上皮间质转化和细胞衰老在肿瘤发生中的共同调节分子

上皮间质转化(epithelial-mesenchymal transition,EMT)和细胞衰老是与肿瘤发生密切相关的两个重要事件。在肿瘤发展过程中,上皮间质转化是促进迁移和侵袭的重要机制。细胞衰老作为一个重要的细胞自主的肿瘤预防机制,可以抑制细胞转化和肿瘤发生。虽然EMT和细胞衰老发生在肿瘤发展过程中的不同时间段,但众多研究发现,多种介导EMT发生的关键信号通路和转录因子能调节细胞衰老过程;同时,参与细胞衰老的经典信号通路也影响着EMT进程。就联系这两种细胞生物学事件的调控因素作一综述。     

代谢酶乙酰化修饰对新陈代谢的调控

蛋白质的赖氨酸乙酰化修饰可以定义为在蛋白质的赖氨酸残基上添加或移除一个乙酰基团,这个过程是由乙酰化酶和脱乙酰酶调控的.真核生物细胞核内组蛋白和转录因子的可逆乙酰化修饰对基因表达调控的机制早已研究得比较清楚.1996年以来,一些独立的研究也陆续发现,参与到其他生命活动中的蛋白质存在着乙酰化修饰情况,表明乙酰化可能在生命活动中发挥着广泛的调节作用.然而直到2009年,高通量的蛋白质质谱分析技术才使得在蛋白质组水平上研究乙酰化修饰成为可能,并发现蛋白质乙酰化普遍存在.学者们发现,乙酰化修饰是一个在细胞核或细胞质的亚细胞器内广泛存在的翻译后修饰调控机制,可能参与了染色体重塑、细胞周期调控、细胞骨架的大分子运输、新陈代谢等多种生命活动.本文详细总结代谢酶的乙酰化修饰对新陈代谢调控的关键作用,并说明代谢酶的乙酰化修饰是一个从原核生物到真核生物进化上高度保守的调控机制.     

Autocrine, paracrine and juxtacrine signaling by EGFR ligands

Receptor and cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinases play prominent roles in the control of a range of cellular processes during embryonic development and in the regulation of many metabolic and physiological processes in a variety of tissues and organs. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a well-known and versatile signal transducer that has been highly conserved during evolution. It functions in a wide range of cellular processes, including cell fate determination, proliferation, cell migration and apoptosis. The number of ligands that can activate the EGF receptor has increased during evolution. These ligands are synthesized as membrane-anchored precursor forms that are later shed by metalloproteinase-dependent cleavage to generate soluble ligands. In certain circumstances the membrane anchored isoforms as well as soluble growth factors may also act as biologically active ligands; therefore depending on the circumstances these ligands may induce juxtacrine, autocrine, paracrine and/or endocrine signaling. In this review, we discuss the different ways that EGFR ligands can activate the receptor and the possible biological implications.