炭疽受体CMG2-Fc融合蛋白在CHO细胞中的表达、纯化与鉴定

目的：构建炭疽受体CMG2和人IgGl Fc片段融合基因载体,转染CHO细胞并通过毒素中和试验检测CMG2-Fc拮抗炭疽毒素（PA＋LF）的能力。方法-将含有CMG2胞外区1-217AA片度基因和人IgGl的Fc片段基因共同连接入pcDNA3．1载体转染CHO细胞并筛选高表达CMG2-Fc的CHO细胞系,通过小鼠RAW264．7巨噬细胞保护试验检测CMG2-Fc拮抗炭疽毒素的能力。结果：获得了表达CMG2-Fc的细胞株,毒素中和实验显示该蛋白可以有效抑制炭疽毒素引起的细胞损伤。结论：CMG2-Fc能够保护小鼠巨噬细胞免受炭疽毒素攻击,提示其可以作为抗毒素治疗炭疽感染。     

人参根提取物增强巨噬细胞RAW264.7的自噬水平并提高其增殖和吞噬能力

研究人参根提取物对巨噬细胞RAW264.7的增殖能力、吞噬能力和自噬水平的影响以及其相关性。用细胞计数试剂(CCK-8)检测不同浓度的人参根以及加入对巨噬细胞RAW264.7增殖的影响;采用中性红吞噬实验检测人参根提取物对巨噬细胞吞噬活性的影响;采用吖啶橙染色法(AO染色法)检测自噬体的形成;采用免疫印迹法(Western blot)检测自噬相关蛋白LC3B、ATG7的表达变化以及自噬通路相关蛋白AMPK、AKT、mTOR及ULK1磷酸化的变化。引入自噬诱导剂rapamycin和自噬抑制剂CQ探讨人参根提取物影响细胞自噬与细胞增殖、吞噬能力的相关性。结果显示,与空白对照组比较,各组人参根提取物可促进巨噬细胞RAW264.7的增殖及吞噬作用;参根提取物能够增加巨噬细胞RAW264.7酸性自噬体的数量,提高LC3B、ATG7的表达、增加AMPK和ULK1的蛋白磷酸化水平,时降低AKT,mTOR的磷酸化水平。Rapamycin进一步增强巨噬细胞的增殖以及吞噬能力,而CQ则减弱了人参根提取物所引起的巨噬细胞的增殖以及吞噬能力提高。以上结果表明人参根提取物可能通过增强巨噬细胞RAW264.7的自噬水平,提高其增殖和吞噬能力,具有激活巨噬细胞增强机体免疫力的潜在作用。     

微囊藻毒素-LR 对小鼠肝细胞线粒体功能的影响*

摘要目的：探究微囊藻毒素-LR 对小鼠肝细胞线粒体功能的影响。方法：采用BALB/c 小鼠作为模型动物,随机分为3 组：A 组, 空白对照组,正常饮用水;B 组,添加5 g/L微囊藻毒素-LR 的饮用水;C 组,添加30 g/L 微囊藻毒素-LR 的饮用水。分组喂养3 个月,分离小鼠肝脏、提取线粒体,采用线粒体荧光探针JC-1 测定线粒体膜电位（MMP）,qRT-PCR检测自噬相关基因Beclin1 和 Lc3琢的转录水平,Western Blot检测细胞色素C的释放,电镜观察线粒体的形态和内部结构。结果：微囊藻毒素-LR 处理组的小 鼠肝细胞线粒体膜电位明显下降,自噬相关基因Lc3琢的转录水平上升,细胞色素C由线粒体释放到胞浆,电镜观察线粒体形态 异常、内部结构被破坏。结论：微囊藻毒素-LR 对小鼠肝细胞线粒体有较强的毒性作用,并引发线粒体自噬。     

微囊藻毒素-LR对小鼠肝细胞线粒体功能的影响

目的：探究微囊藻毒素-LR对小鼠肝细胞线粒体功能的影响。方法：采用BALB／c小鼠作为模型动物,随机分为3组：A组,空白对照组,正常饮用水;B组,添加5g门L微囊藻毒素．LR的饮用水;C组,添加30gm微囊藻毒素-LR的饮用水。分组喂养3个月,分离小鼠肝脏、提取线粒体,采用线粒体荧光探针JC-1测定线粒体膜电位（MMP）,qRT-PCR检测自噬相关基因Beclinl和Lc3α的转录水平,WesternBlot检测细胞色素c的释放,电镜观察线粒体的形态和内部结构。结果：微囊藻毒素-LR处理组的小鼠肝细胞线粒体膜电位明显下降,自噬相关基因Lc3α的转录水平上升,细胞色素C由线粒体释放到胞浆,电镜观察线粒体形态异常、内部结构被破坏。结论：微囊藻毒素-LR对小鼠肝细胞线粒体有较强的毒性作用,并引发线粒体自噬。     

炭疽受体CMG2-Fc 融合蛋白在CHO 细胞中的表达、纯化与鉴定

目的:构建炭疽受体CMG2和人IgG1 Fc片段融合基因载体,转染CHO细胞并通过毒素中和试验检测CMG2-Fc拮抗炭疽毒素(PA+LF)的能力。方法:将含有CMG2胞外区1-217AA片度基因和人IgG1的Fc片段基因共同连接入pcDNA3.1载体转染CHO细胞并筛选高表达CMG2-Fc的CHO细胞系,通过小鼠RAW264.7巨噬细胞保护试验检测CMG2-Fc拮抗炭疽毒素的能力。结果:获得了表达CMG2-Fc的细胞株,毒素中和实验显示该蛋白可以有效抑制炭疽毒素引起的细胞损伤。结论:CMG2-Fc能够保护小鼠巨噬细胞免受炭疽毒素攻击,提示其可以作为抗毒素治疗炭疽感染。     

炭疽致死毒素中和试验检验标准

提出了一种毒素中和试验的操作细节标准。此实验室试验,测量含炭疽致死毒素抗体抗血清的特异性保护J774A．1细胞抗炭疽芽胞杆菌致死毒素的细胞毒性作用的能力,其比色试验建立在活细胞降解MTT的基础上,用炭疽吸附疫苗(AVA)制备的人和家兔抗血清验证这个试验结果。试验结果显示高水平的重复性和复现性,尤其是     

基于PI3K/AKT/mTOR通路的三百棒促进脂多糖诱导的RAW 264.7细胞自噬并抑制炎症CSCD

三百棒来源于芸香科植物飞龙掌血Toddalia asiatica(L.)Lam的根,是一种天然土家族中草药,具有抗炎、抗风湿、抗肿瘤、抗微生物等药理活性。其毒副作用小,疗效显著的特点使之成为当前研究热点。许多天然产物已被证明可通过靶向PI3K/AKT/mTOR介导的自噬来抑制炎症及自身免疫性疾病,本项研究通过调节PI3K/AKT/mTOR信号通路来研究三百棒醇提物(Toddalia asiatica alcohol extract,TAAE)对自噬的影响,用脂多糖(LPS)诱导单核巨噬细胞(RAW 264.7)建立炎症模型,通过细胞毒性检测试剂盒检测TAAE对细胞活力的影响,并筛选出药物的浓度及干预时间,透射电镜和单丹磺酰尸胺染色检测巨噬细胞的生物学功能,酶联免疫吸附法检测上清液中相关炎症因子水平,Western blot检测自噬和通路相关蛋白的表达水平;并采用自噬早期抑制剂(3-MA)和通路PI3K激动剂(740Y-P)进一步验证自噬对炎症和信号通路的影响。实验结果表明TAAE可能通过抑制PI3K/AKT/mTOR信号通路,促进自噬泡的形成、自噬体溶酶体融合和降解,降低LPS处理的RAW 264.7细胞中炎性细胞因子的表达和分泌。总体而言,本研究结果为三百棒的抗炎机制的研究提供了新的线索,并为临床更好的应用三百棒治疗炎症性疾病提供理论依据。     

不同形态的烟曲霉对巨噬细胞自噬水平的影响

目的探究烟曲霉静息孢子、膨胀孢子以及菌丝对巨噬细胞自噬水平的影响。方法培养烟曲霉并收获静息孢子,在沙保弱液体培养基中振荡不同时间获得膨胀孢子及菌丝。以3种形态的烟曲霉分组处理RAW264.7细胞,免疫印迹法检测LC3BⅡ蛋白的表达量,逆转录PCR检测自噬相关蛋白Atg5、Atg7、Atg12 mRNA的转录水平。观察不同形态的烟曲霉刺激GFP-LC3B-RAW264.7细胞后GFP-LC3B的表达与定位。结果膨胀的烟曲霉孢子及菌丝刺激巨噬细胞后LC3BⅡ表达水平升高;Atg5与Atg12 mRNA的转录均明显增高,Atg7转录水平无显著变化;膨胀孢子诱导LC3B呈斑点样聚集并与之共定位,烟曲霉菌丝刺激后自噬体增多。结论烟曲霉膨胀孢子与菌丝能显著提高巨噬细胞自噬水平,静息的分生孢子不能引起巨噬细胞自噬功能的应答。     

中和炭疽毒素的化合物

人吸入炭疽菌Ｂａｃｉｌｌｕｓａｎｔｈｒａｃｉｓ的孢子时 ,炭疽菌便释放 3种蛋白质 ,这 3种蛋白质结合起来形成炭疽毒素 .这 3种蛋白质的组合使血压骤降 ,引起出血 ,并导致昏迷与死亡 .其中 1个蛋白质称为保护性抗原(ＰＡ) ,它与细胞表面的 1个受体相结合 ,并由酶将它粘着在结合处 .ＰＡ与受体的粘着部分称为ＰＡ6 3,它为其他 2个炭疽毒素蛋白提供停靠于细胞的位置 .这 2个炭疽毒素称为致死因子和水肿因子 .炭疽毒素一旦装配好 ,致死因子便得以进入细胞 .在致死因子进入细胞的入口处 ,其割断蛋白质而引起一连串事件的起动 ,这导致产生炭疽…     

甘草酸对巨噬细胞抗绵羊肺炎支原体感染的调控作用研究

为观察甘草酸在小鼠巨噬细胞系RAW264.7抗绵羊肺炎支原体(Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae,MO)感染中的作用,实验利用CCK-8细胞活性检测找到最佳甘草酸处理浓度;检测甘草酸对受MO感染的巨噬细胞活性的影响。流式细胞仪检测甘草酸对RAW264.7巨噬细胞生长周期的影响;ELISA检测甘草酸对受MO感染的巨噬细胞分泌TNF-α的影响;Western blot检测细胞凋亡因子Bax、Bad的表达情况。RT-PCR检测凋亡和自噬相关基因的表达情况。结果显示,浓度为12μmol/L的甘草酸显著升高RAW264.7的活性(P=0.012 9),且处于G1期的细胞数减少,G2期的细胞数增加。甘草酸(12μmol/L)可提高受MO感染的RAW264.7的增殖率(P=0.034 0),培养上清中TNF-α含量升高(P=0.015 2),巨噬细胞中促凋亡蛋白Bax表达量增加,但基因caspase 3和caspase 9的表达量显著下调(P<0.000 1),自噬相关基因Atg 7和Beclin 1表达量显著升高(P<0.000 1)。结果提示在MO感染巨噬细胞引起免疫抑制的情况下,甘草酸可通过促增殖、抑凋亡、促进TNF-α的表达、增加自噬来起到免疫调控作用。     

Induction of autophagy by anthrax lethal toxin

Autophagy is an evolutionary conserved intracellular process whereby cells break down long-lived proteins and organelles. Accumulating evidences suggest increasing physiological significance of autophagy in pathogenesis of infectious diseases. Anthrax lethal toxin (LT) exerts its influence on numerous cells and herein, we report a novel effect of LT-induced autophagy on mammalian cells. Several autophagy biochemical markers including LC3-II conversion, increased punctuate distribution of GFP-LC3 and development of acidic vesicular organelles (AVO) were detected in cells treated with LT. Analysis of individual LT component revealed a moderate increase in LC3-II conversion for protective antigen-treated cells, whereas the LC3-II level in lethal factor-treated cells remained unchanged. In addition, our preliminary findings suggest a protective role of autophagy in LT intoxication as autophagy inhibition resulted in accelerated cell death. This study presents a hitherto undescribed effect of LT-induced autophagy on cells and provides the groundwork for future studies on the implication of autophagy in anthrax pathogenesis.     

Delayed treatment with doxycycline has limited effect on anthrax infection in BLK57/B6 mice

Blk57/B6 mice were infected with LD90 dose of Sterne strain anthrax spores subcutaneously and then treated with doxycycline. Doxycycline at a dose of 1.5mg/kg, by intra-peritoneal injection, protected mice from death when given at the same time as spores. When doxycycline administration was delayed 4h survival is 90%. Delay of 24h increased survival time but had no impact on eventual mortality. When doxycycline was delayed 48h, mortality and time to death were comparable to sham injection. Peritoneal macrophages harvested from Blk57/B6 mice were examined for response to anthrax lethal toxin and are shown to be deficient in their ability to produce TNF-alpha and have increased expression of IL-6 compared to RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cell line. These findings suggest that antibiotic therapy has limited effects following lethal anthrax spore challenge, even when the host is of a phenotype that does not produce TNF-alpha in response to anthrax lethal toxin exposure.     

Targeted Silencing of Anthrax Toxin Receptors Protects against Anthrax Toxins

Anthrax spores can be aerosolized and dispersed as a bioweapon. Current postexposure treatments are inadequate at later stages of infection, when high levels of anthrax toxins are present. Anthrax toxins enter cells via two identified anthrax toxin receptors: tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8) and capillary morphogenesis protein 2 (CMG2). We hypothesized that host cells would be protected from anthrax toxins if anthrax toxin receptor expression was effectively silenced using RNA interference (RNAi) technology. Thus, anthrax toxin receptors in mouse and human macrophages were silenced using targeted siRNAs or blocked with specific antibody prior to challenge with anthrax lethal toxin. Viability assays were used to assess protection in macrophages treated with specific siRNA or antibody as compared with untreated cells. Silencing CMG2 using targeted siRNAs provided almost complete protection against anthrax lethal toxin-induced cytotoxicity and death in murine and human macrophages. The same results were obtained by prebinding cells with specific antibody prior to treatment with anthrax lethal toxin. In addition, TEM8-targeted siRNAs also offered significant protection against lethal toxin in human macrophage-like cells. Furthermore, silencing CMG2, TEM8, or both receptors in combination was also protective against MEK2 cleavage by lethal toxin or adenylyl cyclase activity by edema toxin in human kidney cells. Thus, anthrax toxin receptor-targeted RNAi has the potential to be developed as a life-saving, postexposure therapy against anthrax.     

Role of macrophage oxidative burst in the action of anthrax lethal toxin.

BACKGROUND: Major symptoms and death from systemic Bacillus anthracis infections are mediated by the action of the pathogen's lethal toxin on host macrophages. High levels of the toxin are cytolytic to macrophages, whereas low levels stimulate these cells to produce cytokines (interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha), which induce systemic shock and death. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experiments were performed to assess the possibility that the oxidative burst may be involved in one or both of lethal toxin's effects on macrophages. Toximediated cell lysis, superoxide anion and cytokine production were measured. Effects of antioxidants and macrophage mutations were examined. RESULTS: RAW264.7 murine macrophages treated with high levels of toxin released large amounts of superoxide anion, beginning at about 1 hr, which correlates with the onset of cytolysis. Cytolysis could be blocked with various exogenous antioxidants or with N-acetyl-L-cysteine and methionine, which promote production of the endogenous antioxidant, glutathione. Mutant murine macrophage lines deficient in production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) were relatively insensitive to the lytic effects of the toxin, whereas a line with increased oxidative burst potential showed elevated sensitivity. Also, cultured blood monocyte-derived macrophages from a patient with Chronic Granulomatous Disease, a disorder in which the phagocyte's oxidative burst is disabled, were totally resistant to toxin, in contrast to control monocytes. CONCLUSIONS: These results imply that the cytolytic effect of the toxin is mediated by ROIs. Additionally, cytokine production and consequent pathologies showed partial dependence on macrophage ROIs. Antioxidants moderately inhibited toxin-induced cytokine production in vitro, and BALB/c mice pretreated with N-acetyl-L-cysteine or mepacrine showed partial protection against lethal toxin. Thus ROIs are involved in both the cytolytic action of anthrax lethal toxin and the overall pathologic process in vivo.     

Anthrax toxin receptor 2 mediates Bacillus anthracis killing of macrophages following spore challenge

Initiation of inhalation anthrax is believed to involve phagocytosis of Bacillus anthracis spores by alveolar macrophages, followed by spore germination within the phagolysosome. In order to establish a systemic infection, it is predicted that bacilli then escape from the macrophage and replicate extracellularly. Mechanisms utilized by B. anthracis to escape from the macrophage are not well characterized, but a role for anthrax toxin has been proposed. Here we report the isolation of an anthrax toxin-resistant cell line (R3D) following chemical mutagenesis of toxin-sensitive RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. Both R3D and RAW 264.7 cells phagocytize spores of a B. anthracis Sterne strain. However, RAW 264.7 cells are killed following spore challenge, whereas R3D cells survive. Resistance to toxin and spore challenge correlates with loss of expression of anthrax toxin receptor 2 (ANTXR2/CMG-2). When R3D cells are complemented with cDNA encoding either murine ANTXR2 or human anthrax toxin receptor 1 (ANTXR1/TEM-8), toxin and spore challenge susceptibility are restored, indicating that over-expression of either ANTXR can confer susceptibility to anthrax spore challenge. Taken together, these results indicate that anthrax toxin expression by the germinated spore enables B. anthracis killing of the macrophage from within.     

利用转基因小鼠筛选全人源炭疽致死因子中和抗体

炭疽是由炭疽芽孢杆菌引起的严重威胁人类健康的传染病。炭疽毒素包括3种蛋白质成分:保护性抗原(PA)、致死因子(LF)和水肿因子(EF)。PA与LF形成致死毒素(LT),与EF形成水肿毒素(ET)。由于致死毒素(LT)在感染者损伤及死亡中发挥主要作用,因此在炭疽感染晚期单纯使用抗生素治疗难以发挥疗效,治疗性中和抗体成为目前最有效的炭疽治疗药物。目前国外获得的炭疽毒素抗体多为炭疽PA抗体,美国FDA已批准瑞西巴库(人源PA单抗)用于吸入性炭疽的治疗。一旦炭疽芽孢杆菌被人为改构或PA中和表位发生突变,针对PA单一表位的抗体将可能失效,因此针对LF的抗体将成为炭疽治疗的有效补充。目前国外已有的LF抗体多为鼠源抗体和嵌合抗体,而全人源抗体可以避免鼠源抗体免疫原性高等缺点。本研究首先用LF抗原免疫人抗体转基因小鼠,利用流式细胞仪从小鼠脾淋巴细胞中分选抗原特异的记忆B细胞,通过单细胞PCR方法快速获得两株具有结合活性的抗LF单抗1D7和2B9。瞬时转染Expi 293F细胞制备抗体,通过毒素中和实验(TNA)发现1D7和2B9在细胞模型中均显示较好的中和活性,并且与PA单抗联合使用时,表现出较好的协同作用。总之,本文利用转基因小鼠、流式分选技术和单细胞PCR技术的优势,快速筛选到全人源LF抗体,为快速筛选全人源单克隆抗体开辟了新的思路与方法。     

Neutrophil elastase mediates pathogenic effects of anthrax lethal toxin in the murine intestinal tract

Neutrophils isolated from BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice and treated in vitro with anthrax lethal toxin release bioactive neutrophil elastase, a proinflammatory mediator of tissue destruction. Similarly, neutrophils isolated from mice treated with anthrax lethal toxin in vivo and cultured ex vivo release greater amounts of elastase than neutrophils from vehicle-treated controls. Direct measurements from murine intestinal tissue samples demonstrate an anthrax lethal toxin-dependent increase in neutrophil elastase activity in vivo as well. These findings correlate with marked lethal toxin-induced intestinal ulceration and bleeding in neutrophil elastase(+/+) animals, but not in neutrophil elastase(-/-) animals. Moreover, neutrophil elastase(-/-) mice have a significant survival advantage over neutrophil elastase(+/+) animals following exposure to anthrax lethal toxin, thereby establishing a key role for neutrophil elastase in mediating the deleterious effects of anthrax lethal toxin.     

Dehydroepiandrosterone and melatonin prevent Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin-induced TNF production in macrophages

The lethal toxin of Bacillus anthracis, which is composed of two separate proteinaceous exotoxins, namely protective antigen and lethal factor, is central to the pathogenesis of anthrax. Low levels of this toxin are known to induce release of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). In the present study we investigated the effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), melatonin (MLT), or DHEA + MLT on production of lethal toxin-induced TNF-α in mouse peritoneal macrophages. We found that treatment with DHEA significantly inhibited the TNF-α production caused by anthrax lethal toxin. Exposure of MLT to anthrax lethal toxin-treated macrophages also decreased the release of TNF-α to the extracellular medium as compared to the control. However, combined use of DHEA and MLT also inhibited TNF-α release, but not more than single therapies. These results suggest that DHEA and MLT may have a therapeutic role in reducing the increased cytokine production induced by anthrax lethal toxin. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Thermostabilization of protective antigen—the binding component of anthrax lethal toxin

Protective antigen (PA) is the binding component of anthrax lethal toxin produced by Bacillus anthracis, and constitutes a major ingredient of the vaccine against anthrax. PA and lethal factor when added together are cytolytic to mouse macrophages and J774G8 macrophage cell line. This in vitro lethal toxicity assay is very useful in understanding the molecular mechanism of action of lethal toxin. Effective utilization of PA is, however, hampered due to its thermolability. On prolonged storage at 37 ° C, PA was found to lose its activity almost completely. The effect of solvent additives like trehalose, sorbitol, xylitol, sodium citrate and magnesium sulphate on the thermal stabilization of PA was examined. The results indicated an increase in the stability of PA when the incubation at 37 ° C was carried out in the presence of solvent additives used in the 1–3 M range. Magnesium sulphate helped retain the activity up to 82.7% against the control in which no additive was used, as judged by cytolytic assay using J774G8 macrophage cell line. Trehalose or sodium citrate also showed an appreciable protection of PA activity, while sorbitol or xylitol were not very effective. Competitive binding assay using radiolabeled PA showed that PA had lost capacity of binding to macrophage cells on prolonged incubation at 37 ° C. Circular dichroism results at 4, 18 and 37 ° C indicated an increase in secondary structure at 37 ° C relative to that at 4 or 18 ° C, supporting the activity data.