Reciprocal Modulation of Astrocyte Stellation by Thrombin and Protease Nexin-1

When cultured astroglia are treated with agents that elevate intracellular cyclic AMP, they become process-bearing stellate cells and resemble differentiated astrocytes in vivo. Thrombin rapidly reversed the stellation induced by dibutyryl cyclic AMP, forskolin, or isoproterenol in cultured rat astrocytes; half-maximal and maximal effects occurred at 0.5 and 8 pM, respectively. The proteolytic activity of thrombin was required for stellation reversal, as thrombin derivatized at its catalytic site serine with a diisopropylphospho group was inactive. Two thrombin inhibitors, protease nexin-1 and hirudin, blocked and reversed the effect of thrombin. The stellation reversal effect of thrombin was specific, as 300-1,000-fold higher concentrations of other serine proteinases, including plasmin, urokinase, trypsin, and T cell serine proteinase-1, were ineffective. Thrombin is a mitogen for astrocytes at concentrations in excess of 30 pM. Thrombin increased both cell number and ornithine decarboxylase activity, an early marker for mitogenic stimulation, in astrocyte cultures. The lowest thrombin concentrations that completely reversed astrocyte stellation, however, did not increase ornithine decarboxylase activity. Moreover, several other mitogens for astrocytes did not reverse dibutyryl cyclic AMP-induced stellation. Thus, the stellation reversal effect of thrombin is distinct from the mitogenic response.     

Sp1和Sp3介导的转录调控

基本转录因子Sp1和Sp3对转录调控区GC盒有很强的亲和力,参与几乎所有细胞功能,包括细胞增殖、凋亡、分化和新生物的转化.但在同一细胞中Sp1和Sp3对不同基因的作用并不相同,二者对基因特异性的转录调控是Sp1和Sp3研究领域的重要问题.近年来发现,Sp1和Sp3自身表达水平、结合的靶序列、磷酸化、糖基化等翻译后修饰,其他蛋白质的结合以及染色质结构与修饰等方面均可影响Sp1和Sp3的转录活性.本文从Sp1和Sp3蛋白参与转录调节的机制以及影响其基因特异性转录活性的诸方面因素这两大侧面,介绍了近年来的最新进展.     

Induction of murine H-rev107 gene expression by growth arrest and histone acetylation: involvement of an Sp1/Sp3-binding GC-box

H-rev107 is downregulated in many carcinomas and tumor cell lines. Using postconfluent NIH3T3 cells, we demonstrated that growth arrest caused by contact inhibition, but not serum deprivation, increased H-rev107 expression. Furthermore, histone deacetylase inhibitors induced H-rev107 expression in NIH3T3 cells and allowed its reexpression in H-rev107-deficient WEHI 7.1 lymphoma cells. In contrast, no effect of the postconfluent stage or histone deacetylase inhibitors on H-rev107 levels was observed in tumorigenic H-rev107-expressing cell lines, HepG2, HeLa, and SKBR3. Transfections showed that TSA treatment increased luciferase activity 20-fold in NIH3T3 cells. We found that the GC-box at -83/-75 is a key element for H-rev107 induction by TSA and growth arrest, although there were no changes in the pattern and intensity of Sp1/Sp3-binding after induction. These data suggest that contact inhibition of growth and growth arrest caused by histone deacetylase inhibitors probably use the same mechanism to stimulate H-rev107 expression via histone acetylation in NIH3T3 cells and this might contribute to the development of drugs that can induce H-rev107 expression in certain tumors.     

Sp1 and Sp3 transcription factors upregulate the proximal promoter of the human prostate-specific antigen gene in prostate cancer cells

The serum level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is useful as a clinical marker for diagnosis and assessment of the progression of prostate cancer, and in evaluating the effectiveness of treatment. We characterized four Sp1/Sp3 binding sites in the proximal promoter of the PSA gene. In a luciferase assay, these sites contributed to the basal promoter activity in prostate cancer cells. In an electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we confirmed that Sp1 and Sp3 bind to these sites. Overexpression of wild-type Sp1 and Sp3 further upregulated the promoter activity, whereas overexpression of the Sp1 dominant-negative form or addition of mithramycin A significantly reduced the promoter activity and the endogenous mRNA level of PSA. Among the four binding sites, a GC box located at nucleotides -53 to -48 was especially critical for basal promoter activity. These results indicate that Sp1 and Sp3 are involved in the basal expression of PSA in prostate cancer cells.     

Sp1 and Sp3 regulate basal transcription of the survivin gene

Survivin, a unique member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family, is overexpressed in many cancers and considered to play an important role in oncogenesis. In this study, we cloned and identified the proximal 269 bp promoter of survivin gene, which exhibited strong promoter activity in HeLa cells. The TATA-less, GC-rich promoter contains 7 putative binding sites for Sp1, two of which (one at position -148 to -153, the other at position -127 to -140) are essential in regulating basal survivin promoter activity. Not only Sp1 but also Sp3 can activate the survivin promoter, which were proven by EMSA, blocking Sp1 or Sp3 using RNAi or mithramycin treatment of HeLa cells, and overexpression of Sp1 or Sp3. Our results collectively suggest that Sp1 cooperates with Sp3 to regulate survivin promoter activity.     

人成纤维细胞转录因子Sp1Sp3对p16~(INK4a)基因的调控

p16 INK4a是一种细胞周期蛋白依赖激酶 (cdk)的抑制因子 ,它通过抑制cdk4与cdk6的活性 ,使视网膜母细胞瘤抑制蛋白Rb处于低磷酸化状态 ,从而使细胞阻滞于G1期 .对p16 INK4aATG上游 6 2 2bp片段进行序列分析发现 ,该区域富含GC ,其中有 5个GC盒 (分别命名为GC Ⅰ～GC Ⅴ ) .将上述片段插入到荧光素酶报告载体pGL3 Basic ,分别对 5个GC盒进行点突变后转染人胚肺二倍体成纤维细胞 (2BS)发现 ,Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅳ位点的突变体显著下调p16 INK4a启动子的活性 ,而Ⅲ、Ⅴ位点突变体无明显作用 .电泳迁移率变动分析 (EMSA)证实 ,GC Ⅰ ,Ⅱ ,Ⅳ能与转录因子Sp1和Sp3结合 ,而且结合条带可被转录因子Sp1和Sp3的抗体所拮抗 .共转染Sp1有助于增加启动子的活性 ,而共转染Sp3则有较弱的抑制作用 ,证明p16 INK4a的转录受到Sp1与Sp3的调控 .     

A Protease Inhibitor of the Serpin Family Is a Major Protein in Carp Perimeningeal Fluid: I. Protein Purification and Characterization

Abstract: Two isoforms of a protease inhibitor of the serpin family (p62) have been purified from bighead carp perimeningeal fluid. Both isoforms migrate with an apparent molecular mass of 62 kDa on reducing and nonreducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. Both proteins inhibited the activities of bovine trypsin, bovine chymotrypsin, and porcine pancreatic elastase. They also formed complexes with these proteases that were resistant to sodium dodecyl sulfate treatment. p62 exists in the extracts of all tissues examined, including brain, head kidney, kidney, liver, muscle, ovary, pituitary, and spleen. It is also present in serum, ovarian fluid, and milt as well as perimeningeal fluid. The protease inhibitor is a glycoprotein, and its carbohydrate moiety could be removed by endoglycosidase F. Because p62 resembles mammalian α₁-antitrypsin in many aspects, it is likely a fish equivalent of α₁-antitrypsin.     

人肝癌细胞LASP1 启动子的克隆及其核心调控区域的初步鉴定

目的:克隆人肝癌细胞的LASP1基因的启动子区域并找出该基因启动子的核心调控区域。方法:提取肝癌Hep G2细胞总DNA,PCR扩增不同长度的LASP1启动子片段,克隆至PGL3-Basic载体中构建重组表达载体PGL3-P1(2059 bp)、PGL3-P2(1123bp)、PGL3-P3(909 bp)、PGL3-P4(574 bp)和PGL3-P5(159 bp),转化入大肠埃希菌(E.coli)DH5α中,提取质粒经双酶切、PCR及测序鉴定阳性克隆并测序。将构建的重组表达载体、PGL3-Basic载体分别与内参质粒PRL-Tk共转染Hep G2细胞,48 h后经双荧光素酶报告基因检测试剂盒检测其活性。结果:PCR结果、双酶切结果以及DNA测序结果表明成功构建了LASP1启动子荧光素酶报告基因载体;双荧光素酶报告基因检测结果显示,与PGL3-Basic组相比,重组载体PGL3-P1、PGL3-P2、PGL3-P3、PGL3-P4均具有较强的启动子活性(P0.01),其中,PGL3-P4的活性最强。结论:成功构建了人肝癌细胞不同截断长度的LASP1基因启动子荧光素酶报告基因载体,确定了LASP-1基因启动子的核心区域(-581 bp~-8 bp),为进一步研究LASP1基因在肝癌细胞中表达的关键调节因素及分子机制奠定了基础。