一种嵌合型调控元件在肿瘤靶向基因治疗中的应用

肿瘤靶向基因治疗成功的关键是调控治疗基因在肿瘤细胞中特异、高效地表达。首次构建一种嵌合型表达调控元件,旨在转录水平、转录后水平和翻译水平上实现联合调控目的基因在肿瘤细胞中特异性表达。体外实验表明,在前列腺癌细胞系LNCa P中,该调控元件可将报告基因增强型绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)和荧光素酶(luciferase)的肿瘤表达特异性分别提高420%和480%。体外细胞存活实验表明,运用该元件调控单纯疱疹病毒-1胸腺激酶(HSV-1 TK)的表达能特异性杀伤LNCa P细胞,验证了该元件可成功用于治疗基因的肿瘤靶向表达。     

用生物信息学方法寻找肝癌特异性表达基因转录调控模式

为了对肝癌(hepatocellularcarcinoma,HCC)的分子发病机理进行研究,首先对肝癌基因表达谱数据用t-检验算法进行了分析,找到了肝癌中特异性表达基因(characteristicgenes).然后把这些基因结合已知的肝HNF家族转录因子染色质免疫共沉淀结合DNA启动子芯片(ChIP-chip)实验数据用SAEM算法进行分析,得到了肝癌特异性表达基因的转录调控关系,并寻找到了多个HNF家族转录因子调控单基因的转录调控模式.结果表明HNF家族转录因子对大量具有重要功能的肝癌特异性表达基因进行了转录调控,并且多个HNF家族转录因子调控单基因可以形成前馈环和多输入调控等模式.     

USP22在转录调控及肿瘤发生中的作用

泛素特异性蛋白酶22（ubiquitin specific protease 22,USP22）是一种组蛋白去泛素化酶,在核受体介导的基因转录调控中起增强转录活性的作用。USP22在肿瘤发生、发展中发挥着重要作用,影响癌基因c-Myc介导的基因转录,从而促进肿瘤的增殖和生长;另一方面,USP22可改变远上游识别序列结合蛋白1（far upstream element—binding protein1,FBP1）的泛素化水平,从而影响FBP1下游的抑癌基因p21的表达。USP22与胃癌、大肠癌、乳腺癌及膀胱癌等肿瘤的病理进程相关。此外,USP22在端粒稳态的维持中起作用。本文主要综述USP22参与核受体介导的基因转录调控的表观遗传学机制及其在肿瘤发生中的作用。     

基于转录调控模体的人不同组织基因差异性的统计分析

转录调控是基因表达调控的主要过程,而转录调控模体使用的差异性可能是导致基因组织特异性的因素之一.本文提出一种不同组织基因调控差异性的统计分析方法,首先结合泊松分布和主成分分析提取基因启动子中过表达模体作为潜在的转录因子结合位点.基于这些位点通过Wilcoxon秩和检验获得不同组织基因结构的差异性.再用超几何分布确定出现次数显著的模体作为组织基因的特有模体,并分析特有模体的碱基特征及在启动子序列中的位置分布.将特有模体与TRANSFAC数据库进行对照,得到潜在的调控组织特异性基因的转录因子结合位点.以人管家基因及30个组织特异性基因为分析对象,得到不同组织调控模体使用的差异性信息.     

Mondo蛋白在肿瘤相关代谢中的研究进展

转录因子Mondo蛋白家族包括MondoA和ChREBP(MondoB)两个家族成员,是葡萄糖介导的基因转录调控的关键调控因子,可直接调控糖酵解和脂肪酸生成相关基因的表达,在细胞代谢与能量平衡中发挥重要作用。细胞代谢改变是肿瘤的重要特征之一,为肿瘤细胞生长及恶性进展创造了有利条件。近年来,研究发现,Mondo蛋白在肿瘤细胞糖酵解、脂肪酸合成和谷氨酰胺利用等代谢通路中发挥着重要作用,而且Mondo蛋白调控肿瘤细胞的代谢,其在肿瘤细胞生长、增殖和侵袭等过程中的作用值得肿瘤研究者关注。因此,更好地认识Mondo蛋白调控肿瘤细胞代谢的机制,将为癌症的治疗提供新的方向。本文对Mondo蛋白家族成员的分子特征、表达调控、组织特异性功能及其在肿瘤代谢重编程和细胞增殖中的最新研究进行综述,为肿瘤的防治提供新思路。     

含P_RP_L启动子的原核高效表达载体的组建及其应用

我们组建了一个含P_RP_L自动子的原核高效表达载体,它同时含有cI调控基因、多酶切点和两个强的转录终止序列。带起始密码子ATG的外源基因可以插入启动子下游的多酶切点,表达非融合蛋白,产品可供临床使用。我们实验室已用它成功地表达了人γ干扰素、人白细胞介素-2和人肿瘤坏死因子等,表达量均占菌体总蛋白的20％以上。     

AP—1在基因转录调控中的研究进展

AP-1是一类二聚体的转录调控因子,其作用范围十分广泛,在基因转录的调控中有重要作用。AP-1对基因转录调控的作用是精细和复杂的：首先,AP-1家族各成员可以通过亮氨酸拉链形成同源或异源二聚体,它们之间的不同比例就包含着不同的调控信息;其次,AP-1可与其他蛋白因子协同作用共同决定AP-1发挥功能的特异性;最后,AP-1序列结合的选择性低,因此,AP-1可以结合在很多基因的不同启动子上对其转录进行调控,因而作用范围十分广泛,AP-1对基因的转录调控也是多层次的：如多因子协同作用,以及细胞间对话均通过信号传导途径来实现。     

人ACT1基因P7启动子的克隆及序列分析

克隆并测定人酰基辅酶A:胆固醇酰基转移酶1(ACAT1)基因P7启动子的序列,进一步探讨ACAT1基因表达的转录调控特点并分析其特异性转录位点。根据GenBank数据库提供的人A- CAT1基因P7启动子核苷酸序列,应用PCR方法从人单核细胞系THP-1扩增分离出ACAT1基因P7启动子全长片段,将PCR产物克隆入T载体,并对所获得的序列进行生物学信息分析。经琼脂糖凝胶电泳及直接测序鉴定,克隆的ACAT1基因P7启动子片段碱基序列与Gen Bank数据库一致。成功克隆了ACAT1基因P7启动子,为研究在动脉粥样硬化过程中AcAT1基因的转录调控机制奠定基础。     

Pokemon及其在肿瘤中的研究进展

Pokemon基因即POK红系髓性致癌因子,也被称为FBI-1,LRF,OCZF,TIP,它是POK转录抑制物家族成员之一,其编码的产物具有BTB／POZ域和锌指结构,它是第一个被发现的可变阅读框基因ARF（Altemative reading frame,ARF）的特异性转录抑制物,Pokemon通过特异抑制ARF转录来调控细胞周期、诱导肿瘤发生、促进肿瘤的发生发展,在一些人类肿瘤如食管鳞癌、肺癌、结肠癌、人贲门癌、膀胱癌,前列腺癌和乳腺癌等肿瘤组织中具有较高的表达水平。Pokemon的特殊性在于还能与其它癌基因如Bcl-2,MDM2等结合之后发挥作用来促进其他癌基因的活性。因此可以认为Pokemon是肿瘤的总开关,对Pokemon基因的进一步研究有助于为肿瘤的诊断和治疗提供新的途径和方法。     

组织和发育特异性基因的远距离转录调控

远距离转录调控是指增强子、沉默子和隔离子等顺式作用元件参与的组织和发育特异性基因的表达调控。其调控元件可位于距转录基因很远的DNA区域,甚至分布于邻近基因内含子中。随着人类基因组计划和各种模式生物测序工作的完成,为大规模快速查找远距离调控元件提供了新的手段。由于基因组结构的复杂性,很难建立统一的基因表达调控模型,目前认为启动子与增强子的相互作用是组织和发育特异性基因成功表达的关键。另外,远距离转录调控机制一旦破坏还将导致疾病的发生。     

Cobalamin potentiates vinblastine cytotoxicity through downregulation of mdr-1 gene expression in HepG2 cells.

BACKGROUND: P-glycoprotein (Pgp), produced by multidrug resistance-1 gene (mdr-1), is a main mechanism developed by cancer cells to guard against anti-cancer drugs. Alterations of DNA methylation of the mdr-1 gene promoter are known to be linked to mdr-1 gene expression and are probably related to intracellular S-adenosyl-methionine. We here used HepG2 cells to determine the role of the methionine cycle (through the use of the Methionine-Synthase (MS) cofactor, cobalamin) on mdr-1 gene expression. METHODS: Semiquantitative RT-PCR of mdr-1 gene, cellular retention of rhodamine-123, and vinblastine cytotoxicity were carried out on cells cultivated with and without cobalamin. Methylation status of the mdr-1 gene promoter was determined by methylation-specific PCR. RESULTS: Addition of cobalamin to the cells led to an increase in MS activity, to a significant decrease in mdr-1 gene expression which is correlated to an increase in retention of the Pgp substrate Rhodamine 123. Furthermore, cobalamin potentiated cell sensitivity to vinblastine to the same range as that of the Pgp blocker verapamil and prevented methotrexate-induced up-regulation of mdr-1 gene expression. However, no modification in methylation of the mdr-1 gene promoter was observed. CONCLUSION: Cobalamin downregulates mdr-1 gene expression, as well as Pgp expression and function, and significantly increases cytotoxicity of vinblastine. The identification of this novel way of diminishing cellular resistance to the chemotherapeutic agent vinblastine holds promises of leading to better treatments for cancer patients.     

Modulation of the expression of a multidrug resistance gene (mdr-1/P-glycoprotein) by differentiating agents

Acquired resistance to multiple natural products in vitro is mediated by P-glycoprotein (Pgp). Expression of this protein has been demonstrated in some normal tissues and in tumor samples obtained from both untreated and treated patients. In situ hybridizations with RNA probes have demonstrated higher levels of expression of mdr-1/Pgp in well-differentiated tumors and in well-differentiated areas in tumors with mixed histologies. Expression of mdr-1/Pgp in human colon carcinoma cell lines was increased by the differentiating agents sodium butyrate, dimethyl sulfoxide, and dimethylformamide. In the SW-620 cell line addition of sodium butyrate resulted in a rapid induction of mdr-1/Pgp mRNA that was sustained for the duration of the exposure. The levels of P-glycoprotein were measured by immunoblotting and were also increased. Similar results were obtained in three other cell lines including the HCT-15 line. This induction occurred without alterations in nuclease sensitivity. Discontinuation of sodium butyrate was followed by a rapid fall in the levels of mRNA. The levels of P-glycoprotein returned to normal with a half-life of about 24 h. In spite of a 20-25-fold increase in the level of mdr-1/Pgp mRNA and P-glycoprotein, the SW-620 cell line did not demonstrate increased resistance to doxorubicin and vinblastine or decreased accumulation of vinblastine. In contrast, in the HCT-15 cell line, a 5-fold increase of mdr-1/Pgp was accompanied by a comparable fall in vinblastine accumulation which was reversed by verapamil. In the SW-620 cell line, the induced protein could be photolabeled using [3H]azidopine. Expression of mdr-1/Pgp appears to correlate with the degree of differentiation. However, its induction is not always accompanied by expression of the multidrug-resistance phenotype.