整合素：一类介导细胞信号转导的膜分子

整合素形成了一个大的蛋白家族,主要介导细胞－基质之间的相互作用,整合素除了熟知的参与粘附功能外,还可通过独特的信号转导途径。影响细胞的增殖,凋亡,分化以及运行,而细胞生理过程的失调常常导致恶性肿瘤的发生。     

Scaffold蛋白介导细胞信号转导专一性的定量分析

细胞使用相对有限的蛋白质组分传递大量的信号,因此不同的信号通常由相同的蛋白质组分传递。这些蛋白质组分是如何选择性地参与不同的信号通路,“高保真”地传递不同的刺激,从而产生特定的细胞应答,是目前细胞生物学领域中的研究热点和难点之一。鉴于Scaffold蛋白在确保信号转导专一性和保真性中的关键作用,作者基于酵母S.cerevisiae的生物学实验数据,建立了由Scaffold介导的丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(mitogenactivatedproteinkinase,MAPK)级联信号转导网络的数学模型。并对已报道的工作进行扩展,给出了多条信号级联网络的“专一性(specificity)”和“保真性(fidelity)”的精确数学定义,计算了MAPK信号网络的专一性和保真性的解析解。用这些解定量分析细胞信号转导的专一性和保真性与信号通路各种动力学参数(输入信号的强度和时间、反应率、磷酸化和去磷酸化系数、降解系数等)之间的关系,从理论上阐述Scaffold蛋白通过隔离(sequestration)和选择性激活(selectiveactivation)等机制增强信号转导网络的专一性和保真性。从而有助于加深对细胞信号转导及其调控过程的系统理解,为揭示某些因细胞信号转导异常所致疾病的发生机理,寻找治疗药物提供新的思路。     

蛋白转导域研究进展

蛋白转导域(PTDs)是小分子多肽,又称为细胞渗透性蛋白(CPP)或转膜序列(MTS),它可以不依赖于经典的细胞内吞,将多种大分子物质导入细胞内。因此,PTDs被认为是一种理想的运载工具,在将蛋白和其他分子导入活细胞的研究中有着广泛的应用前景。本文着重综述PTDs的跨膜转运机制及其应用等方面的研究进展。     

整合素和GFRs介导的信号转导及其相互关系

整合素和GFRs之间可以相互影响和相互作用,并且在信号转导通路上存在多层次的交叉。两者的信号整合的细胞的存活、增殖、和运动等事件中扮演了重要角色。     

Slit-Robo细胞信号转导通路研究进展

Slit-Robo细胞信号转导通路调控多种多样的生理功能,不同的下游信号转导途径可产生不同的生理功能.其中最广为人知的功能是介导双侧对称生物体胚胎神经系统发育时的轴突排斥现象.近年来,作为一种在生物体内广泛表达的细胞信号转导通路,Slit-Robo的功能库已大大扩展,与神经发育、血管生成、器官及组织发育以及干细胞的增殖...     

E-钙粘着蛋白与细胞信号转导的研究进展

E-钙粘着蛋白是一种钙依赖性的亲同性细胞间粘附分子,在组织器官的发育等生理过程和肿瘤细胞的迁徙转移等病理过程中发挥重要作用。它的表达、功能的发挥与细胞信号转导密切相关。     

微丝骨架在植物细胞信号转导中的作用

文章从小G蛋白、离子浓度和肌醇磷脂信号系统等方面阐述植物细胞微丝骨架与细胞信号转导的关系.     

小分子G蛋白R-Ras介导的细胞信号转导通路及其生物学功能

R-Ras属于小分子G蛋白Ras超家族,在细胞信号转导通路中起着分子开关的作用,具有调控细胞黏附、促进细胞凋亡、抑制细胞运动、调节细胞形态等多种生物学功能。R-Ras和Ras家族的其他成员一样,结合GTP时处于激活状态,即信号通路开启状态,能够与下游因子相互作用;通过上游信号的调节及其下游效应物,将胞外信号转导到胞内,调节细胞的相关生物学功能。最近的研究提示R-Ras与乳腺癌等肿瘤的发生具有相关性,对其深入研究有可能为肿瘤发生机制的阐明提供分子基础。我们对R-Ras介导的细胞信号转导通路及其生物学功能进行简要综述。     

细胞信号转导与可变剪接调控

大多数真核基因能够发生可变剪接,其调控对于生理和病理状态下细胞功能的实现至关重要,而异常可变剪接则可导致多种疾病。虽然已知可变剪接能够在转录后水平调节基因表达,然而目前仍不清楚特定的可变剪接模式是如何被调控的。越来越多的研究发现细胞信号和外界环境刺激能够调控靶基因的剪接模式,并且已发现一些与可变剪接调控有关的信号转导通路,而后者能够通过修饰剪接因子进而改变剪接因子的亚细胞定位或者活性,从而实现对靶基因可变剪接模式的调控。由细胞信号转导通路所构成的网络能够灵活多样地调控基因剪接,一条信号通路可调控多个基因剪接,而多条信号通路也可调控同一基因剪接,对于理解信号转导过程的分子机制具有重要意义。     

Caveolin-1与血管平滑肌细胞信号转导

微囊蛋白家族是近年来引人关注的细胞膜信号转导调节因子,在多条信号转导过程中起着枢纽作用,其标志性的结构蛋白caveolin对许多关键信号分子的活性状态起着直接的调节作用。微囊蛋白表达异常可诱导动脉粥样硬化、心肌肥厚、肿瘤、糖尿病、膀胱功能异常、肌营养不良等多种疾病的发生。血管平滑肌细胞膜上主要表达微囊蛋白-1(caveolin-1),提示它可能参与平滑肌细胞膜内外的重要信号转导机制。     

人类肿瘤病毒介导缺氧信号致病机制的研究进展

病毒感染与多种肿瘤的发生发展密切相关,病毒入侵宿主细胞后常引发多个关键细胞信号通路的调控紊乱,其中对缺氧信号的调控尤为重要,日益受到关注。本文主要介绍各种常见人类肿瘤病毒如何通过编码毒蛋白篡改缺氧诱导因子(HIF)信号通路,以及在应答缺氧微环境时如何诱发肿瘤发生发展分子机制的研究进展,并概括肿瘤病毒介导HIF信号通路及其对缺氧应激反应的共有模式,提示肿瘤病毒调控缺氧信号诱发癌症的潜在治疗靶点和策略。     

整合蛋白信号转导研究进展

细胞外基质受体整合蛋白全方位影响细胞的形态、运动、存活和增殖。它通过介导复杂的信号通路,将细胞外信息内传,调控细胞的生命活动。本文综述了整合蛋白的活化过程、信号转导过程及其与生长因子受体信号通路相互关联研究的最新进展。     

Manipulating integrin signaling for anti-thrombotic benefits

A hallmark of neurogenesis in vertebrate is the apical-basal fluctuation of radial glia nuclei. Such a phenomenon, called INM, has been known for decades and is closely associated with mitosis but still puzzles scientists. An impressive step in the molecular understanding of INM has recently been achieved by Tsai and coworkers. Using RNA interference associated with time-lapse imaging, these authors demonstrated a dual motor system that can push/pull the nuclei accordingly with the cell cycle stages.     

Tests of integrin transmembrane domain homo-oligomerization during integrin ligand binding and signaling

Integrin transmembrane (TM) and/or cytoplasmic domains play a critical role in integrin bidirectional signaling. Although it has been shown that TM and/or cytoplasmic α and β domains associate in the resting state and separation of these domains is required for both inside-out and outside-in signaling, the role of TM homomeric association remains elusive. Formation of TM homo-oligomers was observed in micelles and bacterial membranes previously, and it has been proposed that homomeric association is important for integrin activation and clustering. This study addresses whether integrin TM domains form homo-oligomers in mammalian cell membranes using cysteine scanning mutagenesis. Our results show that TM homomeric interaction does not occur before or after soluble ligand binding or during inside-out activation. In addition, even though the cysteine mutants and the heterodimeric disulfide-bounded mutant could form clusters after adhering to immobilized ligand, the integrin TM domains do not form homo-oligomers, suggesting that integrin TM homomeric association is not critical for integrin clustering or outside-in signaling. Therefore, integrin TM homo-oligomerization is not required for integrin activation, ligand binding, or signaling.     

Mechanisms of talin-dependent integrin signaling and crosstalk

Cells undergo dynamic remodeling of the cytoskeleton during adhesion and migration on various extracellular matrix (ECM) substrates in response to physiological and pathological cues. The major mediators of such cellular responses are the heterodimeric adhesion receptors, the integrins. Extracellular or intracellular signals emanating from different signaling cascades cause inside-out signaling of integrins via talin, a cystokeletal protein that links integrins to the actin cytoskeleton. Various integrin subfamilies communicate with each other and growth factor receptors under diverse cellular contexts to facilitate or inhibit various integrin-mediated functions. Since talin is an essential mediator of integrin activation, much of the integrin crosstalk would therefore be influenced by talin. However, despite the existence of an extensive body of knowledge on the role of talin in integrin activation and as a stabilizer of ECM-actin linkage, information on its role in regulating inter-integrin communication is limited. This review will focus on the structure of talin, its regulation of integrin activation and discuss its potential role in integrin crosstalk. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Reciprocal influences between cell cytoskeleton and membrane channels, receptors and transporters. Guest Editor: Jean Claude Hervé.     

Regulation of membrane traffic by integrin signaling

Membrane trafficking pathways function to sort and transport cargoes to various intracellular compartments and to the plasma membrane. This allows precise spatiotemporal control of processes such as signal transduction, which in turn is crucial for complex cell functions such as cell division, migration and polarity. Recent studies identified cell-matrix adhesions as regulators of exocytosis, endocytosis and the recycling machinery, thus establishing a new layer of crosstalk between cell adhesion and signaling. This review discusses these findings and considers their implications for signaling events downstream of integrins and growth factor receptors.     

Periostin promotes atrioventricular mesenchyme matrix invasion and remodeling mediated by integrin signaling through Rho/PI 3-kinase

Recent evidence suggests that extracellular matrix components may play a signaling role in embryonic valve development. We have previously identified the spatiotemporal expression patterns of periostin in developing valves, but its function during this process is largely unknown. To evaluate the functional role periostin plays during valvulogenesis, two separate three-dimensional culture assay systems, which model chick atrioventricular cushion development, were employed. These assays demonstrated that cushion mesenchymal cells adhered and spread on purified periostin in a dose-responsive manner, similar to collagen I and fibronectin via alpha(v)beta(3) and beta(1) integrin pairs. Periostin overexpression resulted in enhanced mesenchyme invasion through 3D collagen gels and increased matrix compaction. This invasion was dependent on alpha(v)beta(3) more than beta(1) integrin signaling, and was mediated differentially by Rho kinase and PI 3-kinase. Both matrix invasion and compaction were associated with a colocalization of periostin and beta(1) integrin expression to migratory cell phenotype in both surface and deep cells. The Rho/PI 3-kinase pathway also differentially mediated matrix compaction. Both Rho and PI 3-kinase were involved in normal cushion mesenchyme matrix compaction, but only PI 3-kinase was required for the enhanced matrix compaction due to periostin. Taken together, these results highlight periostin as a mediator of matrix remodeling by cushion mesenchyme towards a mature valve structure.     

Intrinsic signaling functions of the beta4 integrin intracellular domain

A key issue regarding the role of alpha6beta4 in cancer biology is the mechanism by which this integrin exerts its profound effects on intracellular signaling, including growth factor-mediated signaling. One approach is to evaluate the intrinsic signaling capacity of the unique beta4 intracellular domain in the absence of contributions from the alpha6 subunit and tetraspanins and to assess the ability of growth factor receptor signaling to cooperate with this domain. Here, we generated a chimeric receptor composed of the TrkB extracellular domain and the beta4 transmembrane and intracellular domains. Expression of this chimeric receptor in beta4-null cancer cells enabled us to assess the signaling potential of the beta4 intracellular domain alone or in response to dimerization using brain-derived neurotrophic factor, the ligand for TrkB. Dimerization of the beta4 intracellular domain results in the binding and activation of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 and the activation of Src, events that also occur upon ligation of intact alpha6beta4. In contrast to alpha6beta4 signaling, however, dimerization of the chimeric receptor does not activate either Akt or Erk1/2. Growth factor stimulation induces tyrosine phosphorylation of the chimeric receptor but does not enhance its binding to SHP-2. The chimeric receptor is unable to amplify growth factor-mediated activation of Akt and Erk1/2, and growth factor-stimulated migration. Collectively, these data indicate that the beta4 intracellular domain has some intrinsic signaling potential, but it cannot mimic the full signaling capacity of alpha6beta4. These data also question the putative role of the beta4 intracellular domain as an "adaptor" for growth factor receptor signaling.