Environmental acidification triggers oxidative stress and enhances globin expression in zebrafish gills

Animals in many aquatic ecosystems must cope with changing environmental parameters, such as temperature, oxygen availability or pH. We have investigated the molecular responses to acidification in the gills and body of zebrafish (Danio rerio) by means of quantitative real-time PCR. Expression levels of typical stress genes and genes for antioxidant defense were strongly enhanced in gills, and to lesser extents in the body, suggesting that acidification leads to oxidative stress. Surprisingly, the globins were found to be among the most prominent stress–responsive proteins in our study. Myoglobin showed the strongest response of all investigated genes in the gills, as confirmed by Western blotting. These findings agree with the role of globins in oxidative energy metabolism, but may also hint at a specific function in antioxidative defense.     

缺血缺氧疾病中脑红蛋白的表达

脑红蛋白是继血红蛋白和肌红蛋白后由Burmester等[1]于2000年发现的体内第3类携氧蛋白,脑红蛋白在视网膜组织中的含量高达100μmol/L,占视网膜总蛋白量的2%-4%,其浓度约为脑中浓度的100倍,而体内不同组织脑红蛋白表达量的增加均与组织的缺血缺氧密切相关。视网膜作为中枢神经系统的重要组成部分之一,对氧的需求远远大于其他神经组织,临床实践中存在着与视网膜相关的大量的缺血缺氧性疾病,视网膜的这种特征为我们深入研究脑红蛋白与视网膜细胞之间的关系提供了临床基础。本文就脑红蛋白在缺血缺氧疾病中的表达展开论述,为视网膜缺血缺氧损伤中脑红蛋白的表达提供相关依据。     

Reactions of ferrous neuroglobin and cytoglobin with nitrite under anaerobic conditions

Recent evidence suggests that the reaction of nitrite with deoxygenated hemoglobin and myoglobin contributes to the generation of nitric oxide and S-nitrosothiols in vivo under conditions of low oxygen availability. We have investigated whether ferrous neuroglobin and cytoglobin, the two hexacoordinate globins from vertebrates expressed in brain and in a variety of tissues, respectively, also react with nitrite under anaerobic conditions. Using absorption spectroscopy, we find that ferrous neuroglobin and nitrite react with a second-order rate constant similar to that of myoglobin, whereas the ferrous heme of cytoglobin does not react with nitrite. Deconvolution of absorbance spectra shows that, in the course of the reaction of neuroglobin with nitrite, ferric Fe(III) heme is generated in excess of nitrosyl Fe(II)-NO heme as due to the low affinity of ferrous neuroglobin for nitric oxide. By using ferrous myoglobin as scavenger for nitric oxide, we find that nitric oxide dissociates from ferrous neuroglobin much faster than previously appreciated, consistently with the decay of the Fe(II)-NO product during the reaction. Both neuroglobin and cytoglobin are S-nitrosated when reacting with nitrite, with neuroglobin showing higher levels of S-nitrosation. The possible biological significance of the reaction between nitrite and neuroglobin in vivo under brain hypoxia is discussed.     

重组人源脑红蛋白的高效表达、纯化及鉴定

脑红蛋白(Neuroglobin,NGB)是新发现的主要表达于脊椎动物神经元及视网膜中的第三类携氧珠蛋白。已有诸多报道认为脑红蛋白在缺氧缺血性脑损伤的神经保护过程中,作为活性氧簇(ROS)的清除剂或缺氧信号的感受器起重要作用,但其神经保护作用的具体机制不明。显然,实现该蛋白的制备对于研究其功能具有重要作用。基于此,通过RT-PCR从人胎脑中扩增出脑红蛋白cDNA并克隆到原核表达载体pBV220,通过测序鉴定正确后转化至大肠杆菌HB101中诱导表达,表达产物超声破碎后经凝胶过滤柱Sephacryl S-200和阴离子交换柱Q Sepharose FF纯化,最后通过Sephadex G-25脱盐。经15% SDS-PAGE和Western blot检测及质谱和蛋白序列分析鉴定制备的蛋白样品为脑红蛋白。本文采用两步法实现了脑红蛋白高效特异性纯化,为后期基于脑红蛋白神经保护作用的功能及机制研究奠定了重要基础。     

Neuroglobin involvement in visual pathways through the optic nerve

Neuroglobin is a member of the globin superfamily proposed to be only expressed in neurons and involved in neuronal protection from hypoxia or oxidative stress. A significant fraction of the protein localizes within the mitochondria and is directly associated with mitochondrial metabolism and integrity. The retina is the site of the highest concentration for neuroglobin and has been reported to be up to 100-fold higher than in the brain. Since neuroglobin was especially abundant in retinal ganglion cell layer, we investigated its abundance in optic nerves. Remarkably in optic nerves, neuroglobin is observed, as expected, in retinal ganglion cell axon profiles but also astrocyte processes, in physiological conditions, possess high levels of the protein. Neuroglobin mRNA and protein levels are ~ 10-fold higher in optic nerves than in retinas, indicating an important accumulation of neuroglobin in these support cells. Additionally, neuroglobin levels increase in Müller cells during reactive gliosis in response to eye injury. This suggests the pivotal role of neuroglobin in retinal glia involved in neuronal support and/or healing. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Oxygen Binding and Sensing Proteins.     

短暂前脑缺血小鼠海马脑红蛋白表达的动态变化

研究了小鼠短暂前脑缺血再灌注后不同时相点脑红蛋白表达的动态变化及其意义。用夹闭双侧颈总动脉的方法建立C57BL/6小鼠缺血再灌注动物模型;采用RT-PCR及Western blotting方法检测各组小鼠海马组织中脑红蛋白在转录和翻译水平表达的动态变化。结果显示,脑红蛋白在mRNA水平表达的动态变化为:与假手术对照组(100±0.00)比较,再灌注后6h(132.59±28.26,P<0.05)开始升高;24h(157.36±13.85,P<0.001)达高峰;48h(146.55±23.17,P<0.01)开始下降;72h(118.42±34.23,P>0.05)基本恢复至正常水平。脑红蛋白在蛋白水平表达的动态变化为:与假手术对照组(100±0.00)比较,再灌注后6h(111.46±23.54,P>0.05)轻微升高,24h(141.25±32.12,P<0.01)达高峰,48h(138.02±19.68,P<0.05)开始下降,72h(119.29±35.18,P>0.05)基本恢复至正常水平。结果提示,脑缺血再灌注各时相点的脑红蛋白mRNA及蛋白表达水平均增加,可能是机体的应激反应,但持续时间较短(48h以内)。     

一种新的氧合球蛋白——神经球蛋白

神经球蛋白 (neuroglobin ,NGB)是最近发现的一种新的可以和氧可逆性结合的血红蛋白家族成员 ,主要表达于脊椎动物的脑中 .NGB蛋白是由 151个氨基酸组成的单体蛋白 ,有着古老的进化起源 .迄今为止 ,已证明它具有储存、转运氧气和保护神经细胞的功能 .NGB基因的表达调节至少有两条信号转导途径参与 .NGB的发现为中风等缺氧相关疾病的治疗提供了新的方向     

高原鼠兔脑红蛋白基因的克隆与组织表达

克隆高原鼠兔脑红蛋白(Neuroglobin,NGB)基因编码区并检测其在成年高原鼠兔脑组织和其他组织中的表达,同时探讨高原鼠兔低氧适应的分子生物学机制。从高原鼠兔脑组织中提取总RNA,通过RT - PCR 获得高原鼠兔NGB cDNA,将其与pGEM - T Easy 载体连接,构建重组质粒,蓝白斑筛选阳性克隆并进行鉴定和测序;制备地高辛标记的RNA 探针并采用原位杂交法(In suit hybridization,ISH) 分析脑红蛋白基因在高原鼠兔脑组织中的分布;采用RT - PCR 和蛋白印记(Western blot)检测高原鼠兔不同组织中脑红蛋白的表达含量。将含有目的片段的阳性克隆经测序和Blast 分析,显示其部分编码序列与GenBank 中绵羊、大鼠等同源性很高(大于84% ),表明本实验所克隆的序列为脑红蛋白基因;原位杂交结果显示NGB 在青藏高原土著动物高原鼠兔脑部分布较为广泛;高原鼠兔不同组织中都有NGB mRNA 表达,NGB 基因并不是中枢神经系统所特有的,睾丸和肾上腺也有较高的表达。NGB 基因在高原鼠兔脑组织和其他组织中分布较为广泛,推测NGB mRNA 可能在高原鼠兔机体较为广泛的区域中发挥着作用,同时为高原低氧适应相关基因的研究提供了实验依据。     

Hemoproteins in the cold

This review highlights some aspects of the biochemistry of cold-adapted hemoproteins in fish and bacteria, without claiming to be exhaustive. Heme hexacoordination where the sixth ligand is provided by an internal amino-acid residue, in cold-adapted hemoproteins will be discussed.     

Protective role of Cytoglobin and Neuroglobin against the Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in Leydig cells ex vivo

Leydig cells are responsible for testosterone production in male testis upon stimulation by luteinizing hormone. Inflammation and oxidative stress related Leydig cell dysfunction is one of the major causes of male infertility. Cytoglobin (CYGB) and Neuroglobin (NGB) are two globin family member proteins which protect cells against oxidative stress.In the current study, we established a Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation model in TM3 Leydig cell culture to study the function of CYGB and NGB proteins under inflammatory conditions. CYGB and NGB were downregulated using siRNA and shRNA based experimental strategies. Overexpression was conducted using lentiviral pLenti-III-CYGB-2A-GFP, and pLenti-III-NGB-2A-GFP vector systems. As testicular macrophages regulate immune function upon inflammation and steroidogenesis of Leydig cells, we generated direct/indirect co-culture systems of TM3 and mouse macrophage (RAW264.7) cells ex vivo.Downregulation of CYGB and NGB induced nitride oxide (NO) release, blocked cell cycle progression, reduced testosterone production and increased inflammatory and apoptotic pathway gene expression in the presence and absence of LPS. On the other hand, CYGB and NGB overexpression reduced TNFα and COX-2 protein expressions and increased the expression of testosterone biogenesis pathway genes upon LPS stimulation. In addition, CYGB and NGB overexpression upregulated testosterone production. The present study successfully established an inflammatory interaction model of TM3 and RAW264.7 cells. Suppression of CYGB and NGB in TM3 cells changed macrophage morphology, enhanced macrophage cell number and NO release in co-culture experiments upon LPS exposure.In summary, these results demonstrate that globin family members might control LPS induced inflammation by regulating apoptotic mechanisms and macrophage response.