造血负调控因子对骨髓基质细胞的调控作用

目的:探讨血小板第4因子(platelet factor 4,PF4)对急性辐射损伤人骨髓基质细胞(human bone marrow stromal cells,hBMSCs)的保护作用及机理,揭示PF4对造血系统辐射保护机制.方法:原代培养的hBMSCs随机分为4组:①PF4+照射组(P+I),②PF4保护组(P),③单纯照射组(I),④正常对照组(N).照射前给予1μ g·mL-1PF4或等量PBS预孵育12h,5.0 Gy60Co-γ射线均匀照射,20 h后收集各组细胞.MTT法测定细胞活性,观察细胞生长状态,流式细胞术检测细胞周期.RT-PCR测定P21、PCNAmRNA表达.结果:①PF4对人正常骨髓基质细胞生长无明显抑制或促进作用;②与I组相比,PF4明显提高5.0Gy60Co-γ射线照射后骨髓基质细胞的存活率,存活细胞达60%以上(I组<40%);③与N组和I组相比,P组和P+I组S期比例显著增高有统计学意义(P<0.001),但P组与P+I组相比无统计学差异;④RT-PCR结果显示,I组(+0.84±0.03)P21 mRNA表达较之N组(0.00±0.00)显著上调(P<0.01);而与I组相比,P组(+0.17±0.09)P21 mRNA表达显著下调(P<0.05 ).结论:PF4具有减轻电离辐射对人骨髓基质细胞的损伤作用,其调控机理可能与S期阻滞和下调P21基因表达有关.     

血小板第四因子在原核中的高效表达、分离纯化及活性测定

目的：构建重组表达质粒pET-32c/PF4,并在原核中进行表达,以探讨其对白血病细胞系（HEL）细胞增殖的作用。方法：通过PCR方法从含有PF4基因的PQE-60/PF4质粒中扩增PF4,用NcoⅠ/HindⅢ双酶切,克隆到原核表达质粒pET-32C中,使之在BL21表达,Ni-Chelating Sepharose亲和柱纯化,用细胞集落形成方法研究重组PF4对HEL的抑制作用。结果：菌株筛选后在大肠杆菌中获得可溶性高效表达,重组PF4占菌体总蛋白的22%,肠激酶酶切除去端啧合部分,获得了高纯度的重组人血小板第四因子（rh-PF4),纯度为95%以上,活性实验发现重组PF4可抑制HEL细胞集落的形成,抑制率为47%,结论：原核表达质粒pET-32C可高效可溶性表达PF4,重组PF4对HEL细胞的增殖有抑制作用。     

减毒沙门氏菌介导的血小板第四因子活性片段的放射保护作用研究

目的:观察减毒沙门氏菌携带的血小板第四因子活性片段PF417 70 的放射保护作用。方法:通过口服途经喂饲小鼠携带PF4活性片段的减毒沙门氏菌,在第 2次喂饲后小鼠接受 70 0cGy全身照射,然后观察PIRES2 EGFP PF417 70 在小鼠体内的表达,并观察小鼠的造血恢复情况。结果:在小鼠的肝脏、脾脏、肾脏、小肠、外周血及骨髓均能检测到GFP的表达和转基因的整合。与对照组比较,实验组小鼠的生存期明显延长,照射后第 7d和 1 4d骨髓有核细胞数、骨髓培养的CFU GM和HPP CFC数量明显增加 (P <0 0 5 )。结论:首次应用减毒沙门氏菌SL32 61为载体来介导PF4活性片段的生物学作用,并证实通过口服途径可以保护小鼠免受放射损伤,并促进放射损伤后小鼠的造血恢复。     

血小板第四因子保护造血前体细胞及其作用机制的研究

我们曾报道血小板第四因子(PF4)是巨核细胞形成的有效的抑制因子,它可以保护干细胞免遭5-FU的毒性作用。本研究中试比较PF4和TGF-β1对人脐带血CD34~ 来源的MK的作用。PF4(5μg/ml)和TGF-β1(1ng/ml)在半固态凝块培养和悬浮培养中明显抑制人脐带血CD34~ 来源的MK的生长。用PF4处理的CD34~ 细胞在撤去PF4后仍能再生成集落,说明PF4的抑制作用的可逆性的。相反,用TGF-β1预处理的CD34~ 细胞撤去TGF-β后再培养,却不能再生成集落。然而,悬浮培养中经PF4预处理的CD34~ 细胞,可大大增加SCF结合细胞和CD34抗原阳性细胞的数量。与未经PF4预处理的细胞相比,PF4预处理的细胞和CD34抗原阳性细胞的数量。与未经PF4预处理的细胞相比,PF4预处理的细胞显示有较大的使5-FU处理的细胞形成MK集落的潜力。在小鼠体内实验中,用PF4(5μg/kg)间隔6h注射两次之后,再注射一次5-FU(150mg/kg),结果,在骨髓细胞培养中,HPP-CFC和CFU-MK大大增加。在指数生长的人红白血病细胞(HEL)中,添加PF4后,流式细胞显示细胞周期延长,S期的细胞数增加。与PF4不同,TGF-β将细胞阻止在G1期。这些结果显示PF4和TGF-β1抑制脐带血CD34~ 来源的MK生长的作用机制不同。PF4不同于TGF-β,它阻止细胞在S期,可逆性抑制细胞生长,保护干细胞和巨核细胞祖细胞免遭5-FU的毒性作用。     

上皮间质转化在肿瘤侵袭转移中的研究进展

上皮-间质转化（epithelial-mesenchymal transitions,EMT）是上皮细胞向间质细胞转化的现象,不仅参与胚胎发育和正常生理,还参与许多病理过程。同样EMT也参与肿瘤的发生与发展,尤其在促进肿瘤侵袭转移中发挥着重要作用。研究表明,肿瘤细胞借助EMT方式增强肿瘤细胞迁移和运动能力,促进肿瘤的侵袭与转移。在肿瘤侵袭转移历程中,关于EMT发生的分子调控机制研究已取得了良好的进展,但其详细机制仍然不是十分清楚。本文主要介绍生长因子、转录因子、miRNAs、甲基化及其他调控因子在肿瘤EMT中的调控功能,进一步综述EMT在肿瘤侵袭转移中的作用。     

EF4影响线粒体氧化磷酸化并调控膀胱癌细胞增殖及迁移

延伸因子4 (EF4)是一种非传统的线粒体延伸因子,参与调控线粒体蛋白质合成过程.在本研究中,我们进一步探索了其在膀胱癌中的作用机制.通过检测EF4在膀胱癌及邻近正常组织中的表达,发现EF4在膀胱癌患者肿瘤组织中异常升高,并在T分期较高的肿瘤中高表达.随后,通过在HTB-9和T-24膀胱癌细胞中敲低EF4的表达,进一步...     

Mondo蛋白在肿瘤相关代谢中的研究进展

转录因子Mondo蛋白家族包括MondoA和ChREBP(MondoB)两个家族成员,是葡萄糖介导的基因转录调控的关键调控因子,可直接调控糖酵解和脂肪酸生成相关基因的表达,在细胞代谢与能量平衡中发挥重要作用。细胞代谢改变是肿瘤的重要特征之一,为肿瘤细胞生长及恶性进展创造了有利条件。近年来,研究发现,Mondo蛋白在肿瘤细胞糖酵解、脂肪酸合成和谷氨酰胺利用等代谢通路中发挥着重要作用,而且Mondo蛋白调控肿瘤细胞的代谢,其在肿瘤细胞生长、增殖和侵袭等过程中的作用值得肿瘤研究者关注。因此,更好地认识Mondo蛋白调控肿瘤细胞代谢的机制,将为癌症的治疗提供新的方向。本文对Mondo蛋白家族成员的分子特征、表达调控、组织特异性功能及其在肿瘤代谢重编程和细胞增殖中的最新研究进行综述,为肿瘤的防治提供新思路。     

转录因子AP4研究进展

激活增强子结合蛋白4(activating enhancer binding protein 4,AP4)是近年来发现的一个重要转录因子。AP4是c-MYC的重要下游因子,广泛调控细胞增殖与分化、细胞周期、细胞凋亡、免疫应答等进程。AP4可促进正常细胞恶性转化,独立地诱导肿瘤细胞发生上皮间充质转化(epithelial-mesenchymal transition,EMT),增强肿瘤细胞的迁移侵袭能力,促进肿瘤转移,在临床上与多种肿瘤密切相关。本文综述了AP4的分子特征与作用机制,并介绍了AP4的调控网络和在肿瘤发生发展中的研究进展。对AP4的深入研究将有助于了解生命活动的基本原理,并为肿瘤诊治提供新的思路和方法。     

人CXCL4蛋白原核表达与纯化

CXCL4又名血小板因子4(PF4),属于CXC趋化因子亚家族,能够广谱的作用于多种细胞,在炎症,凝血等众多生理及病理反应中发挥重要作用。将CXCL4全长基因构建到原核表达载体pET43.1a(+),利用大肠杆菌系统表达,继而纯化获得高纯度的目的蛋白。实验表明重组人CXCL4蛋白可以有效抑制人肾癌细胞增殖,具有生物学活性。重组人CXCL4原核表达与纯化方法的建立将有助于其生物学结构与功能的研究,并且对趋化因子家族其它蛋白质的表达与纯化具有参考价值。     

Platelet factor-4 is an indicator of blood count recovery in acute myeloid leukemia patients in complete remission

To investigate whether serum biomarkers can be used to indicate the responsiveness of acute myeloid leukemia to remission induction chemotherapy, we performed MALDI-TOF protein profile analysis of patient sera. The resulting spectra revealed a protein (or peptide) peak at m/z 7764 that varied in intensity; its intensity was much higher in samples from patients in complete remission than in those from patients with resistant disease or in samples taken prior to treatment (at the time of diagnosis). Using fractionation, trypsin digestion, MS/MS, and protein molecular weight analyses, we identified the m/z 7764 protein as platelet factor-4 (PF4). This identification was confirmed by a magnetic bead-based MALDI immunoassay. Statistical comparison of PF4 levels and platelet counts in patient sera revealed a significant positive correlation between the two variables. This study demonstrates that PF4 protein levels are a good indicator for the recovery of blood count in the complete remission of acute myeloid leukemia. The linear positive correlation curve indicates that blood count recovery of platelets to >100,000/mm(3) is equivalent to a serum PF4 recovery level of >2.492 microg/ml.     

Live attenuated Salmonella carrying platelet factor 4 cDNAs as radioprotectors

To determine whether live attenuated Salmonella carrying platelet factor 4 cDNAs can protect mice from radiation damage, the attenuated Salmonella SL3261 was used as oral vector for targeted gene delivery. The recovery of mice receiving sublethal total-body irradiation (TBI) was investigated after the oral administration of attenuated Salmonella carrying cDNA for platelet factor 4 (PF4) or truncated PF4. This oral gene therapy protected mice from radiation damage after TBI. The number of bone marrow cells and high proliferative potential colony-forming cells (HPP-CFCs) increased significantly at day 7. Similarly, the administration of PF4 or PF4(17-70) protein also improved the survival of mice after TBI. Both PF4 gene therapy and protein administration accelerated hematopoietic recovery in vivo in mice after irradiation. In vitro, PF4 also promoted survival and proliferation of 5-fluorouracil-resistant hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells after irradiation. These data demonstrate a novel biological function of PF4 as a protector against radiation injury and suggest that attenuated Salmonella could be used in vivo as a PF4 DNA delivery vector in the management of radiation injury.     

Platelet factor 4 mediates inflammation in experimental cerebral malaria

Cerebral malaria (CM) is a major complication of Plasmodium falciparum infection in children. The pathogenesis of CM involves vascular inflammation, immune stimulation, and obstruction of cerebral capillaries. Platelets have a prominent role in both immune responses and vascular obstruction. We now demonstrate that the platelet-derived chemokine, platelet factor 4 (PF4)/CXCL4, promotes the development of experimental cerebral malaria (ECM). Plasmodium-infected red blood cells (RBCs) activated platelets independently of vascular effects, resulting in increased plasma PF4. PF4 or chemokine receptor CXCR3 null mice had less severe ECM, including decreased T cell recruitment to the brain, and platelet depletion or aspirin treatment reduced the development of ECM. We conclude that Plasmodium-infected RBCs can directly activate platelets, and platelet-derived PF4 then contributes to immune activation and T cell trafficking as part of the pathogenesis of ECM.     

Platelet factor 4 neutralizes heparan sulfate-enhanced antithrombin inactivation of factor Xa by preventing interaction(s) of enzyme with polysaccharide

Platelet factor 4 (PF4) is a heparin-binding protein which exhibits anti-heparin activities through the inhibition of antithrombin (AT)-dependent reactions with the serine proteases thrombin and factor Xa. PF4 also neutralizes heparan sulfate (HS), a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) present on the surface of endothelial cells, thereby possibly modulating an anticoagulant response. Previous models of PF4 mechanism did not distinguish whether PF4 causes steric hindrance of AT binding to fXa or of AT binding to the surface of the GAG chain. To shed light on the mechanism of PF4, studies of HS/heparin-catalyzed fXa inactivation by AT were undertaken. The results were consistent with PF4 directly interfering with AT binding to fXa rather than AT binding to the GAG chain, since PF4 did not prevent the heparin-dependent increase in AT intrinsic fluorescence. In fact, PF4 mechanism was competitive with respect to AT and non-competitive with respect to fXa, suggesting inhibition of important regulatory/catalytic interactions of fXa with the polysaccharide. Altogether, the results suggested a model by which PF4 bound to proximal (but distinct) sites to AT, resulting in steric interference of fXa binding to both polysaccharide and AT. It is proposed that PF4 inhibited the sequence of events recapitulated in the template mechanism describing heparin-dependent inhibition of fXa.     

PF 4 assay by an ELISA method: a good correlation with the usual RIA method

PF 4 is a specific platelet protein. This protein is released from alpha granules during the platelet activation and later it adheres to endothelium. Intravenous heparin injection displaces PF 4 from vessels wall. Thus, PF 4 levels are an index of in act or past platelet activation. We have compared two methods of PF 4 dosage on 39 blood samples taken from healthy volunteers and patients. The samples has been shared out tree groups according to the procedure of collecting; so the values of PF 4 are widely enough distributed. There was no difference between the mean values of each group obtained with two methods. Equally the mean value of all samples processed with radioimmunoassay was similar to the mean value obtained with immunoenzymatic method. The correlation index between the values of PF 4 obtained with radioimmunoassay and immunoenzymatic method was 0.97. Therefore the new immunoenzymatic method for the dosage of PF 4 is as sensitive and precise as the radioimmunoassay.     

Dual effect of Platelet Factor 4 on the activities of Factor Xa

Platelet Factor 4 (PF4) prevents inhibition of blood coagulation proteases by heparin via formation of a putative enzyme–PF4 complex. To investigate the contribution of the latter, the activity of factor Xa (fXa) was determined in chromogenic assays measuring hydrolysis of a peptide substrate S2765 or cleavage of the macromolecular substrate prothrombin in the activating complex, prothrombinase. Upon preincubation with fXa and heparin, PF4 at about 250 nM decreased the k_cat of S2765 hydrolysis about fivefold and that of prothrombin activation about 25-fold. In the presence of saturating fVa, inhibition of fXa by PF4 was abolished, while in the presence of limiting fVa, PF4 altered the interaction of fXa with fVa. Interestingly, high concentrations of PF4 restored fXa activity toward S2765 and prothrombin, indicating a dual effect of PF4 on fXa activities. These findings suggest that PF4 in the presence of heparin is an allosteric effector of the prothrombinase complex.     

Platelet factor 4 (CXCL4) seals blood clots by altering the structure of fibrin

Platelet factor-4 (PF4/CXCL4) is an orphan chemokine released in large quantities in the vicinity of growing blood clots. Coagulation of plasma supplemented with a matching amount of PF4 results in a translucent jelly-like clot. Saturating amounts of PF4 reduce the porosity of the fibrin network 4.4-fold and decrease the values of the elastic and loss moduli by 31- and 59-fold, respectively. PF4 alters neither the cleavage of fibrinogen by thrombin nor the cross-linking of protofibrils by activated factor XIII but binds to fibrin and dramatically transforms the structure of the ensuing network. Scanning electron microscopy showed that PF4 gives rise to a previously unreported pattern of polymerization where fibrin assembles to form a sealed network. The subunits constituting PF4 form a tetrahedron having at its corners a RPRH motif that mimics (in reverse orientation) the Gly-His-Arg-Pro-amide peptides that co-crystallize with fibrin. Molecular modeling showed that PF4 could be docked to fibrin with remarkable complementarities and absence of steric clashes, allowing the assembly of irregular polymers. Consistent with this hypothesis, as little as 50 microm the QVRPRHIT peptide derived from PF4 affects the polymerization of fibrin.     

Platelet factor 4 inhibits thrombomodulin-dependent activation of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) by thrombin

Thrombomodulin (TM) is a cofactor for thrombin-mediated activation of protein C and thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) and thereby helps coordinate coagulation, anticoagulation, fibrinolysis, and inflammation. Platelet factor 4 (PF4), a platelet α-granule protein and a soluble cofactor for TM-dependent protein C activation, stimulates protein C activation in vitro and in vivo. In contrast to stimulation of protein C activation, PF4 is shown here to inhibit activation of TAFI by thrombin-TM. Consequences of inhibition of TAFI activation by PF4 included loss of TM-dependent prolongation of clot lysis times in hemophilia A plasma and loss of TM-stimulated conversion of bradykinin (BK) to des-Arg(9)-BK by TAFIa in normal plasma. Thus, PF4 modulates the substrate specificity of the thrombin-TM complex by selectively enhancing protein C activation while inhibiting TAFI activation, thereby preventing the generation of the antifibrinolytic and anti-inflammatory activities of TAFIa. To block the inhibitory effects of PF4 on TAFI activation, heparin derivatives were tested for their ability to retain high affinity binding to PF4 despite having greatly diminished anticoagulant activity. N-acetylated heparin (NAc-Hep) lacked detectable anticoagulant activity in activated partial thromboplastin time clotting assays but retained high affinity binding to PF4 and effectively reversed PF4 binding to immobilized TM. NAc-Hep permitted BK conversion to des-Arg(9)-BK by TAFIa in the presence of PF4. In a clot lysis assay on TM-expressing cells using hemophilia A plasma, NAc-Hep prevented PF4-mediated inhibition of TAFI activation and the antifibrinolytic functions of TAFIa. Accordingly, NAc-Hep or similar heparin derivatives might provide therapeutic benefits by diminishing bleeding complications in hemophilia A via restoration of TAFIa-mediated protection of clots against premature lysis.     

Identification and characterization of PF4varl, a human gene variant of platelet factor 4.

A synthetic DNA probe designed to detect coding sequences for platelet factor 4 and connective tissue-activating peptide III (two human platelet alpha-granule proteins) was used to identify several similar sequences in total human DNA. Sequence analysis of a corresponding 3,201-base-pair EcoRI fragment isolated from a human genomic library demonstrated the existence of a variant of platelet factor 4, designated PF4var1. The gene for PF4var1 consisted of three exons and two introns. Exon 1 coded for a 34-amino-acid hydrophobic leader sequence that had 70% sequence homology with the leader sequence for PF4 but, in contrast, contained a hydrophilic amino-terminal region with four arginine residues. Exon 2 coded for a 42-amino-acid segment that was 100% identical with the corresponding segment of the mature PF4 sequence containing the amino-terminal and disulfide-bonded core regions. Exon 3 coded for the 28-residue carboxy-terminal region corresponding to a domain specifying heparin-binding and cellular chemotaxis. However, PF4var1 had amino acid differences at three positions in the lysine-rich carboxy-terminal end that were all conserved among human, bovine, and rat PF4s. These differences should significantly affect the secondary structure and heparin-binding properties of the protein based on considerations of the bovine PF4 crystal structure. By comparing the PF4var1 genomic sequence with the known human cDNA and the rat genomic PF4-coding sequences, we identified potential genetic regulatory regions for PF4var1. Rat PF4 and human PF4var1 genes had identical 18-base sequences 5' to the promoter region. The intron positions appeared to correspond approximately to the boundaries of the protein functional domains.