小鼠植入前胚胎GCN5和HDAC1表达模式及体外培养对其表达的影响

为探讨小鼠植入前胚胎组蛋白乙酰化酶GCN5(general control of nucleotide synthesis,GCN5) 和组蛋白去乙酰化酶1(histone deacetyluse1,HDAC1)的表达模式及常规体外培养对它们表达的影响,应用荧光免疫细胞化学技术,检测了体内和体外培养的小鼠2、4、8细胞期卵裂胚胎、桑葚胚和囊胚GCN5和HDAC1的表达。结果显示,GCN5在体内组各细胞期卵裂胚胎和桑葚胚的细胞浆内均呈高表达,细胞核内未见明显表达,而囊胚细胞的细胞浆和细胞核内均无表达:HDAC1在体内组小鼠2细胞期胚胎中以细胞浆内表达为主,在其他各期胚胎均以细胞核内表达为主．囊胚期内细胞团部分细胞的细胞核内未见HDAC1表达。GCN5在体外组小鼠植入前各期胚胎均不表达,而 HDAC1的表达强度明显低于体内组的。提示体外培养抑制小鼠植入前胚胎GCN5和明显降低 HDAC1的表达,影响胚胎基因的正确性表达。     

H3K27乙酰化模式在孤雌胚与正常胚中的差异及其对胚胎发育的影响

目的考察小鼠孤雌胚胎H3K27乙酰化模式与体内胚胎的差异,探究表观遗传模式对孤雌胚发育的影响。方法利用SrCl2激活卵母细胞,获得植入前各时期孤雌胚胎,并统计胚胎发育率;小鼠注射孕马血清激素(Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotrophin,PMSG)和人绒毛膜促性腺激素(Human Chorionic Gonadotropin,hCG)超排后合笼,在不同发育时间采用体内冲胚的方法获得体内各时期胚胎;将获得的各期各类胚胎用H3K27乙酰化抗体与特异性位点结合,与连接有FITC荧光基团的二抗共同孵育,利用激光共聚焦显微镜检测荧光强度,获得小鼠植入前各时期孤雌胚和体内胚组蛋白H3K27乙酰化模式。结果用SrCl2激活成熟卵母细胞得到的孤雌胚的激活率和囊胚率分别为96.39%和69.54%,处于正常发育水平;孤雌胚H3K27乙酰化荧光强度从原核期相对较高的水平逐渐降低,2-细胞、4-细胞和8-细胞时期荧光强度都处于较低水平,到桑葚胚时期又突然升高,总体变化趋势和体内组先降低后升高的整体趋势一样,且原核期至8-细胞时期的荧光值孤雌胚高于体内胚,桑囊胚时期则相反;两组的H3K27乙酰化荧光强度值在原核期和桑葚胚时期差异不显著(P>0.05),在2-细胞、4-细胞、8-细胞和囊胚期差异显著(P<0.01)。结论本研究表明小鼠孤雌胚H3K27乙酰化模式与体内胚的模式存在差异,可能是影响孤雌胚发育能力的重要原因之一。进一步的深入研究将对纠正小鼠孤雌胚乙酰化模式和提高孤雌胚发育能力具有重要意义。     

共培养对小鼠囊胚质量及其表观遗传修饰的影响

本研究探讨了共培养对小鼠囊胚质量及其表观遗传修饰的影响。将小鼠的受精卵体外随机分别置于含颗粒细胞(试验组I)、输卵管上皮细胞(试验组Ⅱ)、输卵管组织块(试验组Ⅲ)的KSOM培养液中作为试验组进行共培养,同时设立对照组A(体外培养,仅含KSOM)和对照组B(体内培养)。比较各组受精卵的卵裂率和囊胚发育率;并应用碘化丙啶和Hoechest333258对囊胚进行染色,利用ICM/TE值评价各组胚胎体外发育的质量;同时将囊胚进行免疫荧光染色,观察其基因组甲基化和组蛋白乙酰化的水平。结果表明,与对照组A相比,试验组的卵裂率和囊胚发育率均有显著提高(P<0.05);同时其囊胚细胞数目及内细胞团细胞数与滋养层细胞数比值(ICM/TE)值均显著高于对照组A(P<0.05);各试验组囊胚基因组甲基化水平与对照组A差异不显著(P>0.05),但各体外培养组均与对照组B差异显著(P<0.05);试验组组蛋白乙酰化水平与对照组A、B差异均不显著(P>0.05)。共培养能够有效促进小鼠胚胎的体外发育,提高囊胚的发育质量,但是仍不能克服由体外培养造成的基因组甲基化异常。     

小鼠四倍体早期胚胎基因组甲基化模式

利用小鼠抗5-甲基胞嘧啶(5MeC)单克隆抗体检测了体外培养小鼠四倍体早期胚胎的基因组甲基化模式。结果表明: 利用电融合方法制备的小鼠四倍体胚胎在体外培养体系中经历细胞质融合、细胞核融合及细胞继续分裂发育直到囊胚期的过程, 在细胞质融合的时候胚胎卵裂球同体内体外培养二倍体胚胎一样, 呈现高度甲基化状态; 在细胞核开始融合的时候, 甲基化水平急速下降, 在细胞核完全融合的时候甲基化水平达到最低点; 随着胚胎继续分裂, 胚胎甲基化水平逐渐增加, 在桑葚胚期甲基化水平最高; 但是囊胚期四倍体胚胎内细胞团同滋养层细胞甲基化荧光信号没有差别, 这与体内体外培养二倍体囊胚内细胞团细胞甲基化荧光强度高于滋养层细胞甲基化荧光强度不同。因此, 小鼠体外培养四倍体胚胎的甲基化模式是不正常的, 这可能是四倍体小鼠难以发育到妊娠足月的原因之一。这是对小鼠四倍体早期胚胎基因组甲基化模式的首次报道。     

小鼠植入前胚胎及几种组织中IFRG15的差异表达研究

为进一步研究干扰素α应答基因IFRG15（Interferon responsive gene 15）在小鼠整个发育过程中的表达规律,从植入前胚胎及2、5、16周龄的雌、雄昆明小白鼠心、肝、脾、肺、肾、肌肉、卵巢或睾丸等组织中提取总RNA,以HPRT1（Hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1）为内参基因,利用RT-PCR的方法进行目的片段的扩增及差异性分析。结果表明,IFRG15在植入前胚胎8-细胞期,桑葚胚期开始显著高表达于受精卵、2-细胞期、4-细胞期（p〈0.05）,在囊胚期表达量达到最高,且显著高于其他各期（p〈0.05）;在雌雄小鼠几个组织体外发育过程中均检测到表达,但表达量有所不同,在雄性小鼠各组织中的表达无显著规律性差异;在5周龄雌性小鼠组织中达到最高（p〈0.05）,卵巢组织尤为明显,推测该基因对卵巢的成熟有重要的促进作用;本实验成功获得IFRG15在小鼠植入前各期胚胎及体外发育过程中的表达模式,为进一步探究该基因在小鼠克隆胚发育过程中的作用奠定基础。     

组蛋白去乙酰化酶4与人类疾病北大核心CSCD

组蛋白去乙酰化酶4(histone deacetylase 4,HDAC4)是一类依赖锌的去乙酰化酶,属于Ⅱ类组蛋白去乙酰化酶(histone deacetylases,HDACs),主要具有去乙酰化酶的活性。HDAC4由去乙酰化酶结构域发挥去乙酰化酶的作用,还具有核定位序列和核输出序列,通过转录后与翻译后水平的修饰可在细胞核和细胞质之间穿梭,进而参与多种调节过程。近年来的研究发现,HDAC4可参与基因的转录调控、细胞凋亡、代谢等诸多生物进程,在多种疾病的发生发展中发挥重要作用。本文主要从HDAC4的结构、去乙酰作用、自身的修饰及其在核浆中的穿梭作用对其进行概述,同时对其在骨关节炎、心血管疾病、肌萎缩性侧索硬化症等不同疾病中的作用、相关的分子机制及组蛋白抑制剂在肿瘤中的应用等方面的研究进展进行综述。     

神经退行性疾病中的乙酰化内稳态

近年来对神经退行性疾病机制的研究发现,乙酰化和去乙酰化在这一过程扮演了重要角色。组蛋白乙酰化酶(histone acetylase,HAT)和组蛋白去乙酰化酶(histone deacetylase,HDAC)两大家族分别催化组蛋白的乙酰化和去乙酰化,两者相互拮抗,维持体内乙酰化内稳态的平衡。乙酰化内稳态的概念就是在这样的基础上提出的。在神经退行性疾病的发病过程中,组蛋白乙酰基转移酶含量下降,乙酰化内稳态被打破,影响了神经细胞内重要基因的转录,从而导致了神经细胞功能失调甚至死亡。该文主要介绍HAT和HDAC两大家族在神经退行性疾病中的作用机制,以及针对乙酰化内稳态平衡机制的治疗策略。     

小鼠孤雌胚、体外培养胚与体内胚H3K9乙酰化模式的比较

孤雌胚胎的发育率比体内体外生成胚胎的发育率要慢,为研究小鼠孤雌胚、体外培养胚H3K9乙酰化(H3K9ac)模式与体内自然胚之间的差异、曲古抑菌素A(Trichostatin,TSA)对孤雌胚H3K9乙酰化模式的影响及表观遗传模式对孤雌胚、体外培养胚发育的影响,文章采用间接免疫荧光法对小鼠植入前各时期孤雌胚、体外培养胚及体内自然胚基因组组蛋白的H3K9乙酰化水平进行检测。结果显示,植入前各时期孤雌胚H3K9乙酰化模式与体内组变化趋势基本一致,但平均荧光强度较体内组普遍偏高;经TSA处理后孤雌胚H3K9乙酰化水平有所提高,原核期至8-细胞期差异显著(P0.05)。体外培养胚H3K9乙酰化荧光强度与体内组变化趋势也基本一致,但平均荧光强度较体内组普遍偏低。以上结果表明,小鼠孤雌胚H3K9乙酰化水平高于体内胚,使植入前胚胎发育过程中本应沉默的基因启动子发生超乙酰化,进而抑制胚胎发育,这可能是造成孤雌胚胎发育能力较差的重要原因之一;TSA处理可以部分弥补体外培养环境对胚胎发育带来的伤害,但TSA提高孤雌胚的发育能力可能并不完全是通过改变H3K9乙酰化水平来实现的。     

组蛋白去乙酰化酶4与人类疾病

组蛋白去乙酰化酶4（histone deacetylase 4,HDAC4）是一类依赖锌的去乙酰化酶,属于Ⅱ类组蛋白去乙酰化酶（histone deacetylases,HDACs）,主要具有去乙酰化酶的活性。HDAC4由去乙酰化酶结构域发挥去乙酰化酶的作用,还具有核定位序列和核输出序列,通过转录后与翻译后水平的修饰可在细胞核和细胞质之间穿梭,进而参与多种调节过程。近年来的研究发现,HDAC4可参与基因的转录调控、细胞凋亡、代谢等诸多生物进程,在多种疾病的发生发展中发挥重要作用。本文主要从HDAC4的结构、去乙酰作用、自身的修饰及其在核浆中的穿梭作用对其进行概述,同时对其在骨关节炎、心血管疾病、肌萎缩性侧索硬化症等不同疾病中的作用、相关的分子机制及组蛋白抑制剂在肿瘤中的应用等方面的研究进展进行综述。     

组蛋白去乙酰化酶（HDAC）在间充质干细胞C3H10T1/2成脂分化过程中的表达及HDAC11的作用

组蛋白去乙酰化酶（histone deacetylase, HDAC）通过参与调节组蛋白乙酰化修饰调控基因表达. 研究发现多种HDAC参与成脂分化,但其机制尚不清楚. 本研究旨在探讨间充质干细胞C3H10T1/2成脂分化过程中组蛋白去乙酰化酶（HDAC）的表达变化及其对成脂分化的影响. 本研究首先建立了C3H10T1/2体外成脂分化的模型并以油红O染色鉴定成功诱导成脂分化. PCR检测C3H10T1/2细胞成脂分化过程中11种HDAC的变化趋势,发现成脂分化过程中,HDAC1、2、5、9和10的mRNA表达量下降而HDAC3、6、8和11的mRNA表达量明显上升,其中HDAC11上升最为显著. 进一步通过RNA干扰沉默HDAC11表达, PCR检测成脂分化的关键转录因子PPARγ2和成脂标志物Perilipin、Adipoq 的mRNA表达量下降,但Fabp4表达变化不明显. 油红O染色结果表明,诱导C3H10T1/2成脂分化过程中,干扰HDAC11表达,胞浆内脂滴形成数量减少,成脂分化受到抑制. 总之,我们实验的结果提示C3H10T1/2细胞成脂分化伴随着多种HDAC表达的变化,其中HDAC11的增加最显著,干扰HDAC11的表达可以抑制C3H10T1/2细胞的成脂分化.     

Inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress improves mouse embryo development

X-box binding protein-1 (XBP-1) is an important regulator of a subset of genes during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In the current study, we analyzed endogenous XBP-1 expression and localization, with a view to determining the effects of ER stress on the developmental competency of preimplantation embryos in mice. Fluorescence staining revealed that functional XBP-1 is localized on mature oocyte spindles and abundant in the nucleus at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage. However, in preimplantation embryos, XBP-1 was solely detected in the cytoplasm at the one-cell stage. The density of XBP-1 was higher in the nucleus than the cytoplasm at the two-cell, four-cell, eight-cell, morula, and blastocyst stages. Furthermore, RT-PCR analysis confirmed active XBP-1 mRNA splicing at all preimplantation embryo stages, except the one-cell stage. Tunicamycin (TM), an ER stress inducer used as a positive control, promoted an increase in the density of nuclear XBP-1 at the one-cell and two-cell stages. Similarly, culture medium supplemented with 25 mM sorbitol displayed a remarkable increase active XBP-1 expression in the nuclei of 1-cell and 2-cell embryos. Conversely, high concentrations of TM or sorbitol led to reduced nuclear XBP-1 density and significant ER stress-induced apoptosis. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), a known inhibitor of ER stress, improved the rate of two-cell embryo development to blastocysts by attenuating the expression of active XBP-1 protein in the nucleus at the two-cell stage. Our data collectively suggest that endogenous XBP-1 plays a role in normal preimplantation embryonic development. Moreover, XBP-1 splicing is activated to generate a functional form in mouse preimplantation embryos during culture stress. TUDCA inhibits hyperosmolar-induced ER stress as well as ER stress-induced apoptosis during mouse preimplantation embryo development.     

Stage-specific response of preimplantation mouse embryos to W-7, a calmodulin antagonist

Involvement of calmodulin-dependent processes in preimplantation development of mouse embryos was studied with the use of N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7), a specific antagonist of calmodulin. At 25 microM, W-7 interfered with compaction of eight-cell embryos, caused decompaction of compacted eight-cell embryos, inhibited cavitation of late morulae, and caused collapse and degeneration of blastocysts. These effects of W-7 appear to be due to specific inhibition of calmodulin-dependent processes, because W-5, a less active analogue of W-7, was less effective in interfering with development; at 25 microM, W-5 had only a slight effect on compaction and had no effect on blastocyst formation, maintenance of blastocoels, or post-blastocyst development. In addition to the developmental effects just described, W-7 inhibited cell proliferation in four-cell embryos and reduced cell numbers of morulae after treatment at the two- to eight-cell stages. There was a marked increase in embryos' sensitivity to W-7 at the late morula stage, and the sensitivity increased further as embryos developed into blastocysts; the effects of W-7 were largely reversible after treatment at the two-cell through the compacted eight-cell stages, but not after treatment at the late morula or blastocyst stage. At the blastocyst stage, inner cell mass cells appeared to be slightly more resistant to W-7 than trophectoderm cells. This differential sensitivity became more pronounced at the late blastocyst stage: after 3.5-4-h exposure of late blastocysts to 25 microM W-7, all trophectoderm cells degenerated but most of the inner cell masses survived. From these results it appears that calmodulin-dependent processes are involved in development of mouse embryos at all of the preimplantation stages examined.     

Development of single blastomeres from four- and eight-cell mouse embryos fused into the enucleated half of a two-cell embryo

Single blastomeres from four- and eight-cell mouse embryos were fused into the enucleated halves of two-cell embryos, and the ability of these reconstituted embryos to develop in vitro and in vivo was examined. The proportion of these reconstituted embryos developing to blastocysts was 74% (60/81) when four-cell embryo blastomeres were used as nuclei donors and 31% (57/182) when eight-cell embryo blastomeres were used. Eight complete sets of the quadruplet-reconstituted embryos developed to blastocysts, and five live young (9%, 5/57) were obtained after transfer; however, none of the live young were clones. Although when using blastomeres from eight-cell embryos no complete set of eight developed to blastocysts, sextuplets were obtained. The blastocysts, however, failed to produce live young after transfer. In assessing the outgrowths, it was found that 43% of those derived from reconstituted embryos using blastomeres from four-cell embryos had an inner cell mass (ICM); however, outgrowths derived from reconstituted embryos using blastomeres from eight-cell embryos lacked an ICM. These results suggest that the genomes of four- and eight-cell nuclei introduced into the enucleated halves of two-cell embryos are reversed to support the development of the reconstituted embryo.     

The infection of mouse preimplantation embryos to Sendai virus (parainfluenza I)

To provide information on the susceptibility of mouse embryos to Sendai virus, it was investigated if viral replication occurs in the preimplantation embryo at different stages of development, with or without the zona pellucida (ZP). Mice were induced to superovulate, and embryos were collected on Days 2, 3 and 4 after mating. The ZP was removed by digestion with 0.5% pronase. Embryos were exposed to Sendai virus, washed, and allowed to develop in fresh culture medium. The presence of viral antigen in the embryonic cells was examined by the fluorescent antibody test (FAT). Specific immunofluorescence was demonstrated in the ZP-free morula and ZP-intact blastocyst. However, viral antigen was not detected in the ZP-intact two-cell, four-cell, eight-cell or morula stage embryos. Infected embryos developed normally to expanded blastocysts. These findings show that mouse embryonic cells are permissive hosts to Sendai virus replication and that the ZP played the role of a barrier against the virus.     

Expression of ZO-1 and occludin at mRNA and protein level during preimplantation development of the pig parthenogenetic diploids

Expression of mRNAs and proteins of ZO-1 and occludin was analyzed in pig oocytes and parthenogenetic diploid embryos during preimplantation development using real-time RT-PCR, western blotting and immunocytochemistry. All germinal vesicle (GV) and metaphase (M)II oocytes and preimplantation embryos expressed mRNAs and proteins of ZO-1 and occludin. mRNA levels of both ZO-1 and occludin decreased significantly from GV to MII, but increased at the 2-cell stage followed by temporal decrease during the early and late 4-cell stages. Then, both mRNAs increased after compaction. Relative concentration of zo1α- was highest in 2-cell embryos, while zo1α+ was expressed from the morula stage. Occludin expression greatly increased after the morula stage and was highest in expanded blastocysts. Western blotting analysis showed constant expression of ZO-1α- throughout preimplantation development and limited translation of ZO-1α+ from the blastocysts, and species-specific expression pattern of occludin. Immunocytochemistry analysis revealed homogeneous distribution of ZO-1 and occludin in the cytoplasm with moderately strong fluorescence in the vicinity of the contact region between blastomeres, around the nuclei in the 2-cell to late 4-cell embryos, and clear network localization along the cell-boundary region in embryos after the morula stage. Present results show that major TJ proteins, ZO-1 and occludin are expressed in oocytes and preimplantation embryos, and that ZO-1α+ is transcribed by zygotic gene activation and translated from early blastocysts with prominent increase of occludin at the blastocyst stage.     

Spatial patterns of gene expression in preimplantation mouse embryos

The distribution of total polyadenylated RNA and mRNAs from the beta-actin, fibronectin, and cytokeratin Endo A genes was examined in preimplantation mouse embryos using in situ hybridization of riboprobes to RNA in sections of embryos. Polyadenylated RNA was found in the cytoplasm of all cells of blastocyst-stage embryos, whereas the specific mRNAs displayed three distinct patterns of expression: uniform throughout the embryo (beta-actin), enriched in the inner cell mass (fibronectin), and enriched in the trophectoderm (Endo A). In eight-cell embryos, the polyadenylated RNA was more concentrated in nuclei than in the cytoplasm (as noted previously), although this was not the case in blastocysts, nor was it true for the specific mRNAs that were examined. These experiments demonstrate that there is localized gene expression in the early mouse embryo, which correlates with the formation of the trophectoderm and the inner cell mass.