应用多重竞争性PCR联合毛细管电泳技术进行脊髓性肌萎缩症携带者筛查

脊髓性肌萎缩症(spinalmuscularatrophy,SMA)是一种常染色体隐性遗传、儿童致死性神经系统疾病。SMA致病基因为运动神经元存活基因(survival motor neuron1, SMN1)。虽然检测SMN1基因拷贝数的方法众多,但目前适于大规模人群筛查的技术较少。为寻求一种快速准确的实验技术可以用于人群中SMA携带者的大规模筛查,了解区域人群携带情况及常见变异的分布,本研究应用多重竞争性PCR联合毛细管电泳技术检测12例SMA患者及其父母SMN1基因拷贝数,同时对江苏地区151例健康孕妇人群SMN1基因进行拷贝数检测,并通过多重连接依赖探针扩增(multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, MLPA)技术验证检测结果。多重竞争性PCR联合毛细管电泳技术结果与MLPA结果一致,显示12例SMA患者均为SMN1基因零拷贝,其父母的SMN1基因拷贝数均为单拷贝,151例健康人群中检测出SMN1基因单拷贝3例(即SMA携带者),占2.0%;SMN1基因双拷贝134例,占88.7%;SMN1基因大于双拷贝14例,占9.3...     

脊髓性肌萎缩症SMN1基因2+0基因型携带者的家系研究

脊髓性肌萎缩症(spinal muscular atrophy, SMA)是一种儿童时期较为常见的神经肌肉病,属于常染色体隐性遗传。绝大多数SMA由运动神经元存活基因1 (survival motor neuron 1, SMN1)的纯合缺失突变所致。而SMN1的2+0基因型个体作为一种特殊的SMA携带者,给携带者筛查以及家系的遗传咨询带来了巨大的挑战。已有研究表明,g.27134T>G和g.27706₂7707delAT多态位点变异对于Ashkenazi犹太人群中的2+0基因型个体具有提示作用。为进一步探究这两个多态位点是否在中国人群也具有特异性,本研究纳入了44例家系成员和204例已知SMN1基因拷贝数的对照样本。44例家系成员来自于9个无关的SMN1基因纯合缺失的SMA家系,先证者双亲之一疑似为2+0基因型携带者。利用多重连接探针扩增(multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification,MLPA)和短串联重复(short tandem repeat, STR)连锁分析进行基因型的鉴定以及多态位点的筛查,最终...     

运动神经元生存蛋白SMN与Sm蛋白的结合作用

脊髓性肌萎缩症（spinal muscular atrophy,SMA）是一类与运动神经元存活基因（survival of motor neurons gene,SMN gene）突变有关的神经系统变性疾病,而SMN基因的转录产物即为SMN蛋白（survival of motorneurons protein,SMN protein）。SMN蛋白与多种蛋白结合后发挥作用,如SMN-Sm蛋白的相互作用在富含尿嘧啶的小核核糖核蛋白体（uridine—richsmallribonucleo—proteins,UsnRNPs）转运装配中有重要意义。SMN蛋白是通过其Tudor结构域与剪接体sm蛋白的二甲基化修饰的富含精氨酸一氨基乙酸域（ar—ginineandglycine—rich,RG）结合。     

SMA模型小鼠骨髓间充质干细胞体外培养体系的建立

目的 建立脊髓型肌萎缩症(SMA)小鼠骨髓间充质干细胞(BMMSC)体外培养体系,研究反义寡核苷酸(ASO)对其生物学特性的影响,为深入研究SMA发病机制及药物筛选提供可靠的体内模拟工具细胞。方法 选取刚出生4 d的SMA小鼠,CO₂窒息法处死后,于75%乙醇中浸泡,分离、纯化骨髓细胞。细胞荧光检测细胞表面标志物;RT-PCR及Western Blot研究ASO对运动神经元存活基因2(SMN2)外显子(exon7)列入水平以及运动神经元存活(SMN)蛋白表达量;EDU法和TUNEL法检测细胞增殖和凋亡能力。结果 体外分离培养的SMA模型小鼠BMMSC具有贴壁生长、可以传代等特点;对P3代BMMSC进行细胞免疫荧光鉴定结果显示：CD44、CD29高表达,CD34、CD45低表达;转染ASO后细胞SMN2 exon7列入率显著上升以及SMN蛋白表达量显著上调,并显著促进细胞增殖能力,同时核内Gemini bodies(gems)数量也有所增多。结论 成功建立SMA小鼠BMMSC体外培养体系,通过阳性药物ASO验证可促进BMMSC SMN2 exon7列入及SMN蛋白表...     

Science:口服RNA剪切药物有望治疗绝症

<正>运动神经元负责将神经系统的信号传递给肌肉纤维。在脊髓性肌萎缩症(SMA)患者中,运动神经元缺乏生存所需的一种蛋白,结果神经元逐步死亡而患者肌肉日渐萎缩。目前,这种疾病还是个不治之症。罗氏制药(p RED)、PTC Therapeutics、SMA基金会、南加州大学和哈佛大学的研究者们,合作开发了一个可以口服的小分子药物,这种药物能够改变特定m RNA的剪切,在运动神经元中恢复关键蛋白的合成。他们用这种药物对SMA小鼠模型进行治疗,成功改善了小鼠的肌肉量、运动     

miR-505-3p在小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞中抑制可变剪接因子以调控运动神经元存活基因可变剪接

目的探究微小RNA 505-3p(miR-505-3p)对于运动神经元存活基因(survival motor neuron gene,SMN)可变剪接的影响。方法利用生物信息学数据库预测miR-505-3p靶基因,构建双荧光素酶报告载体,在小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞(mouse embryonic fibroblast,MEF)中验证靶基因为可变剪接因子(alternative splicing factor,ASF)基因,运用免疫印迹和免疫荧光染色验证miR-505-3p对ASF的抑制效果,利用实时定量PCR技术检测miR-505-3p对具有正常功能的全长SMN(SMN-FL)以及含有毒性的第7号外显子缺失的SMN(SMN-D7)表达量的影响及ASF在其中的作用。结果 miR-505-3P直接结合ASF3'端调控区并抑制ASF mRNA及蛋白表达量,抑制ASF蛋白在细胞核中的表达和分布。过表达miR-505-3p促进SMN-FL向SMND7的转化,而过表达靶基因ASF或者抑制miR-505-3p促进SMN-FL的保留。结论 ASF对SMN基因正常剪接形成SMNFL是必需的,miR-505-3p通过抑制ASF,从而干扰ASF对于SMN可变剪接的调控,导致正常的SMN-FL向毒性的SMN-D7转化。     

GDNF对体外运动神经元和感觉神经元的影响

目的:探讨胶质细胞源性神经营养因子(GDNF)对正常胎鼠脊髓运动神经元(SMN)和背根神经节神经元(DRG)生长活性的作用.方法:建立大鼠胚胎SMN和DRG单细胞培养体系,观察1 μg/L、10 μg/L、50 μg/L和100 μg/L GDNF对SMN和DRG存活及突起生长的影响.结果: GDNF组培养的SMN和DRG存活数目明显增加,神经元突起长度比对照组明显增长,且具有剂量依赖趋势.结论: GDNF对正常大鼠胚胎发育期运动神经元和感觉神经元具有神经营养作用.     

SARS冠状病毒核衣壳蛋白抑制胞质分裂和细胞增值

目的:SARS冠状病毒(SARS-CoV)的核衣壳蛋白(N蛋白)能够结合病毒RNA形成螺旋状的核衣壳。在3种不同的细胞系中分别表达SARS-CoVN蛋白,研究它对转染细胞生长的影响。方法:将重组质粒pEGFP-N和pEGFP(作为对照)分别转染人胚肾HEK293细胞、成纤维细胞3T3、人宫颈癌HeLa细胞,通过激光共聚焦显微镜、荧光显微镜观察SARS-CoVN蛋白在细胞内的定位以及细胞的生长变化。结果:SARS-CoVN蛋白能定位于细胞质,并不像其他冠状病毒N蛋白那样能够定位到细胞核。同时发现SARS-CoVN蛋白能够诱导形成多核细胞,多核细胞的百分率可达33.9%。结论:SARS-CoVN蛋白抑制胞质分裂,延缓细胞生长。     

EZH2蛋白在食管上皮永生化细胞系和恶性转化细胞系中的表达

目的研究EZH2蛋白在食管上皮永生化细胞系(SHEE)和恶性转化细胞系(SHEEC)中的表达。方法采用免疫细胞化学染色、免疫印迹分析和流式细胞术检测两种细胞系EZH2蛋白的表达。结果两种细胞EZH2蛋白染色均呈阳性,阳性反应定位于细胞核,部分细胞胞浆也有阳性着色。免疫印迹分析表明SHEEC细胞和SHEE细胞的总蛋白、核蛋白在分子质量约90ku的位置均出现特异性印迹条带。SHEE细胞中EZH2蛋白的表达强于SHEEC细胞(P<0.05)。流式细胞术显示EZH2蛋白在两种细胞中均有表达,两者的平均荧光强度无明显差别;阳性细胞率均较高,其中SHEE细胞阳性率高于SHEEC细胞。结论EZH2蛋白在SHEE细胞和SHEEC细胞中高表达可能参与了它们的恶性改变;而EZH2蛋白在两种细胞系中的差异表达可能与细胞的分化程度及来源于胚胎食管上皮细胞相关。     

复发缓解型实验性变态反应性脑脊髓炎动物模型的建立

目的:建立复发缓解型实验性变态反应性脑脊髓炎(EAE)动物模型,进行病理学研究,为多发性硬化(MS)的发病机制研究及治疗药物研发提供合适的动物模型。方法:选择不同品系动物(昆明种、BALB/c和C57BL/6小鼠,SD大鼠),采用各自品系来源的脊髓和弗氏完全佐剂混合乳剂一次性注入动物双足垫,1周后半剂量注射进行一次加强,诱导EAE;观察发病情况,HE染色观察病理变化,监牢兰染色观察脱髓鞘情况。结果:昆明种、BALB/c和C57BL/6小鼠均无明显症状,HE染色小脑的脊髓无炎性细胞浸润;SD大鼠对照组正常,模型组临床症状发生率为90%以上,HE染色可见小脑白质及脊髓血管周围有大量的炎性细胞浸润,监牢兰染色可见大片髓鞘脱落。结论:EAE模型在昆明种、BALB/c及C57BL/6小鼠中用脊髓匀浆不易于诱导,而用SD大鼠脊髓髓鞘蛋白和弗氏完全佐剂混合乳剂可高效率诱导出同种SD大鼠的复发缓解型EAE。     

Biomarker for Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Expression of SMN in Peripheral Blood of SMA Patients and Healthy Controls

Spinal muscular atrophy is caused by a functional deletion of SMN1 on Chromosome 5, which leads to a progressive loss of motor function in affected patients. SMA patients have at least one copy of a similar gene, SMN2, which produces functional SMN protein, although in reduced quantities. The severity of SMA is variable, partially due to differences in SMN2 copy numbers. Here, we report the results of a biomarker study characterizing SMA patients of varying disease severity. SMN copy number, mRNA and Protein levels in whole blood of patients were measured and compared against a cohort of healthy controls. The results show differential regulation of expression of SMN2 in peripheral blood between patients and healthy subjects.     

A novel nuclear structure containing the survival of motor neurons protein.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a common, often fatal, autosomal recessive disease leading to progressive muscle wasting and paralysis as a result of degeneration of anterior horn cells of the spinal cord. A gene termed survival of motor neurons (SMN), at 5q13, has been identified as the determining gene of SMA (Lefebvre et al., 1995). The SMN gene is deleted in > 98% of SMA patients, but the function of the SMN protein is unknown. In searching for hnRNP-interacting proteins we found that SMN interacts with the RGG box region of hnRNP U, with itself, with fibrillarin and with several novel proteins. We have produced monoclonal antibodies to the SMN protein, and we report here on its striking cellular localization pattern. Immunolocalization studies using SMN monoclonal antibodies show several intense dots in HeLa cell nuclei. These structures are similar in number (2-6) and size (0.1-1.0 micron) to coiled bodies, and frequently are found near or associated with coiled bodies. We term these prominent nuclear structures gems, for Gemini of coiled bodies.     

Degradation of survival motor neuron (SMN) protein is mediated via the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway

Homozygous deletion or mutation in the survival motor neuron (SMN)1 gene causes proximal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), whereas SMN2 acts as a modifying gene that can influence the severity of SMA. It has been suggested that restoration of the SMN protein level in neuronal cells may prevent cell loss and may be helpful for treatment of SMA. Recent studies indicate that the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway is a major system for proteolysis of intracellular proteins. In this study, we investigate whether SMN protein is degraded via the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. Primary fibroblasts were established from the skin biopsies of SMA patients and the effect of a proteasome inhibitor MG132 and lysosome inhibitor NH(4)Cl on SMN protein level was examined. We found that MG132, but not NH(4)Cl, significantly increased the amount and nuclear accumulation of SMN protein in SMA patient's fibroblasts. Immunoprecipitation/western blot analysis indicated that SMN protein was ubiquitinated in cells. In vitro protein ubiquitination assay also demonstrated that SMN protein could be conjugated with ubiquitin. Taken together, we have provided clear evidences that degradation of SMN protein is mediated via the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway and suggest that proteasome inhibitors may up-regulate SMN protein level and may be useful for the treatment of SMA.     

SMN interacts with a novel family of hnRNP and spliceosomal proteins

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a common neurodegenerative disease caused by deletion or loss-of-function mutations of the survival of motor neurons (SMN) protein. SMN is in a complex with several proteins, including Gemin2, Gemin3 and Gemin4, and it plays important roles in small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) biogenesis and in pre-mRNA splicing. Here, we characterize three new hnRNP proteins, collectively referred to as hnRNP Qs, which are derived from alternative splicing of a single gene. The hnRNP Q proteins interact with SMN, and the most common SMN mutant found in SMA patients is defective in its interactions with them. We further demonstrate that hnRNP Qs are required for efficient pre-mRNA splicing in vitro. The hnRNP Q proteins may provide a molecular link between the SMN complex and splicing.     

Analysis of the SMN and NAIP genes in slovak spinal muscular atrophy patients

We identified homozygous absence of exon 7 of the telomeric copy of the survival motor neuron gene (telSMN) in 88.4% (38/43) of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients from Slovakia. Additional deletions within the neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) gene were found in 38.5% of type I, 12.5% of type II and never in type III SMA patients. Neither the SMN nor the NAIP gene was deleted in 81 healthy relatives and 25 controls tested. In one family, pseudodominant inheritance was identified. Both the type III SMA father and type II SMA son carried the homozygous deletion of the telSMN gene. One SMA I patient showed an SMN hybrid gene, probably created by intrachromosomal deletion. In two haploidentical type II SMA sibs, the telSMN exon 7 was absent on one chromosome, while the other carried an A-->G transition 96 bp upstream of exon 7 of the telSMN gene, a potential disease-causing mutation in these patients.     

SMN Protein Can Be Reliably Measured in Whole Blood with an Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) Immunoassay: Implications for Clinical Trials

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is caused by defects in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene that encodes survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. The majority of therapeutic approaches currently in clinical development for SMA aim to increase SMN protein expression and there is a need for sensitive methods able to quantify increases in SMN protein levels in accessible tissues. We have developed a sensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL)-based immunoassay for measuring SMN protein in whole blood with a minimum volume requirement of 5μL. The SMN-ECL immunoassay enables accurate measurement of SMN in whole blood and other tissues. Using the assay, we measured SMN protein in whole blood from SMA patients and healthy controls and found that SMN protein levels were associated with SMN2 copy number and were greater in SMA patients with 4 copies, relative to those with 2 and 3 copies. SMN protein levels did not vary significantly in healthy individuals over a four-week period and were not affected by circadian rhythms. Almost half of the SMN protein was found in platelets. We show that SMN protein levels in C/C-allele mice, which model a mild form of SMA, were high in neonatal stage, decreased in the first few weeks after birth, and then remained stable throughout the adult stage. Importantly, SMN protein levels in the CNS correlated with SMN levels measured in whole blood of the C/C-allele mice. These findings have implications for the measurement of SMN protein induction in whole blood in response to SMN-upregulating therapy.     

Deletions of the survival motor neuron gene in unaffected siblings of patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

DNA studies in 103 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients from The Netherlands revealed homozygosity for a survival motor neuron (SMN) deletion in 96 (93%) of 103. Neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein deletions were found in 38 (37%) of 103 and occurred most frequently in SMA type I. SMN deletions have not yet been described to occur in healthy subjects. In this study, however, four unaffected sibs from two SMA families showed homozygosity for SMN deletions. Homozygosity for an SMN deletion in unaffected persons seems to be very rare. Therefore, demonstration of a homozygous SMN deletion in a clinically presumed SMA patient should be considered as a confirmation of the diagnosis, whether or not SMN is in fact the causal gene for SMA.     

Increased susceptibility of spinal muscular atrophy fibroblasts to camptothecin is p53-independent

Background  

Deletion or mutation(s) of the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene causes spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The SMN protein is known to play a role in RNA metabolism, neurite outgrowth, and cell survival. Yet, it remains unclear how SMN deficiency causes selective motor neuron death and muscle atrophy seen in SMA. Previously, we have shown that skin fibroblasts from SMA patients are more sensitive to the DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin, supporting a role for SMN in cell survival. Here, we examine the potential mechanism of camptothecin sensitivity in SMA fibroblasts.