利用小鼠模型评价含有5＇-GTCGTT-3＇特征序列的人CpG寡脱氧核苷酸的免疫刺激活性

为了寻找合适的动物模型来评价人CpG寡脱氧核苷酸（CpG-ODN）的活性,研究了CpG2006等含有5＇-GTCGTT-3＇特征序列的人CpG-ODN对小鼠的免疫刺激活性。在体外它们能够促进小鼠脾淋巴细胞转化,促进B细胞分泌IgM,但不能诱生高水平的IFN-γ。研究了CpG2006等序列在体内作为疫苗佐剂对HBsAg免疫效果的影响,发现（1）人CpG-ODN能够明显提高抗-HBs抗体水平,并逆转Al（OH）     

CpG壳聚糖纳米颗粒对小鼠乙型肝炎疫苗免疫应答的影响

为探索高效安全的分子免疫增强剂,本实验设计合成含11个CpG基序的寡聚核苷酸(CpG ODN),制备壳聚糖纳米颗粒包裹CpG ODN,研究新型CpG ODN壳聚糖纳米颗粒(CpG-CNP)对人乙型肝炎疫苗的免疫佐剂效应.在肌注乙型肝炎疫苗免疫6周龄昆明小鼠的同时,肌注接种裸CpG ODN 30 pmol/只(A1组)和CpG-CNP 5 pmol/只(A2组),口服CpG-CNP 30 pmol/只(B组),并设生理盐水空白疫苗对照组(C组).在接种后每周采血,Sandwich ELISA检测实验小鼠IL-2、IL-4、IL-6、IgG、IgA和IgM水平以及特异性抗体(HbsAb)含量和免疫细胞数量的变化.结果 发现各实验组小鼠的白细胞介素、血清免疫球蛋白、乙肝特异抗体和外周血免疫细胞均较对照组显著增多(P<0.05);CpG-CNP肌注组小鼠血液的免疫球蛋白、特异性乙肝表面抗体和白细胞介素含量、淋巴细胞和单核细胞数量较A1组和B组显著增加(P<0.05).CpG-CNP口服组与裸CpG肌肉注射组无显著差异(P＞0.05).这些表明CpG-CNP不仅能高效诱导小鼠对乙肝疫苗的体液免疫应答,同时也显著增强其细胞免疫应答;CNP包裹可提高CpG的免疫刺激效应,减少CpG剂量,提示新CpG-CNP肌注或口服可用于HBV的免疫预防.     

质粒骨架的CpG修饰对DNA疫苗免疫原性的影响

目的：探讨不同类型的CpG对DNA疫苗免疫应答的影响。方法：将3种不同类型的CpG通过骨架改造的方式引入核酸疫苗的质粒载体骨架中作为内源性佐剂,以LacZ为模式抗原,对其免疫小鼠后特异性抗体水平、细胞免疫水平和细胞因子水平进行比较和分析。结果：3种不同类型的CpG序列在体内能够不同程度地增强免疫小鼠的特异性抗体水平和细胞免疫水平,并且不同类型的CpG序列可能具有不同的免疫调节作用。结论：作为内源性佐剂,CpG免疫刺激DNA序列可不同程度地提高模式抗原特异性的免疫反应,可根据不同抗原的特点加以利用。     

多重PCR方法特异性鉴定卡介苗菌株多糖核酸的初探

与结核分枝杆菌H37Rv菌株进行比较,BCG菌株可找到一个特殊的缺失片段RD1,它存在于所有有毒分枝杆菌中,而在所有的卡介苗菌株中均缺失。应用多重PCR方法检测RD1区的存在与否,可以区别BCG和其它有毒的分枝杆菌。卡介菌多糖核酸来源于卡介菌,检测成品中DNA是否含有RD1区,能特异性地鉴别该制品。结果显示牛分枝杆菌标准株和结核分枝杆菌H37Rv存在RD1区;而卡介菌多糖核酸注射液和国内皮内注射用BCG疫苗生产用菌株扩增产物一致,提示均缺失RD1区。因此,这种多重PCR方法适用于卡介菌多糖核酸注射液的特异性鉴别试验。     

利用小鼠模型评价含有5‘—GTCGTT—3’特征序列的人CpG寡脱氧核苷酸的免疫刺激活性

为了寻找合适的动物模型来评价人CpG寡脱氧核苷酸（CpG－ODN）的活性,研究了CpG2006等含有5‘－GTCGTT－3‘特征序列的人CpG－ODN对小鼠的免疫刺激活性。在体外它们能够促进小鼠脾淋巴细胞转化,促进B细胞分泌IgM ,但不能诱生高水平的IFN－γ。研究了CpG2006等序列在体内作为疫苗佐剂对HBsAg免疫效果的影响,发现：（1）人CpG－ODN能够明显提高抗－HBs抗体水平,并逆转Al(OH)3对T 卤类免疫应答的抑制;(2)初免时以CpG2006为佐剂可以使免疫应答“销定”在Thl类免疫应答,而加强免疫时以CpG2006为佐剂可以在一定程度上逆转初免时Al（OH）3诱生的Th2类免疫应答;（3）CpG2006联合Al(OH)3作为佐剂的单剂量疫苗的免疫效果强于两剂量以Al(OH)3为佐剂的常规疫苗,上述结果表明：小鼠可以作为动物模型用于含有5‘－GTCGTT－3‘特征序列的人CpG－ODN免疫效果的研究。     

CpG DNA 对鸡免疫增强作用的研究进展

新型免疫刺激剂CpG DNA在多数哺乳动物中展示了良好的免疫刺激效果。相应的研究在非哺乳类的家禽中也有广泛开展,并且表现出了与在哺乳类中有所不同的结果。该文将着重练述CpG DNA在家禽中的研究进展。为了更好地了解CpG DNA研究中需要进一步深入的问题,作者也将引用其它动物中的某些研究数据。     

DNA树枝状大分子有效运输免疫刺激剂CpG

DNA纳米结构由于其结构稳定性、精确可控的尺寸、和良好的生物相容性,近年作为新型药物运输载体受到广泛关注。本研究中,我们设计了一种DNA树枝状结构,具有多分支、组装速度快、产率高等优良特性。我们采用这种DNA树枝状结构携载具有免疫刺激功能的寡核苷酸序列(CpG序列)。通过层层组装的方式,在没有酶催化的条件下,快速组装该DNA纳米结构。对组装的各层结构进行系列表征,证明DNA树枝状大分子具有很均一的形貌。MTT细胞活力测定实验验证该组装结构对于小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7的无毒性。利用共聚焦显微镜研究运载CpG序列的DNA树枝状大分子的细胞摄取效果。研究表明,DNA树枝状大分子能够有效增加细胞对于核酸免疫药物的摄取,增强CpG序列进入细胞的能力。在酶联免疫吸附反应(ELISA)检测中,由CpG特异刺激引起的细胞因子——肿瘤坏死因子(TNF-α),DNA树枝状大分子运载的CpG序列,比单链CpG序列能够引起更高的免疫因子释放。DNA树枝状大分子是很有前景的药物递送载体。     

SLE血清中抗-DNA抗体分离和性质的研究

本文用国产高分子树脂(T)接枝小牛胸腺DNA,通过亲合层析从系统性红斑狼疮SLE患者血清中纯化出抗-ds DNA抗体和抗-ss DNA抗体。酶联免疫吸附分析(ELISA)的研究表明:SLE抗-DNA抗体和DNA结合的差异性很大,是高度非均一性的。抗-ss DNA抗体不仅组成成分比抗-ds DNA抗体复杂,ss DNA/抗-ssDNA亲合能力也明显高于ds DNA/抗-ds DNA。纯化的抗-DNA抗体以IgG类抗体占主导,同时也有其它类型抗体存在(例如IgM等)。抗-ds DNA抗体有较抗-ss DNA抗体高的IgG含量(两者的IgG/IgM分别是7.0和4.0),说明IgG抗-DNA抗体更倾向于同dsDNA结合。     

微生物未甲基化CpG DNA对动物肠道的免疫调节作用

摘要:微生物未甲基化CpG DNA为富含未甲基化胞嘧啶-鸟嘌呤二核苷酸的DNA片段,能够被动物肠道细胞Toll样受体家族中的TLＲ9 受体(Toll-like receptor 9,TLR9)特异性识别。未甲基化CpG DNA作为一种动物肠道免疫刺激因子,不仅能够直接调节肠道固有免疫应答,同时还能间接介导肠道适应性免疫应答。未甲基化CpG DNA具有调节机体免疫应答作用的应用前景,成为免疫佐剂开发的研究热点。本文主要综述微生物未甲基化CpG DNA基本概念、受体TLR9的特征、调节动物肠道免疫作用及其信号机制,同时阐述了未甲基化CpG DNA作为免疫佐剂在实际中的应用,最后对微生物未甲基化CpG DNA研究与开发利用前景进行了展望。     

免疫刺激序列CpG的构-效关系

免疫刺激序列CpG是近年来研究的热点;其特征结构如CpG核心、侧翼序列及其回文、磷酸戊糖骨架等都对免疫刺激特性有重要影响.本文就其构-效关系作一综述.     

The somatic replication of DNA methylation

We have tested the hypothesis that DNA methylation patterns are replicated in the somatic cells of vertebrates. Using M-Hpa II, the modification enzyme from Haemophilus parainfluenzae which methylates the internal cytosine residues in the sequence 5'CCGG 3' GGCC, we methylated bacteriophage phi X174 RF DNA and the cloned chicken thymidine kinase (tk) gene in vitro and then introduced these DNAs and unmethylated controls into tk- cultured mouse cells by DNA-mediated transformation. Twenty-five cell generations later, the state of methylation of transferred DNA was examined by restriction endonuclease analysis and blot hybridization. We conclude that methylation at Hpa II sites is replicated by these cultured cells but not with 100% fidelity. We have also noted that methylation of the cloned chicken tk gene decreases its apparent transformation efficiency relative to unmethylated molecules.     

DNA methylation controls the inducibility of the mouse metallothionein-I gene in lymphoid cells

The W7 mouse thymoma cell line does not express the metallothionein-I (MT-I) gene in the presence of either cadmium or glucocorticoids, unlike most other cell lines. This cell line was therefore used as a model system for studying the role of DNA methylation on MT-I gene expression. The extent of DNA methylation within the MT-I gene and its flanking regions was determined by comparing the cleavage patterns generated by the isoschizomeric restriction enzymes Hpa II and Msp I. In W7 cells, all of the Hpa II sites in the vicinity of the MT-I gene are methylated, whereas in cells that have an expressible MT-I gene (for example, Friend erythroleukemia cells) all of these Hpa II sites are unmethylated. When W7 cells are treated for a few hours with 5-azacytidine, the MT-I gene becomes inducible by both cadmium and glucocorticoids. Addition of hydroxyurea along with 5-azacytidine prevents MT-I gene induction, suggesting that incorporation of 5-azacytidine into DNA is required before this gene can be activated. To determine whether 5-azacytidine treatment changes the methylation pattern near the MT-I gene, we treated W7 cells with 5-azacytidine and selected inducible cells in 10 μM cadmium. All of the Hpa II sites within the MT-I gene are unmethylated in these cadmium-resistant W7 cells. In addition, flanking DNA sequences are also undermethylated in a pattern similar to that seen in Friend erythroleukemia cells that express the MT-I gene. The possible significance of methylation as a mechanism of gene commitment during cell differentiation is discussed.     

Bacterial DNA containing methylated CpG motifs retains immunostimulatory activity in synergy with modified lipopolysaccharides

We previously described the immunostimulatory activity of CIA07, a combination of bacterial DNA fragments and modified LPS, and demonstrated that CIA07 has antitumor activity in a mouse bladder cancer model. In this study, we investigated whether methylation of the CpG motifs on the bacterial DNA fragments affects the immunostimulatory potential of CIA07. E. coli DNA fragments were methylated with CpG methylase, and then combined with modified LPS for experiments. Our results revealed that methylated CIA07 (mCIA07) and unmethylated CIA07 were equally active in inducing cytokine secretion from human whole blood cells. In addition, both methylated DNA fragments and mCIA07 retained the ability to activate expression and nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB in RAW 264.7 cells. Finally, methylated DNA fragments and mCIA07 exhibited an antitumor activity comparable to those of their unmethylated counterparts in our mouse bladder cancer model. These data demonstrate that CpG methylation of E. coli DNA does not abrogate the immunostimulatory activity of DNA fragments or CIA07, suggesting that the synergistic activity by bacterial DNA in combination with LPS may be independent of the methylation status of CpG motifs.     

Immunostimulatory activity of CpG oligonucleotides containing non-ionic methylphosphonate linkages

Bacterial DNA and synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides containing unmethylated CpG-motifs in a particular sequence context activate vertebrate immune cells. We examined the significance of negatively charged internucleoside linkages in the flanking sequences 5' and 3' to the CpG-motif on immunostimulatory activity. Cell proliferation and secretion of IL-12 and IL-6 in mouse spleen cell cultures, and spleen weights of mice increased significantly when a non-ionic linkage was placed at least four or more internucleoside linkages away from the CpG-motif in the 5'-flanking sequence. When the non-ionic linkage was placed closer than three internucleoside linkages in the 5'-flanking sequence to the CpG-motif, immunostimulatory activity was suppressed compared with that observed with the unmodified parent oligo. In general, the placement of non-ionic linkage in the 3'-flanking sequence to the CpG-motif either did not affect or slightly increased immunostimulatory activity compared with the parent oligo. These results have significance in understanding CpG oligonucleotide-receptor interactions and the development of potent immunomodulatory agents.     

DNA methylation in stingless bees with low and high heterochromatin contents as assessed by restriction enzyme digestion and image analysis.

BACKGROUND: The stingless bee genus Melipona has been divided into two groups, based on their heterochromatin content. Melipona quadrifasciata and Melipona rufiventris have low and high levels of heterochromatin, respectively. Since condensed chromatin may be rich in methylated DNA sequences, M. quadrifasciata and M. rufiventris nuclei may contain different amounts of methylated CpG. These differences could be assessed by comparing Feulgen-DNA values obtained by image analysis of cells treated with the restriction enzymes Msp I and Hpa II that distinguish between methylated and unmethylated DNA. Msp I and Hpa II cleave the sequence -CCGG-, but there is no cleavage by Hpa II if the cytosine of the central CG dinucleotide is methylated. METHODS: Malpighian tubules of M. quadrifasciata and M. rufiventris were treated with Msp I and Hpa II prior to the Feulgen reaction, and analyzed by automatic scanning microspectrophotometry. RESULTS: The Feulgen-DNA values for the heterochromatin of M. rufiventris and for the small heterochromatin and some euchromatin domains of M. quadrifasciata mostly decreased after treatment with Msp I, but were unchanged after treatment with Hpa II. CONCLUSION: CpG methylation, although detected in diverse chromatin compartments in different bee species, may induce silencing effects required for the same cell physiology.     

Methylated and unmethylated DNA compartments in the sea urchin genome.

Sea urchin (Echinus esculentus) DNA has been separated into high and low molecular weight fractions by digestion with the mCpG-sensitive restriction endonucleases Hpa II, Hha I and Ava I. The separation was due to differences in methylation at the recognition sequences for these enzymes because an mCpG-insensitive isoschizomer of Hpa II (Msp I) digested Hpa II-resistant DNA to low molecular weight, showing that many Hpa II sites were in fact present in this fraction; and because 3H-methyl methionine administered to embryos was incorporated into the high molecular weight Hpa II-, Hha I- and Ava I-resistant fraction, but not significantly into the low molecular weight fraction. The fraction resistant to Hpa II, Hha I and Ava I amounted to about 40% of the total DNA. It consisted of long sequence tracts between 15 and well over 50 kg in length, in which many sites for each of these enzymes were methylated consecutively. The remaining 60% of the genome, (m-), was not significantly methylated. Methylated and unmethylated fractions were considered to be subfractions of the genome because enriched unique sequences from one fraction cross-reassociated poorly with the other fraction and specific sequences were found in either (m+) or (m-) but not in both (see below). Similar (m+) and (m-) compartments were found in embryos, germ cells and adult somatic tissues. Furthermor, we found no evidence for changes in the sequence composition of (m+) or (m-) between sperm, embryo or intestine DNAs, although low levels of exchange would not have been detected. Using cloned Echinus histone DNA, heterologous 5S DNA and ribosomal DNA probes, we have found that each of these gene families belongs to the unmethylated DNA compartment in all the tissues examined. In particular, there was no detectable methylation of histone DNA either in early embryos, which are thought to be actively transcribing the bulk of histone genes, or in sperm and gastrulae, in which most histone genes are not being transcribed. In contrast to these gene families, sequences complementary to an internally repetitious Echinus DNA clone were found primarily in the methylated DNA compartment.     

In vitro methylation of DNA with Hpa II methylase.

The enzyme Hpa II methylase extracted and partially purified from Haemophilus parainfluenza catalyzes the methylation of the tetranucleotide sequence CCGG at the internal cytosine. The enzyme will methylate this sequence if both DNA strands are unmethylated or if only one strand is unmethylated. Conditions have been developed for producing fully methylated DNA from various sources. In vitro methylation of this site protects the DNA against digestion by the restriction enzyme Hpa II as well as the enzyme Sma I which recognizes the hexanucleotide sequence CCCGGG. These properties make this enzyme a valuable tool for analyzing methylation in eukaryotic DNA where the sequence CCGG is highly methylated. The activity of this methylase on such DNA indicates the degree of undermethylation of the CCGG sequence. Several examples show that this technique can be used to detect small changes in the methylation state of eukaryotic DNA.     

Location of the 11 bp exon in the chicken pro alpha 2(I) collagen gene.

During the fine structural analysis of the 5' end of the 38 kb chicken pro alpha 2(I) collagen gene, we failed to locate an exon, only 11 bp in size, which had been predicted from the DNA sequence analysis of a cDNA clone complementary to the 5' end of the pro alpha 2(I) collagen mRNA (1). We know report the location of this 11 bp exon, exon 2, at the 5' end of a 180 bp Pst I fragment, 1900 bp 3' to exon 1 and 600 bp 5' to exon 3. Its sequence, ATGTGAGTGAG, is highly unusual in that it contains two overlapping consensus donor splice sequences. Moreover, it is flanked by two overlapping donor splice sequences but only one of the four splice sequences is actually spliced (1). The first half of intron 1 also has an unusual sequence: it is 68% GC, contains 88 CpG dinucleotides and 11 Hpa II sites. The second half is more like other intron sequences in the collagen gene with a GC content of 41%, 19 CpG, and no Hpa II sites. However it contains two sequences with 7 and 9 bp homology to the 14 bp SV40 enhancer core sequence. It is suggested that some part of intron 1 may be involved in regulation.     

A fraction of the mouse genome that is derived from islands of nonmethylated, CpG-rich DNA

About 1% of the mouse genome is cleaved by Hpa II to give a discrete fraction on gels. The nonmethylated fraction is present in all tested tissues, including sperm, and contains Hpa II sites at about 15 times their frequency in bulk DNA. About 80% of the fraction is composed of sequences that occur once or a few times per genome; the remainder is largely rDNA. Unlike bulk DNA, the fraction is not deficient in CpG, and this may be directly due to the lack of methylation. Genomic mapping of three nonribosomal fragments showed that they are part of islands of DNA within which nonmethylated Hpa II and Hha I sites are highly concentrated. We estimate about 30,000 islands per haploid genome and discuss evidence that many may be associated with genes.     

Comparison of the Vibration Mode of Metals in HNO3 by a Partial Least-Squares Regression Analysis of Near-Infrared Spectra

The near-infrared (NIR) spectra of such metals as Cu(II), Mn(II), Zn(II) and Fe(III) in HNO₃ in the 700–1860 nm region were subjected to a partial least-squares regression analysis and leave-out cross-validation to develop chemometric models. The models yielded a coefficient of determination in cross validation of 0.9744 [Cu(II)], 0.9631 [Mn(II)], 0.9154 [Zn(II)] and 0.741 [Fe(III)]. The regression coefficients for Cu(II), Mn(II) and Zn(II), but not for Fe(III), showed strong negative peaks at around 1050–1200 nm, a zone where spectral bands have been reported to decrease with increasing pH value. A positive peak at around 710–750 nm, which may have been due to water absorption, was observed in regression coefficients of Cu(II), Mn(II) and Zn(II) but not in Fe(III), while a negative peak was observed in that for Fe(III) at around 710–750 nm. These results indicate that the divalent cations [Cu(II), Mn(II) and Zn(II)] showed different absorption in the NIR region from the trivalent cation [Fe(III)], suggesting that the vibration mode of water, which mirrors the interaction between cations and water, may be influenced by valency.