主要干性基因与衰老相关基因表达水平的相互拮抗关系

目前广泛地利用传统的体细胞衰老理论和方法对成体干细胞衰老进行研究,忽视了成体干细胞特有的自我更新功能和相应的干性基因的作用.干性基因的下调可能是导致间充质干细胞衰老的主要原因.通过查阅相关资料发现主要干性基因与衰老相关基因表达水平的相互拮抗关系,这体现在以下4个方面:a.干细胞衰老伴随着干性基因的下调;b.干性基因表达抑制细胞的衰老;c.干性基因抑制衰老相关基因的表达;d.抑制衰老相关基因促进干性基因的表达.干性基因与衰老相关基因的表达水平存在相互拮抗关系,这为成体干细胞衰老可能源于成体干细胞的干性降低的观点提供了坚实的分子基础.     

AFAP1在博来霉素诱导的A549细胞衰老中的作用机制研究

目的:研究AFAP1在博来霉素诱导的A549细胞衰老模型中的作用及分子机制。方法:用50μg/m L的博来霉素处理A549细胞5天建立细胞衰老模型。用相同浓度的博来霉素处理细胞1-5天观察细胞从周期阻滞到衰老的过程,SA-β-Gal染色检测衰老细胞数目,用Western blot方法检测AFAP1、p21、c-Src等蛋白表达。过表达AFAP1后,观察细胞衰老状态及各蛋白表达水平变化。结果:50μg/m L的博来霉素处理A549细胞5天后可以建立细胞衰老模型,表现为BLM组SA-β-Gal阳性细胞数升高(P0.01)且细胞体积显著增大(P0.01),p21表达水平升高。在衰老的A549细胞中,AFAP1和激活型(Src p Y416)表达水平变化一致,从BLM处理后出现升高第4天开始明显下降在第5天最低,c-Src和Src p Y527表达水平不变。过表达AFAP1后再用博来霉素诱导,SA-β-Gal阳性细胞数及细胞体积、Src p Y416和p21表达与空载对照比较未发现有明显差异(P0.05)。结论:衰老的A549细胞中AFAP1表达下调,c-Src活性降低;过表达AFAP1不能减轻博来霉素诱导的A549细胞衰老,也不能抑制衰老细胞中的c-Src的活性下降。     

异染色质相关蛋白1在哺乳动物生殖中作用的研究进展

异染色质是指在细胞周期中维持凝缩状态的染色质,具有维持染色体稳定性和调节真核细胞基因表达的作用。异染色质相关蛋白1(heterochromatin associated protein1,HP1)是异染色质的特征性蛋白,进化高度保守,在哺乳动物有三种亚型:HP1α、HP1β和HP1γ(分别由CBX5、CBX1和CBX3基因编码),在哺乳动物配子发生、受精、胚胎的着床及胚胎发育过程中都有着自己独特的作用,本文主要对HP1的各个亚型在哺乳动物生殖过程中的作用及其异常对生殖过程的影响作一综述。     

细胞衰老与细胞自噬的生物学关联及其意义

细胞衰老是指细胞生理功能的衰减,包括增殖能力下降、细胞周期停滞、对促凋亡应激不敏感、衰老相关基因和蛋白表达增加,伴有形态学衰老改变,渐趋死亡的现象,其至少可分为复制性衰老和应激诱导的衰老。细胞自噬属于细胞＂自食＂现象,是细胞依赖溶酶体的分解代谢过程,能降解受损蛋白、衰老或损伤的细胞器等细胞结构,可被多种应激所触发。细胞自噬的典型特征是形成自噬体并呈递给溶酶体,该过程在蛋白质和细胞器质量控制中起基础作用并维持了细胞能量的稳态。最新研究表明,自噬与细胞衰老密切相关,参与蛋白酶和自噬相关调节的BAG蛋白家族中BAG3/BAG1比值在复制性衰老时增高,且BAG3在细胞衰老时能介导自噬的激活。在Ras诱导的细胞衰老进程中亦可观察到较高的自噬活性。再者,自噬作为生物机体抗衰老的效应因子的遗传学证据已在低等真核生物中发现。还有研究证实,作为人类精液主要组分的亚精胺能够触发组蛋白H3脱乙酰基作用,此改变上调了自噬相关转录物的表达,继而引发自噬活性增强,从而延缓了多种细胞的衰老进程。另有研究显示,在P53/Arf的正常调节下,小鼠的衰老进程得以延缓,而Arf在细胞自噬过程的调节中亦是不可或缺的。总之,自噬活性的改变影响细胞衰老进程并可作为细胞衰老新的效应机理。     

HP1α在Zmpste24-缺陷早老小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞中表达和磷酸化水平升高

本实验旨在研究异染色质蛋白1（heterochromatin protein 1, HP1）在Zmpste24基因敲除早老小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞(mouse embryonic fibroblasts, MEFs)中的表达量和磷酸化水平,探索异染色质功能异常与早老发病机制的内在联系．首先取雄雌Zmpste24杂合子小鼠胚胎,原代培养MEFs;分别用PCR和Western 印迹检测MEFs基因型和A型核纤层蛋白（laminA）表达以区分野生型与Zmpste24-缺陷型早老细胞;用与衰老相关的β-半乳糖苷酶染色法 (senescence associated-β-galactosidase assay, SA-β-gal)确定早老细胞出现衰老表型的传代数．用Western 印迹和phos-tag Western 印迹分别检测HP1在Zmpste24+/+和Zmpste24-/- MEFs中表达量和磷酸化水平的差异．实验结果显示,Zmpste24-/- MEFs中存在异常的LaminA,且在传代培养第5代出现明显的细胞衰老现象．选用培养至第3代或第4代的MEFs细胞进行下述实验发现,Zmpste24-/-MEFs中HP1α表达量明显高于Zmpste24+/+ MEFs,而HP1β未发现明显升高;Zmpste24+/+ MEFs中HP1α以非磷酸化状态为主,但在Zmpste24-/- MEFs中磷酸化HP1α比例明显升高;2种细胞中均未检测到磷酸化HP1β. 本研究结果证明,HP1α在Zmpste24-缺陷型早老小鼠传代早期MEFs中的表达量和磷酸化水平均有升高,提示HP1α参与A型核纤层蛋白相关的早老小鼠发病机制．     

衰老相关新基因CSIG的cDNA克隆和功能

为了获得 2BS细胞衰老过程中表达下降的差异基因片段Y6 2的编码序列 ,以cDNA末端快速扩增法获得细胞衰老相关新基因CSIG(cellularsenescenceinhibitedgene ,细胞衰老抑制基因 )的cDNA全长 .CSIGcDNA长 196 1bp ,编码 4 90个氨基酸 ,在多种重要组织中都有不同程度的表达 ;蛋白产物位于细胞核内特定位点 ,可能在核仁中聚集 .细胞转染表明 :CSIG可抑制细胞衰老并延长细胞寿限 ,可能通过核糖体生物合成过程或基因转录调节来调控细胞衰老过程     

TGFβ信号调控阿霉素诱导的衰老肿瘤细胞表达SA-β-gal

目的:细胞衰老是维持机体稳态的一种重要机制,表达SA-β-gal被认为是衰老细胞的一种特异性的标志,但有研究表明在衰老细胞中SA-β-gal染色阳性只是衰老细胞的溶酶体变大的结果,为了探究SA-β-gal的表达与细胞衰老之间的具体关系,我们验证了参与调节衰老细胞表达SA-β-gal的信号通路及SA-β-gal的表达情况是否会对细胞衰老的过程产生影响.方法:肿瘤细胞用低剂量的阿霉素处理24小时后,再分别给予不同的小分子抑制剂继续作用4天,观察SA-β-gal染色阳性的细胞数目及SA-β-gal表达与否对于衰老细胞在分泌细胞因子、生长阻滞等细胞生物学功能上的影响.结果:在阿霉素诱导细胞发生衰老的过程中,TGFβ抑制剂SB431542能够抑制衰老细胞表达SA-β-gal,而SA-β-gal表达的缺失并不影响细胞衰老的其他特征性改变.结论:低剂量的阿霉素作用肿瘤细胞后,细胞会进入衰老的状态.在细胞衰老的过程中,TGFβ受体Ⅰ的抑制剂SB431542可以抑制衰老细胞表达SA-β-gal,但是SA-β-gal的缺失表达并不影响细胞衰老的过程及衰老细胞的其他特性,如:不可逆的生长阻滞、分泌有活性的细胞因子等.结果表明:SA-β-gal并不能作为衰老细胞的特异性标志.     

HMG盒转录因子1(HBP1)参与H2O2诱导的细胞衰老过程

为探讨HMG盒转录因子1 (HBP1)在过氧化氢（H2O2）诱导的细胞衰老中所起的作用,通过慢病毒感染得到稳定表达HBP1的MDA-MB-231细胞,以H2O2处理细胞．采用Western免疫印迹杂交试验和实时PCR检测HBP1、p16和细胞周期蛋白D1（cyclinD1）表达水平的变化．用荧光免疫试验检测H2O2对HBP1表达的影响,以及HBP1在H2O2的诱导下对于p16和细胞周期蛋白D1启动子的影响．用细胞增殖试验检测H2O2对于细胞增殖的影响． 用基因敲减实验和衰老相关β半乳糖苷酶(SA-β-Gal)染色检测在H2O2诱导的细胞衰老中HBP1所起的作用．Western和免疫荧光实验结果显示,细胞经H2O2处理后,HBP1表达增高的同时促进了p16的表达,降低了细胞周期蛋白D1的表达．细胞增殖实验结果显示,H2O2显著抑制了细胞的增殖．基因敲减实验和SA-β-Gal染色实验说明,H2O2可诱导HBP1表达正常的MDA-MB-231细胞衰老,而HBP1的敲减则抑制了H2O2诱导的细胞衰老过程．本研究结果提示,在H2O2诱导的衰老中,HBP1的表达显著增加,并通过促进衰老相关基因p16的表达和抑制生长因子cyclinD1的表达来阻碍细胞增殖,促进细胞衰老．HBP1在H2O2诱导的细胞衰老过程中起着重要作用,H2O2诱导的细胞衰老必须在HBP1存在的情况下才能发生．     

基因差异性表达与衰老

微细胞融合实验表明：人的第１、４、６、７号染色体以及Ｘ染色体上存在衰老基因;基因差异性表达研究方法显示：衰老细胞具有特异性表达或高表达的基因。提示细胞衰老是个主动过程,可能与包括衰老基因在内一系列基因激活有关。     

消减杂交筛选2BS细胞衰老过程中差异表达基因

细胞的复制性衰老最终导致不可逆的G1 期阻滞 ,研究此过程中差异表达基因对于阐明衰老发生机制有重要意义 .分别构建年轻和衰老 2BS细胞高表达基因的消减文库 ,经点杂交筛选后共得5 3个差异表达基因 .对其中部分基因的VirtualNorthern印迹分析证实差异表达确实存在 .选择Y1 1 4和S1 1 1片段 ,以Northern印迹分析确证其表达变化 ;并通过对新生儿和老年人白细胞中二者的表达分析 ,显示二者在体内也存在与体外衰老过程相一致的随增龄表达变化 .结果在一定程度上体现了 2BS细胞衰老过程中基因表达谱的变化 ;首次报道了TSSC3(tumorsuppressingsubtransferablecandidate 3)、hnRNPK (heterogeneousnuclearribonucleoproteinK)等基因在成纤维细胞衰老时发生差异表达 ;通过对Y1 1 4和S1 1 1在体内衰老时的表达分析 ,显示体内和体外衰老有一定的相关性     

Rb-mediated heterochromatin formation and silencing of E2F target genes during cellular senescence

Cellular senescence is an extremely stable form of cell cycle arrest that limits the proliferation of damaged cells and may act as a natural barrier to cancer progression. In this study, we describe a distinct heterochromatic structure that accumulates in senescent human fibroblasts, which we designated senescence-associated heterochromatic foci (SAHF). SAHF formation coincides with the recruitment of heterochromatin proteins and the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor to E2F-responsive promoters and is associated with the stable repression of E2F target genes. Notably, both SAHF formation and the silencing of E2F target genes depend on the integrity of the Rb pathway and do not occur in reversibly arrested cells. These results provide a molecular explanation for the stability of the senescent state, as well as new insights into the action of Rb as a tumor suppressor.     

Molecular dissection of formation of senescence-associated heterochromatin foci

Senescence is characterized by an irreversible cell proliferation arrest. Specialized domains of facultative heterochromatin, called senescence-associated heterochromatin foci (SAHF), are thought to contribute to the irreversible cell cycle exit in many senescent cells by repressing the expression of proliferation-promoting genes such as cyclin A. SAHF contain known heterochromatin-forming proteins, such as heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) and the histone H2A variant macroH2A, and other specialized chromatin proteins, such as HMGA proteins. Previously, we showed that a complex of histone chaperones, histone repressor A (HIRA) and antisilencing function 1a (ASF1a), plays a key role in the formation of SAHF. Here we have further dissected the series of events that contribute to SAHF formation. We show that each chromosome condenses into a single SAHF focus. Chromosome condensation depends on the ability of ASF1a to physically interact with its deposition substrate, histone H3, in addition to its cochaperone, HIRA. In cells entering senescence, HP1gamma, but not the related proteins HP1alpha and HP1beta, becomes phosphorylated on serine 93. This phosphorylation is required for efficient incorporation of HP1gamma into SAHF. Remarkably, however, a dramatic reduction in the amount of chromatin-bound HP1 proteins does not detectably affect chromosome condensation into SAHF. Moreover, abundant HP1 proteins are not required for the accumulation in SAHF of histone H3 methylated on lysine 9, the recruitment of macroH2A proteins, nor other hallmarks of senescence, such as the expression of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity and senescence-associated cell cycle exit. Based on our results, we propose a stepwise model for the formation of SAHF.     

Downregulation of Wnt signaling is a trigger for formation of facultative heterochromatin and onset of cell senescence in primary human cells

Cellular senescence is an irreversible proliferation arrest of primary cells and an important tumor suppression process. Senescence is often characterized by domains of facultative heterochromatin, called senescence-associated heterochromatin foci (SAHF), which repress expression of proliferation-promoting genes. Formation of SAHF is driven by a complex of histone chaperones, HIRA and ASF1a, and depends upon prior localization of HIRA to PML nuclear bodies. However, how the SAHF assembly pathway is activated in senescent cells is not known. Here we show that expression of the canonical Wnt2 ligand and downstream canonical Wnt signals are repressed in senescent human cells. Repression of Wnt2 occurs early in senescence and independently of the pRB and p53 tumor suppressor proteins and drives relocalization of HIRA to PML bodies, formation of SAHF and senescence, likely through GSK3beta-mediated phosphorylation of HIRA. These results have major implications for our understanding of both Wnt signaling and senescence in tissue homeostasis and cancer progression.     

Cellular senescence and chromatin structure

Cellular senescence is characterized by stable cell cycle arrest that is triggered by various forms of stress stimuli. Senescent cells show a series of morphological and physiological alterations including a flat and enlarged morphology, an increase in acidic β-galactosidase activity, chromatin condensation, and changes in gene expression pattern. These features are not observed in proliferating cells or quiescent cells in vitro. Using these senescence markers, cellular senescence has been shown to occur in benign or premalignant lesions but not in malignant lesions and to act as a tumor-suppressing mechanism in vivo. The onset and maintenance of the senescent state are regulated by two tumor suppressor proteins, p53 and Rb, which mediate senescence signals through p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. Alterations of chromatin structure are believed to contribute to the irreversible nature of the senescent state. Senescent cells form characteristic heterochromatin structure called senescence-associated heterochromatic foci (SAHFs), which may repress the expression of proliferation-promoting genes, such as E2F target genes. Recent studies have provided molecular insights into the structure and the mechanism of SAHF formation. In this paper, we review the role of cellular senescence in tumor suppression in vivo and the molecular mechanism of stable growth arrest in senescent cells, focusing on the special form of heterochromatin, SAHFs.     

Ring-like distribution of constitutive heterochromatin in bovine senescent cells

Background

Cells that reach “Hayflick limit” of proliferation, known as senescent cells, possess a particular type of nuclear architecture. Human senescent cells are characterized by the presence of highly condensed senescent associated heterochromatin foci (SAHF) that can be detected both by immunostaining for histone H3 three-methylated at lysine 9 (H3K9me3) and by DAPI counterstaining.

Methods

We have studied nuclear architecture in bovine senescent cells using a combination of immunofluorescence and 3D fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH).

Results

Analysis of heterochromatin distribution in bovine senescent cells using fluorescent in situ hybridization for pericentric chromosomal regions, immunostaining of H3K9me3, centromeric proteins CENP A/B and DNA methylation showed a lower level of heterochromatin condensation as compared to young cells. No SAHF foci were observed. Instead, we observed fibrous ring-like or ribbon-like heterochromatin patterns that were undetectable with DAPI counterstaining. These heterochromatin fibers were associated with nucleoli.

Conclusions

Constitutive heterochromatin in bovine senescent cells is organized in ring-like structures.     

Rb Protein is Essential to the Senescence-Associated Heterochromatic Foci Formation Induced by HMGA2 in Primary WI38 Cells

Cellular senescence is an irreversible form of cell cycle arrest that provides a barrier to neoplastic transformation.The integrity of the Rb (Retinoblastoma) pathway is necessary for the formation of ...     

Proteasome inhibitors induce changes in chromatin structure characteristic of senescent human fibroblasts

Inhibitors of proteasome induced premature senescence in normal human fibroblasts. Besides morphological alteration and expression of senescence marker genes, these cells manifested senescence-associated heterochromatic foci under staining of the nuclei with DAPI similar to normally senescent cells. These results suggest that declining ability in protein degradation may be involved in the formation of heterochromatic foci in senescent fibroblasts.