Exploring Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection-induced alterations in gene expression in macrophage by microarray hybridization

Tuberculosis remains a major global threat to human health, with 8 million cases of clinical tuberculosis and 3 million deaths annually[1] (www.stoptb.org/tuberculosis/#facts.html). Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the causative agent of tuberculosis. The emergence of multi-drug resistant strains of Mtb and co-infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have further emphasized the need for effective prevention and treatment of tuberculosis. Mtb is a facultative intracellular pat…     

分枝杆菌干扰抗原呈递细胞功能的研究进展

结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Mtb)为巨噬细胞内寄生菌,诱导宿主产生的免疫应答以细胞免疫应答为主,其中活化的T细胞特别是CD4 T辅助细胞(Th)及其激活调节的巨噬细胞等多种细胞所发挥的免疫机制是机体抗Mtb特异性免疫的关键,决定了胞内Mtb是被清除、还是进一步繁殖并发展为活动性结核抑或静止于胞内处于潜伏状态[1].     

结核分枝杆菌对宿主巨噬细胞死亡方式的调控

结核分枝杆菌（Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Mtb）感染后能抑制宿主巨噬细胞（M西）的免疫反应,并在其中生存、复制。研究表明Mtb减毒株感染主要诱导宿主Mφ凋亡,凋亡能抑制胞内Mtb的活力;而Mtb毒力株感染能抑制凋亡的完成,诱导Mφ坏死,最终导致Mtb扩散、感染临近细胞。通过对Mtb感染诱导宿主Mφ不同死亡方式的讨论,进一步认识Mtb的致病机制。     

结核病防治基础研究进展

结核病(tuberculosis)是由结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Mtb)引起的一种慢性传染病.结核病经呼吸道传播,肺部是Mtb感染的主要和起始器官.因此,肺结核是最主要的结核病.除肺部外,其他系统器官如骨关节、淋巴结、泌尿生殖系统、肠道、肝脏等均可受累而发生结核病.     

结核分枝杆菌脂蛋白Rv1016c增强细菌成膜能力和抑制自噬

目的研究结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mtb)脂蛋白Rv1016c在Mtb感染和结核病发病中的作用和机制。方法将Mtb脂蛋白Rv1016c基因导入野生耻垢分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium smegmatis, MS)构建重组菌株MS-Rv1016c,比较脂蛋白Rv1016c对菌体生长、成膜能力、细菌聚集、毒力等方面的影响,评估重组菌株MS-Rv1016c对自噬的影响。结果 Rv1016c基因的导入,因过表达脂蛋白使得MS的菌落变大、褶皱增加,使菌体聚集度降低,使细菌成膜速度加快、生物被膜产量增加;Rv1016c显著抑制巨噬细胞自噬,促进细菌在细胞内持留。结论 Rv1016c能够促进MS生物被膜形成,抑制细胞自噬,增强细菌毒力。为研究脂蛋白在Mtb致病机理中的作用提供理论依据。     

结核感染的现状和对策

作为一种古老的疾病,由结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Mtb)感染所致结核病困扰人类已有数千年;而近年,结核病的发病率和死亡率持续攀高.全球Mtb感染者几乎占总人口的1/3,每年TB新发和死亡患者分别在900万和200万人左右.在中国,结核(主要是肺结核)现有患者约500万人(80%在农村),数量仅次于印度位居世界第2位,其发病和死亡人数占据法定报告甲、乙类传染病的首位.     

结核分枝杆菌WhiB蛋白家族的研究进展

结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mtb)是引起结核病的主要病原体。WhiB蛋白家族有7个成员(WhiB1-WhiB7),它们是Mtb编码的氧化还原敏感的转录因子,分别参与Mtb细胞分裂、分泌系统调节、毒性、抗生素抗性等生命活动。现对近年来WhiB蛋白家族相关研究,重点就WhiB1的结构和WhiB1、WhiB3、WhiB4、WhiB7的功能,WhiB蛋白家族对Mtb生命活动和耐药性产生的影响作一概述,旨在加深对WhiB家族相关蛋白结构与功能的理解,为开发新型抗生素提供新思路。     

巨噬细胞冠蛋白-1 siRNA对小鼠巨噬细胞吞噬功能的影响

巨噬细胞冠蛋白-1(Coronin-1)与结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Mtb)逃逸免疫杀伤有关。该研究探讨了p S-EGFP-SP-Coronin-1si RNA重组质粒靶向抑制巨噬细胞Coronin-1表达后对小鼠巨噬细胞吞噬功能的影响。用该质粒转染小鼠巨噬细胞系RAW264.7,采用RT-PCR法和Western blot检测质粒转染前后细胞Coronin-1的表达水平。以耻垢分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium smegmatis)分别感染转染质粒组细胞和对照组细胞,通过细胞内细菌菌落计数和细胞爬片抗酸染色法评估巨噬细胞转染质粒前后对细菌的吞噬能力;利用流式细胞术检测转染质粒组细胞及对照组细胞吞噬耻垢分枝杆菌后不同时段的细胞凋亡水平。结果显示,该质粒能显著抑制RAW264.7细胞Coronin-1的m RNA水平及蛋白表达水平;感染耻垢分枝杆菌6 h后,转染质粒组细胞内细菌数显著高于对照组细胞(P0.05);感染耻垢分枝杆菌48 h后,转染质粒组细胞凋亡水平显著高于对照组细胞(P0.05)。以上结果表明,p S-EGFP-SP-Coronin-1si RNA重组质粒能显著抑制巨噬细胞Coronin-1的表达,并可显著促进巨噬细胞吞噬细菌和凋亡杀菌,为开发靶向巨噬细胞Coronin-1的抗结核基因治疗措施奠定基础。     

耐多药结核分枝杆菌的研究进展

耐多药结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Mtb)的产生和播散,尤其是泛耐药菌株的出现,已成为新世纪结核病控制的三大难题之一。Mtb耐药机制的研究有助于快速分子诊断工具的发展,且能指导抗结核新药的开发。了解耐多药结核分枝杆菌的耐药机制、分子特征及治疗的研究进展,将为耐多药Mtb的防治提供依据。     

结核分枝杆菌分泌蛋白EspB 在RAW264.7细胞中的稳定表达

[目的]建立能够稳定表达结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Mtb)分泌蛋白EspB(Rv3881c)的RAW264.7细胞系,为研究EspB蛋白在调控巨噬细胞功能中所起的作用提供科学依据.[方法]首先成功构建的重组质粒pEGFP-C1-EspB,然后将重组载体pEGFP-C1-EspB和空载体pEGFP-C1以脂质体介导的方法转染至小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7中,经过G418筛选后建立稳定表达EGFP-EspB融合蛋白以及EGFP的细胞系,并通过RT-PCR、荧光显微镜及Western blot方法,在基因和蛋白两个水平对所建立的稳转细胞系进行鉴定.[结果]EGFP-ESAT6融合基因成功整合入RAW264.7细胞基因组并能够稳定表达,成功获得了能够稳定表达EGFP-EspB融合蛋白以及EGFP的细胞系.[结论]本试验利用脂质体介导的方法,将构建的重组载体pEGFP-C1-EspB和空载体pEGFP-C1转染至Raw264.7细胞系中,获得了稳定表达EGFP-EspB融合蛋白的巨噬细胞系,为阐明EspB分泌蛋白在调控巨噬细胞功能中所起的作用以及EspB与巨噬细胞蛋白之间的相互作用提供了研究平台.     

Ethylene biosynthesis in Regnellidium diphyllum and Marsilea quadrifolia

The pathway of ethylene biosynthesis was examined in two lower plants, the semi-aquatic ferns Regnellidium diphyllum Lindm. and Marsilea quadrifolia L. As a positive control for the ethylene-biosynthetic pathway of higher plants, leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. were included in each experiment. Ethylene production by Regnellidium and Marsilea was not increased by treatment of leaflets with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), the precursor of ethylene in higher plants. Similarly, ethylene production was not inhibited by application of aminoethoxyvinylglycine and -aminoisobutyric acid, inhibitors of the ethylene biosynthetic enzymes ACC synthase and ACC oxidase, respectively. However, ACC was present in both ferns, as was ACC synthase. Compared to leaves of Arabidopsis, leaflets of Regnellidium and Marsilea incorporated little [¹⁴C]ACC and [¹⁴C]methionine into [¹⁴C]ethylene. From these data, it appears that the formation of ethylene in both ferns occurs mainly, if not only, via an ACC-independent route, even though the capacity to synthesize ACC is present in these lower plants.Abbreviations ACC 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid - AdoMet S-adenosyl-l-methionine - AIB -aminoisobutyric acid - AVG aminoethoxyvinylglycine This research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy through grant No. DE-FG02-91ER20021 and, in part, by a fellowship of the National Engineering and Research Council of Canada to Jacqueline Chernys.     

Actinotrichia collagens and their role in fin formation

The skeleton of zebrafish fins consists of lepidotrichia and actinotrichia. Actinotrichia are fibrils located at the tip of each lepidotrichia and play a morphogenetic role in fin formation. Actinotrichia are formed by collagens associated with non-collagen components. The non-collagen components of actinotrichia (actinodins) have been shown to play a critical role in fin to limb transition. The present study has focused on the collagens that form actinotrichia and their role in fin formation. We have found actinotrichia are formed by Collagen I plus a novel form of Collagen II, encoded by the col2a1b gene. This second copy of the collagen II gene is only found in fishes and is the only Collagen type II expressed in fins. Both col1a1a and col2a1b were found in actinotrichia forming cells. Significantly, they also expressed the lysyl hydroxylase 1 (lh1) gene, which encodes an enzyme involved in the post-translational processing of collagens. Morpholino knockdown in zebrafish embryos demonstrated that the two collagens and lh1 are essential for actinotrichia and fin fold morphogenesis. The col1a1 dominant mutant chihuahua showed aberrant phenotypes in both actinotrichia and lepidotrichia during fin development and regeneration. These pieces of evidences support that actinotrichia are composed of Collagens I and II, which are post-translationally processed by Lh1, and that the correct expression and assembling of these collagens is essential for fin formation. The unique collagen composition of actinotrichia may play a role in fin skeleton morphogenesis.     

Effect of octanoic acid on ethylene-mediated processes in Arabidopsis

We have examined whether octanoic acid (OA) one of the short chain saturated fatty acids (SCSFA), increases ethylene response in the following three ethylene-mediated processes: a) hypocotyl growth in darkness; b) formation of new flowers; c) flower abscission. These processes were examined in the presence or absence of exogenous ethylene in Arabidopsis wild type (WT) and in the ethylene-insensitive mutants, etr1-3 and ein2-1 and in the ethylene over-producer mutant eto1-1. Our results show that OA decreased hypocotyl length of WT in the absence or presence of exogenous ethylene, apparently showing that OA acts via augmentation of ethylene action. However, the hypocotyl growth inhibition could not be ascribed to increased ethylene sensitivity since application of inhibitors of ethylene synthesis (aminoethoxyvinylglycine; AVG) or action (1-methylcyclopropene;1-MCP) to WT seedlings did not prevent specifically the OA-induced growth inhibition. Also, OA inhibited hypocotyl growth in the mutants etr1-3 and ein2-1 in a similar pattern to that obtained in WT. On the other hand, OA had no effect on flower formation neither in WT, etr1-3 and eto1-1, in which ethylene reduced flower formation, nor in the ein2-1 mutant, in which ethylene had no effect. OA also did not increase flower abscission in WT or in the mutants etr1-3 and ein2-1 neither in the absence nor in the presence of ethylene. However, OA has augmented flower abscission in the mutant eto1-1 only in the absence of exogenous ethylene. This result might indicate that the effect of OA on eto1-1 is specific to this mutant and is not due to general deleterious effects inflicted by OA. Taken together, our results show that in general OA does not augment ethylene response in Arabidopsis, but it might affect ethylene action in flower abscission of the ethylene-overproducer mutant.     

蛋白-O-岩藻糖基转移酶1基因CfPOFUT1在果生炭疽菌中的功能分析

【目的】蛋白-O-岩藻糖基转移酶1 (protein O-fucosyltransferase 1,POFUT1)是催化蛋白质O-岩藻糖基化的关键酶,在动物和人体内被证明调控一系列的生理病理过程,然而POFUT1基因在果生炭疽菌乃至真菌中还未见报道。本研究旨在克隆果生炭疽菌中CfPOFUT1基因,并分析其生物学功能。【方法】利用RT-PCR技术扩增CfPOFUT1的基因并进行生物信息学分析,构建了CfPOFUT1基因的沉默和过表达载体,通过PEG介导法将载体导入原生质体中获得CfPOFUT1基因的沉默和过表达突变体。测定了野生型菌株、CfPOFUT1沉默菌株和过表达菌株在PDA上的菌丝生长、分生孢子产生、萌发与附着胞形成、胁迫应答和致病力、杀菌剂敏感性等生物学表型。【结果】与野生型菌株相比,基因过表达突变体产孢量显著增加,致病力增强,对嘧菌酯敏感性降低,但对多菌灵和咪鲜胺敏感性增强。基因沉默突变体产孢量减少,细胞壁完整性、内质网应激敏感性提高,致病力减弱,对嘧菌酯敏感性提高,但对多菌灵和咪鲜胺敏感性降低。【结论】CfPOFUT1基因参与调控果生炭疽菌分生孢子产量,细胞壁完整性、内质网对应激和药剂敏感性,并对其致病性也具有一定的影响。     

Ethylene formation from 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid in homogenates of etiolated pea seedlings

Homogenates of etiolated pea (Pisum sativum L.) shoots formed ethylene upon incubation with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC). In-vitro ethylene formation was not dependent upon prior treatment of the tissue with indole-3-acetic acid. When homogenates were passed through a Sephadex column, the excluded, high-molecular-weight fraction lost much of its ethylene-synthesizing capacity. This activity was largely restored when a heat-stable, low-molecular-weight factor, which was retarded on the Sephadex column, was added back to the high-molecular-weight fraction. The ethylene-synthesizing system appeared to be associated, at least in part, with the particulate fraction of the pea homogenate. Like ethylene synthesis in vivo, cell-free ethylene formation from ACC was oxygen dependent and inhibited by ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, n-propyl gallate, cyanide, azide, CoCl₃, and incubation at 40°C. It was also inhibited by catalase. In-vitro ethylene synthesis could only be saturated at very high ACC concentrations, if at all. Ethylene production in pea homogenates, and perhaps also in intact tissue, may be the result of the action of an enzyme that needs a heat-stable cofactor and has a very low affinity for its substrate, ACC, or it may be the result of a chemical reaction between ACC and the product of an enzyme reaction. Homogenates of etiolated pea shoots also formed ethylene with 2-keto-4-mercaptomethyl butyrate (KMB) as substrate. However, the mechanism by which KMB is converted to ethylene appears to be different from that by which ACC is converted.Abbreviations ACC 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - KMB 2-keto-4-mercaptomethyl butyrate - SAM S-adenosylmethionine     

A storage-protein marker associated with the suppressor of Pm8 for powdery mildew resistance in wheat

A suppressor of resistance to powdery mildew conferred by Pm8 showed complete association with the presence of a storage-protein marker resolved by electrophoresis on SDS-PAGE gels. This marker was identified as the product of the gliadin allele Gli-A1a. The mildewresponse phenotypes of wheats possessing the 1BL.1RS translocation were completely predictable from electrophoretograms. The suppressor, designated SuPm8, was located on chromosome 1AS. It was specific in its suppression of Pm8, and did not affect the rye-derived resistance phenotypes of wheat lines with Pm17, also located in 1RS, or of lines with Pm7.     

The physiological role of lipoxygenase in ethylene formation from 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid in oat leaves

In order to understand the physiological significance of the in-vitro lipoxygenase (EC 1.13.11.12)-mediated ethylene-forming system (J.F. Bousquet and K.V. Thimann 1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81, 1724–1727), its characteristics were compared to those of an in-vivo ethylene-forming system. While oat (Avena sativa L.) leaves, as other plant tissues, preferentially converted only one of the 1-amino-2-ethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (AEC) isomers to 1-butene, the lipoxygenase system converted all four AEC isomers to 1-butene with nearly equal efficiencies. While the in-vivo ethylene-forming system of oat leaves was saturable with ACC with a K_m of 16 M, the lipoxygenase system was not saturated with ACC even at 10 mM. In contrast to the in-vivo results, only 10% of the ACC consumed in the lipoxygenase system was converted to ethylene, indicating that the reaction is not specific for ethylene formation. Increased ACC-dependent ethylene production in oat leaves following pretreatment with linoleic acid has been inferred as evidence of the involvement of lipoxygenase in ethylene production. We found that pretreating oat leaves with linoleic acid resulted in increased ACC uptake and thereby increased ethylene production. A similar effect was observed with oleic acid, which is not a substrate of lipoxygenase. Since linoleic acid hydroperoxide can substitute for lipoxygenase and linoleic acid in this system, it is assumed that the alkoxy radicals generated during the decomposion of linoleic acid hydroperoxide are responsible for the degradation of ACC to ethylene. Our results collectively indicate that the reported lipoxygenase system is not the in-vivo ethylene-forming enzyme.Abbreviations ACC 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid - AEC 1-amino-2-ethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid - Epps N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-piperazine-N-3-propanesulfonic acid - LH linoleic acid - LOOH linoleic acid hydroperoxide - pyridoxal-P pyridoxal-phosphate This work was presented at the 12th International Conference on Plant Growth Substances, Heidelberg, FRG, August 1985 (Abstract No. PO 5-52)