激活类法尼醇X核内受体（FXR）可下调载脂蛋白M在HepG2细胞中的表达

类法尼醇X核内受体（farnesoid X receptor, FXR）和载脂蛋白M(ApoM)在动脉粥样硬化中发挥重要作用．为研究FXR激动剂鹅脱氧胆酸(chenodexycholic acid, CDCA)和拮抗剂Guggulsterones在人肝癌细胞株HepG2和人胎肝细胞株L02中对载脂蛋白M(apolipoprotein M, ApoM)表达的影响．本研究应用逆转录 聚合酶链反应（RT PCR）法和Western印迹法检测CDCA和CDCA加Guggulsterones处理后HepG2和L02细胞中ApoM的mRNA水平和HepG2细胞中ApoM的蛋白水平．实验结果显示：FXR天然配体CDCA以剂量依赖的方式显著降低HepG2细胞中ApoM分子（mRNA和蛋白水平）的表达,L02细胞中ApoM分子mRNA水平的表达;FXR抑制剂Guggulsterones不仅能明显阻止CDCA对ApoM表达的下调,而且可引起ApoM表达显著增加．本研究提示,FXR抑制剂Guggulsterones在抗动脉粥样硬化过程中可能发挥重要作用．     

HNF1α对人FXR 启动子的调控作用

为探讨肝细胞核因子1α（HNF1α）对人胆汁酸受体（FXR）转录激活的作用及机制,将含HNF1α的真核表达载体（pcDNA3.1(+)HNF1α）和含有FXR启动子的荧光素酶报告基因载体共转染人肝癌细胞系HepG2,检测转染细胞中荧光素酶活性并用半定量RT-PCR、免疫印迹法检测FXR的表达.QuikChange法对FXR启动子HNF1α可能结合位点进行突变,将包含突变点的重组荧光素酶报告质粒单独或与pcDNA3.1(+)共同转染HepG2细胞,检测各组荧光素酶活性.根据凝胶电泳迁移率变化,分析HNF1α与FXR启动子区域的结合.结果发现,转染pcDNA 3.1(+)HNF1α可以上调FXR在HepG2细胞中的表达,并增强FXR启动子活性且具有剂量依赖性;－65～－48区域的点突变,导致FXR启动子活性明显降低,共转染pcDNA3.1(+)HNF1α也不具有增强作用.结果提示,转录因子HNF1α能调控FXR基因表达,其机制为：HNF1α与FXR启动子区域－65～－48区域的反向半位点结合,发挥其反式激活作用.     

Identification of the Flavonoid Luteolin as a Repressor of the Transcription Factor Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4α

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) is a nuclear receptor that regulates the expression of genes involved in the secretion of apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins and in glucose metabolism. In the present study, we identified a naturally occurring flavonoid, luteolin, as a repressor of HNF4α by screening for effectors of the human microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) promoter. Luciferase reporter gene assays revealed that the activity of the MTP gene promoter was suppressed by luteolin and that the mutation of HNF4α-binding element abolished luteolin responsiveness. Luteolin treatment caused a significant decrease in the mRNA levels of HNF4α target genes in HepG2 cells and inhibited apoB-containing lipoprotein secretion in HepG2 and differentiated Caco2 cells. The interaction between luteolin and HNF4α was demonstrated using absorption spectrum analysis and luteolin-immobilized beads. Luteolin did not affect the DNA binding of HNF4α to the promoter region of its target genes but suppressed the acetylation level of histone H3 in the promoter region of certain HNF4α target genes. Short term treatment of mice with luteolin significantly suppressed the expression of HNF4α target genes in the liver. In addition, long term treatment of mice with luteolin significantly suppressed their diet-induced obesity and improved their serum glucose and lipid parameters. Importantly, long term luteolin treatment lowered serum VLDL and LDL cholesterol and serum apoB protein levels, which was not accompanied by fat accumulation in the liver. These results suggest that the flavonoid luteolin ameliorates an atherogenic lipid profile in vivo that is likely to be mediated through the inactivation of HNF4α.     

Synthesis of Lewis X epitopes on plant N-glycans

Glycoproteins from tobacco line xFxG1, in which expression of a hybrid β-(1→4)-galactosyltransferase (GalT) and a hybrid α-(1→3)-fucosyltransferase IXa (FUT9a) is combined, contained an abundance of hybrid N-glycans with Lewis X (Le^X) epitopes. A comparison with N-glycan profiles from plants expressing only the hybrid β-(1→4)-galactosyltransferase suggested that the fucosylation of the LacNAc residues in line xFxG1 protected galactosylated N-glycans from endogenous plant β-galactosidase activity.     

Cytokine-induced activation of mixed lineage kinase 3 requires TRAF2 and TRAF6

Mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) is a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAP3K) that activates multiple mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in response to growth factors, stresses and the pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor (TNF). MLK3 is required for optimal activation of stress activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK) signaling by TNF, however, the mechanism by which MLK3 is recruited and activated by the TNF receptor remains poorly understood. Here we report that both TNF and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) stimulation rapidly activate MLK3 kinase activity. We observed that TNF stimulates an interaction between MLK3 and TNF receptor associated factor (TRAF) 2 and IL-1β stimulates an interaction between MLK3 and TRAF6. RNA interference (RNAi) of traf2 or traf6 dramatically impairs MLK3 activation by TNF indicating that TRAF2 and TRAF6 are critically required for MLK3 activation. We show that TNF also stimulates ubiquitination of MLK3 and MLK3 can be conjugated with lysine 48 (K48)- and lysine 63 (K63)-linked polyubiquitin chains. Our results suggest that K48-linked ubiquitination directs MLK3 for proteosomal degradation while K63-linked ubiquitination is important for MLK3 kinase activity. These results reveal a novel mechanism for MLK3 activation by the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF and IL-1β.