人端粒酶催化亚基(hTERT)基因及其表达调控

端粒酶是一种核糖核蛋白复合物 ,能引起染色体的末端结构端粒的完全复制。端粒作为一种保护性结构 ,是由短的重复ＤＮＡ序列组成。在人体中这种序列为ＴＴＡＧＧＧ ,其平均长度为 5～ 1 5ｋｂ[1] ,细胞每经过一次分裂端粒缩短 50～ 2 0 0ｂｐ ,这种分子侵蚀作用使得细胞的分裂次数有了生理限制 ,从而限制了体细胞的寿命。一种逃避这种限制的机制是端粒酶的激活 ,因为端粒酶能弥补端粒的缩短 ,因此端粒酶被认为与细胞的永生化、肿瘤发生和细胞衰老密切相关。近来 ,组成人端粒酶复合物的 3个主要成分已被鉴定。人端粒酶ＲＮＡ成分 (ｈＴＲ)提…     

人端粒酶逆转录酶核酶抑制端粒酶活性

为有效切割端粒酶逆转录酶mRNA以降低端粒酶活性 ,从而使肿瘤细胞生长变慢 ,凋亡增加。设计并合成了针对端粒酶逆转录酶mRNA的锤头状核酶基因 ,构建了该核酶基因的体外转录和真核表达质粒。检测了该核酶对端粒酶逆转录酶mRNA的体外切割效力。并将该核酶基因转染至肿瘤细胞中 ,检测其对肿瘤细胞端粒酶活性和生物学性状的影响。结果表明 ,该核酶在体外和细胞内均能有效切割端粒酶逆转录酶mRNA ;在细胞内能明显抑制端粒酶活性 ,使细胞生长变慢 ,倍增时间延长。因而 ,该核酶可望成为有效的端粒酶抑制剂 ,在抑制肿瘤生长中发挥作用     

人端粒酶逆转录酶(hTERT)基因第3内含子的克隆和分析

从端粒酶活性呈阳性的永生细胞株人肺腺癌细胞SPC A 1中分离了总RNA ,以此为模板 ,结合RT PCR技术和长模板PCR技术 ,用hTERT基因特异性引物扩增到一长约 2 .2kb的cDNA片段。将该片段纯化后克隆到通用测序载体T easyvector上得到重组质粒。用测序引物SP6和T7对该片段进行部分双向测序。经序列分析和同源比较推测该片段包含了hTERT基因的第 3内含子。该结果提示了RT PCR技术和长模板PCR技术用于真核生物基因内含子克隆的可行性。进一步的分析表明 ,该片段在不同细胞的RT PCR产物中的产量不同 ,提示hTERT基因前体mRNA中的第 3内含子可能在不同细胞中有不同的剪接效率。     

Telomerase Inhibition Decreases Alpha-Fetoprotein Expression and Secretion by Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines: In Vitro and In Vivo Study

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a diagnostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A direct relationship between poor prognosis and the concentration of serum AFP has been observed. Telomerase, an enzyme that stabilizes the telomere length, is expressed by 90% of HCC. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of telomerase inhibition on AFP secretion and the involvement of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Proliferation and viability tests were performed using tetrazolium salt. Apoptosis was determined through the Annexin V assay using flow cytometry. The concentrations of AFP were measured using ELISA kits. The AFP mRNA expression was evaluated using RT-PCR, and cell migration was evaluated using a Boyden chamber assay. The in vivo effect of costunolide on AFP production was tested in NSG mice. Telomerase inhibition by costunolide and BIBR 1532 at 5 and 10 μM decreased AFP mRNA expression and protein secretion by HepG2/C3A cells. The same pattern was obtained with cells treated with hTERT siRNA. This treatment exhibited no apoptotic effect. The AFP mRNA expression and protein secretion by PLC/PRF/5 was decreased after treatment with BIBR1532 at 10 μM. In contrast, no effect was obtained for PLC/PRF/5 cells treated with costunolide at 5 or 10 μM. Inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway decreased the AFP concentration. In contrast, the MAPK/ERK pathway appeared to not be involved in HepG2/C3A cells, whereas ERK inhibition decreased the AFP concentration in PLC/PRF/5 cells. Modulation of the AFP concentration was also obtained after the inhibition or activation of PKC. Costunolide (30 mg/kg) significantly decreased the AFP serum concentration of NSG mice bearing HepG2/C3A cells. Both the inhibition of telomerase and the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway decreased the AFP production of HepG2/C3A and PLC/PRF/5 cells, suggesting a relationship between telomerase and AFP expression through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway     

Inhibition of Sphingolipid Synthesis by Cycloserine In Vitro and In Vivo

Abstract: d - and l -cycloserine were shown to be irreversible inhibitors of the first enzyme of the sphingolipid pathway, 3-ketodihydrosphingosine synthetase, in a study using bacterial and brain microsomal enzymes, l-Cycloserine was shown to be 100 times more inhibitory than the d-isomer for the brain microsomal enzyme in vitro. In vivo , l -cycloserine caused a 70% inhibition of brain microsomal enzyme. Following one injection, enzyme activity recovered 80% of normal after 16 hours. Daily dosages of l -cycloserine on a regimen of intraper-itoneal injection for 7 days caused a significant reduction in total brain ganglioside and cerebroside plus sulfatide levels.     

靶向端粒酶逆转录酶（hTERT）RNAi载体的构建及活性评价

RNA干涉是由与特定基因同源互补的双链RNA,在体内以序列特异的方式引发靶基因的mRNA降解,从而导致转录后基因沉默的过程.为研究内源性的siRNA对靶基因的抑制效果,用pPUR/U6载体构建用于细胞内转录靶向hTERT基因的短发夹状siRNA表达质粒,并评价其对hTERT基因的抑制效果.将hTERT cDNA 3 565～3 583一段19 bp的DNA序列及其反向重复序列,用9 bp的连接序列连接后再接上5个T碱基,将此段DNA序列克隆至pPUR/U6载体U6启动子的下游,形成能在体内合成hTERT特异性短发夹状RNA的重组质粒载体pPUR/U6/hTERT.将pPUR/U6/hTERT与对照质粒pPUR/U6分别转染HepG2细胞.采用嘌呤霉素筛选和富集转染具有抗性的细胞.收集存活的细胞接种12孔板、提取RNA和蛋白质.以细胞计数法测定细胞的生长速度,RT-PCR和蛋白质印迹分析hTERT基因的表达,端粒重复放大测定法检测端粒酶活性,蛋白质印迹检测p53蛋白水平.与转染对照质粒pPUR/U6的细胞相比,转染pPUR/U6/hTERT的细胞其hTERT基因表达水平显著下降,端粒酶活性降低,细胞生长速度变慢,p53蛋白表达明显升高.以上结果表明,以DNA质粒为载体产生的内源性短发夹状siRNA能高效抑制hTERT基因的表达,有望成为基因功能研究的有力工具.     

Inhibition of Macrophage Phagocytosis by Pseudomonas aeruginosa Rhamnolipids In Vitro and In Vivo

Patients with cystic fibrosis often have chronic and ultimately lethal pulmonary infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In order to understand why these bacteria resist pulmonary clearance, we have investigated the interaction of P. aeruginosa and phagocytic cells. In an earlier study we reported that sub-lytic concentrations of two glycolipids produced by P. aeruginosa (the mono- and dirhamnolipids) caused structural changes in human monocyte-derived macrophages, and at lower concentrations inhibited the phagocytosis of Staphylococcus epidermidis by these cells. In the present study we demonstrate that rhamnolipids also inhibit the in vitro phagocytosis of both P. aeruginosa and Saccharomyces cerevisiae by thioglycollate-elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages. Using lucifer yellow to label the lysosomal compartments of macrophages, we determined that rhamnolipids interfere with the internalization of attached particles and reduce the level of phagosome-lysosome fusion of internalized targets within macrophages. We also demonstrate that physiologically relevant concentrations of rhamnolipids injected intratracheally into rat lungs inhibited the response of alveolar macrophages to a challenge of zymosan particles in vivo. These studies further demonstrate the profound inhibitory effects of P. aeruginosa rhamnolipids on macrophage function and are consistent with our hypothesis that the in situ production of these rhamnolipids directly contributes to the persistence of this pathogen in cystic fibrosis patient lungs. Received: 15 December 1995 / Accepted: 22 January 1996     

Inhibition of p21 Activated Kinase (PAK) Reduces Airway Responsiveness In Vivo and In Vitro in Murine and Human Airways

The p21-activated protein kinases (Paks) have been implicated in the regulation of smooth muscle contractility, but the physiologic effects of Pak activation on airway reactivity in vivo are unknown. A mouse model with a genetic deletion of Pak1 (Pak1(-/-)) was used to determine the role of Pak in the response of the airways in vivo to challenge with inhaled or intravenous acetylcholine (ACh). Pulmonary resistance was measured in anesthetized mechanically ventilated Pak1(-/-) and wild type mice. Pak1(-/-) mice exhibited lower airway reactivity to ACh compared with wild type mice. Tracheal segments dissected from Pak1(-/-) mice and studied in vitro also exhibited reduced responsiveness to ACh compared with tracheas from wild type mice. Morphometric assessment and pulmonary function analysis revealed no differences in the structure of the airways or lung parenchyma, suggesting that that the reduced airway responsiveness did not result from structural abnormalities in the lungs or airways due to Pak1 deletion. Inhalation of the small molecule synthetic Pak1 inhibitor, IPA3, also significantly reduced in vivo airway responsiveness to ACh and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-Ht) in wild type mice. IPA3 inhibited the contractility of isolated human bronchial tissues to ACh, confirming that this inhibitor is also effective in human airway smooth muscle tissue. The results demonstrate that Pak is a critical component of the contractile activation process in airway smooth muscle, and suggest that Pak inhibition could provide a novel strategy for reducing airway hyperresponsiveness.     

In Vitro and In Vivo Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori by Lactobacillus casei Strain Shirota

We studied the potential inhibitory effect of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (from the fermented milk product Yakult [Yakult Ltd., Tokyo, Japan]) on Helicobacter pylori by using (i) in vitro inhibition assays with H. pylori SS1 (Sydney strain 1) and nine H. pylori clinical isolates and (ii) the in vivo H. pylori SS1 mouse model of infection over a period of 9 months. In vitro activity against H. pylori SS1 and all of the clinical isolates was observed in the presence of viable L. casei strain Shirota cells but not in the cell-free culture supernatant, although there was profound inhibition of urease activity. In vivo experiments were performed by oral administration of L. casei strain Shirota in the water supply over a period of 9 months to 6-week-old C57BL/6 mice previously infected with H. pylori SS1 (study group; n = 25). Appropriate control groups of H. pylori-infected but untreated animals (n = 25) and uninfected animals given L. casei strain Shirota (n = 25) also were included in the study. H. pylori colonization and development of gastritis were assessed at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 9 months postinfection. A significant reduction in the levels of H. pylori colonization was observed in the antrum and body mucosa in vivo in the lactobacillus-treated study group, as assessed by viable cultures, compared to the levels in the H. pylori-infected control group. This reduction was accompanied by a significant decline in the associated chronic and active gastric mucosal inflammation observed at each time point throughout the observation period. A trend toward a decrease in the anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G response was measured in the serum of the animals treated with lactobacillus, although this decrease was not significant.