The generation and characterization of antagonist RNA aptamers to human oncostatin M

Oncostatin M (OSM) is a multifunctional member of the interleukin-6 cytokine family. OSM has been implicated as a powerful proinflammatory mediator and may represent a potentially important, novel therapeutic opportunity for treatment of established rheumatoid arthritis. To further investigate the role of OSM in inflammatory disorders, we have isolated a series of RNA aptamers that bind specifically to human OSM. The highest affinity aptamer, designated ADR58, has been characterized in a series of in vitro and cell based assays. ADR58 has an affinity of 7 nm for human OSM, and it can antagonize OSM binding to the gp130 receptor and specifically antagonize OSM mediated signaling. The aptamer has been truncated in length to 33 bases, all pyrimidine positions are substituted with 2' fluorine, and 14 of 18 purine positions have been substituted with 2' O-methyl to increase stability toward nucleases. This truncated, modified form of ADR58 retains complete affinity and functional activity for OSM. This aptamer may be used as a tool to further investigate the role of OSM in inflammatory disorders and may also have role as a therapeutic agent.     

Cloning and characterization of the SIL promoter

The SIL gene undergoes a site-specific rearrangement with the SCL gene in 25% of patients with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The functional result of this rearrangement is that the SIL regulatory elements aberrantly drive expression of the SCL gene. We have cloned and sequenced the human SIL promoter, cloned a murine homolog, found the sequence to be highly conserved, and defined a minimal promoter region. Both the cloned murine and human sequences were found to be highly active in either human or murine cells. SCL mRNA, driven by a cloned SIL promoter, could be downregulated by DMSO in stably transfected F4-6 murine erythroleukemia cells. The SIL promoter was found to be partially unmethylated in proliferating tissues, in which it is highly expressed, and more highly methylated in post-mitotic tissues, in which SIL is not expressed. The isolation of the SIL promoter provides an important tool for the study of both the SIL gene expression as well as the role of the SIL promoter in leukemogenesis.     

人端粒酶催化亚基hTERT基因启动子的克隆

为了确定人端粒酶催化亚基 h TERT基因的启动子结构特征 ,采用 Panhandle PCR技术 ,从正常人外周血单核细胞基因组 DNA中扩增 h TERT基因 5′端上游旁侧序列 ,结果获得了 h TERT基因翻译起始位点上游 2 0 90 bp的基因组 DNA序列。序列分析表明 h TERT基因的启动子区域缺少典型真核启动子的核心元件 ( TATA box和 CAAT box) ,但含有多个已知转录因子蛋白结合的核心序列 ,如 E box及 Sp1核心序列。提示 h TERT基因的表达可能受特殊的转录因子调控 ,这些转录因子的激活可能与癌变细胞中 h TERT重新组成型表达有关     

Identification and characterization of cellular receptors for the growth regulator, oncostatin M

Oncostatin M is a polypeptide growth regulator produced by activated T cells and phorbol ester-treated U937 cells. To identify specific cellular receptors for this factor, we have characterized the binding of 125I-labeled oncostatin M to a variety of normal and malignant mammalian cells. Recombinant oncostatin M was labeled with 125I with full retention of growth inhibitory activity on A375 melanoma cells. 125I-Oncostatin M bound to sensitive cells in a time- and temperature-dependent fashion. Binding was specifically inhibited by unlabeled native or recombinant oncostatin M, but not by other polypeptide growth factors tested. Binding to human leukemic and normal blood cells was generally less than to nonhematopoietic cells. With four different cell lines, maximal growth inhibition by oncostatin M was achieved at less than maximal binding site occupancy. Scatchard graphs of direct binding data were curvilinear and indicated that 125I-oncostatin M bound with higher apparent affinity at lower 125I-oncostatin M concentrations. Using a two binding site model, affinity constants of Kd1 = 11 +/- 11 pM and Kd2 = 1000 +/- 380 pM were extrapolated from binding data with A375 cells, and values of Kd1 = 3 +/- 2 pM and Kd2 = 400 +/- 44 pM from A549 cells. The major 125I-oncostatin M binding species in a number of mammalian cell lines was identified by chemical cross-linking as a specific protein(s) of Mr = 150,000-160,000. 125I-Oncostatin M was internalized (t1/2 = 30 min) and degraded subsequent to binding to a responsive cell line.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Cloning and characterization of human syndecan-3.

Syndecans are cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans, which perform a variety of functions in the cell. Most important, they are co-receptors for growth factors and mediate cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Four syndecans (syndecan 1-4) have been described in different species. The aim of this work was the cloning and characterization of human syndecan-3. The human syndecan-3 sequence has high homology to the rat and mouse sequences, with the exception of the 5'-region. Syndecan-3 mRNA is mostly expressed in the nervous system, the adrenal gland, and the spleen. When different cell lines were transiently transfected with full-length syndecan-3 cDNA, it was localized to the membrane and induced the formation of long filopodia-like structures, microspikes, and varicosities. Consequently, the actin cytoskeleton was re-organized, since actin staining was mostly found in the cellular extensions and at the cell periphery, co-localizing with the syndecan-3 staining. The development of the phenotype depended on the presence of sugar chains, as transfected glycosaminoglycan-deficient Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) 745 cells did not show these structural changes, nor did transfected CHO K1 cells in the presence of heparin. The similarity of the cloned DNA sequence with that of other mammalian species and the high expression in the nervous system led us to the assumption that human syndecan-3 could perform comparable functions to those described for syndecan-3 in rat and mouse. Additionally, transient transfection experiments suggest a role of human syndecan-3 in the organization of cell shape by affecting the actin cytoskeleton, possibly by transferring signals from the cell surface in a sugar-dependent mechanism.     

Cloning and characterization of DNA damage-inducible promoter regions from Bacillus subtilis.

DNA damage-inducible (din) genes in Bacillus subtilis are coordinately regulated and together compose a global regulatory network that has been termed the SOS-like or SOB regulon. To elucidate the mechanisms of SOB regulation, operator/promoter regions from three din loci (dinA, dinB, and dinC) of B. subtilis were cloned. Operon fusions constructed with these cloned din promoter regions rendered reporter genes damage inducible in B. subtilis. Induction of all three din promoters was dependent upon a functional RecA protein. Analysis of these fusions has localized sequences required for damage-inducible expression of the dinA, dinB, and dinC promoters to within 120-, 462-, and 139-bp regions, respectively. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of these three din promoters with the recA promoter, as well as with the promoters of other loci associated with DNA repair in B. subtilis, has identified the consensus sequence GAAC-N4-GTTC as a putative SOB operator site.