Intercellular Protein Transfer from Thymocytes to Thymic Epithelial Cells

Promiscuous expression of tissue restricted antigens (TRAs) in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) is crucial for negative selection of self-reactive T cells to establish central tolerance. Intercellular transfer of self-peptide-MHC complexes from mTECs to thymic dendritic cells (DCs) allows DCs to acquire TRAs, which in turn contributes to negative selection and regulatory T cell generation. However, mTECs are unlikely to express all TRAs, such as immunoglobulins generated only in B cells after somatic recombination, hyper-mutation, or class-switches. We report here that both mTECs and cortical TECs can efficiently acquire not only cell surface but also intracellular proteins from thymocytes. This reveals a previously unappreciated intercellular sharing of molecules from thymocytes to TECs, which may broaden the TRA inventory in mTECs for establishing a full spectrum of central tolerance.     

Myosin-Va-Dependent Cell-To-Cell Transfer of RNA from Schwann Cells to Axons

To better understand the role of protein synthesis in axons, we have identified the source of a portion of axonal RNA. We show that proximal segments of transected sciatic nerves accumulate newly-synthesized RNA in axons. This RNA is synthesized in Schwann cells because the RNA was labeled in the complete absence of neuronal cell bodies both in vitro and in vivo. We also demonstrate that the transfer is prevented by disruption of actin and that it fails to occur in the absence of myosin-Va. Our results demonstrate cell-to-cell transfer of RNA and identify part of the mechanism required for transfer. The induction of cell-to-cell RNA transfer by injury suggests that interventions following injury or degeneration, particularly gene therapy, may be accomplished by applying them to nearby glial cells (or implanted stem cells) at the site of injury to promote regeneration.     

Focus on Water: Intertissue Signal Transfer of Abscisic Acid from Vascular Cells to Guard Cells

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone that responds to environmental stresses, such as water deficiency. Recent studies have shown that ABA biosynthetic enzymes are expressed in the vascular area under both nonstressed and water-stressed growth conditions. However, specific cells in the vasculature involved in ABA biosynthesis have not been identified. Here, we detected the expression of two genes encoding ABA biosynthetic enzymes, ABSCISIC ACID DEFICIENT2 and ABSCISIC ALDEHYDE OXIDASE3, in phloem companion cells in vascular tissues. Furthermore, we identified an ATP-binding cassette transporter, Arabidopsis thaliana ABCG25 (AtABCG25), expressed in the same cells. Additionally, AtABCG25-expressing Spodoptera frugiperda9 culture cells showed an ABA efflux function. Finally, we observed that enhancement of ABA biosynthesis in phloem companion cells induced guard cell responses, even under normal growth conditions. These results show that ABA is synthesized in specific cells and can be transported to target cells in different tissues.Hormones are chemical substances that exert a biochemical action on target cells at low concentrations. All multicellular organisms, including animals and plants, produce hormones to control their physiological status. In animals, many ordinary hormones are secreted from specific cells (such as endocrine cells) and transported to their target sites in other areas of the body. However, it remains unclear whether the concept of hormones as defined in animals is applicable to plants, because plant hormones are not generally synthesized in specific cells but are broadly produced (Weyers and Paterson, 2001; Gaspar et al., 2003; Forestan and Varotto, 2012).Abscisic acid (ABA) is a key phytohormone that prevents water loss from the plant body by acting on guard cells, of which stomata (epidermal pores) compose the aerial organs in plants (Hetherington, 2001; Schroeder et al., 2001; Fan et al., 2004; Joshi-Saha et al., 2011). Gene and protein expression analyses using antisense RNA or antibodies specific for ABA biosynthetic enzymes in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) have shown that parenchyma cells in vascular bundles are the abundant expression site of ABA biosynthesis under drought stress and well-watered growth conditions (Cheng et al., 2002; Koiwai et al., 2004; Endo et al., 2008). Because the vasculature is separated from guard cells, it has been suggested that ABA is transported from the site of synthesis to the site of action (Seo and Koshiba, 2011).We previously found that an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family, Arabidopsis thaliana ABCG25 (AtABCG25), is expressed mainly in vascular tissues, and it is expected to function as an ABA exporter that transports ABA from inside to outside cells (Kuromori et al., 2010). According to this observation, we have proposed a working model: ABA is exported from ABA-synthesizing cells in vascular tissues by AtABCG25 to reach distant guard cells and induce stomatal closure (Kuromori and Shinozaki, 2010; Umezawa et al., 2010, 2011). However, the parenchyma cells in vascular tissues expressing ABA biosynthetic enzymes or AtABCG25 transporting factor have not been identified.Here, we explored whether specific cells express ABA biosynthetic enzymes or an ABA transporter and found that their genes were expressed in phloem companion cells of vascular tissues. ABA synthesis in these cells enhances transsignaling to distant guard cells of the epidermis. These results show that ABA is synthesized in specific cells and transported to target cells in another tissue. This result is similar to endocrine hormones in animals and suggests that the ABA transport pathway between tissues in plants may be associated with specific transporters.     

Microvesicle-mediated Transfer of MicroRNA-150 from Monocytes to Endothelial Cells Promotes Angiogenesis

Recent studies by our group and others show that microRNAs can be actively secreted into the extracellular environment through microvesicles (MVs) and function as secretory signaling molecules that influence the recipient cell phenotypes. Here we investigate the role of monocyte-secreted miR-150 in promoting the capillary tube formation of endothelial cells and in enhancing angiogenesis. In vitro capillary tube formation and in vivo angiogenesis assays showed that monocyte-derived MVs have strong pro-angiogenic activities. By depleting miR-150 from monocytic MVs and increasing miR-150 in MVs derived from cells that normally contain low levels of miR-150, we further demonstrated that the miR-150 content accounted for the pro-angiogenic activity of monocytic MVs in these assays. Using tumor-implanted mice and ob/ob mice as models, we revealed that miR-150 secretion, which is increased for diseases such as cancers and diabetes, significantly promotes angiogenesis. The delivery of anti-miR-150 antisense oligonucleotides into tumor-implanted mice and ob/ob mice via MVs, however, strongly reduced angiogenesis in both types of mice. Our results collectively demonstrate that secretion of miR-150 via MVs can promote angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo, and we also present a novel microRNA-based therapeutic approach for disease treatment.     

肝素酶超表达对HEK293细胞中Arc基因的调节

目的:利用RT-PCR验证基于肝素酶转基因小鼠的大脑皮层组织表达芯片发现的表达上调基因Arc,研究肝素酶基因Hpse对Arc基因表达的影响。方法:在稳定转染小鼠肝素酶基因Hpse的HEK293细胞体系中,采用半定量PCR的方法分析Arc的mRNA表达情况。结果:与前期的小鼠大脑皮层表达芯片结果相反,Hpse下调Arc基因的表达。结论:推断肝素酶可能通过影响Arc基因的表达,从而影响细胞功能。     

过表达微小RNA miR-125b对人胚胎干细胞增殖的影响

目的:通过在人胚胎干细胞(hESC)中有效转染微小RNA miR-125b的真核表达载体,研究过表达miR-125b对hESC增殖的影响。方法:将在无饲养层上培养至第3 d,克隆融合达70%的hESC用Accutase酶消化为单细胞,然后用LipofectAMINE2000对hESC单细胞转染pHRS-1cla-miR125b-CMV-EGFP载体及其对照pHRS-1cla-CMV-EGFP载体,通过实时定量PCR对转染后细胞中成熟miR-125b的表达进行检测;进一步进行细胞计数和克隆计数,对miR-125b表达上调的hESC的增殖情况进行分析。结果:实时定量PCR检测结果表明,细胞转染后72 h,miR-125b的表达上调1.45倍,说明hESC转染成功;克隆计数及细胞计数结果显示过表达miR-125b的hESC增殖受到明显抑制(P<001)。结论:转染miR-125b真核表达载体的hESC能够上调成熟miR-125b的表达,hESC中miR-125b的表达上调能明显抑制hESC的增殖。     

P14ARF对人黑色素瘤细胞增殖的影响及其作用机理的初探

ARF(alternative reading frame)作为INK4a/ARF的β转录产物,能够稳定p53,诱导细胞周期阻断或凋亡.利用高表达p14ARF的人黑色素瘤细胞模型,探讨了ARF抑制细胞增殖的分子作用机理.研究发现p14ARF高表达能将细胞周期阻断在G1和G2期,p53,p2lcipl和p27kipl蛋白水平明显增强,而p-ERK1/2,CyclinDl和CyclinE蛋白水平下降,明显抑制细胞生长.提示p14ARF能通过ERK(extracellular signal-regulated kinase)信号通路相互协调作用抑制A375细胞增殖.     

Identification of a Novel Topoisomerase Inhibitor Effective in Cells Overexpressing Drug Efflux Transporters

Background

Natural product structures have high chemical diversity and are attractive as lead structures for discovery of new drugs. One of the disease areas where natural products are most frequently used as therapeutics is oncology.

Method and Findings

A library of natural products (NCI Natural Product set) was screened for compounds that induce apoptosis of HCT116 colon carcinoma cells using an assay that measures an endogenous caspase-cleavage product. One of the apoptosis-inducing compounds identified in the screen was thaspine (taspine), an alkaloid from the South American tree Croton lechleri. The cortex of this tree is used for medicinal purposes by tribes in the Amazonas basin. Thaspine was found to induce conformational activation of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bak and Bax, mitochondrial cytochrome c release and mitochondrial membrane permeabilization in HCT116 cells. Analysis of the gene expression signature of thaspine-treated cells suggested that thaspine is a topoisomerase inhibitor. Inhibition of both topoisomerase I and II was observed using in vitro assays, and thaspine was found to have a reduced cytotoxic effect on a cell line with a mutated topoisomerase II enzyme. Interestingly, in contrast to the topoisomerase II inhibitors doxorubicin, etoposide and mitoxantrone, thaspine was cytotoxic to cell lines overexpressing the PgP or MRP drug efflux transporters. We finally show that thaspine induces wide-spread apoptosis in colon carcinoma multicellular spheroids and that apoptosis is induced in two xenograft mouse models in vivo.

Conclusions

The alkaloid thaspine from the cortex of Croton lechleri is a dual topoisomerase inhibitor effective in cells overexpressing drug efflux transporters and induces wide-spread apoptosis in multicellular spheroids.     

过表达白细胞介素10的间充质干细胞对炎症性肠病的治疗作用

炎症性肠病(inflammatory bowel disease,IBD)是一种以T细胞浸润至结肠为特征的难治性炎性自身免疫疾病。间充质干细胞 (mesenchymal stem cells,MSCs) 具有免疫抑制能力,在IBD的治疗中具有一定的潜力。但是由于MSCs在体内的免疫调节能力不稳定,所以其治疗效果会受到影响。本研究构建了过表达白细胞介素10(interleukin 10,IL-10)的工程化MSCs,并对其在IBD小鼠模型中的治疗潜力进行评估。MSCs经编码IL-10的慢病毒(lentivirus,LV)转染后,其表型和细胞增殖率均不发生变化。免疫细胞和 MSCs体外共培养的结果表明,与未修饰的MSCs相比,同过表达IL-10的MSCs共培养的免疫细胞中辅助T细胞1(T helper 1 cells,Th1)和辅助T细胞17(T helper 17 cells,Th17)数量显著性降低(P<0.05),同过表达IL-10的MSCs共培养的巨噬细胞细胞培养上清液,TNF-α含量显著性降低(P<0.0001)。右旋糖酐硫酸钠(dextran sodium sulfate,DSS)诱导IBD小鼠模型中,尾静脉注射过表达IL-10的MSCs与注射未修饰MSCs相比,过表达IL-10的MSCs具有更好的治疗效果,结肠长度、疾病活动指数(disease activity index,DAI)和结肠炎性细胞因子表达共同证明这一差异。实验结果均具有统计学差异(P<0.05)。总体而言,经LV转染过表达IL-10的MSCs可能是IBD的一种有希望的替代治疗选择。     

PC12 Cells Overexpressing Tissue Plasminogen Activator Regenerate Neurites to a Greater Extent and Migrate Faster than Control Cells in Complex Extracellular Matrix

Abstract: PC12 cells were stably transfected with expression vectors containing rat tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) under control of either a cytomegalovirus or rous sarcoma virus promoter. Cell lines were characterized using protease assays, ELISAs, immunoblots, northern blots, and Southern blots. Control PC12 cells or cells containing vectors alone released about 1 pg tPA/cell/24 h, whereas cells stably transfected with a tPA cDNA released 2–5 pg tPA/cell/24 h. A strong correlation existed between the amount of tPA released and the ability of cells to degrade extracellular matrix. Experiments with protease inhibitors and antibodies against tPA and plasminogen indicated that degradation of matrix involved tPA-generated plasmin and that the amount of matrix degraded was dependent on the amount of tPA released. Cells expressing high levels of tPA migrated on a three-dimensional matrix about twice as fast as control cells and regenerated neurites within three-dimensional gels of Matrigel to a greater extent than control cells. Antibodies that inhibited tPA and plasminogen decreased migration and neurite regeneration, indicating that tPA was involved in both events. PC12 cells overexpressing tPA should provide a useful model system for investigating neural functions of tPA including its role in migration and regeneration.     

干细胞核移植效率及核移植胚胎干细胞

干细胞为一类具有无限的或者永生的自我更新能力的细胞,包括胚胎性干细胞和成体干细胞.胚胎性干细胞有胚胎干细胞、畸胎瘤细胞和原始生殖细胞.成体干细胞主要有骨髓间充质干细胞,造血干细胞、神经干细胞、表皮干细胞、脂肪干细胞等.随着体细胞核移植技术与干细胞培养技术的成熟,两者相结合便产生了核移植来源胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cells via nuclear transfer,ntES细胞),其不仅用于基础的研究,而且也用于临床医学的组织修复和移植的研究.现就干细胞作为核供体时的核移植效率,ntES细胞系的建立、其性质及诱导分化等的研究进展进行综述.     

Direct Transfer of Viral and Cellular Proteins from Varicella-Zoster Virus-Infected Non-Neuronal Cells to Human Axons

Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), the alphaherpesvirus that causes varicella upon primary infection and Herpes zoster (shingles) following reactivation in latently infected neurons, is known to be fusogenic. It forms polynuclear syncytia in culture, in varicella skin lesions and in infected fetal human ganglia xenografted to mice. After axonal infection using VZV expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in compartmentalized microfluidic cultures there is diffuse filling of axons with GFP as well as punctate fluorescence corresponding to capsids. Use of viruses with fluorescent fusions to VZV proteins reveals that both proteins encoded by VZV genes and those of the infecting cell are transferred in bulk from infecting non-neuronal cells to axons. Similar transfer of protein to axons was observed following cell associated HSV1 infection. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments provide evidence that this transfer is by diffusion of proteins from the infecting cells into axons. Time-lapse movies and immunocytochemical experiments in co-cultures demonstrate that non-neuronal cells fuse with neuronal somata and proteins from both cell types are present in the syncytia formed. The fusogenic nature of VZV therefore may enable not only conventional entry of virions and capsids into axonal endings in the skin by classical entry mechanisms, but also by cytoplasmic fusion that permits viral protein transfer to neurons in bulk.     

Correlation of Developmental Differences of Nuclear Transfer Embryos Cells to the Methylation Profiles of Nuclear Transfer Donor Cells in Swine

Methylation of DNA is the most commonly studied epigenetic mechanism of developmental competence and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Previous studies of epigenetics and the SCNT procedures have examined the effects of different culture media on donor cells and reconstructed embryos, and the methylation status of specific genes in the fetus or live offspring. Here we used a microarray based approach to identify the methylation profiles of SCNT donor cells including three clonal porcine fetal fibroblast-like cell sublines and adult somatic cells selected from kidney and mammary tissues. The methylation profiles of the donor cells were then analyzed with respect to their ability to direct development to the blastocyst stage after nuclear transfer. Clonal cell lines A2, A7, and A8 had blastocyst rates of 11.7%a, 16.7%ab, and 20.0%b, respectively (ab P     

Downregulation of the cAMP/PKA Pathway in PC12 Cells Overexpressing NCS-1

It is well known that dopamine imbalances are associated with many psychiatric disorders and that the dopaminergic receptor D₂ is the main target of antipsychotics. Recently it was shown that levels of two proteins implicated in dopaminergic signaling, Neuronal calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1) and DARPP-32, are altered in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of both schizophrenic and bipolar disorder patients. NCS-1, which inhibits D₂ internalization, is upregulated in the PFC of both patients. DARPP-32, which is a downstream effector of dopamine signaling, integrates the pathways of several neurotransmitters and is downregulated in the PFC of both patients. Here, we used PC12 cells stably overexpressing NCS-1 (PC12-NCS-1 cells) to address the function of this protein in DARPP-32 signaling pathway in vitro. PC12-NCS-1 cells displayed downregulation of the cAMP/PKA pathway, with decreased levels of cAMP and phosphorylation of CREB at Ser133. We also observed decreased levels of total and phosphorylated DARPP-32 at Thr34. However, these cells did not show alterations in the levels of D₂ and phosphorylation of DARPP-32 at Thr75. These results indicate that NCS-1 modulates PKA/cAMP signaling pathway. Identification of the cellular mechanisms linking NCS-1 and DARPP-32 may help in the understanding the signaling machinery with potential to be turned into targets for the treatment of schizophrenia and other debilitating psychiatric disorders.     

过量表达番茄类囊体膜抗坏血酸过氧化物酶基因（StAPX）提高了烟草种苗的抗氧化能力

为了探讨叶绿体类囊体膜抗坏血酸过氧化物酶（tAPX）与其抗氧化性的关系,从番茄叶片中分离了叶绿体类囊体膜抗坏血酸过氧化物酶基因（StA跚并转入到烟草中。以野生型（WT）、转正义StAPX烟草株系T3-3和T3-6为试材,测定了外源过氧化氢诱导的氧化胁迫条件下APX酶活性、过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性、过氧化氢（H2O2）含量、叶绿素荧光参数及叶绿素含量等。Northern杂交显示StAPX因的表达受外源H2O2氧化胁迫的诱导。氧化胁迫下转基因烟草的APX酶活性和清除H2O2的能力都显著高于野生型,并且转基因烟草比野生型具有更高的PSII最大光化学效率及叶绿素含量。结果表明,．刚尸舶勺过量表达有助于提高外源H2O2诱导的转基因烟草的抗氧化能力。     

Gene Transfer to Fish Cells by Attenuated Invasive Escherichia coli

Genetic immunization has proved effective in a number of applications including vaccination of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) against the fish pathogen infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus. However, injection vaccines, especially in aquaculture, are not as desirable as oral or immersion dosing schemes. In this report we present evidence that attenuated invasive Escherichia coli can infect and deliver plasmid DNA to salmonid fish cells.     

Tocopherol Transfer Protein Sensitizes Prostate Cancer Cells to Vitamin E

Prostate cancer is a major cause of mortality in men in developed countries. It has been reported that the naturally occurring antioxidant α-tocopherol (vitamin E) attenuates prostate cancer cell proliferation in cultured cells and mouse models. We hypothesized that overexpression of the tocopherol transfer protein (TTP), a vitamin E-binding protein that regulates tocopherol status, will sensitize prostate cancer cells to the anti-proliferative actions of the vitamin. To test this notion, we manipulated the expression levels of TTP in cultured prostate cells (LNCaP, PC3, DU145, and RWPE-1) using overexpression and knockdown approaches. Treatment of cells with tocopherol caused a time- and dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation. Overexpression of TTP dramatically sensitized the cells to the apoptotic effects of α-tocopherol, whereas reduction (“knockdown”) of TTP expression resulted in resistance to the vitamin. TTP levels also augmented the inhibitory effects of vitamin E on proliferation in semi-solid medium. The sensitizing effects of TTP were paralleled by changes in the intracellular accumulation of a fluorescent analog of vitamin E and by a reduction in intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and were not observed when a naturally occurring, ligand binding-defective mutant of TTP was used. We conclude that TTP sensitizes prostate cancer cells to the anti-proliferative effects of vitamin E and that this activity stems from the ability of protein to increase the intracellular accumulation of the antioxidant. These observations support the notion that individual changes in the expression level or activity of TTP may determine the responsiveness of prostate cancer patients to intervention strategies that utilize vitamin E.