封面说明

正免疫系统是生命从简单到复杂进化到一定程度后形成的防御体系,用以保障个体的生存和物种的演化。无颌类脊椎动物七鳃鳗(Lampetrajaponica)虽然不具备高等脊椎动物基于MHC、TCR/BCR和Ig组成的适应性免疫系统,但通过多样性丰富的抗原识别受体分子——可变淋巴细胞受体VLRA、VLRB和VLRC形成其独特的适应性免疫系统。本期李歆等"七鳃鳗Lja-SHP2分子鉴定、重组表达及免疫学研究"一文研究了信号分子Lja-SHP2在七鳃鳗免疫应答中的作用,以期为进一步探索Lja-SHP2在VLRA~+细胞亚群免疫应答过程中所扮演的角色提供依据。封面插图展示了在受到不同病原物刺激后三类淋巴细胞亚群可能分别被激活、增殖。其中,VLRA~+和VLRC~+细胞类似于高等脊椎动物的αβ和γδT细胞,可能产生一些细胞因子作用于VLRB~+细胞,而VLRB~+细胞类似于高等脊椎动物的B细胞,可进一步分化成浆细胞样大淋巴细胞,能够表达并分泌VLRB四聚体或五聚体抗体以消灭特定病原物。     

七鳃鳗Lja-SHP2分子鉴定、重组表达及免疫学研究

高等脊椎动物的蛋白酪氨酸磷酸酶SHP2(SH2 domain-containing protein-tyrosine phosphatase-2)由ptpn11基因编码,催化酪氨酸残基去磷酸化,与其他能催化酪氨酸磷酸化的蛋白酪氨酸激酶共同调节机体内多种信号通路的信号传导。以往研究表明,SHP2在高等脊椎动物T细胞和B细胞的激活与信号转导过程中起着重要作用。为了研究无颌类脊椎动物日本七鳃鳗(Lampetra japonica)中与SHP2同源的分子——Lja-SHP2在免疫应答反应中的作用,本研究通过PCR扩增获取其Lja-SHP2开放阅读框序列,并构建到原核表达载体pET-32a中,成功在大肠杆菌中实现重组蛋白表达并制备了其兔源多克隆抗体。用混合菌免疫刺激日本七鳃鳗后,通过实时荧光定量PCR和免疫印迹方法检测了Lja-SHP2在日本七鳃鳗免疫相关组织中mRNA和蛋白水平表达谱。结果显示,混合菌免疫刺激后,Lja-SHP2 mRNA和蛋白表达在外周血白细胞和髓样小体中无显著变化,而在鳃组织中显著性上调(P<0.05),说明Lja-SHP2在混合菌刺激后主要参与了鳃组织的免疫应答反应。为了进一步探究Lja-SHP2与淋巴细胞亚群免疫应答反应的相关性,本研究分别使用B细胞有丝分裂原脂多糖(lipopolysaccharide,LPS)和T细胞的有丝分裂原植物凝集素(phytohemagglutinin,PHA)免疫刺激日本七鳃鳗。经LPS免疫刺激后,与对照组相比,白细胞中Lja-SHP2蛋白表达显著上调,鳃组织和髓样小体没有显著性差异表达;但经PHA免疫刺激后,与对照组相比,白细胞、鳃组织和髓样小体3种组织中Lja-SHP2均有上调,尤其在白细胞中上调最为显著,大约是对照组的2.5倍,说明Lja-SHP2参与了日本七鳃鳗由PHA介导的免疫应答反应。由于PHA能刺激日本七鳃鳗鳃组织中VLRA+淋巴细胞的活化,这表明Lja-SHP2可能参与了PHA介导的VLRA+淋巴细胞亚群的免疫应答反应。上述研究结果为进一步探索Lja-SHP2在七鳃鳗免疫应答过程中的功能奠定了基础,也为揭示SHP2分子家族的系统发生及探索高等脊椎动物适应性免疫系统的早期发生及其进化历程提供一定的线索。     

无颌类脊椎动物适应性免疫系统的研究进展

在以七鳃鳗和盲鳗为代表的无颌类脊椎动物中, 虽然发现了与有颌类脊椎动物T细胞受体(T-cell receptors, TLRs)、B细胞受体 (B-cell receptors, BCRs)可变区具有相似结构的先天性免疫受体, 却从未发现有颌类脊椎动物适应性免疫系统的核心组分: TCRs、BCRs、组织相容性复合体 (Major histocompatibility complex, MHC)。因此, 长期以来, 人们一直认为适应性免疫系统只存在于有颌类脊椎动物中。但最近的一项发现彻底改变了这一传统观念, 即在无颌类脊椎动物中, 存在一种新型可变淋巴细胞受体VLRs(Variable lymphocyte receptors), VLRs通过改变亮氨酸富集序列LRRs(Leucine-rich repeats)的插入情况, 实现对特异性抗原的高效识别。晶体衍射分析发现, 盲鳗的VLRs呈现一种“马蹄”型结构, 抗原结合位点则位于“马蹄”的凹面区。分泌型的VLRs以四聚体或五聚体的形式识别、结合特异性抗原。综上所述, 无颌类和有颌类脊椎动物应用不同的抗原识别系统完成适应性免疫反应。文章对近年来无颌类脊椎动物适应性免疫系统相关分子的研究进展加以概述, 为揭示适应性免疫系统起源与进化问题提供有益参考。     

无颌类脊椎动物适应性免疫系统的进化

适应性免疫系统的起源与进化问题一直是人们研究的热点, 以七鳃鳗为代表的无颌类脊椎动物, 被普遍认为处在进化出适应性免疫系统的边缘。因此, 研究无颌类脊椎动物适应性免疫的机制, 对揭示适应性免疫系统的起源与进化具有重要意义。研究表明, 无颌类在一定范围内具有高等脊椎动物特有的适应性免疫特征, 并发现了一些在结构或功能上与高等脊椎动物免疫相关基因同源的免疫因子。文章就近年来对无颌类脊椎动物适应性免疫系统机制的研究进展作一概述, 为进一步深入研究脊椎动物适应性免疫系统的起源与进化提供有益的参考。     

七鳃鳗myd88基因的生物学特性及其下游分子的表达模式分析

髓样分化因子88 (Myeloid differentiation factor 88, MYD88)是Toll样受体(Toll-like receptor, TLR)信号通路的关键接头分子, 在先天性免疫和适应性免疫中都起到重要作用。为了揭示七鳃鳗Myd88的生物学功能, 研究首次从七鳃鳗(Lampetra japonica)中克隆了myd88基因, 其ORF为852 bp, 共编码283个氨基酸, 推测的分子量为32.432 kD, 等电点为6.25, 无信号肽。多重序列比对表明七鳃鳗Myd88的氨基酸序列与其他物种同源性较高, 具有高度保守的N端死亡结构域和C端的TIR结构域的Box1、Box2和Box3基序。实时荧光定量PCR分析表明: myd88基因在七鳃鳗各组织中均有低水平转录表达, 鳃中表达量最高, 其次是肌肉、髓和肾。脂多糖(LPS)体内刺激七鳃鳗后, 七鳃鳗myd88在白细胞中表达量升高最显著, 其次是在鳃中的表达量也明显升高, 表明七鳃鳗Myd88参与七鳃鳗的抗菌免疫过程。此外, LPS刺激七鳃鳗还能诱导TLR信号通路Myd88依赖途径的下游信号分子Irak1、Traf6、Ikkβ和Nfkb在各组织中的转录表达。研究结果表明七鳃鳗中可能存在TLR/Myd88信号通路, 为进一步探究该信号通路参与免疫应答的起源与进化奠定了基础。     

七鳃鳗：生物进化和疾病研究的重要模式动物

七鳃鳗是现存的无颌类脊椎动物代表之一,距今已有5亿多年的历史,素有"活化石"之称。古老的七鳃鳗凭借独特的功能特征和进化地位吸引了众多学者的注意:在免疫系统方面,七鳃鳗具有不同于有颌类脊椎动物的适应性免疫系统和免疫分子;基于进化地位,七鳃鳗作为一种重要的发育进化模式动物可以解析脊椎动物进化保守性和衍生的特点,七鳃鳗大脑皮层为哺乳动物大脑皮层的进化提供蓝图;在疾病研究中,七鳃鳗作为脊髓损伤功能再生和胆道闭锁病理模型取得了阶段性成果。本文结合国内外相关报道,详细介绍了七鳃鳗的免疫分子、发育进化以及生理结构的研究进展,以期为深入开展七鳃鳗在动物遗传发育和生物医学领域的研究产生积极地推动作用。     

日本七鳃鳗(Lampetra japonica)VLRB的克隆表达及单克隆抗体制备

七鳃鳗(Lampetra japonica)和盲鳗(Hyperotreti)作为现存的无颌类脊椎动物的代表,其适应性免疫系统中的受体分子与哺乳动物的抗原受体分子不同,这种独特的受体分子称为可变淋巴细胞受体VLRs(Variable lym-phocyte receptors)。目前VLRs分为3类,分别是VLRA、VLRB、VLRC,而VLRB由七鳃鳗类B淋巴细胞产生,是其体液免疫中主要成分,与IgM结构和功能类似。文章对日本七鳃鳗VLRB基因保守的C末端进行克隆、原核表达和重组蛋白纯化后,免疫Balb/c小鼠,通过细胞融合及间接酶联免疫吸附实验(Enzyme-linked immu-nosorbent assay,ELISA)筛选技术得到针对VLRB保守区的单克隆抗体细胞株。将杂交瘤细胞接种小鼠腹腔得到大量的单抗腹水,经Protein G亲和纯化后的单抗进行ELISA与Western blotting检测。经ELISA检测抗体效价为1:40000。Western blotting结果显示该单克隆抗体能够特异的检测重组VLRB蛋白及七鳃鳗血清中分泌型VLRB。流式细胞实验证明该单抗能特异识别七鳃鳗类淋巴细胞表面表达的膜型VLRB。VLRB单克隆抗体的成功制备和建株,为研究日本七鳃鳗基于VLR的适应性免疫系统提供了重要的工具。     

东北七鳃鳗肠道应答气单胞菌免疫刺激相关蛋白的鉴定北大核心CSCD

动物肠道中寄生的微生物与宿主的营养、免疫及防御功能密切相关。本研究在东北七鳃鳗肠道中分离获得一株优势细菌,并鉴定为气单胞菌属(Aeromonads sp.)。建立了荧光定量PCR快速检测气单胞菌拷贝数的方法,经poly(I∶C)刺激后,气单胞菌数量下降1.15倍。因此,该肠道气单胞菌被认为是七鳃鳗肠道适应性免疫系统进化的关键菌群之一。为了进一步分析气单胞菌对东北七鳃鳗肠道适应性免疫影响的分子机制,将分离菌株腹腔注射七鳃鳗,利用双向电泳技术鉴定了七鳃鳗肠道应答气单胞菌免疫刺激的相关蛋白。共鉴定19个差异表达蛋白质,其中12个蛋白质表达上调,5个蛋白质表达下调,1个蛋白质刺激后消失,1个新增蛋白质,并对蛋白质功能进行分类。七鳃鳗肠道应答气单胞菌免疫刺激的差异表达蛋白分别参与了七鳃鳗适应性免疫调控、信号转导及能量代谢等。该研究可拓宽对七鳃鳗免疫研究的途径,为深入探讨适应性免疫系统发育提供理论基础和新的研究思路。     

东北七鳃鳗肠道应答气单胞菌免疫刺激相关蛋白的鉴定

动物肠道中寄生的微生物与宿主的营养、免疫及防御功能密切相关。本研究在东北七鳃鳗肠道中分离获得一株优势细菌,并鉴定为气单胞菌属（Aeromonads sp.）。建立了荧光定量PCR快速检测气单胞菌拷贝数的方法,经poly(I∶C)刺激后,气单胞菌数量下降115倍。因此,该肠道气单胞菌被认为是七鳃鳗肠道适应性免疫系统进化的关键菌群之一。为了进一步分析气单胞菌对东北七鳃鳗肠道适应性免疫影响的分子机制,将分离菌株腹腔注射七鳃鳗,利用双向电泳技术鉴定了七鳃鳗肠道应答气单胞菌免疫刺激的相关蛋白。共鉴定19个差异表达蛋白质,其中12个蛋白质表达上调,5个蛋白质表达下调,1个蛋白质刺激后消失,1个新增蛋白质,并对蛋白质功能进行分类。七鳃鳗肠道应答气单胞菌免疫刺激的差异表达蛋白分别参与了七鳃鳗适应性免疫调控、信号转导及能量代谢等。该研究可拓宽对七鳃鳗免疫研究的途径,为深入探讨适应性免疫系统发育提供理论基础和新的研究思路。     

七鳃鳗p38α和β参与LPS介导的VLRB类淋巴细胞亚群的免疫应答反应

p38MAPK是丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（mitogen activated protein kinases,MAPK）家族的一个亚类,在高等脊椎动物免疫应答的信号转导过程中扮演着非常重要的角色。在日本七鳃鳗（Lampetra japonica）中发现,p38MAPK以两种异构体的形式存在。通过克隆它们的开放阅读框并进行同源序列比对和系统发育分析,鉴定它们分别为p38α（Lja-mapk14）和p38β（Lja-mapk11）。用混合菌刺激七鳃鳗,利用免疫印迹方法,检测Lja-mapk14在外周血类淋巴细胞、鳃组织和髓样小体中,分别在加强免疫36 h、24 h和24 h后,表达量达到峰值,分别为对照组的2.9、2.1和2.6倍;而Lja-mapk11在以上组织中,都在加强免疫36 h后达到表达量峰值,分别为对照组的2.2、2.5和6.3倍。实时荧光定量PCR检测发现,Lja-mapk14的mRNA表达水平在混合菌加强免疫36 h后,分别在类淋巴细胞、鳃组织和髓样小体中,上调2.3、1.5和3.4倍;而Lja-mapk11的则分别在类淋巴细胞、鳃组织和心肌中,上调1.3、2.6和1.6倍。以上结果在mRNA和蛋白质水平证明,Lja-mapk14和Lja-mapk11均参与七鳃鳗的免疫应答反应。采用B细胞和T细胞丝裂原LPS和PHA分别对七鳃鳗进行刺激,免疫印迹结果显示,Lja-mapk14和Lja-mapk11蛋白质表达量经LPS加强免疫36 h后,在类淋巴细胞、鳃组织和髓样小体中,上调表达1.3 ～ 4.1倍;而经PHA加强免疫36 h后,Lja-mapk14和Lja-mapk11在上述组织中表达量均不存在显著变化。以上结果说明,Lja-mapk14和Lja-mapk11可能参与了B细胞丝裂原LPS介导的VLRB类淋巴细胞亚群的免疫应答反应。     

The evolution of adaptive immune systems

A clonally diverse anticipatory repertoire in which each lymphocyte bears a unique antigen receptor is the central feature of the adaptive immune system that evolved in our vertebrate ancestors. The survival advantage gained through adding this type of adaptive immune system to a pre-existing innate immune system led to the evolution of alternative ways for lymphocytes to generate diverse antigen receptors for use in recognizing and repelling pathogen invaders. All jawed vertebrates assemble their antigen-receptor genes through recombinatorial rearrangement of different immunoglobulin or T cell receptor gene segments. The surviving jawless vertebrates, lampreys and hagfish, instead solved the receptor diversification problem by the recombinatorial assembly of leucine-rich-repeat genetic modules to encode variable lymphocyte receptors. The convergent evolution of these remarkably different adaptive immune systems involved innovative genetic modification of innate-immune-system components.     

Genome biology of the cyclostomes and insights into the evolutionary biology of vertebrate genomes

The jawless vertebrates (lamprey and hagfish) are the closest extant outgroups to all jawed vertebrates (gnathostomes) and can therefore provide critical insight into the evolution and basic biology of vertebrate genomes. As such, it is notable that the genomes of lamprey and hagfish possess a capacity for rearrangement that is beyond anything known from the gnathostomes. Like the jawed vertebrates, lamprey and hagfish undergo rearrangement of adaptive immune receptors. However, the receptors and the mechanisms for rearrangement that are utilized by jawless vertebrates clearly evolved independently of the gnathostome system. Unlike the jawed vertebrates, lamprey and hagfish also undergo extensive programmed rearrangements of the genome during embryonic development. By considering these fascinating genome biologies in the context of proposed (albeit contentious) phylogenetic relationships among lamprey, hagfish, and gnathostomes, we can begin to understand the evolutionary history of the vertebrate genome. Specifically, the deep shared ancestry and rapid divergence of lampreys, hagfish and gnathostomes is considered evidence that the two versions of programmed rearrangement present in lamprey and hagfish (embryonic and immune receptor) were present in an ancestral lineage that existed more than 400 million years ago and perhaps included the ancestor of the jawed vertebrates. Validating this premise will require better characterization of the genome sequence and mechanisms of rearrangement in lamprey and hagfish.     

Design principles of adaptive immune systems

Both jawless vertebrates, such as lampreys and hagfish, and jawed vertebrates (encompassing species as diverse as sharks and humans) have an adaptive immune system that is based on somatically diversified and clonally expressed antigen receptors. Although the molecular nature of the antigen receptors and the mechanisms of their assembly are different, recent findings suggest that the general design principles underlying the two adaptive immune systems are surprisingly similar. The identification of such commonalities promises to further our understanding of the mammalian immune system and to inspire the development of new strategies for medical interventions targeting the consequences of faulty immune functions.     

Immune Related Genes Underpin the Evolution of Adaptive Immunity in Jawless Vertebrates

The study of immune related genes in lampreys and hagfish provides a unique perspective on the evolutionary genetic underpinnings of adaptive immunity and the evolution of vertebrate genomes. Separated from their jawed cousins at the stem of the vertebrate lineage, these jawless vertebrates have many of the gene families and gene regulatory networks associated with the defining morphological and physiological features of vertebrates. These include genes vital for innate immunity, inflammation, wound healing, protein degradation, and the development, signaling and trafficking of lymphocytes. Jawless vertebrates recognize antigen by using leucine-rich repeat (LRR) based variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs), which are very different from the immunoglobulin (Ig) based T cell receptor (TCR) and B cell receptor (BCR) used for antigen recognition by jawed vertebrates. The somatically constructed VLR genes are expressed in monoallelic fashion by T-like and B-like lymphocytes. Jawless and jawed vertebrates thus share many of the genes that provide the molecular infrastructure and physiological context for adaptive immune responses, yet use entirely different genes and mechanisms of combinatorial assembly to generate diverse repertoires of antigen recognition receptors.     

Reconstructing immune phylogeny: new perspectives

Numerous studies of the mammalian immune system have begun to uncover profound interrelationships, as well as fundamental differences, between the adaptive and innate systems of immune recognition. Coincident with these investigations, the increasing experimental accessibility of non-mammalian jawed vertebrates, jawless vertebrates, protochordates and invertebrates has provided intriguing new information regarding the likely patterns of emergence of immune-related molecules during metazoan phylogeny, as well as the evolution of alternative mechanisms for receptor diversification. Such findings blur traditional distinctions between adaptive and innate immunity and emphasize that, throughout evolution, the immune system has used a remarkably extensive variety of solutions to meet fundamentally similar requirements for host protection.     

VLR Recognition of TLR5 Expands the Molecular Characterization of Protein Antigen Binding by Non-Ig-based Antibodies

Variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs) are unconventional adaptive immune receptors relatively recently discovered in the phylogenetically ancient jawless vertebrates, lamprey and hagfish. VLRs bind antigens using a leucine-rich repeat fold and are the only known adaptive immune receptors that do not utilize an immunoglobulin fold for antigen recognition. While immunoglobulin antibodies have been studied extensively, there are comparatively few studies on antigen recognition by VLRs, particularly for protein antigens. Here we report isolation, functional and structural characterization of three VLRs that bind the protein toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) from zebrafish. Two of the VLRs block binding of TLR5 to its cognate ligand flagellin in functional assays using reporter cells. Co-crystal structures revealed that these VLRs bind to two different epitopes on TLR5, both of which include regions involved in flagellin binding. Our work here demonstrates that the lamprey adaptive immune system can be used to generate high-affinity VLR clones that recognize different epitopes and differentially impact natural ligand binding to a protein antigen.     

Cloning and expression of VLRB of Lampetra japonica and generation of the corresponding monoclonal antibodies

The agnathans (lampreys and hagfishes) are representatives of the jawless vertebrates. The receptor molecules of adaptive immune system in lampreys are different from the antigen receptors in mammal vertebrates. The unique receptor molecules of lampreys are known as variable lymphocyte receptors (VLR). There are three types of VLRs in lampreys, VLRA, VLRB, and VLRC. Multimeric antigen-specific VLRB antibodies are secreted by VLRB+ lymphocytes and constitute the major components of the humoral arm of the lamprey adaptive immune system. Oligomeric VLRB antibodies are composed of four or five disulfide-linked dimeric subunits, which are similar to IgM antibodies in structure and function. In this study, the conservative c-terminal of Lampetra japonica VLRB was cloned and expressed in BL21 E. coli. The recombinant VLRB protein was purified by Ni2+ affinity chromatography column. After Balb/c mice immunity, cell fusion, the positive clones were screened by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Finally, the hybridoma cells that produced specific anti-VLRB monoclonal antibodies were obtained. In order to get a large number of antibodies against VLRB, the hybridoma cells were injected into the abdominal cavity of Balb/c mice and the antibodies were purified by protein G sepharose. The results of ELISA indicated that the valence of anti-VLRB antibodies was 1:40000. Western blotting assay showed that the antibodies were able to detect both recombinant VLRB and secreted VLRB in lamprey sera. Flow cytometry analysis also revealed the existence of VLRB on the surface of lymphocytes. In summary, the anti-VLRB monoclonal antibodies provided a major tool for studying lamprey adaptive immune system.