Messenger RNA Sequence Rather than Protein Sequence Determines the Level of Self-synthesis and Antigen Presentation of the EBV-encoded Antigen,EBNA1

Unique purine-rich mRNA sequences embedded in the coding sequences of a distinct group of gammaherpesvirus maintenance proteins underlie the ability of the latently infected cell to minimize immune recognition. The Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen, EBNA1, a well characterized lymphocryptovirus maintenance protein has been shown to inhibit in cis antigen presentation, due in part to a large internal repeat domain encoding glycine and alanine residues (GAr) encoded by a purine-rich mRNA sequence. Recent studies have suggested that it is the purine-rich mRNA sequence of this repeat region rather than the encoded GAr polypeptide that directly inhibits EBNA1 self-synthesis and contributes to immune evasion. To test this hypothesis, we generated a series of EBNA1 internal repeat frameshift constructs and assessed their effects on cis-translation and endogenous antigen presentation. Diverse peptide sequences resulting from alternative repeat reading frames did not alleviate the translational inhibition characteristic of EBNA1 self-synthesis or the ensuing reduced surface presentation of EBNA1-specific peptide-MHC class I complexes. Human cells expressing the EBNA1 frameshift variants were also poorly recognized by antigen-specific T-cells. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the mRNA sequences of the corresponding repeat regions of different viral maintenance homologues highlights the high degree of identity between the nucleotide sequences despite very little homology in the encoded amino acid sequences. Based on these combined observations, we propose that the cis-translational inhibitory effect of the EBNA1 internal repeat sequence operates mechanistically at the nucleotide level, potentially through RNA secondary structural elements, and is unlikely to be mediated through the GAr polypeptide. The demonstration that the EBNA1 repeat mRNA sequence and not the encoded protein sequence underlies immune evasion in this class of virus suggests a novel approach to therapeutic development through the use of anti-sense strategies or small molecules targeting EBNA1 mRNA structure.     

TRPM7的表达水平与肺癌发生发展的关系

为了解TRPM7在肺癌中的表达及其与肺癌进展的关系,本研究检测了TRPM7在非小细胞肺癌患者肺癌组织样本和相邻正常肺泡组织样本中的表达,以及TRPM7在人肺腺癌A549细胞系和人支气管上皮细胞系16HBE中的表达。通过转染shRNA敲低肺癌细胞中的TRPM7,并应用TRPM7拮抗剂Waixenicin A处理细胞。免疫组化染色和Western blotting分析显示,与正常肺泡组织样本中的TRPM7表达相比,TRPM7在肺癌样本中显著高表达。TRPM7的表达水平与癌症分期有关,分期越高,TRPM7的表达水平越高。TRPM7在A549细胞中的表达强度显著高于16HBE细胞。细胞集落形成测定结果显示,沉默TRPM7会显著抑制细胞集落形成的能力。SRB细胞活力测定显示,沉默TRPM7会显著抑制细胞活力。沉默TRPM7显著降低了肺癌细胞的迁移(-68.94%)和侵袭(-68.84%)能力。沉默TRPM7显著抑制了热休克蛋白90α(HSP90α)、尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活剂(uPA)和基质金属蛋白酶2 (MMP2)的表达。Waixenicin A显著抑制了肺癌细胞的活力及Hsp90α/uPA/MMP2信号分子的表达。另外,Waixenicin A显著降低了肺癌细胞的迁移(-65.35%)和侵袭(-71.85%)能力。本研究表明,TRPM7的异常表达通过激活Hsp90α/uPA/MMP2信号通路来提高人肺癌细胞的活力和转移能力。研究结果表明,靶向TRPM7的抑制剂可能是治疗肺癌的有效药物。     

含PR启动子的原核高效表达载体的构建及应用

组建了一个仅含PR启动子的原核高效表达载体pRC,它同时含有cⅠ调控基因、多酶切位点和两个强的转录终止序列.现已成功地用于表达重组人肿瘤坏死因子-α(hTNF-α)、重组人白细胞介素-3(hIL-3)和抗溶菌酶(HEL)抗体Fd基因,表达量均占菌体总蛋白的36%以上.同时还研究了不同的宿主菌和原核增强子序列等因素对PR启动子载体表达的影响.此外,还比较了分别以PR、PL或PRPL作为启动子时表达hTNF-α的情况,结果表明,单用PR或PL启动子可获得与使用PRPL串联启动子一样的高效表达.     

Use of the Lactococcal nisA Promoter To Regulate Gene Expression in Gram-Positive Bacteria: Comparison of Induction Level and Promoter Strength

We characterized the regulated activity of the lactococcal nisA promoter in strains of the gram-positive species Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, and Bacillus subtilis. nisA promoter activity was dependent on the proteins NisR and NisK, which constitute a two-component signal transduction system that responds to the extracellular inducer nisin. The nisin sensitivity and inducer concentration required for maximal induction varied among the strains. Significant induction of the nisA promoter (10- to 60-fold induction) was obtained in all of the species studied at a nisin concentration just below the concentration at which growth is inhibited. The efficiency of the nisA promoter was compared to the efficiencies of the Spac, xylA, and lacA promoters in B. subtilis and in S. pyogenes. Because nisA promoter-driven expression is regulated in many gram-positive bacteria, we expect it to be useful for genetic studies, especially studies with pathogenic streptococci in which no other regulated promoters have been described.     

CaMV35S双启动子显著提高转基因在拟南芥中表达水平的研究(简报)1

以大肠杆菌（Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ）ＵｉｄＡ为报道基因定量研究ＣａＭＶ３５Ｓ双启动子在拟介中的表达强度表明,３５Ｓ双启动子的平均表达强度比３５Ｓ启动子高１１倍以上。     

含PR启动子的原核高效表达载体的构建及应用

组建了一个仅含P_R启动子的原核高效表达载体pRC,它同时含有cⅠ调控基因、多酶切位点和两个强的转录终止序列.现已成功地用于表达重组人肿瘤坏死因子-α（hTNF-α）、重组人白细胞介素-3（hIL-3）和抗溶菌酶（HEL）抗体Fd基因,表达量均占菌体总蛋白的36％以上.同时还研究了不同的宿主菌和原核增强子序列等因素对P_R启动子载体表达的影响.此外,还比较了分别以P_R、P_L或P_RP_L作为启动子时表达hTNF-α的情况,结果表明,单用P_R或P_L启动子可获得与使用P_RP_L串联启动子一样的高效表达.     

甘蓝型油菜BnGOLS1基因启动子的克隆、序列分析及瞬时表达

以甘蓝型油菜‘德油五号’基因组DNA为模板,通过反向PCR扩增得到肌醇半乳糖苷合成酶基因（BnGOLS1）启动子片段,长度为827bp。PLACE和PlantCARE启动子预测工具分析表明：序列中含有TATA-Box、CAAT-Box等基本转录元件,以及ABRE、DRE、HSE、w-Box等顺式作用元件。将克隆得到的BnGOLS1启动子取代pBI121中的CaMV35S启动子,构建BnGOLS1启动子控制报告基因的GUS表达载体pBI-GS-GUS,通过农杆菌介导的方法在油菜组织中进行瞬时表达。GUS染色结果表明BnGOLS1启动子可以驱动GUS基因在油菜组织中的表达。     

瘦素水平与代谢综合症的关系

随着代谢综合症在世界范围内的广为流行,已经引起人们的高度重视.代谢综合征以肥胖和代谢异常为特征,胰岛素抵抗为主要的病理机制.瘦素主要来源于脂肪组织,是调节体内脂肪储量和维持能量平衡的一种内分泌激素.瘦素缺乏和瘦素抵抗不仅可以直接引起胰岛素抵抗,而且可以通过导致肥胖继而参与胰岛素抵抗的发生,最终引起代谢综合征.瘦素作为一种新的代谢综合征致病因子,参与代谢综合征的发生发展,故调节瘦素水平为临床治疗代谢综合症提供了新的思路和方法.本文综述了瘦素水平与代谢综合症的关系,以及调节瘦素水平治疗代谢综合征的方法.     

The Expression Level of CB1 and CB2 Receptors Determines Their Efficacy at Inducing Apoptosis in Astrocytomas

Background

Cannabinoids represent unique compounds for treating tumors, including astrocytomas. Whether CB₁ and CB₂ receptors mediate this therapeutic effect is unclear.

Principal Findings

We generated astrocytoma subclones that express set levels of CB₁ and CB₂, and found that cannabinoids induce apoptosis only in cells expressing low levels of receptors that couple to ERK1/2. In contrast, cannabinoids do not induce apoptosis in cells expressing high levels of receptors because these now also couple to the prosurvival signal AKT. Remarkably, cannabinoids applied at high concentration induce apoptosis in all subclones independently of CB₁, CB₂ and AKT, but still through a mechanism involving ERK1/2.

Significance

The high expression level of CB₁ and CB₂ receptors commonly found in malignant astrocytomas precludes the use of cannabinoids as therapeutics, unless AKT is concomitantly inhibited, or cannabinoids are applied at concentrations that bypass CB₁ and CB₂ receptors, yet still activate ERK1/2.     

High Level Constitutive Expression of Luciferase Reporter by lsd90 Promoter in Fission Yeast

Because of a large number of molecular similarities with higher eukaryotes, the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has been considered a potentially ideal host for expressing human proteins having therapeutic and pharmaceutical applications. However, efforts in this direction are hampered by lack of a strong promoter. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of a strong, constitutive promoter from S. pombe. A new expression vector was constructed by cloning the putative promoter region of the lsd90 gene (earlier reported to be strongly induced by heat stress) into a previously reported high copy number vector pJH5, which contained an ARS element corresponding to the mat2P flanking region and a truncated URA3m selectable marker. The resulting vector was used to study and compare the level of expression of the luciferase reporter with that achieved with the known vectors containing regulatable promoter nmt1 and the strong constitutive promoter adh1 in S. pombe and the methanol-inducible AOX1 promoter in Pichia pastoris. Following growth in standard media the new vector containing the putative lsd90 promoter provided constitutive expression of luciferase, at a level, which was 19-, 39- and 10-fold higher than that achieved with nmt1, adh1 and AOX1 promoters, respectively. These results indicate a great potential of the new lsd90 promoter-based vector for commercial scale expression of therapeutic proteins in S. pombe.     

The Interrelationship between Promoter Strength,Gene Expression,and Growth Rate

In exponentially growing bacteria, expression of heterologous protein impedes cellular growth rates. Quantitative understanding of the relationship between expression and growth rate will advance our ability to forward engineer bacteria, important for metabolic engineering and synthetic biology applications. Recently, a work described a scaling model based on optimal allocation of ribosomes for protein translation. This model quantitatively predicts a linear relationship between microbial growth rate and heterologous protein expression with no free parameters. With the aim of validating this model, we have rigorously quantified the fitness cost of gene expression by using a library of synthetic constitutive promoters to drive expression of two separate proteins (eGFP and amiE) in E. coli in different strains and growth media. In all cases, we demonstrate that the fitness cost is consistent with the previous findings. We expand upon the previous theory by introducing a simple promoter activity model to quantitatively predict how basal promoter strength relates to growth rate and protein expression. We then estimate the amount of protein expression needed to support high flux through a heterologous metabolic pathway and predict the sizable fitness cost associated with enzyme production. This work has broad implications across applied biological sciences because it allows for prediction of the interplay between promoter strength, protein expression, and the resulting cost to microbial growth rates.     

Relationship between Plasma Level and Therapeutic Effect of Nortriptyline

The relationship between plasma concentration of nortriptyline and therapeutic effect after two weeks'' treatment with the drug was investigated in 29 psychiatric inpatients. Endogenous depression was diagnosed in all patients. Amelioration of depressive symptoms was estimated as reduction in score on a rating scale, based on a psychiatric interview. Amelioration was not correlated to the patient''s sex or age. There was a curved relationship between plasma level of nortriptyline and therapeutic effect. Amelioration was most pronounced in the intermediate plasma level range (50-139 ng nortriptyline/ml plasma) and was slight both at lower and at higher plasma levels. This type of relationship may be due to the dual action of tricyclic antidepressants which has been found in animal experiments. On larger dosages a phenothiazine-like blockade of the monoaminergic receptor is added to the blockade of monoamine reuptake thought to be related to the antidepressant action of the drugs.This study thus suggests two possible reasons for a therapeutic failure with nortriptyline: a too low or a too high plasma level. The large individual variation in the pharmacokinetics of the tricyclic antidepressants makes prediction of plasma level from dosage in a given individual virtually impossible without knowledge of rate of elimination and apparent volume of distribution. Hence monitoring plasma levels may be a way to increase the efficacy of treatment with these drugs.     

拉萨地区血浆同型半胱氨酸水平与脑梗死的相关性研究

目的:探讨在高原缺氧环境下,研究血浆同型半胱氨酸水平与脑梗死的相关性及临床意义,为高原地区脑梗死的防治提供依据。方法:随机选取西藏自治区人民医院2011年04月-2012年12月入院治疗的急性脑梗死患者166例作为观察组,选择同期就诊的150例健康检查者作为对照组,患者就诊第二日清晨采空腹静脉血送检。血浆同型半胱氨酸水平应用循环酶法测定,分析同型半胱氨酸水平与脑梗死的相关性。结果:观察组患者血浆中同型半胱氨酸水平明显高于对照组,差异显著具有统计学意义(P0.01)。结论:高原环境下,高同型半胱氨酸血症是脑梗死的独立危险因素,血浆同型半胱氨酸水平可作为脑血管疾病一级预防的常规检查指标,以及对缺血性脑卒中的指导治疗有重要意义。     

拉萨地区血浆同型半胱氨酸水平与脑梗死的相关性研究

目的：探讨在高原缺氧环境下,研究血浆同型半胱氨酸水平与脑梗死的相关性及临床意义,为高原地区脑梗死的防治提供依据。方法：随机选取西藏自治区人民医院2011年04月-2012年12月入院治疗的急性脑梗死患者166例作为观察组,选择同期就诊的150例健康检查者作为对照组,患者就诊第二日清晨采空腹静脉血送检。血浆同型半胱氨酸水平应用循环酶法测定,分析同型半胱氨酸水平与脑梗死的相关性。结果：观察组患者血浆中同型半胱氨酸水平明显高于对照组,差异显著具有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。结论：高原环境下,高同型半胱氨酸血症是脑梗死的独立危险因素,血浆同型半胱氨酸水平可作为脑血管疾病一级预防的常规检查指标,以及对缺血性脑卒中的指导治疗有重要意义。     

胁迫诱导型启动子rd29A的克隆及其序列分析

采用CTAB法提取拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)叶片总DNA,设计并合成一对引物,通过PCR扩增得到一特异片段,并连接至pGEM-T Easy Vector上进行克隆测序.结果表明该片段全长为744 bp,与报道序列(AY973635)存在三个碱基的差异,同源性达99.6%;且该片段含有1个TATA box(TATAAA)、1个CAAT box(GCCAAT)、4个干旱、高盐和低温响应DRE(dehydraton responsive element binding protein)顺式作用元件(核心序列为CCGAC),从而为后期胁迫诱导型植物表达载体的构建及遗传转化奠定了基础.