两个新的前列腺癌相关分泌蛋白的鉴定和表达

为了获得代表不同前列腺癌进展阶段的细胞系的胞外蛋白表达谱, 验证其中差异表达蛋白是否为分泌蛋白, 在细胞水平看其是否有作为前列腺癌血清标志物的潜质, 文章利用双向电泳寻找胞外蛋白中差异表达的点, 并质谱鉴定其是何种蛋白质。应用RT-PCR方法分析候选分子在8种细胞系中的表达和对雄激素刺激的应答, 构建了候选分子的真核表达载体, 瞬时转染293T细胞, 应用标签抗体Western blotting方法检测验证细胞培养基中候选分子的表达。结果表明: 筛选出两个C4-2胞外高表达的分子-- 磷酸丙糖异构酶-1(Triosephosphate isomerase 1, TPI1)和多配体聚糖结合蛋白(Syndecan binding protein, syntenin, ST1); 转录水平发现它们与前列腺癌恶性程度相关, 并且后者受雄激素的作用下调; 二者均为分泌蛋白。磷酸丙糖异构酶-1和多配体聚糖结合蛋白均有作为指示前列腺癌发展阶段的血清标志物的潜质。     

一个新的前列腺癌细胞系分泌蛋白磷酸甘油酸酯激酶的鉴定与分析

目的：建立前列腺癌细胞系C4-2B分泌蛋白双向电泳图谱,并对感兴趣的蛋白进行质谱鉴定,对其表达调控进行初步分析。方法：收集前列腺癌细胞系C4-2B的分泌蛋白,利用双向电泳结合质谱的方法对感兴趣的蛋白进行鉴定,而后利用Western blot等方法对结果进行验证和分析。结果：得到较为稳定的前列腺癌细胞系分泌蛋白C4-2B双向电泳图谱,鉴定了一个新的前列腺癌细胞系分泌蛋白磷酸甘油酸酯激酶,并发现1nmol/L人工合成雄激素R1881可上调其表达。结论：建立了简便的前列腺癌细胞系分泌蛋白双向电泳及质谱分析的研究方法,初步证明磷酸甘油酸酯激酶是前列腺癌细胞系C4-2B新的分泌蛋白,且人工合成雄激素R1881可诱导其表达上调。     

前列腺癌雄激素受体和PI3K/Akt信号通路相互作用研究进展

前列腺癌的发生、进展依赖于雄激素,因此去势手术成为治疗晚期前列腺癌的标准疗法。但是去势后大多前列腺癌最终将转化为雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌,甚至进展为激素难治性前列腺癌,使得肿瘤的进展不受低水平雄激素的影响。即使如此,大多数激素非依赖性前列腺癌,依然阳性表达雄激素受体。因而雄激素受体在前列腺癌发生发展中起着重要作用。而PI3K/Akt信号通路能够通过维持细胞生存、抑制细胞凋亡、促进细胞代谢及血管生成等促进前列腺癌进展。本综述旨在总结前人研究,阐述雄激素受体和PI3K/Akt信号通路之间相互作用关系。研究表明Akt信号通路能够正性或者负性调控AR蛋白表达、蛋白的稳定性及其转录活性,从而维持细胞的生存、代谢。而AR即可以通过基因转录途径抑制Akt活化又能通过非转录基因途径激活Akt及其下游蛋白。因此,AR和Akt信号通路相互协同促进前列腺癌的发生及其向雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌进展。     

前列腺癌雄激素受体和PI3K/Akt 信号通路相互作用研究进展

前列腺癌的发生、进展依赖于雄激素,因此去势手术成为治疗晚期前列腺癌的标准疗法。但是去势后大多前列腺癌最终将转化为雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌,甚至进展为激素难治性前列腺癌,使得肿瘤的进展不受低水平雄激素的影响。即使如此,大多数激素非依赖性前列腺癌,依然阳性表达雄激素受体。因而雄激素受体在前列腺癌发生发展中起着重要作用。而PI3K/Akt信号通路能够通过维持细胞生存、抑制细胞凋亡、促进细胞代谢及血管生成等促进前列腺癌进展。本综述旨在总结前人研究,阐述雄激素受体和PI3K/Akt信号通路之间相互作用关系。研究表明Akt信号通路能够正性或者负性调控AR蛋白表达、蛋白的稳定性及其转录活性,从而维持细胞的生存、代谢。而AR即可以通过基因转录途径抑制Akt活化又能通过非转录基因途径激活Akt及其下游蛋白。因此,AR和Akt信号通路相互协同促进前列腺癌的发生及其向雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌进展。     

不同病理睾丸组织中雄激素受体和热休克蛋白90α表达的差异

目的检查和分析不同病理睾丸组织雄激素受体和热休克蛋白90α表达的差异.方法运用免疫组织化学二步法检查精子发生停滞、精原细胞瘤、前列腺癌去势和正常健康睾丸标本之雄激素受体和热休克蛋白90α的表达情况.结果正常睾丸组织和前列腺癌去势睾丸中雄激素受体在间质细胞、支持细胞和精原细胞的胞核表达,前者的表达强度高于后者(P<0.05);热休克蛋白90α主要在类肌细胞、间质细胞、支持细胞核及生精细胞的胞浆表达.精子发生阻滞的睾丸组织,雄激素受体主要在支持细胞的胞核和生精细胞的胞浆表达,热休克蛋白90α主要在支持细胞、类肌细胞表达;精原细胞瘤的睾丸组织,雄激素受体在肿瘤细胞的胞浆和胞核表达,热休克蛋白90α的表达强度在精原细胞瘤组织高于对照标本.结论雄激素受体核转运异常与精子发生阻滞有紧密关系;前列腺癌去势患者睾丸组织中,雄激素受体免疫反应强度减弱与睾丸衰老有关;精原细胞瘤患者睾丸标本,雄激素受体表达减弱,但热休克蛋白90α表达增强;提示雄激素受体和热休克蛋白90α的表达异常与精原细胞瘤的病理发生有关.     

PC-1、EphA3和SGEF蛋白表达的相互影响

目的:在293T和LNCaP细胞中验证PC-1、EphA3和SGEF蛋白表达的相互影响。方法 :采用半定量RT-PCR及Western印迹检测EphA3和SGEF在LNCaP细胞中与PC-1的关系,分别在LNCaP和293T细胞中检测EphA3对SGEF表达的影响。结果:在LNCaP细胞中,EphA3和SGEF在RNA及蛋白水平上均受PC-1高表达诱导,而EphA3的高表达对SGEF的表达无明显影响;但在293T细胞中,SGEF受EphA3表达水平的影响,随EphA3表达量的增加而升高。结论:PC-1、EphA3与SGEF蛋白表达的相互影响与细胞类型相关。     

抗P-选择蛋白人源性单克隆抗体的制备

目的:获得人源性抗P-选择蛋白(selectin)特异性抗体,为相关疾病治疗奠定基础。方法:在HEK293细胞中真核分泌表达人P-选择蛋白功能性片段,以此蛋白片段作为抗原,利用本室构建的大容量全合成人源性噬菌体抗体库进行筛选,经过3轮固相筛选后,阳性克隆得到富集;将其中富集效果最好的一株单链抗体A1改造成全抗体(IgG1),重组质粒转染H293细胞后,抗体得到表达;表达后在全抗体水平上用ELISA和Western印迹分别验证了A1抗体的特异性,并通过非竞争ELISA方法初步测定这株抗体的亲和力。结果:3轮筛选得到3株特异性噬菌体抗体,其中富集效果最好的单链抗体A1改造成全抗体形式后特异性良好,抗体亲和力Kd=2×10-8 mol/L。结论:筛选得到一株特异性较好的抗P-选择蛋白人源性单克隆抗体A1,其特异性和亲和力较好,有继续开发的价值。     

表皮生长因子受体胞外区在哺乳动物细胞HEK293T中的分泌表达和鉴定

目的:融合表达表皮生长因子受体(EGFR)胞外功能区,为制备针对该分子的特异性抗体提供可用的靶标抗原。方法:通过PCR扩增EGFR胞外区基因,将其克隆入真核表达载体pABhFc中,重组质粒瞬时转染HEK293T细胞,进行EGFR的瞬时分泌表达,纯化获得电泳纯级的分泌蛋白,并通过ELISA、Western印迹、Biacore3000系统对融合蛋白进行鉴定。结果:经测序证实扩增得到了正确的EGFR胞外区基因序列,SDS-PAGE初步确认获得了单、双体的EGFR胞外区,ELISA检测证实双体融合蛋白hFc-EGFR可与商业化的EGF特异性结合,Western印迹检测证实单体融合蛋白His-EGFR可与商业化抗体特异性结合;经Biacore3000蛋白分子相互作用系统测定,双体融合蛋白hFc-EGFR与商业化抗体爱必妥的亲和力达0.5 nmol/L。结论:利用哺乳动物细胞HEK293T分泌表达系统获得了结构正确的单、双体2种类型的EGFR胞外区融合蛋白纯品,将用于抗EGFR特异性抗体的筛选。     

人tBID蛋白的表达纯化及其偶联的新型分子探针对前列腺癌细胞的促凋亡作用研究

目的:以PQE-30为原核表达载体,构建PQE30-tBID重组表达载体,表达和纯化目的蛋白tBID,并利用金磁纳米微粒将tBID蛋白与人HER2抗体偶联成分子探针Anti HER2-Gold Mag-tBID,以探究其对前列腺癌细胞的促凋亡作用。方法:根据tBID的基因序列设计特异性的上下游引物,利用普通PCR扩增目的基因tBID,构建重组表达载体PQE30-tBID,将其转化到BL21(DE3)中,IPTG诱导表达,经SDS-PAGE凝胶电泳和Western Blot鉴定分析,验证目的蛋白tBID的表达,并对其进行纯化。利用金磁纳米微粒与蛋白质之间的静电相互作用以及疏水相互作用,将人HER2抗体与tBID蛋白偶联在其表面,构建分子探针Anti HER2-Gold Mag-tBID。流式细胞术检测该分子探针与前列腺癌PC-3细胞的特异性亲附结合能力,通过Annexin V-FITC细胞凋亡检测试剂盒分析分子探针对PC-3细胞的促凋亡作用。结果:普通PCR扩增后得到了411 bp的DNA片段,经双酶切鉴定以及菌液测序,表明重组表达载体PQE30-tBID构建成功。促凋亡蛋白tBID成功地在大肠杆菌中表达,蛋白相对分子量约15 KD,经过纯化,得到了纯度较高的tBID蛋白。经过与金磁纳米微粒的偶联,成功构建出一种新型的分子探针Anti HER2-Gold Mag-tBID。该分子探针可与PC-3细胞特异性结合,且经Annexin V-FITC染色分析可见PC-3细胞发生明显凋亡,凋亡率达62.9%,与未处理组(3.79%)和对照组(4.33%)相比,具有显著的统计学差异。结论:PQE30-tBID重组表达载体能在大肠杆菌中高效表达,且成功得到了纯度较高的人促凋亡蛋白tBID。经金磁纳米微粒偶联,该蛋白能够与人HER2抗体重组成新型的分子探针,且能特异性地靶向前列腺癌PC-3细胞并显著促进其凋亡。     

PC-１基因表达增强C4-2B前列腺癌细胞生存

建立稳定表达外源PC-１基因的人前列腺癌骨转移C4-2B细胞模型,初步探讨PC- １基因表达对前列腺癌发展的影响.通过脂质体介导的方法,将融合PC-１基因的真核表达载体pcDNA3.1PC-１稳定转染C4-2B细胞,Western 印迹和RT-PCR技术,分别从蛋白水平和RNA水平确定外源PC-１基因表达. MTT和软琼脂集落形成能力等一系列方法,研究PC-１基因的功能,RT-PCR和实时定量PCR检测前列腺癌发生发展相关基因表达的变化. 结果表明,PC-１基因的高表达能够诱导雄激素受体（AR）调控基因和一系列重要的信号通路成员基因PSA、PSMA、NKX31、Jagged1、EphA3、SGEF和 NOTCH3等表达发生变化. 实验结果初步证明,PC-１基因表达在晚期前列腺癌中,以及在雄激素非依赖的转变中可以发挥作用,PC-１基因表达可调控一些重要信号通路.对PC-１基因功能深入研究将有可能为发现新的前列腺癌的诊断治疗分子靶标提供线索.     

Eph receptor A10 has a potential as a target for a prostate cancer therapy

We recently identified Eph receptor A10 (EphA10) as a novel breast cancer-specific protein. Moreover, we also showed that an in-house developed anti-EphA10 monoclonal antibody (mAb) significantly inhibited proliferation of breast cancer cells, suggesting EphA10 as a promising target for breast cancer therapy. However, the only other known report for EphA10 was its expression in the testis at the mRNA level. Therefore, the potency of EphA10 as a drug target against cancers other than the breast is not known. The expression of EphA10 in a wide variety of cancer cells was studied and the potential of EphA10 as a drug target was evaluated. Screening of EphA10 mRNA expression showed that EphA10 was overexpressed in breast cancer cell lines as well as in prostate and colon cancer cell lines. Thus, we focused on prostate cancers in which EphA10 expression was equivalent to that in breast cancers. As a result, EphA10 expression was clearly shown in clinical prostate tumor tissues as well as in cell lines at the mRNA and protein levels. In order to evaluate the potential of EphA10 as a drug target, we analyzed complement-dependent cytotoxicity effects of anti-EphA10 mAb and found that significant cytotoxicity was mediated by the expression of EphA10. Therefore, the idea was conceived that the overexpression of EphA10 in prostate cancers might have a potential as a target for prostate cancer therapy, and formed the basis for the studies reported here.     

PC-1增强受体酪氨酸激酶家族成员EphA3在前列腺癌细胞中的转录

为了研究前列腺癌相关基因(prostate and colon gene 1, PC-1）对受体酪氨酸激酶家族分子EphA3表达的影响,用RT-PCR、实时PCR和Western印迹检测表达不同水平PC-1的前列腺癌细胞系LNCaP和C4-2中EphA3的表达情况. 发现PC-1可诱导EphA3基因表达上调. 采用荧光素酶实验检测PC-1对于EphA3启动子转录活性的影响,结果显示,PC-1对转录起始位点上游916 bp的启动子活性没有影响,而可增强转录起始位点上游2011 bp启动子的活性.对EphA3启动子－916 bp～－2　011 bp区域进行生物信息学分析,结果显示,此区域包含HSF、NF-1、Nkx-2、SP1和GATA-1等多种转录因子结合位点.实验结果表明,PC-1可通过影响EphA3启动子诱导EphA3基因高表达,其调控区域位于转录起始位点上游－2　011　bp至－916 bp之间,提示PC-1可能通过影响一些结合于此区域的转录因子来影响EphA3启动子的转录活性.     

Crosstalk of the EphA2 receptor with a serine/threonine phosphatase suppresses the Akt-mTORC1 pathway in cancer cells

Receptor tyrosine kinases of the Eph family play multiple roles in the physiological regulation of tissue homeostasis and in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including cancer. The EphA2 receptor is highly expressed in most cancer cell types, where it has disparate activities that are not well understood. It has been reported that interplay of EphA2 with oncogenic signaling pathways promotes cancer cell malignancy independently of ephrin ligand binding and receptor kinase activity. In contrast, stimulation of EphA2 signaling with ephrin-A ligands can suppress malignancy by inhibiting the Ras-MAP kinase pathway, integrin-mediated adhesion, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Here we show that ephrin-A1 ligand-dependent activation of EphA2 decreases the growth of PC3 prostate cancer cells and profoundly inhibits the Akt-mTORC1 pathway, which is hyperactivated due to loss of the PTEN tumor suppressor. Our results do not implicate changes in the activity of Akt upstream regulators (such as Ras family GTPases, PI3 kinase, integrins, or the Ship2 lipid phosphatase) in the observed loss of Akt T308 and S473 phosphorylation downstream of EphA2. Indeed, EphA2 can inhibit Akt phosphorylation induced by oncogenic mutations of not only PTEN but also PI3 kinase. Furthermore, it can decrease the hyperphosphorylation induced by constitutive membrane-targeting of Akt. Our data suggest a novel signaling mechanism whereby EphA2 inactivates the Akt-mTORC1 oncogenic pathway through Akt dephosphorylation mediated by a serine/threonine phosphatase. Ephrin-A1-induced Akt dephosphorylation was observed not only in PC3 prostate cancer cells but also in other cancer cell types. Thus, activation of EphA2 signaling represents a possible new avenue for anti-cancer therapies that exploit the remarkable ability of this receptor to counteract multiple oncogenic signaling pathways.     

A Small Molecule Agonist of EphA2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibits Tumor Cell Migration In Vitro and Prostate Cancer Metastasis In Vivo

During tumor progression, EphA2 receptor can gain ligand-independent pro-oncogenic functions due to Akt activation and reduced ephrin-A ligand engagement. The effects can be reversed by ligand stimulation, which triggers the intrinsic tumor suppressive signaling pathways of EphA2 including inhibition of PI3/Akt and Ras/ERK pathways. These observations argue for development of small molecule agonists for EphA2 as potential tumor intervention agents. Through virtual screening and cell-based assays, we report here the identification and characterization of doxazosin as a novel small molecule agonist for EphA2 and EphA4, but not for other Eph receptors tested. NMR studies revealed extensive contacts of doxazosin with EphA2/A4, recapitulating both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions recently found in the EphA2/ephrin-A1 complex. Clinically used as an α1-adrenoreceptor antagonist (Cardura®) for treating hypertension and benign prostate hyperplasia, doxazosin activated EphA2 independent of α1-adrenoreceptor. Similar to ephrin-A1, doxazosin inhibited Akt and ERK kinase activities in an EphA2-dependent manner. Treatment with doxazosin triggered EphA2 receptor internalization, and suppressed haptotactic and chemotactic migration of prostate cancer, breast cancer, and glioma cells. Moreover, in an orthotopic xenograft model, doxazosin reduced distal metastasis of human prostate cancer cells and prolonged survival in recipient mice. To our knowledge, doxazosin is the first small molecule agonist of a receptor tyrosine kinase that is capable of inhibiting malignant behaviors in vitro and in vivo.     

EphA2 induces metastatic growth regulating amoeboid motility and clonogenic potential in prostate carcinoma cells

EphA2 kinase regulates cell shape, adhesion, and motility and is frequently overexpressed in several cancers, including melanoma, prostate, breast, and colon cancers and lung carcinoma. Although a function in both tumor onset and metastasis has been proposed, the role played by EphA2 in tumor progression is still debated. In melanoma, EphA2 has been reported to affect cell migration and invasiveness allowing cells to move by a proteolysis-independent strategy, commonly referred as amoeboid motility. With the aim to understand the role of EphA2 in prostate cancer metastatic spreading, we stably silenced EphA2 expression in a model of aggressive metastatic prostate carcinoma. Our results show that EphA2 drives the metastatic program of prostate carcinoma, although its involvement greatly differs among metastatic steps. Indeed, EphA2 expression (i) greatly affects prostate carcinoma cell motility style, guiding an amoeboid movement based on Rho-mediated cell rounding and independent from metalloprotases, (ii) is ineffective on transendothelial migration, adhesion onto extracellular matrix proteins, and on resistance to anoikis, (iii) regulates clonogenic potential of prostate carcinoma, thereby increasing anchorage-independent growth and self-renewal, prostasphere formation, tumor onset, dissemination to bone, and growth of metastatic colonies. Our finding indicate that EphA2-overexpressing prostate carcinoma cells gain an invasive benefit from their amoeboid motility style to escape from primary tumors and then, enhancing their clonogenic potential successfully target bone and grow metastases, thereby acknowledging EphA2 as a target for antimetastatic therapy of aggressive prostate cancers.     

Development of an EGFRvIII specific recombinant antibody

Background  

EGF receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) is the most common variant of the EGF receptor observed in human tumors. It results from the in frame deletion of exons 2-7 and the generation of a novel glycine residue at the junction of exons 1 and 8. This novel juxtaposition of amino acids within the extra-cellular domain of the EGF receptor creates a tumor specific and immunogenic epitope. EGFRvIII expression has been seen in many tumor types including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), breast adenocarcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, ovarian adenocarcinoma and prostate cancer, but has been rarely observed in normal tissue. Because this variant is tumor specific and highly immunogenic, it can be used for both a diagnostic marker as well as a target for immunotherapy. Unfortunately many of the monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies directed against EGFRvIII have cross reactivity to wild type EGFR or other non-specific proteins. Furthermore, a monoclonal antibody to EGFRvIII is not readily available to the scientific community.     

Dual Action of miR-125b As a Tumor Suppressor and OncomiR-22 Promotes Prostate Cancer Tumorigenesis

MicroRNAs (miRs) are a novel class of small RNA molecules, the dysregulation of which can contribute to cancer. A combinatorial approach was used to identify miRs that promote prostate cancer progression in a unique set of prostate cancer cell lines, which originate from the parental p69 cell line and extend to a highly tumorigenic/metastatic M12 subline. Together, these cell lines are thought to mimic prostate cancer progression in vivo. Previous network analysis and miR arrays suggested that the loss of hsa-miR-125b together with the overexpression of hsa-miR-22 could contribute to prostate tumorigenesis. The dysregulation of these two miRs was confirmed in human prostate tumor samples as compared to adjacent benign glandular epithelium collected through laser capture microdissection from radical prostatectomies. In fact, alterations in hsa-miR-125b expression appeared to be an early event in tumorigenesis. Reverse phase microarray proteomic analysis revealed ErbB2/3 and downstream members of the PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK pathways as well as PTEN to be protein targets differentially expressed in the M12 tumor cell compared to its parental p69 cell. Relevant luciferase+3’-UTR expression studies confirmed a direct interaction between hsa-miR-125b and ErbB2 and between hsa-miR-22 and PTEN. Restoration of hsa-miR-125b or inhibition of hsa-miR-22 expression via an antagomiR resulted in an alteration of M12 tumor cell behavior in vitro. Thus, the dual action of hsa-miR-125b as a tumor suppressor and hsa-miR-22 as an oncomiR contributed to prostate tumorigenesis by modulations in PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways, key pathways known to influence prostate cancer progression.     

Androgen dependent regulation of protein kinase A subunits in prostate cancer cells

Neuroendocrine (NE) cells may play a role in prostate cancer progression. Both androgen deprivation and cAMP are well known inducers of NE differentiation (NED) in the prostate. Gene-expression profiling of LNCaP cells, incubated in androgen stripped medium, showed that the Cbeta isoform of PKA is up-regulated during NE differentiation. Furthermore, by using semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting analysis, we observed that the Cbeta splice variants are differentially regulated during this process. Whereas the Cbeta2 splice variant is down-regulated in growth arrested LNCaP cells, the Cbeta1, Cbeta3 and Cbeta4 variants, as well as the RIIbeta subunit of PKA, are induced in NE-like LNCaP cells. The opposite effect of Cbeta expression could be mimicked by androgen stimulation, implying the Cbeta gene of PKA as a putative new target gene for the androgen receptor in prostate cancer. Moreover, to investigate expression of PKA subunits during prostate cancer progression, we did immunoblotting of several prostatic cell lines and normal and tumor tissue from prostate cancer patients. Interestingly, multiple Cbeta subunits were also observed in human prostate specimens, and the Cbeta2 variant was up-regulated in tumor cells. In conclusion, it seems that the Cbeta isoforms play different roles in proliferation and differentiation and could therefore be potential markers for prostate cancer progression.