人IL-6和TNF突变体重组融合蛋白表达质粒的构建及在大肠杆菌中的表达

本文利用PCR技术,对人肿瘤坏死因子α(hTNFα)基因进行了改造,并将其与人白细胞介素-6(hIL-6)成熟肽编码区cDNA进行融合,构建了5′IL-6-TNF△融合蛋白的表达质粒pBVIL6-TNFA△。DNA序列分析证明,PCR扩增片段核苷酸序列与引物设计序列及相应的cDNA序列完全一致;重组子用限制性内切酶酶切鉴定,含有正确的IL6-TNF△融合cDNA片段;表达产物经SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳,分子量约为37kD,与预计的相符合;生物学活性分析初步表明,该融合蛋白具有抗肿瘤活性。     

原位缺口平移标记断裂DNA技术及其在检测流行性出血热尸检和实验动物组织中细胞凋亡和早期死亡的应用

原位缺口平移技术（ＩＳＮＴ）已被用于检测细胞核中ＤＮＡ断裂鉴别尸检组织中细胞的凋亡和坏死断裂、流行性出血热（ＥＨＦ）组织中存在散在单个细胞变性死亡和灶性梗死样坏死,前者带有细胞凋亡的特征。本文以ＥＨＦ肝脏和实验性病毒感染鼠脑组织为例,应用缺口平移法,在ＤＮＡ聚合酶或Ｋｌｅｎｏｗ酶的作用下,将地高辛标记的ｄＵＴＰ掺入合成到ＤＮＡ的断裂部位,通过碱性磷酸酶标抗地高辛抗体免疫组化法显示细胞ＤＮＡ的断裂,检测和鉴别细胞的凋亡和坏死。为分析死后解剖时间间隔及组织固定时间对该方法的影响,本文选用死后２～１４０ｈ尸检、经常规固定石蜡包埋后存放１０～３５年的标本和在１０％福尔马林固定了１０～３５年之后再进行常规处理的标本。实验时用蛋白酶Ｋ（ＰＫ）消化前后对比并分别在标记反应液中略去ＤＮＡ聚合酶作为阴性对照,用ＤＮＡ酶消化组织人为制造ＤＮＡ缺日作为阳性对照。结果发现,未经ＰＫ消化的组织,仅灶性肝细胞核ＩＳＮＴ标记阳性,经ＰＫ消化后,散在的带有凋亡特征的肝细胞胞核也出现阳性,灶性肝细胞胞核标记染色增强,但无论是蛋白酶消化与否,明确梗死样坏死的肝细胞均不被标记。结果还发现,死后２～２４ｈ内尸检组织和长时间（１０～３４年）存放的石     

人类疱疹病毒6型可诱生TNF－α

用生物活性法和双抗体夹心桥联酶免疫吸附（ＥＬＩＳＡ）法检测了人类疱疹病素６型（ＨＨＶ－６）ＧＳ株和南京地方株ＣＮ５,８,１０感染的淋巴细胞培养上清中的肿瘤坏死因子（ＴＮＦ）的水平,发现培养２４ｈ即可检出高水平的ＴＮＦ,４８～７２ｈ述到峰值,此后逐渐下降,与未感染耐照组比较有及其显著的差异（Ｐ＜０．００１）。ＧＳ株与地方株同诱生ＴＮＦ水平无儿著性差异（Ｐ＞０．１）,三株地方株诱生ＴＮＦ也无显著性差异（Ｐ＞０．０５）。ＴＮＦ－α单抗可以完全中和培养上清中ＴＮＦ的活性,证实上清中有ＴＮＦ－α。与ＬＰＳ比较,ＨＨＶ－６诱生ＴＮＦ－α的能力要强得多。     

Melatonin Prevents Oxidative Stress and Hepatocyte Cell Death Induced by Experimental Cholestasis

The induction of oxidative stress precedes liver injury during experimental obstructive jaundice (OJ). In this sense, different evidences suggest that melatonin (MEL), as antioxidant, may be useful in the protection against apoptosis and necrosis during experimental cholestasis. In addition, we will also assess if MEL-dependent protection is related to a recovery of antioxidant status disturbances induced by OJ. Cholestasis was achieved by double ligature and sectioning of the principal bile duct. MEL was injected intraperitoneally (500?μg/kg/day). Lipid peroxidation was evaluated by the measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA) content in liver. Different parameters related to antioxidant status, such as reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined in liver. Liver injury was assessed by alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in serum, histological examination, DNA fragmentation and TUNEL assay. The activation of perisinusoidal stellate cells was evaluated by immunohistochemical measurement of α-smooth muscle actin in liver sections. The induction of OJ increased all the parameters related to apoptosis and necrosis in liver. The induction of liver injury was associated with stellate cell activation, as well as an increase in MDA (p<0.0001) and a reduction in GSH, GPx, catalase and SOD content (p<0.0001) in liver. MEL reduced hepatic apoptosis and necrosis (p<0.004) with a significant improvement in all oxidative stress markers. In conclusion, our results showed that MEL recovered the antioxidant status and reduced apoptosis and necrosis induced by experimental cholestasis.     

Stem cells: Insights into the secretome

Stem cells have been considered as possible therapeutic vehicles for different health related problems such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Secreted molecules are key mediators in cell–cell interactions and influence the cross talk with the surrounding tissues. There is strong evidence supporting that crucial cellular functions such as proliferation, differentiation, communication and migration are strictly regulated from the cell secretome. The investigation of stem cell secretome is accumulating continuously increasing interest given the potential use of these cells in regenerative medicine. The scope of the review is to report the main findings from the investigation of stem cell secretome by the use of contemporary proteomics methods and discuss the current status of research in the field. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: An Updated Secretome.     

Proteome Variations in Pancreatic Stellate Cells upon Stimulation with Proinflammatory Factors

Pancreatic stellate cells are key mediators in chronic pancreatitis and play a central role in the development of pancreatic fibrosis, stromal formation, and progression of pancreatic cancer. This study was aimed at investigating molecular changes at the level of the proteome that are associated with the activation of pancreatic stellate cells by proinflammatory factors, namely TNF-α, FGF2, IL6, and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 4 (CCL4). They were added individually to cells growing in serum-free medium next to controls in medium supplemented with serum, thus containing a mixture of them all, or in serum-free medium alone. Variations were detected by means of a microarray of 810 antibodies targeting relevant proteins. All tested factors triggered increased proliferation and migration. Further analysis showed that TNF-α is the prime factor responsible for the activation of pancreatic stellate cells. CCL4 is associated with cellular neovascularization, whereas FGF2 and IL6 induction led to better cellular survival and decreased apoptotic activity of the stellate cells. The identified direct effects of individual cytokines on human pancreatic stellate cells provide new insights about their contribution to pancreatic cancer promotion.     

Major Vault Protein Regulates Class A Scavenger Receptor-mediated Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Synthesis and Apoptosis in Macrophages

Atherosclerosis is considered a disease of chronic inflammation largely initiated and perpetuated by macrophage-dependent synthesis and release of pro-inflammatory mediators. Class A scavenger receptor (SR-A) expressed on macrophages plays a key role in this process. However, how SR-A-mediated pro-inflammatory response is modulated in macrophages remains ill defined. Here through immunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectrometry, we reported major vault protein (MVP) as a novel binding partner for SR-A. The interaction between SR-A and MVP was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining and chemical cross-linking assay. Treatment of macrophages with fucoidan, a SR-A ligand, led to a marked increase in TNF-α production, which was attenuated by MVP depletion. Further analysis revealed that SR-A stimulated TNF-α synthesis in macrophages via the caveolin- instead of clathrin-mediated endocytic pathway linked to p38 and JNK, but not ERK, signaling pathways. Importantly, fucoidan invoked an enrichment of MVP in lipid raft, a caveolin-reliant membrane structure, and enhanced the interaction among SR-A, caveolin, and MVP. Finally, we demonstrated that MVP elimination ameliorated SR-A-mediated apoptosis in macrophages. As such, MVP may fine-tune SR-A activity in macrophages which contributes to the development of atherosclerosis.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) signaling in cell death

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) is a reversible protein modification carried out by the concerted actions of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzymes and poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) decomposing enzymes such as PAR glycohydrolase (PARG) and ADP-ribosyl hydrolase 3 (ARH3). Reversible PARylation is a pleiotropic regulator of various cellular functions but uncontrolled PARP activation may also lead to cell death. The cellular demise pathway mediated by PARylation in oxidatively stressed cells has been described almost thirty years ago. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms have only begun to emerge relatively recently. PARylation has been implicated in necroptosis, autophagic cell death but its role in extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis appears to be less predominant and depends largely on the cellular model used. Currently, three major pathways have been made responsible for PARP-mediated necroptotic cell death: (1) compromised cellular energetics mainly due to depletion of NAD, the substrate of PARPs; (2) PAR mediated translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) from mitochondria to nucleus (parthanatos) and (3) a mostly elusive crosstalk between PARylation and cell death/survival kinases and phosphatases. Here we review how these PARP-mediated necroptotic pathways are intertwined, how PARylation may contribute to extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis and discuss recent developments on the role of PARylation in autophagy and autophagic cell death.