多肽TAT与核定位信号介导的蛋白质入核递送

增强型绿色荧光蛋白与蛋白质转导结构域TAT、SV40大T抗原的核定位信号以融合蛋白的形式在大肠杆菌中表达 ,纯化后转导A431细胞 ,大部分细胞核内都可以观察到绿色荧光 ,说明TAT NLS可以有效介导蛋白质的入核递送。这种蛋白质递送系统可望用于转录治疗等研究领域。     

TAT蛋白介导外源物质进入细胞的作用机制探讨

来源于人类免疫缺陷病毒HIV-1的反式激活因子(trans-activator,TAT)蛋白能够有效的介导多肽、蛋白质、基因以及一些其它的物质进入细胞。它以低亲和力与细胞上的受体相结合,通过破坏细胞质膜,以非内吞途径转导外源物质进入细胞内部。     

TAT蛋白转导结构域介导融合蛋白在小鼠活体的跨膜递送作用

目的探讨跨膜递送短肽——TAT蛋白转导结构域(简称TAT)介导的与其融合的活性蛋白在活体的跨膜递送作用。方法以融合蛋白GST-TAT-GFP,GST-GFP-TAT和GST-GFP为研究模型蛋白,不经过蛋白质的变性处理、直接通过向小鼠腹腔注射和皮肤涂抹这两种含TAT的融合蛋白及作为对照的融合蛋白GST-GFP,一定时间作用后取体内器官和皮肤做冷冻切片,荧光显微镜检测这些融合蛋白的跨膜递送情况;并对分别融合在C端或者N端的TAT介导GFP在活体动物体内和皮肤的跨膜递送作用进行对比。结果腹腔注射实验结果表明,TAT可以介导不经过蛋白质的变性处理的融合蛋白GST-TAT-GFP和GST-GFP-TAT跨膜递送进入到小鼠的心脏、肝、肾、脾和肺,甚至脑组织;其中GST-GFP-TAT跨膜递送效率比GST-TAT-GFP更高。结构模拟分析提示GST-GFP-TAT与GST-TAT-GFP中的TAT的暴露情况不同可能是造成两种蛋白跨膜递送活性差异的重要因素。皮肤实验的结果则表明TAT不仅介导融合蛋白GST-TAT-GFP和GST-GFP-TAT进入小鼠表皮,而且使其进入小鼠皮肤的真皮层。结论 TAT可以跨膜递送不经过变性处理的融合蛋白进入小鼠皮肤和体内,递送效率可能与TAT的暴露程度相关;这些结果为在蛋白质疗法方面应用TAT提供了进一步的理论依据。     

HIV-1 TAT蛋白转导肽的研究进展

TAT蛋白转导肽是人类免疫缺陷病毒1型(human immunodeficiency virus type 1, HIV-1)编码的一段富含碱性氨基酸、带正电荷的多肽,属于蛋白转导域家族的一员。长期研究发现其全长及11个碱性氨基酸富集区的核心肽段(YGRKKRRQRRR)不仅能够在包括蛋白质、多肽及核酸等多种外源生物大分子的跨膜转导过程中具有重要作用,而且能够携带这些外源生物大分子通过活体细胞的各种生物膜性结构(如细胞膜和血脑屏障等)并发挥生理功能,但其跨膜转导机制仍不明确。新近研究还发现TAT核心肽段在促进外源蛋白高效表达过程中也具有重要作用,能够显著增加外源蛋白高效、可溶性表达的水平,显示了TAT蛋白转导肽的新功能。以TAT蛋白转导肽跨膜转导作用的长期研究背景为基础,分别从TAT蛋白转导肽的结构特点、其跨膜转导作用的影响因素及其作用机制等方面进行了系统综述,进一步结合TAT蛋白转导肽的最新研究进展分别从药物研发、机制探索及新功能的开发等方面展望了后续研究方向与应用价值,不仅为深入阐述TAT蛋白转导肽的跨膜转导作用的功能意义提供了参考依据,而且为TAT蛋白转导肽在微生物工程及蛋白质工程等领域的潜在应用价值提供了重要参考信息。     

TAT蛋白质转导结构域与SV40启动子特异的三锌指结构融合蛋白的表达与纯化

利用蛋白质转导结构域(PTDs)可以将与之融合表达的蛋白质直接送入细胞中。将通过筛选噬菌体展示锌指库得到的特异作用于SV40启动子上9bp序列的三锌指结构的序列插入含有TAT蛋白的蛋白质转导结构域的表达载体pET—TAT-NLS中,构建融合蛋白的表达载体pET-TAT-NLS—clone3。融合蛋白在E．coli BL21(DE3)中得到了可溶性表达,含量约占总蛋白的18％;并通过镍亲和凝胶层析柱得到了较好的纯化融合蛋白。     

Varp过表达降低腺病毒感染细胞效率的研究

目的：探讨Varp蛋白对腺病毒感染细胞效率的影响.方法：构建稳定表达Varp蛋白的HEK293细胞株,用携带EGFP基因的腺病毒载体感染细胞,通过荧光显微镜观察及Western Blotting等方法检测腺病毒对不同细胞感染效率的差别.结果：腺病毒对稳定过表达Varp蛋白的细胞的感染效率较对照细胞明显下降.结论：Varp蛋白在细胞中稳定过表达能够降低腺病毒感染细胞的效率.     

蛋白质转导--外源物质进入细胞的新工具

相对于常规的基因转移技术,蛋白质直接跨过细胞膜进入细胞(protein transduction,蛋白质转导)还比较新颖。蛋白质转导结构坟(protein transduction doraain,FTD)最早发现于HIV的TAT蛋白,之后证明多种天然的和人工合成的蛋白质和多肽都具有蛋白质转导能力。PTD有相似的结构特征,但是其转导的详细机制仍不清楚,很多研究结果倾向于静电相互作用模式。大量研究证明,PTD具肓转导能力强、无细咆特异性、能够穿过血脑屏障等特点,这为癌症、AIDS、神经系统疾病等的基础研究和治疗提供了新的工具。     

TAT蛋白转导肽介导的秀丽线虫体内外源蛋白的跨膜转导研究

TAT蛋白转导肽是HIV-1病毒编码的一段富含碱性氨基酸序列的多肽,能够高效介导多种外源生物大分子通过多种膜性结构,如细胞质膜和血脑屏障等。为探索TAT蛋白转导肽介导的秀丽线虫体内外源蛋白跨膜转导作用,以EGFP为报告基因结合常规分子克隆技术构建了原核表达载体pET28b-EGFP和pET28-TAT-EGFP,继而利用诱导剂IPTG(终浓度1mmol/L)诱导表达了靶蛋白并结合荧光显微观察、SDS-PAGE和Western blot等鉴定技术获得表达靶蛋白的大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)细胞,最后将其涂布到含有Kana⁺的LB固体培养基上直接饲喂野生型N2株系线虫,利用荧光显微镜观察绿色荧光信号在线虫体内的分布。结果证明,TAT-EGFP融合蛋白较之于EGFP可高效、可溶性表达,而且通过直接饲喂秀丽线虫表达靶蛋白的大肠杆菌48小时后,TAT-EGFP荧光信号明显分布于线虫肠壁细胞,而EGFP荧光信号则分布在秀丽线虫肠腔,空载体对照组未见任何荧光信号,说明TAT蛋白转导肽能够高效介导外源蛋白在秀丽线虫体内跨膜转导。同时,通过比较空载体对照组与实验组线虫微分干涉图像,未见线虫出现明显的细胞形态变化,说明TAT蛋白转导肽介导的外源蛋白跨膜转导作用是安全的,为在秀丽线虫体内直接研究外源蛋白的功能以及进行蛋白药物的研发提供了重要参考。     

TAT蛋白在介导外源物质进入细胞方面的应用

TAT蛋白能够介导多肽、蛋白质、基因等外源物质进入细胞 ,对机体没有毒性 ,对周围环境的影响也不敏感 ,因而可以直接应用于组织细胞。它能够引导外源基因定位于细胞核 ,具有其它介导方法所没有的优点。这些优点将使TAT蛋白在研究蛋白质功能、基因治疗等方面发挥极为重要的作用。TAT蛋白与细胞表面进行低亲和力的结合 ,以Caveolae途径进入细胞 ,将其与高亲和力配体结合可以有更大的功用     

中国猕猴预存抗腺病毒中和抗体滴度对腺病毒体外感染单核细胞效率的影响

为了探索通过血液系统利用重组腺病毒载体的方法,以中国猕猴为动物模型,以复制缺陷型人5型腺病毒(human adenovirus serotype 5,HAd5)为载体携带报告基因在体外直接感染外周血单个核细胞(peripheral bloodmononuclear cells,PBMC).首先对HAd5在体外感染PBMC的条件进行优化,证实离心力可提高HAd5的感染效率;细胞分群结果表明HAd5特异感染PBMC中的CD14 单核细胞,仅感染小部分自然杀伤细胞,但几乎不感染T淋巴细胞和B淋巴细胞.首次发现:猕猴体内预先存在的抗HAd5中和抗体滴度越高,其单核细胞在体外对HAd5的易感性越强.这种现象将拓宽基于腺病毒载体的基因治疗和疫苗的临床应用范围,尤其是对预先存在腺病毒中和抗体的人群更具意义,为探索更方便有效的基因治疗和疫苗研究带来新的思考.     

Heme oxygenase-1 fused to a TAT peptide transduces and protects pancreatic beta-cells

Transplantation of islets is becoming an established method for treating type 1 diabetes. However, viability of islets is greatly affected by necrosis/apoptosis induced by oxidative stress and other insults during isolation and subsequent in vitro culture. Expression of cytoprotective proteins, such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), reduces the deleterious effects of oxidative stress in transplantable islets. We have generated a fusion protein composed of HO-1 and TAT protein transduction domain (TAT/PTD), an 11-aa cell penetrating peptide from the human immunodeficiency virus TAT protein. Transduction of TAT/PTD-HO-1 to insulin-producing cells protects against TNF-alpha-mediated cytotoxicity. TAT/PTD-HO-1 transduction to islets does not impair islet physiology, as assessed by reversion of chemically induced diabetes in immunodeficient mice. Finally, we report that transduction of HO-1 fusion protein into islets improves islet viability in culture. This approach might have a positive impact on the availability of islets for transplantation.     

Intracellular delivery of antibodies using TAT fusion protein A

Internalization of antibodies into mammalian cells is a useful method for analyzing and regulating cellular function. In this study, we developed a novel method for the delivery of antibodies into cells using the TAT-fused protein. This fusion protein consists of two functional domains, the protein transduction domain of HIV-1 TAT and the B domain of staphylococcal protein A (SpA), which has an ability to bind to the IgG. The TAT-SpA fusion protein was mixed with fluorescence-labeled rabbit IgG and added to cells. The internalization of antibody was analyzed using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry in living cells. As a result, fluorescence-labeled IgG with the TAT-SpA fusion protein was observed intracellularly. Flow cytometry results demonstrated time course and dose dependence relationships of antibody internalization. These results suggest that the TAT-SpA fusion protein can be a useful reagent for the delivery of antibody into cells.     

Improved intracellular delivery of glucocerebrosidase mediated by the HIV-1 TAT protein transduction domain

Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for Gaucher disease designed to target glucocerebrosidase (GC) to macrophages via mannose-specific endocytosis is very effective in reversing hepatosplenomegaly, and normalizing hematologic parameters but is less effective in improving bone and lung involvement and ineffective in brain. Recombinant GCs containing an in-frame fusion to the HIV-1 trans-activator protein transduction domain (TAT) were expressed in eukaryotic cells in order to obtain active, normally glycosylated GC fusion proteins for enzyme uptake studies. Despite the absence of mannose-specific endocytic receptors on the plasma membranes of various fibroblasts, the recombinant GCs with C-terminal TAT fusions were readily internalized by these cells. Immunofluorescent confocal microscopy demonstrated the recombinant TAT-fusion proteins with a mixed endosomal and lysosomal localization. Thus, TAT-modified GCs represent a novel strategy for a new generation of therapeutic enzymes for ERT for Gaucher disease.     

Enhanced Cellular Uptake of Albumin-Based Lyophilisomes when Functionalized with Cell-Penetrating Peptide TAT in HeLa Cells

Lyophilisomes are a novel class of biodegradable proteinaceous nano/micrometer capsules with potential use as drug delivery carrier. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) including the TAT peptide have been successfully implemented for intracellular delivery of a broad variety of cargos including various nanoparticulate pharmaceutical carriers. In the present study, lyophilisomes were modified using CPPs in order to achieve enhanced cellular uptake. Lyophilisomes were prepared by a freezing, annealing, and lyophilization method and a cystein-elongated TAT peptide was conjugated to the lyophilisomes using a heterobifunctional linker. Fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) was utilized to acquire a lyophilisome population with a particle diameter smaller than 1000 nm. Cultured HeLa, OVCAR-3, Caco-2 and SKOV-3 cells were exposed to unmodified lyophilisomes and TAT-conjugated lyophilisomes and examined with FACS. HeLa cells were investigated in more detail using a trypan blue quenching assay, confocal microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. TAT-conjugation strongly increased binding and cellular uptake of lyophilisomes in a time-dependent manner in vitro, as assessed by FACS. These results were confirmed by confocal microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy indicated rapid cellular uptake of TAT-conjugated lyophilisomes via phagocytosis and/or macropinocytosis. In conclusion, TAT-peptides conjugated to albumin-based lyophilisomes are able to enhance cellular uptake of lyophilisomes in HeLa cells.     

Secretion and uptake of TAT-fusion proteins produced by engineered mammalian cells

Background

Intracellular signaling can be regulated by the exogenous addition of physiological protein inhibitors coupled to the TAT protein transduction domain. Thus far experiments have been performed with purified inhibitors added exogenously to cells in vitro or administered in vivo. Production of secretable TAT-fusion proteins by engineered mammalian cells, their uptake, and route of entry has not been thoroughly investigated. Such methodology, if established, could be useful for transplantation purposes.

Methods

Secretion of TAT-fusion proteins from transfected mammalian cells was achieved by means of a signal peptide. Cell uptake and subcellular localization of TAT-fusion proteins were determined by immunoblotting and confocal microscopy.

Results

Engineered TAT-fusion proteins were secreted with variable efficiency depending on the nature of the protein fused to the TAT peptide. Secreted proteins were able to transduce unmanipulated cells. Their mechanism of entry into cells partly involves lipid rafts and a portion of the internalised protein is directed to the Golgi.

Conclusions

Generation of secretable TAT-coupled inhibitors of signaling pathways, able to transduce other cells can be achieved.

General significance

These results provide key information that will assist in the design of TAT-inhibitors and engineered cells in order to regulate cell function within tissues.     

Arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptides

Arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptides are short cationic peptides capable of traversing the plasma membranes of eukaryotic cells. While successful intracellular delivery of many biologically active macromolecules has been accomplished using these peptides, their mechanisms of cell entry are still under investigation. Recent dialogue has centered on a debate over the roles that direct translocation and endocytotic pathways play in internalization of cell-penetrating peptides. In this paper, we review the evidence for the broad range of proposed mechanisms, and show that each distinct process requires negative Gaussian membrane curvature as a necessary condition. Generation of negative Gaussian curvature by cell-penetrating peptides is directly related to their arginine content. We illustrate these concepts using HIV TAT as an example.     

The Third Helix of the Hoxc8 Homeodomain Peptide Enhances the Efficiency of Gene Transfer in Combination with Lipofectamine

Protein transduction domains (PTDs) have been shown to cross the biological cell membranes efficiently through a receptor and energy independent mechanism. Because of its ease in membrane transducing ability, PTDs could be used as a gene delivery vector. Since we already have shown that purified Hoxc8 homeoprotein has the ability to cross the cellular membrane, we analyzed the possibility of the third helix of the Hoxc8 homeodomain as a useful gene delivery vector. For that purpose, a 16-aa long synthetic oligopeptide Hoxc8 Protein Transduction Domain (HPTD) was chemically synthesized and then tested to see whether the HPTD could form a complex with DNA or not. Gel retardation analysis revealed that the HPTD interacts with plasmid DNA efficiently but failed to transfer the DNA into the cells. However, HPTD can enhance the efficiency of gene transfer in combination with Lipofectamine which doubled the gene transfer rate into COS-7 cells compared with the DNA/Lipofectamine control. An MTT assay indicated that the amount of HPTD used in the complex for the transfection did not show any cytotoxicty in COS-7 cells. The TEM studies showed compact particle formation in the presence of HPTD. These results indicate that the HPTD could be a good candidate adjuvant molecule to enhance the gene transfer efficiency of Lipofectamine in eukaryotic cells.