用免疫共沉淀进一步确定SMAD4中间连接区在形成同源和异源复合物时的作用

用酵母双杂交系统发现 SMAD4的中间连接区能与 SMAD3相互作用 ,而 SMAD4的 N区和 C区不能与 SMAD3相互作用 ,此结果与前人报道的结果有出入 .用细胞免疫共沉淀的方法进一步证实此现象 .结果与酵母双杂交的结果完全吻合 .说明 SMAD4与 SMAD3相互作用形成异源复合物时确实是通过 SMAD4的中间连接区实现的     

SMAD3与细胞周期蛋折CyclinB的相互作用

ＳＡＭＤｓ是ＴＧＦβ家族的细胞内信号介导。为了研究ＳＭＡＤ３的信号传递过程,我们以ＳＡＭＤ３为诱饵蛋白用酵母双杂交系统筛选与ＳＡＭＤ３相互作用的蛋白,发现Ｃｙｃｌｉｎ Ｂ可以与ＳＭＡＤ３发生相互作用,并在ＣＯＳ７细胞中证实了该相互作用。提示ＴＧＦβ可能通过ＳＭＡＤｓ与细胞周期素的相互作用来调节细胞周期的变化。     

SMAD4/DPC4基因与TGF-β超家族信号传导

SMAD4基因是一个肿瘤抑制基因。本介绍了SMAD4基因和SMADs家族在TGF-β超家族信号传导中的作用,并讨论了其抑制肿瘤的机制及其与肿瘤发生与发展的关系。     

SMAD4错义突变与先天性心脏病易感性的相关性研究

SMAD4在心脏发育过程中发挥重要作用,已有研究显示,Smad4 缺陷小鼠心脏功能异常.为了进一步探究SMAD4基因错义突变与先天性心脏病(congenital heart disease,CHD)发生的相关性,本研究选取了来自中国山东汉族的417例CHD患者样本和213例健康对照样本,并靶向SMAD4的编码区进行深度...     

SMAD3介导TGF-β1抑制MMP9在COS7细胞中的表达

用明胶酶谱的方法检查了野生型和Smad3ex8 ex8纯合突变小鼠血清中基质金属蛋白酶(MMP9)的活性 .发现突变小鼠血清中MMP9的含量较正常小鼠的明显增高 ,提示SMAD3有抑制MMP9表达的功能 .通过细胞转染实验证实 ,TGF β1和野生型的SMAD3可以抑制COS7细胞分泌MMP9,而C端缺失的突变型Smad3基因过表达可以解除这种抑制作用 ,说明SMAD3介导TGF β1信号抑制MMP9在COS7细胞中的表达 .     

TGF-β家族信号的细胞内传导蛋白:SMAD蛋白家族

SMADs是新近发现的参与TGFβ超家族的信号在细胞内传导的一族蛋白,包括8个成员,分别称SMAD1～8。SMAD1、2、3、5和8属于一类,它们被TGFβ的受体或BMP的受体激活而磷酸化,称为受体调节SMAD,传导TGFβ或BMP的信号。SMAD6和7属于另一类,它们抑制受体调节SMAD的信号传导。SMAD4是第三类,它是受体调节SMAD传导信号的伴侣。受体调节SMAD传导信号必须先与SMAD4结合形成异源复合物,才能进到核中,调节转录活动 。     

SMAD蛋白家族:一类新的细胞内信号传导蛋白

SMADs是新近发观的一族细胞内信号传导蛋白,包括8个成员,即SMAD1～8。SMAD1、2、3、5和8是一类,它们被TGF-β受体或BMP受体激活而磷酸化,称为受体调节SMAD,传导TGF-β或BMP的信号。SMAD6和7是另一类,它们抑制受体调节SMAD传导信号。SMAD4是第2类,它是受体调节SMAD传导信号的伴侣。受体调节SMAD传导信号必须先与SMAD4结合形成异源复合物,才能进到核中,调节转录活动。本文简要介绍了各成员的特性及作用。     

利用逆转录病毒载体建立SMAD2稳定干扰的人胚胎干细胞系

目的:建立SMAD2稳定干扰的人胚胎干细胞系。方法:利用包装细胞获得重组的逆转录病毒,感染人类胚胎干细胞,为干扰组ShSMAD2、载体组VECTOR和野生型组WT;经荧光筛选获得阳性克隆;Realtime-PCR检测SMAD2 mRNA的表达。结果:带GFP荧光标记的SMAD2特异性shRNA逆转录病毒感染人类胚胎干细胞后,获得稳定干扰SMAD2表达的人胚胎干细胞系。经检测shSMAD2组SMAD2 mRNA表达较VECTOR和WT组明显降低,VECTOR和WT组之间无明显差异。结论:通过SMAD2特异性shRNA逆转录病毒载体构建了稳定干扰SMAD2的人类胚胎干细胞。     

SMAD3介导TGF-β1刺激软骨细胞增殖和抑制软骨细胞肥大性分化(英文)

为研究TGF β1 SMAD3信号对小鼠软骨细胞增殖和分化的影响 ,分离了野生型与Smad3基因剔除 (Smad3ex8 ex8)突变纯合子小鼠肋骨软骨细胞并进行了体外培养 .通过3 H TdR参入实验检测了体外培养软骨细胞的增殖能力 .TGF β1可以刺激野生型软骨细胞的增殖 ,Smad3基因缺失导致小鼠软骨细胞丧失对TGF β1刺激生长作用的应答 .Northern杂交显示 ,TGF β1促进野生型小鼠软骨细胞表达Ⅱ型胶原 ,而Smad3基因缺失突变纯合子软骨细胞大量表达肥大性软骨细胞的分子标记物X型胶原 .结果表明 ,SMAD3介导转化生长因子TGF β1刺激软骨细胞增殖并抑制软骨细胞的肥大性分化     

人SMAD4全长及剪接体在HEK-293T细胞中的亚细胞定位及转录活性分析

为了观察人SMAD4全长及剪接体在HEK-293T中的亚细胞定位,并分析它们在HEK-293T细胞中的转录活性差异,将SMAD4全长及剪接体的pEGFP-C1重组质粒转染至HEK-293T细胞中,在荧光显微镜下观察含GFP标签的SMAD4全长及其剪接体蛋白的亚细胞定位,并通过双荧光素报告酶实验在HEK-293T细胞中对...     

Mstn knockdown decreases the trans-differentiation from myocytes to adipocytes by reducing Jmjd3 expression via the SMAD2/SMAD3 complex

ABSTRACT

Myostatin (Mstn) is an important growth/differentiation factor, and knockdown of Mstn reduces fat content. Here, we knocked down Mstn expression in C2C12 myoblasts and then induced adipogenic trans-differentiation in the cells. The effects of Mstn knockdown on lipid droplet contents and H3K27me3 marker expression on adipocyte-specific genes were detected. The results showed that Mstn knockdown reduced the formation of lipid droplets, downregulated the expression of adipocyte-specific genes, and increased H3K27me3 marker expression on adipocyte-specific genes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that the SMAD2/SMAD3 complex could combine with the Jumonji D3 (Jmjd3) promoter and that Mstn regulated Jmjd3 expression through this process. Jmjd3 overexpression removed the H3K27me3 marker and increased the expression of adipocyte-specific genes. Overall, our results showed that Mstn regulated Jmjd3 expression through SMAD2/SMAD3, thus affecting the H3K27me3 marker on adipocyte-specific genes and the trans-differentiation from myocytes to adipocytes.     

USP4 inhibits SMAD4 monoubiquitination and promotes activin and BMP signaling

SMAD4 is a common intracellular effector for TGF‐β family cytokines, but the mechanism by which its activity is dynamically regulated is unclear. We demonstrated that ubiquitin‐specific protease (USP) 4 strongly induces activin/BMP signaling by removing the inhibitory monoubiquitination from SMAD4. This modification was triggered by the recruitment of the E3 ligase, SMURF2, to SMAD4 following ligand‐induced regulatory (R)‐SMAD–SMAD4 complex formation. Whereas the interaction of the negative regulator c‐SKI inhibits SMAD4 monoubiquitination, the ligand stimulates the recruitment of SMURF2 to the c‐SKI‐SMAD2 complex and triggers c‐SKI ubiquitination and degradation. Thus, SMURF2 has a role in termination and initiation of TGF‐β family signaling. An increase in monoubiquitinated SMAD4 in USP4‐depleted mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) decreased both the BMP‐ and activin‐induced changes in the embryonic stem cell fate. USP4 sustained SMAD4 activity during activin‐ and BMP‐mediated morphogenic events in early zebrafish embryos. Moreover, zebrafish depleted of USP4 exhibited defective cell migration and slower coordinated cell movement known as epiboly, both of which could be rescued by SMAD4. Therefore, USP4 is a critical determinant of SMAD4 activity.     

MiR-92a regulates brown adipocytes differentiation,mitochondrial oxidative respiration,and heat generation by targeting SMAD7

Brown adipocytes are rich in mitochondria and linked to the body's blood fat levels and obesity. MiR-92a is negatively correlated with the activity of brown adipocytes. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of miR-92a on brown adipocytes. The expression of miR-92a in C2C12 cell was detected by a quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). C2C12 cells were induced to brown adipocytes. The direct target gene of miR-92a was determined using the dual-luciferase reporter assay. Brown adipocytes were treated with isoprenaline (Iso) and transfected by miR-92a inhibitor and siSMAD7. The expression of heat-producing genes and adipose differentiation genes related to brown adipocytes were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. The expression of SMAD7, p-SMAD2, and p-SMAD3 were detected using Western blot analysis. The mitochondrial content was measured by mitotracker fluorescent staining. MiR-92a inhibitor significantly decreased the expression of miR-92a in C2C12 cells. MiR-92a inhibitor could upregulate the expression of Ucp1, Cox7a1, Elovl3, Ppargc1α, PPARγ, and FABP4, and its effect on Ucp1 was increased after the treatment of isoprenaline. Moreover, miR-92a inhibitor increased mitochondrial content, oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and the expression of SMAD7 and suppressed the expressions of p-SMAD2 and p-SMAD3, whereas miR-92a directly targeted SMAD7 to exert its inhibitory effects. SiSMAD7 reversed the effects of the inhibitor on heat-producing genes, mitochondrial content, OCR and the expressions of SMAD7, p-SMAD2, and p-SMAD3 in brown adipocytes. Blocking miR-92a might promote brown adipocytes differentiation, mitochondrial oxidative respiration, and thermogenesis by targeting SMAD7 to inhibit the expressions of p-SMAD2 and p-SMAD3.     

Anterior visceral endoderm SMAD4 signaling specifies anterior embryonic patterning and head induction in mice

SMAD4 serves as a common mediator for signaling of TGF-β superfamily. Previous studies illustrated that SMAD4-null mice die at embryonic day 6.5 (E6.5) due to failure of mesoderm induction and extraembryonic defects; however, functions of SMAD4 in each germ layer remain elusive. To investigate this, we disrupted SMAD4 in the visceral endoderm and epiblast, respectively, using a Cre-loxP mediated approach. We showed that mutant embryos lack of SMAD4 in the visceral endoderm (Smad4(Co/Co);TTR-Cre) died at E7.5-E9.5 without head-fold and anterior embryonic structures. We demonstrated that TGF-β regulates expression of several genes, such as Hex1, Cer1, and Lim1, in the anterior visceral endoderm (AVE), and the failure of anterior embryonic development in Smad4(Co/Co);TTR-Cre embryos is accompanied by diminished expression of these genes. Consistent with this finding, SMAD4-deficient embryoid bodies showed impaired responsiveness to TGF-β-induced gene expression and morphological changes. On the other hand, embryos carrying Cre-loxP mediated disruption of SMAD4 in the epiblasts exhibited relatively normal mesoderm and head-fold induction although they all displayed profound patterning defects in the later stages of gastrulation. Cumulatively, our data indicate that SMAD4 signaling in the epiblasts is dispensable for mesoderm induction although it remains critical for head patterning, which is significantly different from SMAD4 signaling in the AVE, where it specifies anterior embryonic patterning and head induction.     

Discovery of a novel selective water-soluble SMAD3 inhibitor as an antitumor agent

Targeting the SMAD3 protein is an attractive therapeutic strategy for treating cancer, as it avoids the potential toxicities due to targeting the TGF-β signaling pathway upstream. Compound SIS3 was the first selective SMAD3 inhibitor developed that had acceptable activity, but its poor water solubility limited its development. Here, a series of SIS3 analogs was created to investigate the structure–activity relationship for inhibiting the activation of SMAD3. On the basis of this SAR, further optimization generated a water-soluble compound, 16d, which was capable of effectively blocking SMAD3 activation in vitro and had similar NK cell-mediated anticancer effects in vivo to its parent SIS3. This study not only provided a preferable lead compound, 16d, for further drug discovery or a potential tool to study SMAD3 biology, but also proved the effectiveness of our strategy for water-solubility driven optimization.