白细胞介素-1信号转导通路上的两个新分子

白细胞介素 1β(interleukin 1β,IL 1β)为重要的多效性细胞因子,参与炎症反应、神经内分泌调控、大脑学习和记忆等功能,探究其受体后信号转导通路的分子组成,以及分子间相互作用,是揭示其生物学作用的重要步骤。目前,除2 0 0 0年瑞士学者发现并命名的新分子Tollip (Toll inte     

Raf激酶抑制蛋白的研究进展

Raf激酶抑制蛋白(RKIP)是磷脂酰乙醇胺结合蛋白家族的成员。RKIP通过与Raf-1结合,抑制了Ras/Raf-1/MEK/ERK信号转导通路,并在NF-κB及G蛋白偶联受体(GPCR)信号转导通路中也起重要调节作用。RKIP参与细胞凋亡、肿瘤转移、神经发育以及精子发生等病理生理过程,通过研究RKIP能为治疗相关疾病提供新思路新靶点。本文主要介绍RKIP的生物功能,着重于其在神经系统、肿瘤和生殖系统中的研究进展。     

中枢白细胞介素-1在应激反应中的作用

白细胞介素-1（interleukin-1,IL-1）系统分子广泛分布于中枢神经系统。中枢IL-1具有极其丰富的生物学功能,作为经典炎性细胞因子,在多种生理、病理生理过程中起重要作用。近几年来,中枢IL-1的应激介质作用备受关注。本文综述了中枢IL-1在应激反应中作用的最新进展,包括应激对中枢IL-1系统的影响,中枢IL-1对应激反应的启动和介导作用;参与中枢IL-1-应激介导作用的神经环路和细胞信号转导通路,以及中枢IL-1对应激时脑高级功能和行为反应的影响。     

gp130介导的信号转导通路在哺乳动物着床中的作用

IL—6相关细胞因子家族成员包括LIF、IL-6、IL-11以及它们的共同受体gp130,在哺乳动物的着床过程中起着重要的作用。LIF敲除的小鼠不能着床。IL—11Rα敲除的小鼠不能完全发生蜕膜化,从而导致妊娠的失败。IL—6敲除的小鼠着床数和着床胚胎的存活率均降低。这些细胞因子通过与受体结合,激活下游信号分子STAT,从而形成了gp130/Jak／STAT信号转导通路,并且STAT3基因敲除的小鼠也不能着床。这些细胞因子通过gp130/Jak／STAT信号转导通路在着床过程中起着重要的作用。了解此信号通路在看床中的作用对解决一些不明原因的不孕症,以及开发着床相关的避孕药物等具有重要意义。     

磷脂酰肌醇3- 激酶对心脏的调节

磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶(phosphatidylinosito1 3-kinase,PI3K)是体内很多生理过程中起关键作用的信号分子,PI3K介导的信号转导通路调节细胞的增生、分化、凋亡等活动。以往研究较多的是PI3K与肿瘤发生发展的关系,最近很多研究发现PI3K介导的信号转导通路对心脏具有重要的调节功能。本文就近年来关于PI3K的结构和功能以及PI3K对心脏的调节的研究作一综述。     

胰岛素和瘦素抵抗的重要调控因子:细胞因子信号转导抑制因子-3

细胞因子信号转导抑制因子-3(Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling-3,SOCS-3)是细胞信号转导生理抑制剂家族重要成员之一,主要参与负调控生长激素、白介素(IL),肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)等细胞因子信号转导.最近发现,SOCS-3在胰岛素和瘦素抵抗中具有重要调控功能,且与糖尿病关系密切,是未来糖尿病基因治疗的新靶点.该文综述了近年来SOCS-3结构及其对胰岛素和瘦素抵抗的调控机制研究进展,并探讨SOCS-3在糖尿病中的作用.     

植物MAPK级联途径参与调控ABA信号转导

促分裂原活化蛋白激酶(MAPK)级联途径信号通路在真核生物细胞信号的转换和放大过程中起重要作用。MAPK级联途径由三个成员组成,分别是MAPK、MAPKK及MAPKKK,此三个信号组分按照MAPKKK-MAPKK-MAPK的方式依次磷酸化将外源信号级联放大向下传递。大量研究表明,植物MAPK级联途径参与调控脱落酸(ABA)信号转导。因此,该文就ABA和MAPK的生物学功能、ABA信号转导中的磷酸化与去磷酸化以及MAPK级联途径与ABA信号转导之间的关系等方面的研究进展进行综述,以便进一步认识MAPK和ABA信号转导的分子机制。     

Kindlin家族调控Wnt/β-catenin信号通路的研究进展

Kindlin家族属于新型的局灶性黏附蛋白家族,是由三个进化上具有高度保守性和同源性的蛋白质(Kindlin-1、2和3)组成,在整合素调节、细胞基质黏附和信号转导中发挥重要作用。尽管由三个不同的基因编码,Kindlin家族成员有相似的结构和序列,在C端均含有1个FERM结构域。Wnt/β-catenin信号通路是生物体中普遍存在的调节细胞增殖和细胞分化的重要信号通路之一,在生长发育等生理过程和肿瘤等病理过程中发挥着重要作用。越来越多研究显示,Kindlin家族成员通过调控Wnt/β-catenin信号通路参与包括肿瘤在内的许多疾病的发生和发展过程。因此,该文围绕Kindlin家族的结构、主要功能以及调控Wnt/β-catenin信号通路等方面的研究进展进行综述。     

Summary and comparison of the signaling mechanisms of the Toll/interleukin-1 receptor family

The Toll/interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor (TIR) family comprises two groups of transmembrane proteins, which share functional and structural properties. The members of the IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) subfamily are characterized by three extracellular immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains. They form heterodimeric signaling receptor complexes consisting of receptor and accessory proteins. The members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) subfamily recognize alarm signals that can be derived either from pathogens or the host itself. TLRs possess leucine-rich repeats in their extracellular part. TLRs can form dimeric receptor complexes consisting of two different TLRs or homodimers in the case of TLR4. The TLR4 receptor complex requires supportive molecules for optimal response to its ligand lipopolysaccharide (LPS). A hallmark of the TIR family is the cytoplasmic TIR domain that is indispensable for signal transduction. The TIR domain serves as a scaffold for a series of protein-protein interactions which result in the activation of a unique signaling module consisting of MyD88, interleukin-1 receptor associated kinase (IRAK) family members and Tollip, which is used exclusively by TIR family members. Subsequently, several central signaling pathways are activated in parallel, the activation of NFkappaB being the most prominent event of the inflammatory response. Recent developments indicate that in addition to the common signaling module MyD88/IRAK/Tollip, other molecules can modulate signaling by TLRs, especially of TLR4, resulting in differential biological answers to distinct pathogenic structures. Subtle differences in TLR signaling pathways are now becoming apparent, which reveal how the innate immune system decides at a very early stage the direction in which the adaptive immune response will develop. The creation of pathogen-specific mediator environments by dendritic cells defines whether a cellular or humoral response will be activated in response to the pathogen.     

The expanding interleukin-1 family and its receptors: do alternative IL-1 receptor/signaling pathways exist in the brain?

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been implicated in neuroimmune responses and has pleiotropic actions in the brain. Compelling evidence has shown that IL-1 is a major mediator of inflammation and the progression of cell death in response to brain injury and cerebral ischemia. Its expression is strongly increased in these pathological conditions, and central administration of exogenous IL-1 significantly exacerbates ischemic brain damage. In contrast, inhibiting IL-1 actions (by intracerebroventricular [icv] injection of IL-1ra, neutralizing antibody to IL-1 or caspase-1 inhibitor) significantly reduces ischemic brain damage. IL-1 acts by binding to the IL-1 type-1 receptor (IL-1RI), which is to date, the only known functional receptor for IL-1. However, our recent investigations suggest that IL-1 can act independently of IL-1RI, raising the possibility that additional, as yet undiscovered, receptor(s) for IL-1 exist in the brain. The recent characterization of putative, new IL-1 ligands and new IL-1 receptor-related molecules leads to the hypothesis that there might be alternative IL-1 signaling pathway(s) in the central nervous system (CNS).     

TRAF6, a molecular bridge spanning adaptive immunity, innate immunity and osteoimmunology

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is a crucial signaling molecule regulating a diverse array of physiological processes, including adaptive immunity, innate immunity, bone metabolism and the development of several tissues including lymph nodes, mammary glands, skin and the central nervous system. It is a member of a group of six closely related TRAF proteins, which serve as adapter molecules, coupling the TNF receptor (TNFR) superfamily to intracellular signaling events. Among the TRAF proteins, TRAF6 is unique in that, in addition to mediating TNFR family signaling, it is also essential for signaling downstream of an unrelated family of receptors, the interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor/Toll-like receptor (IL-1R/TLR) superfamily. Gene targeting experiments have identified several indispensable physiological functions of TRAF6, and structural and biochemical studies have revealed the potential mechanisms of its action. By virtue of its many signaling roles, TRAF6 represents an important target in the regulation of many disease processes, including immunity, inflammation and osteoporosis.     

Signal transduction in vasculogenesis and developmental angiogenesis

The vasculature is a highly specialized organ that functions in a number of key physiological tasks including the transport of oxygen and nutrients to tissues. Formation of the vascular system is an essential and rate-limiting step in development and occurs primarily through two main mechanisms, vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Both vasculogenesis, the de novo formation of vessels, and angiogenesis, the growth of new vessels from pre-existing vessels by sprouting, are complex processes that are mediated by the precise coordination of multiple cell types to form and remodel the vascular system. A host of signaling molecules and their interaction with specific receptors are central to activating and modulating vessel formation. This review article summarizes the current state of research involving signaling molecules that have been demonstrated to function in the regulation of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, as well as molecules known to play a role in vessel maturation, hypoxia-driven angiogenesis and arterial-venous specification.     

The Class II cytokine receptor (CRF2) family: overview and patterns of receptor-ligand interactions

Expanded genomic information has driven the discovery of new members of the human Class II family of cytokine receptors (CRF2), which now includes 12 proteins. The corresponding cytokines have been identified, paired with their receptors and initially characterized for function. These cytokines include: a new human Type I IFN, IFN-kappa; molecules related to IL-10 (IL-19, IL-20, IL-22, IL-24, IL-26); and IFN-lambdas (IL-28/29), which have antiviral and cell stimulatory activities reminiscent of Type I IFNs, but act through a distinct receptor. In response to ligand binding, the CRF2 proteins form heterodimers, leading to cytokine-specific cellular responses; these diverse physiological functions are just beginning to be explored. Progress in structural and mutational analysis of ligand-receptor interactions now presents a more reliable framework for understanding receptor-ligand interactions, and for predicting key regions in less well studied members of the CRF2 family. The relationships between the CRF2 proteins will be summarized, as will the progress in identifying patterns of receptor interactions with ligands.     

Evolutionary plasticity of IL-6 cytokine family

The IL-6 family of cytokines includes a variety of proteins that function not only within the immune system, but also in other organs, tissues, and types of cells, including neurons. The common evolutionary origin of the IL-6 family proteins determines similar mechanisms of reception and intracellular signaling, although their primary structures are highly variable, as well as their biological functions. We have demonstrated that the members of the IL-6 family have high evolutionary plasticity. This manifests in a high degree of population polymorphism for IL-6 family genes, as well as varying degrees of evolutionary conservation among members of the family. The degree of evolutionary conservation of IL-6 family proteins does not correlate with the mechanisms of interaction between these cytokines and their receptors.     

Interleukin-34 Restores Blood–Brain Barrier Integrity by Upregulating Tight Junction Proteins in Endothelial Cells

Interleukin-34 (IL-34) is a newly discovered cytokine as an additional ligand for colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R), and its functions are expected to overlap with colony stimulating factor-1/macrophage-colony stimulating factor. We have previously shown that the IL-34 is primarily produced by neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) and induces proliferation and neuroprotective properties of microglia which express CSF1R. However, the functions of IL-34 in the CNS are still elucidative. Here we show that CNS capillary endothelial cells also express CSF1R. IL-34 protected blood–brain barrier integrity by restored expression levels of tight junction proteins, which were downregulated by pro-inflammatory cytokines. The novel function of IL-34 on the blood–brain barrier may give us a clue for new therapeutic strategies in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer''s disease.     

胰岛素受体底物家族与Ⅱ型糖尿病

胰岛素受体底物(insulin receptor substrate,IRS)家族是胰岛素／类胰岛素生长因子信号系统上游通路的关键介导者,在维持细胞生长、分裂和代谢中起着重要作用。已有四个成员被鉴定出：IRS-1、IRS-2、IRS-3和IRS-4,其中IRS-1和IRS-2在许多不同的组织细胞中起着特异性作用。IRS介导的胰岛素信号通路与很多其他信号通路存在交叉,它们能干扰胰岛素发挥效应,导致胰岛素抵抗,从而引发糖尿病。