组织蛋白酶D基因C224T多态与散发阿尔茨海默氏病的关联研究

组织蛋白酶D（Cathepsin D）是一种细胞核内体/溶酶体内的门冬酰胺蛋白酶。它有可能通过剪切淀粉样前体蛋白参与阿尔茨海默氏病（Alzheimer’s disease, AD）相关的神经退化。在以德国人为对象中的研究显示组织蛋白酶D基因（CTSD）C224T多态与AD发病风险紧密相关。然而,此结果未能在另一些群体中得到重复。为此,我们通过聚合酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性方法分析了CTSD基因C224T多态性和载脂蛋白E（apolipoprotein E, ApoE）基因多态性在成都地区汉族老年人中的分布,探讨了CTSD C224T多态与散发AD的相关性。结果发现CTSD基因C224T多态分布在病例组与对照组之间没有显著性差异,提示成都地区汉族人群中CTSD基因C224T多态与散发AD不具有关联;但比值比的比较提示CTSD等位基因T和ApoEε4有弱的协同作用。Abstract: Cathepsin D is the major lysosomal/endosomal aspartic protease and exhibits β- and γ-secretase-like activity in vitro. Data from German suggest that the C224T polymorphism in the Cathepsin D gene (CTSD) exon 2 is strongly associated with the risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD).Meanwhile other studies have not been able to replicate the result. It’s necessary to determine the genotype of the polymorphism in CTSD in Chinese sporadic AD patients and age-matched controls with normal cognition and examine possible association of the polymorphism with the disease. We find no strong evidence of association between the CTSD C224T polymorphism and Chinese sporadic AD. Whereas there may be a weak synergistic interaction between ApoE ε4 and CTSD T allele.     

GST pull-down联合质谱筛选（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在小鼠睾丸组织中的相互作用蛋白质

（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1（dystrobrevin binding protein 1,dysbindin-1）是溶酶体相关细胞器生物发生复合体-1(biogenesis of lysosome related organelles complex 1, BLOC-1)的1个亚基,在多种组织细胞中广泛表达;然而,其在睾丸组织中的作用至今尚不明确。为寻找（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸组织中的相互作用蛋白质,以进一步研究（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸中的作用,本研究首先在Rosetta(DE3)菌种中表达可溶性GST-dysbindin-1融合蛋白,经谷胱甘肽 琼脂糖珠亲和纯化后,与小鼠的睾丸组织蛋白质孵育进行GST pull-down实验,并通过液相色谱串联质谱（LC MS/MS）分析筛选（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸组织中的相互作用蛋白质。利用BioGPS数据库聚类在睾丸组织中高表达和特异性表达的互作蛋白质,运用DAVID6.8在线分析工具从细胞组分、分子功能、生物学过程和KEGG通路等方面对筛选出的互作蛋白质进行GO（gene ontology）富集分析。本实验共筛选出108个（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸组织中的潜在互作蛋白质,其中98个为尚未报道的（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1相互作用蛋白质,7个为睾丸高表达蛋白质,5个为睾丸特异性表达的蛋白质。这些候选蛋白质主要分布在细胞质、细胞核、细胞膜、细胞外泌体等细胞组分中,通过与蛋白质、核酸等分子结合参与蛋白质翻译和转运、囊泡运输及凋亡等生物学过程以及氨基酸生物合成、溶酶体及蛋白酶体等生物学通路。我们推测,在睾丸组织中（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1可能通过与多种蛋白质相互作用参与精子的发生和受精等过程。     

组织蛋白酶L的结构与功能

组织蛋白酶L（cathepsin L,CTSL）是溶酶体半胱氨酸蛋白酶家族的主要成员,具有非常独特的合成和转运方式.CTSL前体酶原的前体肽含有ERF/WNIN模体和GNFD 模体.CTSL的空间结构主要由α螺旋构成的L结构域以及由β折叠构成的R结构域组成.大量研究工作表明,CTSL在体内生理和病理过程中,以及在寄生动物中都发挥着极其重要的功能.其生理作用广泛涉及到蛋白质水解、抗原提呈、T细胞分选、细胞凋亡以及胚胎发育等方面.CTSL还与多种类型的肿瘤发生、心血管疾病以及肾病等密切相关.另外,CTSL在寄生动物中也发挥着独特的作用.本文针对CTST的最新研究进展做了简要总结及分析,并指出了相关研究的发展趋势.     

生长因子Progranulin的结合受体和生物学功能

生长因子颗粒素蛋白前体（progranulin, PGRN）广泛存在于动物和植物组织中.研究证明,哺乳动物的PGRN是一个多功能分子,在组织/器官发育、细胞分化、肿瘤发生发展、炎症应答以及神经退行性疾病中均具有重要的作用.PGRN发挥生物学功能需要和多种结合蛋白相互结合,例如sortilin、Toll样受体9（TLR9）、肿瘤坏死因子受体（TNFR）及分泌性淋巴细胞蛋白酶抑制因子（SLPI）等. 本文将对PGRN的结合受体和生物学功能进行综述.     

组织蛋白酶D生物合成及其功能的研究进展

蛋白酶D是溶酶体的重要组成部分,与癌细胞的生长和转移密切相关。本篇综述了蛋白酶D在细胞中的生物合成路线及其在细胞内的生物功能。旨在探讨组织蛋白酶与癌细胞的关系,为临床治疗癌症提供依据。     

核糖体相关质量控制与核糖体自噬研究进展

细胞中蛋白质处于不断合成和降解的动态更新过程中,其稳态与细胞功能密切相关。细胞中存在多种蛋白质质量控制（protein quality control,PQC）机制来监测蛋白质合成和降解过程的异常,以确保蛋白质组的完整性和细胞适应性。核糖体是细胞内数量最多的细胞器,系细胞内蛋白质合成的主要场所。现已明确,核糖体相关质量控制（ribosome-associated quality control,RQC）与核糖体自噬能通过溶酶体依赖和非依赖途径调节细胞内核糖体数量及功能以维持蛋白质稳态,从而增强细胞在应激状态下的适应能力。RQC失调、核糖体自噬障碍则参与多种疾病的发生及发展过程,靶向RQC和核糖体自噬可能成为防治多种疾病的有效手段。本综述聚焦核糖体相关的PQC途径,并进一步讨论了它们在蛋白质稳态维持中的重要地位及其在人类疾病发生发展中的潜在作用。     

大鼠脑缺血再灌注后组织蛋白酶D蛋白质及mRNA的表达

目的：探讨大鼠缺血再灌注后溶酶体组织蛋白酶D（Cathepsin DCD）在不同时段蛋白质及mRNA表达变化。方法：将60只SD大鼠随机分为三组：正常组（10只）,假手术组（10只）,脑缺血再灌注组（模型组）（40只）,线栓法制备大脑中动脉梗死模型（MCAO）,免疫组化及RT-PCR法分别检测CathepsinD的蛋白和mRNA表达。结果：与正常组和假手术组比较,模型组在大鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤后6hCathepsin D的蛋白和mRNA表达明显增强（P＆lt;0.05）,24h达高峰,48h仍保存高水平。结论：Cathepsin D在大鼠脑缺血再灌注后表达增强,溶酶体CathepsinD可能参与了脑缺血再灌注损伤后神经细胞凋亡。     

原代培养脊髓神经元线状溶酶体与细胞骨架蛋白-纽蛋白关系的研究

目的研究原代培养脊髓神经元线状溶酶体(nematolysosome)的形成与分布及其与细胞骨架蛋白-纽蛋白(vinculin)的关系.方法用细胞松弛素D(cytochalasin D,CD)及佛波醇酯(phorbol myristate acetate,PMA)处理原代培养脊髓神经元,用免疫荧光双标记纽蛋白及组织蛋白酶D(cathepsin D)、酸性磷酸酶(ACPase)、电镜细胞化学及共焦激光扫描显微镜方法研究线状溶酶体与纽蛋白的关系.结果在正常对照组神经元,组织蛋白酶D(标记溶酶体)与纽蛋白分布于胞质及突起内;在CD及PMA处理神经元,纽蛋白及组织蛋白酶D的分布呈向心性移动,但集聚的部位不同;电镜酶细胞化学方法显示CD组及PMA组神经元内线状溶酶体均增多.结论组织蛋白酶D及纽蛋白在培养脊髓神经元内协同分布,CD及PMA均可引起二者分布的变化,提示纽蛋白可通过增强细胞内吞体/溶酶体系统活动而使线状溶酶体增加,也可通过促进丝状肌动蛋白聚合而影响线状溶酶体的形成及运动.     

溶酶体与细胞凋亡

在特定条件下,包括活性氧、鞘氨醇、细胞凋亡效应因子Bax等在内的多种刺激因子均可诱发溶酶体膜通透,之后溶酶体内含的蛋白酶（如组织蛋白酶等）及其他水解酶从溶酶体释放至胞浆中,通过剪切效应分子、激活包括凋亡酶在内的其他水解酶而启动细胞凋亡程序的执行。简要概括了引发溶酶体膜通透的可能机制及溶酶体参与细胞凋亡的主要途径。     

家蚕卵半胱氨酸蛋白酶纯化及抗血清制备

据报道,家蚕卵中存在半胱氨酸蛋白酶(Cysteine proteinase,CP),其性质与哺乳类溶酶体半胱氨酸蛋白酶类的组织蛋白酶L相似,最佳作用pH为3.5,体外最适作用底物为牛血红蛋白,体内最适作用底物为卵黄磷蛋白。经SDS—PAGE分析,分子量47KD。其主要作用是在胚胎发育过程中降解卵黄蛋白质,供胚胎发育之需要。 在成熟卵中具很高含量的半胱氨酸蛋白酶,在胚胎发育开始前,并不发生卵黄蛋白质的水解,其作用机制尚待阐明。为了进一步研究半胱氨酸蛋白酶的组织分布、合成位点、及cDNA克隆等,作者从家蚕卵中纯化了半胱氨酸蛋白酶,并制备了抗血清。     

Atorvastatin inhibits the apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by angiotensin II via the lysosomal-mitochondrial axis

This study was aimed to evaluate lysosomes–mitochondria cross-signaling in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and whether atorvastatin played a protective role via lysosomal-mitochondrial axis. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, Hoechst 33342 and AO/EB assay. The temporal relationship of lysosomal and mitochondrial permeabilization was established. Activity of Cathepsin D (CTSD) was suppressed by pharmacological and genetic approaches. Proteins production were measured by western blotting. Our study showed that Ang II could induce the apoptosis of HUVECs in a dose-depended and time-depended manner. Exposure to 1 μM Ang II for 24 h resulted in mitochondrial depolarization, cytochrome c release, and increased ROS production. Lysosomal permeabilization and CTSD redistribution into the cytoplasm occurred several hours prior to mitochondrial dysfunction. These effects were all suppressed by atorvastatin. Either pharmacological or genetic inhibition of CTSD preserved mitochondrial function and decreased apoptosis in HUVECs. Most importantly, we found that the protective effect of atorvastatin was significantly greater than pharmacological or genetic inhibition of CTSD. Finally, overexpression of CTSD without exposure to Ang II had no effect on mitochondrial function and apoptosis. Our data strongly suggested that Ang II induced apoptosis through the lysosomal-mitochondrial axis in HUVECs. Furthermore, atorvastatin played an important role in the regulation of lysosomes and mitochondria stability, resulting in an antagonistic role against Ang II on HUVECs.     

SNAPIN is critical for lysosomal acidification and autophagosome maturation in macrophages

We previously observed that SNAPIN, which is an adaptor protein in the SNARE core complex, was highly expressed in rheumatoid arthritis synovial tissue macrophages, but its role in macrophages and autoimmunity is unknown. To identify SNAPIN's role in these cells, we employed siRNA to silence the expression of SNAPIN in primary human macrophages. Silencing SNAPIN resulted in swollen lysosomes with impaired CTSD (cathepsin D) activation, although total CTSD was not reduced. Neither endosome cargo delivery nor lysosomal fusion with endosomes or autophagosomes was inhibited following the forced silencing of SNAPIN. The acidification of lysosomes and accumulation of autolysosomes in SNAPIN-silenced cells was inhibited, resulting in incomplete lysosomal hydrolysis and impaired macroautophagy/autophagy flux. Mechanistic studies employing ratiometric color fluorescence on living cells demonstrated that the reduction of SNAPIN resulted in a modest reduction of H⁺ pump activity; however, the more critical mechanism was a lysosomal proton leak. Overall, our results demonstrate that SNAPIN is critical in the maintenance of healthy lysosomes and autophagy through its role in lysosome acidification and autophagosome maturation in macrophages largely through preventing proton leak. These observations suggest an important role for SNAPIN and autophagy in the homeostasis of macrophages, particularly long-lived tissue resident macrophages.     

Harvesting and separation of two populations of lysosomes from porcine endometrium

The lysosomes present in homogenates of porcine endometrium epithelium equilibrate in two density regions of Percoll gradients. Patterns with varying proportions between high and low density peaks are observed, when aliquots of a tissue sample are processed with different all-glass Potter-Elvejhem homogenizers. The described constant-tolerance shearing device (CTSD), in contrast, provides homogenate fractions with higher latencies and steady distribution patterns. They are characteristic for each of the six lysosomal markers and the six other structure-bound enzymes measured in gradient fractions of the particulate matter harvested between 600g and 17,000g. The 17,000g sediments of CTSD homogenates contain more than 40% of the total lysosomal enzymatic activities. Recoveries from Percoll gradients are between 93 and 101%. Enrichments in the high density region range from 35-fold (beta-glucosidase) to 82-fold (acid ribonuclease). Both lysosomal populations exhibit latencies between 89 and 94%. Our results indicate that light lysosomes can be artificially generated by inappropriate homogenization, which should be considered in experiments on the formation and maturation of lysosomes.     

Depletion of cathepsin D by transglutaminase 2 through protein cross-linking promotes cell survival

Transglutaminase 2 (TGase 2) promotes nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity through depletion of the inhibitory subunit of NF-κB (I-κBα) via protein cross-linking, leading to resolution of inflammation. Increased expression of TGase 2 contributes to inflammatory disease pathogenesis via constitutive NF-κB activation. Conversely, TGase 2 inhibition often reverses inflammation in animal models. The role of TGase 2 in apoptosis remains less clear, as both pro- and anti-apoptotic functions of TGase 2 have been demonstrated under different experimental conditions. Apoptosis is intact in a TGase 2 knock out mouse (TGase2^?/?), which is phenotypically normal. However, upon exposure to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced apoptotic stress, mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) from TGase2^?/? mice were more sensitive to cell death than MEFs from wild-type (TGase 2^+/+) mice. In the current study, to explore the role of TGase 2 in apoptosis, TGase 2-binding proteins were identified by LC/MS. TGase 2 was found to associate with cathepsin D (CTSD). Binding of TGase 2 to CTSD resulted in the depletion of CTSD via cross-linking in vitro as well as in MEFs, leading to decreased levels of apoptosis. Furthermore, cytoplasmic CTSD levels were higher in MEFs from TGase 2^?/? mice than in those from TGase 2^+/+ mice, as were caspase 3 activation and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) processes. These results suggest that TGase 2, while not previously implicated as a major regulatory factor in apoptosis, may regulate the balance between cell survival and cell death through the modulation of CTSD levels.     

Lysosomal proteolysis in skeletal muscle

Lysosomal proteases are abundantly expressed in fetal muscles, but poorly represented in the adult skeletal muscles. The lysosomal proteolytic system is nonetheless stimulated in adult muscles in a variety of pathological conditions. Furthermore, recent investigations describe autophagosomes in muscle fibers in vitro and in vivo, and report myopathies with excessive autophagy. This review presents our current knowledge about the lysosomal proteolytic system and summarizes the evidences pertaining to the role of lysosomes and autophagosomes in muscle physiology and pathology.     

Cathepsin D links TNF-induced acid sphingomyelinase to Bid-mediated caspase-9 and -3 activation

Acidic noncaspase proteases-like cathepsins have been introduced as novel mediators of apoptosis. A clear role for these proteases and the acidic endolysosomal compartment in apoptotic signalling is not yet defined. To understand the role and significance of noncaspases in promoting and mediating cell death, it is important to determine whether an intersection of these proteases and the caspase pathway exists. We recently identified the endolysosomal aspartate protease cathepsin D (CTSD) as a target for the proapoptotic lipid ceramide. Here, we show that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced CTSD activation depends on functional acid sphingomyelinase (A-SMase) expression. Ectopic expression of CTSD in CTSD-deficient fibroblasts results in an enhanced TNF-mediated apoptotic response. Intracellular colocalization of CTSD with the proapoptotic bcl-2 protein family member Bid in HeLa cells, and the ability of CTSD to cleave directly Bid in vitro as well as the lack of Bid activation in cathepsin-deficient fibroblasts indicate that Bid represents a direct downstream target of CTSD. Costaining of CTSD and Bid with Rab5 suggests that the endosomal compartments are the common 'meeting point'. Caspase-9 and -3 activation also was in part dependent on A-SMase and CTSD expression as revealed in the respective deficiency models. Our results link as novel endosomal intermediates the A-SMase and the acid aspartate protease CTSD to the mitochondrial apoptotic TNF pathway.     

Early angiogenic response to shock waves in a three-dimensional model of human microvascular endothelial cell culture (HMEC-1)

The exact nature of shock wave (SW) action is not, as yet, fully understood, although a possible hypothesis may be that shock waves induce neoangiogenesis. To test this hypothesis, a three-dimensional (3D) culture model on Matrigel was developed employing a human microvascular endothelial cell line (HMEC-1) which was stimulated with low energy soft- focused SW generated by an SW lithotripter. After 12 hours we observed a statistically significant increase in capillary connections subsequent to shock-wave treatment in respect to the control group and a marked 3-hour down-regulation in genes involved in the apoptotic processes (BAX, BCL2LI, GADD45A, PRKCA), in cell cycle (CDKN2C, CEBPB, HK2, IRF1, PRKCA), oncogenes (JUN, WNT1), cell adhesion (ICAM-1), and proteolytic systems (CTSD, KLK2, MMP10). Our preliminary results indicate that microvascular endothelial cells in vitro quickly respond to SW, proliferating and forming vessel-like structures, depending on the energy level employed and the number of shocks released. The early decreased expression in the analysed genes could be interpreted as the first reactive response of the endothelial cells to the external stimuli and the prelude to the events characterizing the neo-angiogenic sequence.     

Hepatitis B virus X protein inhibits autophagic degradation by impairing lysosomal maturation

Deficiency in autophagy, a lysosome-dependent cell degradation pathway, has been associated with a variety of diseases especially cancer. Recently, the activation of autophagy by hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein, which is implicated in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has been identified in hepatic cells. However, the underlying mechanism and the relevance of HBx-activated autophagy to the carcinogenesis caused by HBV remain elusive. Here, by transfection of HBV genomic DNA and HBx in hepatic and hepatoma cells, we showed that HBV- or HBx-induced autophagosome formation was accompanied by unchanged MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) activity and decreased degradation of LC3 and SQSTM1/p62, the typical autophagic cargo proteins. Further functional and morphological analysis indicated that HBx dramatically impaired lysosomal acidification leading to a drop in lysosomal degradative capacity and the accumulation of immature lysosomes possibly through interaction with V-ATPase affecting its lysosome targeting. Moreover, clinical specimen test showed increased SQSTM1 and immature lysosomal hydrolase CTSD (cathepsin D) in human liver tissues with chronic HBV infection and HBV-associated liver cancer. These data suggest that a repressive effect of HBx on lysosomal function is responsible for the inhibition of autophagic degradation, and this may be critical to the development of HBV-associated HCC.