ATF2 与ATF3 在结直肠癌中表达及临床病理意义

目的:观察结直肠癌组织中活化转录因子2(ATF2)和活化转录因子3(ATF3)的表达并分析其表达的临床病理意义。方法:收集结直肠癌病例,明确其病理诊断并收集临床资料,应用免疫组织化学SP法检测活化转录因子2和活化转录因子3蛋白的表达。结果:ATF2在癌旁肠组织、腺瘤、腺癌组的阳性表达率分别为38%,32%,64%,差异有统计学意义,其中癌旁肠组织、腺瘤分别与腺癌有显著性差异。ATF3在癌旁肠组织、腺瘤、腺癌组的阳性表达率分别为56%,44%,52%,差异无统计学意义。ATF2表达与浸润肠壁深度,淋巴结转移有关,而与肿块大小、部位、分化程度无关。ATF3表达与肿块直径、浸润肠壁深度,而与淋巴结转移、部位、分化程度无关。结论:ATF2与结直肠癌反生和发展有关,而ATF3与结直肠癌的恶性演进有关。     

ATF2与ATF3在结直肠癌中表达及临床病理意义

目的：观察结直肠癌组织中活化转录因子2（ATF2）和活化转录因子3（ATF3）的表达并分析其表达的临床病理意义。方法：收集结直肠癌病例,明确其病理诊断并收集临床资料,应用免疫组织化学SP法检测活化转录因子2和活化转录因子3蛋白的表达。结果：ATF2在癌旁肠组织、腺瘤、腺癌组的阳性表达率分别为38%,32%,64%,差异有统计学意义,其中癌旁肠组织、腺瘤分别与腺癌有显著性差异。ATF3在癌旁肠组织、腺瘤、腺癌组的阳性表达率分别为56%,44%,52%,差异无统计学意义。ATF2表达与浸润肠壁深度,淋巴结转移有关,而与肿块大小、部位、分化程度无关。ATF3表达与肿块直径、浸润肠壁深度,而与淋巴结转移、部位、分化程度无关。结论：ATF2与结直肠癌反生和发展有关,而ATF3与结直肠癌的恶性演进有关。     

Avian metapneumovirus subgroup C induces autophagy through the ATF6 UPR pathway

An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that macroautophagy/autophagy plays an important role in the infectious processes of diverse pathogens. However, it remains unknown whether autophagy is induced in avian metapneumovirus (aMPV)-infected host cells, and, if so, how this occurs. Here, we report that aMPV subgroup C (aMPV/C) induces autophagy in cultured cells. We demonstrated this relationship by detecting classical autophagic features, including the formation of autophagsomes, the presence of GFP-LC3 puncta and the conversation of LC3-I into LC3-II. Also, we used pharmacological regulators and siRNAs targeting ATG7 or LC3 to examine the role of autophagy in aMPV/C replication. The results showed that autophagy is required for efficient replication of aMPV/C. Moreover, infection with aMPV/C promotes autophagosome maturation and induces a complete autophagic process. Finally, the ATF6 pathway, of which one component is the unfolded protein response (UPR), becomes activated in aMPV/C-infected cells. Knockdown of ATF6 inhibited aMPV/C-induced autophagy and viral replication. Collectively, these results not only show that autophagy promotes aMPV/C replication in the cultured cells, but also reveal that the molecular mechanisms underlying aMPV/C-induced autophagy depends on regulation of the ER stress-related UPR pathway.     

C/EBP homologous protein deficiency enhances hematopoietic stem cell function via reducing ATF3/ROS‐induced cell apoptosis

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reside in a quiescent niche to reserve their capacity of self‐renewal. Upon hematopoietic injuries, HSCs enter the cell cycle and encounter protein homeostasis problems caused by accumulation of misfolded proteins. However, the mechanism by which protein homeostasis influences HSC function and maintenance remains poorly understood. Here, we show that C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), demonstrated previously to induces cell death upon unfolded protein response (UPR), plays an important role in HSCs regeneration. CHOP^−/− mice showed normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell frequencies in steady state. However, when treated with 5‐FU, CHOP deficiency resulted in higher survival rates, associated with an increased number of HSCs and reduced level of apoptosis. In serial competitive transplantation experiments, CHOP^−/− HSCs showed a dramatic enhancement of repopulation ability and a reduction of protein aggresomes. Mechanistically, CHOP deletion causes reduced ATF3 expression and further leads to decreased protein aggregation and ROS. In addition, CHOP^−/− HSCs exhibited an increased resistance to IR‐induced DNA damage and improved HSCs homeostasis and function in telomere dysfunctional (G3Terc ^−/−) mice. In summary, these findings disclose a new role of CHOP in the regulation of the HSCs function and homeostasis through reducing ATF3 and ROS signaling.     

Application of a novel HiBiT peptide tag for monitoring ATF4 protein expression in Neuro2a cells

A split NanoLuc assay system consisting of two fragments, large N-terminal and small C-terminal regions (NanoBiT), was developed to investigate protein-protein interactions within living cells. Interestingly, the replacement of five amino acids among 11 C-terminal amino acids dramatically increased affinity against the large N-terminal fragment, LgBiT, and the complex had NanoLuc luciferase activity. In this study, we first applied this small fragment, HiBiT, to elucidate the expression of ATF4 protein by transient overexpression of HiBiT-tagged ATF4. According to the regulation of intrinsic ATF4 protein, stabilization of HiBiT-tagged ATF4 with a proteasome inhibitor, MG132, was observed by detecting luciferase activity in cell lysate and after SDS-PAGE and transfer onto a PVDF membrane. Next, we knocked-in the HiBiT-epitope tag into the ATF4 gene using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and rapidly selected positive clones by measuring luciferase activity in an aliquot of each cell suspension. Using a selected clone, we observed that the expression of HiBiT-tagged ATF4 in the selected cells varied in response to treatment with protein synthesis inhibitors or proteasome inhibitors and tunicamycin. Altogether, this novel HiBiT tag is a useful tool to evaluate the endogenous expression levels of proteins of interest.     

Dominant Negative ATF1 Blocks Cyclic AMP-Induced Neurite Outgrowth in PC12D Cells

Abstract: Extension of the neuronal process is a crucial step for establishment of the neuronal network. As CREB preferentially forms heterodimers with ATF1 in PC12D cells, we examined the roles of the CREB/ATF1 heterodimer on cyclic AMP (cAMP)-induced neurite extension, using originally constructed ATF1RL, which has a point mutation at the DNA binding domain of ATF1. Transient expression of ATF1RL suppressed the protein kinase A/CREB-induced expression of the CRE reporter gene as expected. Treatment with forskolin elicited a relatively poor mRNA induction for immediate early genes in PC12D-ATF1RL cells, a PC12D cell line stably expressing ATF1RL, in comparison with the parental PC12D cells. Furthermore, the PC12D-ATF1RL cells were proved to be defective at cAMP-induced neurite outgrowth. In contrast, both the gene expression and the differentiation after nerve growth factor treatment noted in PC12D-ATF1RL cells were at the same levels as those in the parental cells. These data provide us the first evidence that links CREB/ATF1 to the cAMP-induced differentiation of PC12 cells.