h后收获细胞检测双荧光素酶的表达情况.构建的pGL3-TIE2-Luc系列报告质粒经过酶切鉴定及DNA测序分析都显示正确;转染4种细胞系后进行双荧光素酶活性检测的结果表明,TIE2基因启动子区域(-2056-+1)具有较强的转录活性.成功构建小鼠TIE2基因启动子报告质粒,证实TIE2基因上游区域(-2056-+1)具有较强的启动子活性.     

丙型肝炎病毒5’非翻译区不同结构域对其启动子活性的影响

在前期工作已证实HCV基因组5’UTRDNA序列具有启动子活性的基础上,分别构建5’UTR不同结构域的DNA序列驱动虫荧光素酶基因表达的质粒pGL3-5’UTR,转染HepG2细胞以及用全长的5’UTRcDNA构建质粒分别转染HepG2、Hela、HEK293、L02细胞,用双荧光素酶检测系统检测虫荧光素酶的表达水平,逆转录聚合酶链反应检测虫荧光素酶基因mRNA水平,并与相应对照作比较。结果显示当四个结构域都具备时,荧光素酶相对活性为5.91±0.65,为SV40启动子的18.7%;失去结构域I以后,荧光素酶相对活性为9.52±0.32;失去结构域I和II以后,荧光素酶相对活性为2.64±0.25;失去结构域III和IV以后,荧光素酶相对活性为0.32±0.09;失去结构域IV以后,荧光素酶相对活性为2.72±0.45,逆转录聚合酶链反应结果与之相符;全长5’UTRcDNA在L02、hepG2、HEK293、Hela细胞中荧光素酶相对活性分别为0.75,0.49,0.23,0.14。结果提示结构域III是HCV5’UTRDNA序列具备启动子活性的核心结构,结构域I对其5’UTRDNA序列的启动子活性具有抑制效应,而结构域II和IV可增强5’UTRDNA序列的启动子活性;HCV5’UTRcDNA的启动子功能无组织特异性,但在正常的肝细胞(L02)中表达最高。     

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．     

抑瘤基因NGX6启动子的克隆与功能鉴定

NGX6是一个结直肠癌候选抑瘤基因,其转录调控机制不明．采用生物信息学技术预测其启动子区,并构建NGX6启动子荧光素酶报告基因重组体pGL3/Enhancer/1126．荧光素酶活性检测结果表明该区域具有强启动子活性．应用PromoterInspector program,FistEF,CpGplot和MatInspector Professional软件分析发现,NGX6基因转录调控区为一个不含TATA盒,而含有CAAT盒的GC富集区．凝胶迁移阻滞实验确定NGX6基因启动子区域具有Sp1特异性结合位点,Sp1特异性阻断剂光神霉素(mithramycin A)能明显抑制NGX6启动子的活性和NGX6基因的表达;封闭内源性Sp1能下调NGX6基因mRNA表达水平．     

携带不同数量增强子的嵌合型肝脏特异性启动子的构建及其体外实验研究

通过PCR手段成功获得肝细胞特异性启动子人α1-抗胰蛋白酶启动子hAATp(human α1-antitrypsin promoter,hAATp)及具有增强子功能的肝脏特异的肝调控区HCR (hepatic control region,HCR)。在此基础上,通过分子克隆手段构建获得携带有不同数量的HCR增强子的嵌合型肝脏特异性hAAT启动子,并在下游连入报告基因Luciferase,然后将重组质粒转染人肝癌细胞系HepG2、小鼠肝癌细胞系Hepa1-6、人胚肾细胞系HEK293和人脑星形胶质母细胞瘤细胞系U87-MG,通过检测Luciferase表达活性分析携带不同数量增强子的肝脏特异性启动子的启动活性及其组织特异性。结果表明,携带有3个增强子的嵌合型肝脏特异性启动子活性及特异性最好,为肝脏类疾病的靶向性治疗研究奠定了基础。     

Activity of the Human Telomerase Catalytic Subunit (hTERT) Gene Promoter Could Be Increased by the SV40 Enhancer

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein complex of which the function is to add telomeric repeats to chromosomal ends. Telomerase consists of two essential components, the telomerase RNA template (hTR) and the catalytic subunit (hTERT). hTERT is expressed only in cells and tissues positive for telomerase activity, i.e., tumor and fetal cells. The aim of this study is to test the increased telomerase promoter activity for cancer gene therapy in adenovirus vector. We cloned the hTERT promoter in place of the SV40 promoter in the pGL3-contol vector to be increased by the SV40 enhancer sequences, resulting in strong expression of luc+ only in telomerase positive cancer cells. Then we transfected the constructed plasmid into a normal human cell line and several cancer cell lines. Through these experiments, we identified the selective and increased expression of the luciferase gene controlled by the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer in the telomerase positive cancer cell lines. To investigate the possibility of utilizing the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer in targeted cancer gene therapy, we constructed an adenovirus vector expressing HSV-TK controlled by the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer for the induction of specific telomerase positive cancer cell death. NSCLC cells infected by Ad-hT-TK-enh were more significantly suppressed and induced apoptosis than those infected by Ad-hT-TK. Telomerase is activated in 80～90% of cancers, so adenovirus with increasing telomerase promoter activity might be used for targeted cancer gene therapy using suicide genes. These results show that the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer might be used for targeted cancer gene therapy.     

Activity of the human telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) gene promoter could be increased by the SV40 enhancer

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein complex of which the function is to add telomeric repeats to chromosomal ends. Telomerase consists of two essential components, the telomerase RNA template (hTR) and the catalytic subunit (hTERT). hTERT is expressed only in cells and tissues positive for telomerase activity, i.e., tumor and fetal cells. The aim of this study is to test the increased telomerase promoter activity for cancer gene therapy in adenovirus vector. We cloned the hTERT promoter in place of the SV40 promoter in the pGL3-contol vector to be increased by the SV40 enhancer sequences, resulting in strong expression of luc+ only in telomerase positive cancer cells. Then we transfected the constructed plasmid into a normal human cell line and several cancer cell lines. Through these experiments, we identified the selective and increased expression of the luciferase gene controlled by the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer in the telomerase positive cancer cell lines. To investigate the possibility of utilizing the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer in targeted cancer gene therapy, we constructed an adenovirus vector expressing HSV-TK controlled by the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer for the induction of specific telomerase positive cancer cell death. NSCLC cells infected by Ad-hT-TK-enh were more significantly suppressed and induced apoptosis than those infected by Ad-hT-TK. Telomerase is activated in 80 approximately 90% of cancers, so adenovirus with increasing telomerase promoter activity might be used for targeted cancer gene therapy using suicide genes. These results show that the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer might be used for targeted cancer gene therapy.     

Adenovirus-mediated suicide SCLC gene therapy using the increased activity of the hTERT promoter by the MMRE and SV40 enhancer

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein complex of which the function is to add telomeric repeats to chromosomal ends. Telomerase consists of two essential components, the telomerase RNA template (hTR) and the catalytic subunit (hTERT). hTERT is expressed only in cells and tissues positive for telomerase activity, i.e., tumor or stem cells. The aim of this study was to use increased telomerase promoter activity in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) gene therapy. The hTERT promoter and Myc-Max response elements (MMRE) in pGL3-Control vector containing SV40 enhancer resulted in strong expression of the luciferase gene only in telomerase positive and myc overexpressing SCLC cell line but not in normal human cell line. To investigate the possibility of the utilization of the MMRE, hTERT promoter, and SV40 enhancer in targeted SCLC gene therapy, adenovirus vector expressing HSV-TK controlled by the MMRE, hTERT promoter, and SV40 enhancer for the induction of telomerase positive and myc-overexpressing cancer specific cell death was constructed. SCLC cells infected with Ad-MMRE-hT-TK-enh were significantly suppressed and induced apoptosis more than those of Ad-hT-TK or Ad-hT-TK-enh infected cells. Telomerase and c-myc are activated in 60 approximately 80% of SCLC, so the increased activity of telomerase promoter can be used for targeted SCLC gene therapy. These results show that the MMRE, hTERT promoter, and SV40 enhancer can be used in SCLC targeted cancer gene therapy.