海洋天然活性产物Fascaplysin 的研究进展

Fascaplysin 是从海绵中发现的一种海洋天然活性产物, 具有抗肿瘤、抗细菌、抗真菌、抗病毒、抗疟疾、抑制胆碱酯酶等多种生物活性。近年来,Fascaplysin 被发现能选择性抑制抗肿瘤靶标——细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶4, 因而备受关注。综述Fascaplysin 的抗肿瘤机制、全合成及结构改造的研究进展。     

细胞周期调控的研究进展

细胞周期是一种非常复杂和精细的调节过程,有大量调节蛋白参与其中。此过程的核心是细胞周期依赖性蛋白激酶（CDKs）。CDKs的激活又依赖于另一类呈细胞周期特异性或时相性表达的细胞周期蛋白（cyclins）,而CDKs调节的关键步骤是细胞周期检查点。PLKs是多种细胞周期检查点的主要调节因子,Aurora蛋白激酶主要在细胞有丝分裂期起作用。本文就上述因素在细胞周期进程中的作用作一综述。     

饲喂外源性DNA对小鼠体内LPO和Lf生成的影响

目的：探讨外源性DNA对体内LPO和Lf生成的影响。方法：分别用外源性DNA和VE定时定量喂养小鼠,测定和比较小鼠体内LPO、Lf含量变化。结果：外源性DNA与VE一样,有效地降低了小鼠体内LPO、Lf含量,对肝、心脏的作用较对脑组织明显,高剂量DNA抑制效果强于低剂量DNA。结论：外源性DNA具有抗氧化剂的作用,对动物体内LPO、Lf的生成有明显抑制作用。     

新合成的7-氮杂异靛蓝的体内外抗肿瘤作用

对新合成的7-氮杂靛玉红类衍生物N1-(正–丁基)-7-氮杂异靛蓝[N1-(n-butyl)-7-azaisoindigo,7-AI-b]的体内外抗肿瘤作用的研究,为研发具有自主知识产权的靛玉红类抗肿瘤新药打下基础。以不同浓度的7-AI-b作用于肿瘤细胞,MTT法检测细胞活性;建立Heps肝癌荷瘤小鼠模型,评价7-AI-b的体内抗肿瘤作用;计算肝脏指数(liver index,LI)、胸腺指数(thymusindex,TI)、脾脏指数(spleen index,SI),评价化合物的毒副作用;紫外法检测小鼠血清丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)、谷胱甘肽(glutathione,GSH)的含量;HE染色观察肿瘤组织的变化;试剂盒检测细胞周期激酶(cyclin-dependent kinases,CDKs)的活性。结果发现,7-AI-b抑制肿瘤细胞增殖的IC50值为28~40μmol/L,并以时间和剂量依赖性方式抑制A549细胞的增殖。7-AI-b对Heps肝癌具有抑制作用且抑瘤率达到61.85%,与5-Fu的相近;而7-AI-b对于小鼠的毒副作用明显小于后者,表现为体重正常增长,TI、SI和LI均无明显降低;等剂量的7-AI-b效果也明显优于靛玉红;并且7-AI-b能增强荷瘤小鼠的抗氧化能力,使得MDA水平降低,GSH水平升高。另外,7-AI-b对于正常肝细胞株WRL-68和肝癌细胞HepG-2的毒性作用有明显差别,即具有一定的肿瘤细胞选择性。然而,7-AI-b对CDK2/cyclinA的抑制作用较弱。由此,7-AI-b可有效地抑制肿瘤的生长,且毒副作用较小,其机制可能与抑制细胞周期激酶CDKs有关,所以7-AI-b可以作为新型抗肿瘤药物进行研究。     

伴刀豆球蛋白A对培养静止软骨细胞形态和DNA合成的影响

培养的静止软骨细胞用ConA处理后,细胞形态从扁平形变成多角形、圆形与球形,同时可以观察到细胞周边存在大量的具有折光特点的细胞外基质。ConA能够完全抑制软骨细胞DNA的合成,LD_(50)为0.4—1.0μg/ml。ConA抑制DNA合成的作用是可逆的。20mmol/L的MeMan能够完全阻断其对软骨细胞形态和DNA合成的影响。     

p21亚细胞定位与肿瘤

p21是一种重要的周期蛋白依赖性激酶抑制因子(cyclin-dependent-kinase inhibitor, CKI),主要通过调控细胞周期维持细胞的生长和增殖。此外, p21还参与调控细胞凋亡、细胞衰老以及细胞运动等过程。近年来越来越多的研究表明, p21的功能具有双重性。当p21定位在细胞核时,其主要通过抑制周期蛋白依赖性激酶(cyclin-dependent kinases, CDKs)的活性介导细胞周期停滞,抑制细胞增殖;当定位在细胞质时, p21能够促进细胞增殖。本文主要对p21的生物学功能、亚细胞定位调控机制及其在肿瘤研究中的最新进展予以综述。     

甲磺酸培氟沙星抑制大肠杆菌RecQ解旋酶的体外DNA结合、解链和ATPase活性

RecQ家族解旋酶是DNA解旋酶中高度保守的一个重要家族,参与DNA复制、修复、重组、转录及维持端粒稳定等细胞代谢过程,在维持染色体稳定性与完整性中起着重要作用．甲磺酸培氟沙星(pefloxacin mesylate,PFM)是一种新型氟喹诺酮类抗菌药物,对一些革兰氏阴性菌具有明显的杀菌效果,临床上已广泛使用．本研究利用荧光偏振、自由磷检测技术研究PFM对大肠杆菌RecQ解旋酶的DNA结合活性、解链活性、ATPase活性的影响．结果表明,低浓度PFM可促进大肠杆菌RecQ解旋酶与ssDNA、dsDNA结合,达到一定量后PFM则抑制酶与DNA底物的结合,这种影响与DNA底物有关;PFM对RecQ解旋酶的DNA解链活性和ATP酶活性都具有抑制作用,但其抑制的效果有极显著差异(P<0.01)：比较PFM对两种活性抑制的Ci值(对解链活性抑制的Ci值为(1.5±0.2) μmol/L,对ATP酶活性抑制的Ci值为(0.010±0.005) μmol/L)可知,PFM对大肠杆菌RecQ解旋酶ATPase活性的抑制强于其解链活性. 这些结果可为研究以DNA解旋酶为药物靶标的分子机理奠定相关理论基础．     

细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶活化激酶(CAK)的研究进展

细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶(CDKs)的基本功能是对细胞周期进行调控。CDKs的激活需要与特异性亚基cyclins结合,并被CDK7-cyclinH-MAT1三元复合物(CAK)磷酸化。此外,CDK7-cylinH-MAT1还是转录因子ⅡH(TFⅡH)的亚基组成部分,磷酸化RNA聚合酶Ⅱ(RNAPⅡ)大亚基的羧基末端结构域(CTD)。CAK因为在细胞周期过程中的重要作用,而受到越来越广泛的关注。本文主要就CAK自身活性调节及其对细胞周期的调控进展作一综述。     

绿豆芽提取物对SDS致红细胞膜和DNA损伤的保护的研究

为探讨绿豆芽提取物(MBSE)对十二烷基硫酸钠SDS致红细胞膜和DNA损伤的保护研究,分别采用红细胞(RBC)溶血试验和彗星试验检测细胞膜和DNA的损伤程度。实验分为三组:阳性对照组;MBSE自溶对照组;MBSE+SDS组。通过测定血红细胞溶血率和致损细胞拖尾率及尾长分别表征细胞膜及DNA的损伤程度。结果显示与阳性对照相比,各剂量MBSE具有抑制SDS致细胞膜损伤的功能,对RBC细胞膜具有较好的保护作用,且呈量效关系;MBSE+SDS各剂量组DNA损伤明显减弱,拖尾率下降,尾长减小。提示MBSE对SDS致红细胞膜和DNA损伤具有保护作用。     

FASCAPLYSIN as a Specific Inhibitor for CDK4: Insights from Molecular Modelling

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play a key role in the cell cycle and are important anti-cancer drug targets. The natural product fascaplysin inhibits CDK4 with surprising selectivity (IC₅₀ = 0.4 µM) compared to the close homolog CDK2 (IC₅₀ = 500 µM). Free energy calculations of the positively charged fascaplysin and an uncharged iso-electronic derivative in the CDK2 and CDK4 inhibitor complexes indicate that the positive charge of fascaplysin is crucial for selectivity. This finding will guide further improvements in the design of fascaplysin-based selective inhibitors for CDK4.     

Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4) by fascaplysin, a marine natural product

Small chemical molecules that interfere with biological proteins could be useful for gaining insight into the complex biochemical processes in mammalian cells. Cdk4 is a key protein whose activity is required not only for emergence of cells from quiescence but also at the G1/S transition in the cell cycle and which is misregulated in 60-70% of human cancers. We set out to identify chemical inhibitors of Cdk4 and discovered that, in vitro, fascaplysin specifically inhibited Cdk4. Molecular modelling based on the crystal structure of Cdk2 suggests that fascaplysin inhibits Cdk4 by binding to the ATP pocket of the kinase. Treatment of tumour (p16(-), pRb(+)) and normal (p16(+), pRb(+)) cell lines with fascaplysin caused G1 arrest and prevented pRb phosphorylation at sites implicated as being specific for Cdk4 kinase. Fascaplysin will therefore prove to be a useful tool in studying the consequence of Cdk4 inhibition, especially in cells containing inactivated p16.     

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of new tryptamine and tetrahydro-beta-carboline-based selective inhibitors of CDK4

We present the design, synthesis and biological activity of a library of substituted (biphenylcarbonyl)-tryptamine and (biphenylcarbonyl)-tetrahydro-beta-carboline compounds related to the natural product fascaplysin, as novel inhibitors of CDK4/cyclin D1. We show all these molecules, prepared using the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction, being selective inhibitors of CDK4 over CDK2. The most active compounds have a CDK4 IC(50) in the range 9-11 microM, three of them containing the para-biphenyl plus para-substituents supporting the existence of a pi-stacking pocket within the active site of CDK4.     

DNA binding properties of the marine sponge pigment fascaplysin

Association of fascaplysin with double-stranded calf thymus DNA was investigated by means of isothermal titration calorimetry, absorption spectroscopy, and circular dichroism. The UV spectroscopic data could be well interpreted in terms of a two-site model for the binding of fascaplysin to DNA revealing affinity constants of K1 = 2.5 x 10(6) M(-1) and K2 = 7.5 x 10(4) M(-1) (base pairs of DNA). Based on the typical change observed in the absorption and circular dichroism spectra, intercalation of fascaplysin is regarded as the major binding mode. The calorimetric titration curves showed an exothermic reaction which was exhausted at a 2:1 base pair/drug; ratio. This finding is in agreement with an intercalation model comprising nearest neighbor exclusion. In addition, significantly weaker non-intercalative DNA interactions can be observed at high drug concentration. By comparison of all these data with the binding behavior of known intercalating agents, it is concluded that fascaplysin intercalates into DNA.     

CA224, a non-planar analogue of fascaplysin, inhibits Cdk4 but not Cdk2 and arrests cells at G0/G1 inhibiting pRB phosphorylation

Tryptamine derivatives, non-planar and potentially less toxic analogues of the anti-cancer agent fascaplysin, have been synthesised. They specifically inhibit Cdk4-D1 vis a vis Cdk2-A but, unlike fascaplysin, do not bind or intercalate DNA. CA224 is the most potent compound identified (Cdk4-D1 IC(50) approximately 5.5 microM). As would be expected of a Cdk4 inhibitor that does not inhibit Cdk2, it maintains a G(0)/G(1) block in synchronised cancer cells and inhibits Cdk4-specific phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein.     

Identification of DNA replication and cell cycle proteins that interact with PCNA.

The identity of DNA replication proteins and cell cycle regulatory proteins which can be found in complexes involving PCNA were investigated by the use of PCNA immobilized on Sepharose 4B. A column containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) bound to Sepharose was used as a control. Fetal calf thymus extracts were chromatographed on PCNA-Sepharose and BSA-Sepharose. The columns were washed and then eluted with 0.5 M KCl. The salt eluates were examined for the presence of both DNA replication proteins (Pol alpha, delta, straightepsilon, PCNA, RFC, RFA, DNA ligase I, NDH II, Topo I and Topo II) and cell cycle proteins (Cyclins A, B1, D1, D2, D3, E, CDK2, CDK4, CDK5 and p21) by western blotting with specific antibodies. The DNA replication proteins which bound to PCNA-Sepharose included DNA polymerase delta and straightepsilon, PCNA, the 37 and 40 kDa subunits of RFC, the 70 kDa subunit of RPA, NDH II and topoisomerase I. No evidence for the binding of DNA polymerase alpha, DNA ligase I or topoisomerase II was obtained. Of the cell cycle proteins investigated, CDK2, CDK4 and CDK5 were bound. This study presents strong evidence that PCNA is a component of protein complexes containing DNA replication, repair and cell cycle regulatory proteins.     

Inhibition of cancer cell growth by cyclin dependent kinase 4 inhibitors synthesized based on the structure of fascaplysin

Tryptamine derivatives, a new structural class of cyclin dependent kinase 4 inhibitors, have been identified during extensive biological screening of synthetic molecules. The molecules were synthesized based on the structure of fascaplysin, which is not only a specific inhibitor of the Cdk4-cyclin D1 enzyme but also a relatively toxic molecule, probably because it binds and intercalates DNA. Interestingly, the new structural analogues of fascaplysin do not interact or intercalate with double-stranded DNA, although they inhibit Cdk4-cyclin D1 specifically. We found that compound CA199 was the most potent molecule, showing at least 25-fold specificity towards Cdk4-cyclin D1 (IC50 for Cdk4-cyclin D1 = 20 microM, Cdk2 > 500 microM). CA199 inhibits the growth of different cancer cell lines at concentrations ranging from 10-40 microM. It blocks growth of asynchronous cells at G0/G1 in a retinoblastoma protein (pRb) dependent manner. Moreover, CA199 blocks growth only at early G1 in synchronised cells released from a mimosine-induced G1/S block. These observations are reminiscent of a true Cdk4 inhibitor.